“I am grieved to hear it. You are not too cold?”
“No, I am as well as can be expected… You must allow me to thank you for your hospitality, though you must wonder why we have come so far to visit you.”
“I have a fair inkling as to the purpose of Lady Catherine’s journey. We did speak at length in the garden about the impediments, real and imaginary, to my impending marriage to Mr Darcy.” She refrained from mentioning Miss de Bourgh’s equally obvious reason because that would be cruel.
Miss de Bourgh chuckled, which sent her into a racking coughing fit. Elizabeth poured a glass of water from the ewer and helped the lady to sit up to drink it. Once the bout had passed, Miss de Bourgh sank back into her pillow and closed her eyes. Elizabeth moved to leave when she spoke.
“As you can see, my time is limited,” Miss de Bourgh croaked. “I love Darcy dearly and could not rest easy until I had seen for myself what kind of bride my cousin had chosen.”
Elizabeth did not stifle her gasp as well as she ought. Poor Miss de Bourgh—she loved Mr Darcy too!
“I must emphasise that it is a cousinly love and not the sort you find between a husband and wife. Still, I would be grieved to know he was unhappy with his choice of partner, or indeed that it was not truly his choice.”
Elizabeth fisted her hands at the unjust accusation.
“In defence of my concern, Mr Collins’s report of you was most unflattering. I should have known that the fool was not to be trusted… My mother took him on as a project, to prove that she could better his understanding, but I fear in this case it has proved to be a futile endeavour.”
“Perhaps we should become better acquainted before judging each other’s characters,” Elizabeth demurred.
“My mother obviously likes you or she would not have introduced you to me, her favourite—and might I add, only—daughter.”
Miss de Bourgh had not been present when Lady Catherine had spouted her vitriol. She had only observed them after her illness had tempered both ladies’ vexation.
“She does not suffer fools—my mother that is. She is known for her frankness and intimidates most of those she encounters to cow to her will. But I can see that you have a will of your own, which will serve you well in dealing with my stoic cousin. He is used to getting his way, and being subjected to resistance now and again will not injure him in the slightest. I love him, but I am not blind to his faults.
“I can see the objections in your expression, but all gentlemen have propensities both good and evil. It speaks well of your feelings that you believe him to be perfect. You have a compassionate nature, and I can say that with certainty due to your excellent care for me, whom you must perceive as a threat to your felicity— Do not look so surprised! I am familiar with my mother’s wishes. In her defence, she is only trying to protect me and is unwilling to admit that it is too late. She stubbornly believes that I shall outlive her, and my dear father left me under the protection of my uncle, the Earl of Matlock, until I marry. Needless to say, my mother and her brother do not agree on most subjects.”
“I am sorry,” Elizabeth remarked, wondering whether Lady Catherine had any friends at all.
“You need not be. I am resigned to my fate, but now I need to rest.”
“Of course. Shall I send for Mrs Jenkinson?”
Miss de Bourgh shook her head. Elizabeth showed her the tassel she should pull to summon a servant and closed the door carefully on her way out.
Lady Catherine and her attendants stayed only the one night. The weather was unusually fine for early December, and the ladies thought it wise to return to their own home before it turned foul.
#
Mr Darcy returned three days after Lady Catherine left. He entered Longbourn’s parlour looking windswept with an animalistic wildness Elizabeth found utterly intoxicating. He must have missed her as much as she had missed him. She met him in the middle of the room and divested him of the hat he was maiming in his hands.
“Pray, how is your sister?”
Mr Darcy stared at her as if he had not understood the question, then he snatched his hat out of her hands. Elizabeth’s concern he would only stay for a short while rose immediately.
“She is well. It is a lovely day—would you take a turn about the garden with me?”
Elizabeth glanced out of the window at the threatening clouds and agreed. Mr Darcy guided her a distance away from the house before he spoke.
“I must beg your forgiveness. My aunt—”
“Lady Catherine’s visit was unpleasant and confusing, but it is not your duty to beg my forgiveness.”
“I beg to differ, but your letter was vague… You must tell me at once what atrocities she accused you of and what abominable behaviour she subjected you to.”
“Lady Catherine accused me of usurping her daughter’s rightful place as your bride but was interrupted by the aforementioned daughter’s turn of ill health. They stayed the night and left the following morning. Miss de Bourgh is a pleasant young lady,” Elizabeth allowed, deciding to defer sketching Lady Catherine’s character until they became better acquainted.
Mr Darcy gaped unbecomingly, but he must have known about his aunt’s wishes; even Mr Collins had sputtered similar nonsense.
