Lord and Lady Holder looked at one another. Their son had told them of Miss Bennet’s refusal when she believed him to be Mr Carrington. They were greatly impressed that now she knew of his title, Miss Bennet’s answer had been much as Jamey had reported it had been in the park. If Jamey chose to pursue Miss Bennet, they would have no objections.
Before the Carringtons departed, Hadlock requested permission to call on Miss Bennet. She granted his request.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A little later Monday morning, after they had broken their fasts, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Darcy called at the parsonage. Like the first time, the colonel, no longer sporting his regimentals, was all affability while his cousin, after an initial greeting sat staring at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth could not understand what Mr Darcy’s purpose in calling was. Surely he wanted to be as far away from her as she wanted to be from him?
After a half hour when the two men left, Elizabeth felt great relief. She hoped it would be the last time Mr Darcy darkened the parsonage’s door. He was beginning to grate on her nerves.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Lord Reggie and Lady Elaine Fitzwilliam, along with their eldest son, Lord Hilldale arrived at Rosings Park in theearly afternoon. They had the butler show them directly to the drawing room.
The last people Lady Catherine expected, or wanted, to see, had just walked into her drawing room. Why were they here? They had no way of knowing about Anne. She had made sure that no one was allowed near her daughter’s chambers, and all post was brought to her before being posted. Nothing had been sent to her brother.
“Reggie, Elaine, and Andrew, what brings you to my estate unannounced,” Lady Catherine blustered.
“Stop, Catty. We know all about Anne. I brought my physician with me, and he is examining Anne as we speak. Did you truly think, if you hid the truth from us, you would be able to keep an estate which is not yours by law?” Matlock demanded.
“I know not of what you speak.” Lady Catherine was confident the footman would not allow the doctor near Anne.
“Aunt Catherine, I saw Anne on Saturday and sent an express to my parents. William has also seen her, and the footman will not stop the physician, so your plan to hide Anne’s deteriorating health has failed,” Fitzwilliam revealed as he and William entered the drawing room.
“How dare you betray me in this fashion?” Lady Catherine shrieked. “This is the payment I receive for the notice I have shown you?”
“Enough!” Matlock boomed. “Richard, has there been an improvement since you changed Anne’s diet?” He turned to his sister whose face had turned the colour of puce. “Catty, holding your breath like you did when you were a girl will not change anything. You should have been the one to make the changes Richard did.”
“Aye, Father, she has gained a little more strength,”Fitzwilliam replied.
Lady Catherine shrank back as the fight went out of her. “I thought that I could make Anne get better by the force of my will, and if I did not see her like that, all would be well.”
“This is not easy. It is not right for a parent to lose a child,” Matlock said sympathetically. “We will do whatever we are able to do, and if the inevitable comes to pass, we will all face it together. I know you are worried about the entail. When it is time to worry about that, then, together, we will do so.”
For the first time in many years, Lady Catherine de Bourgh cried.
Chapter6
For three days Elizabeth was able to walk out without encountering the objectionable Mr Darcy. Unfortunately, on the fourth day the insufferable man was waiting for her again. Her wish not to have to endure him when all she sought in the morning was solitude and to commune with nature had not been answered. As she had done before, she accepted his request to walk with her and placed her hand on his forearm as lightly as was possible. She did not have to wait long for him to speak this day.
“Are you comfortable at the parsonage?” Darcy asked. He tried his best to calm himself in Miss Elizabeth’s—no he only thought of her as Elizabeth now—company so he would not sound like a blathering fool. A Darcy could never be a fool!
“It is a cosy house. Since Sir William’s departure on Friday last, Maria—Miss Lucas—and I are no longer sharing a bedchamber which adds to our ease.” Elizabeth paused. “You were aware that Sir William Lucas, a man youmetin Meryton, was in residence until Friday morning, were you not?”
“Indeed, my aunt mentioned that Mrs Collins’s father had escorted you and Miss Lucas to the parsonage and had remained for a few days,” Darcy replied. “In the future if you visit here, I think you will be a guest at the manor house.”
As she could not understand what Mr Darcy meant and had no desire to delve into the significance of it, Elizabeth ignored his last statement, and instead asked a question of her own, one meant to needle him. “Are you free to walk out again because your noble relatives have departed?”
“No, they are yet here. You will meet them on the morrow. I believe that Lady Catherine has sent an invitation to the parsonage inviting the residents to dinner on that day,” Darcy responded. “My cousin, Andrew, Viscount Hilldale, Colonel Fitzwilliam’s older brother, is also present. Unfortunately, my cousin, Anne de Bourgh will not be able to attend us.”
Elizabeth knew not what to make of his response. She had no expectation of seeing Miss de Bourgh after what she had witnessed the one and only time she had been in the woman’s company. She did not understand how one so sickly could marry anyone, but that was not her concern. Her thoughts returned to the new guests at the mansion. While his noble family was in residence she had expected—no perhaps hoped—that Mr Darcy would be too busy with the family she thought too proud to notice those at the parsonage. But now, not only was Mr Darcy out and about again, but she would meet the earl, the countess, and the viscount on the morrow. She had to smile to herself when she imagined the paeans of praise which would flow from her cousin’s mouth when he met a Peer of the Realm, his wife, and titled son. It would be interesting to see if they accepted the unwarranted worship of their persons as their due in the same manner Lady Catherine did. For once, she was looking forward to dinner.
When they reached the clearing where the various paths converged, Darcy bowed and took his leave. He walked down the path which Elizabeth had assumed led to the great house. She took the path through the field of wildflowers up the hill to the folly.
The gaudy structure was an affront to nature, but it was a comfortable place to sit and contemplate things. Elizabeth wondered if Jane had read her latest letter yet.
She felt rather guilty about some of the words she had written about Colonel Fitzwilliam’s parents and brother without ever meeting them. She told herself that just because theyagreed to have dinner with those from the parsonage did not necessarily mean she was wrong.
