This was why I did not like dancing with strange people at strange balls, for instance. It was physically uncomfortable.
“Forgive us, Lady Matlock,” said Elizabeth. “Perhaps it falls to me to introduce myself. I am your nephew’s new wife, Mrs. Darcy.”
“I had heard rumors,” said Lady Matlock, “but I don’t think I really expected to find you here. And the ankle business is true, too.”
“Oh,” said Elizabeth, “well, we did not elope… or… there was no… what rumor did you here?”
“The truth is we got stuck together in a falling-down house on the grounds of Netherfield,” I said, “and then the stairs collapsed, and then she fell out of a window—”
“Well, no, I was trying to climb down and the trellis broke,” said Elizabeth.
“Just so,” I said. “Anyway, I would never elope.”
My aunt smirked.
“All right,” I said, “getting married in the country and telling no one is perhaps the same thing, but…”
“You didn’t tell anyone?” said Elizabeth, turning on me. “I suppose I am having it illustrated that you did not tell your aunt, but I thought… not even your sister?”
I let out a breath.
“Well,” said Elizabeth, nodding, smoothing out her skirts. “I see.”
“I see as well,” said my aunt. “She is very pretty.” She looked Elizabeth over. “Well, you have gone off and married someone that no one has ever heard of, from the country, in some scandal involving her ankle.”
“I don’t think the ankle part is really the scandalous part,” I said.
“Hush, Mr. Darcy,” said my aunt. “I wish to speak to your new wife. My dear, you seem at least somewhat aware of the situation you find yourself in, and I am pleased to see it. An intelligent woman is always preferable to one who is stupid and simpering. I am pleased that my nephew has not chosen someone like that. But to be clear, you are not the sort of woman who anyone would wish to be united with my nephew. I hope my saying this isn’t coming to you as a horrible surprise.”
“Madam,” I said, with heat. “I do not think you should speak so to my wife.”
“Hush,” she said to me again, nodding at Elizabeth.
“Not a surprise, no,” said Elizabeth.
“However,” continued Lady Matlock, “there is little to be done about it now, so we must see what we can do to salvage the situation. I have a number of questions to put to you, and we shall look at the answers when we are done and see where we need to address various shortcomings and issues, all right?” She took a small notebook out of her reticule and opened it up. “Oh, dear, I think I need a pen.” She stood up and looked about the room until she spied an inkwell in the corner on my writing desk. She simply stared at it, blinking, until I got up and fetched it for her.
I set the inkwell and the pen down on the table in front of her. “I should not like it if you spilled ink on this table,” I said to her.
She smirked at me.
Elizabeth fiddled with the collar of her morning dress.
I winced. Now that I thought about it, she needed new clothes. That morning dress was nearly threadbare in spots. It actually had a patch on one of the elbows. If I’d known wewere going to have visitors, I would have made sure she had something else to wear.
“What is your name?” said Lady Matlock, pen at the ready.
“Elizabeth,” said my wife.
“And your maiden name?” said Lady Matlock, scratching onto the paper of her small book with the pen.
“Bennet,” said Elizabeth.
“Hmm, never heard of it,” said Lady Matlock. “That may be just fine, however. Does your father have an occupation?”
“My father is a gentleman,” said Elizabeth. “He owns Longbourn, near Meryton.”
“I see, this is not disastrous,” said Lady Matlock. “What is his income per year?”
