Page 17 of Bitterness of Spirit

Elizabeth glanced at Anne again; she was even paler, and her lips seemed to tremble slightly.

“Those of us who wished to study had all the encouragement they needed. Some of us are fond of reading, others of playing and singing. But I heartily agree with your ladyship in regards to education,” Elizabeth attempted to conclude the debate.

Mr. Collins, Maria, and Sir William appeared deeply disconcerted, and Charlotte was not far from them.

“Of course you must agree with me. I am rarely, if ever, wrong,” Lady Catherine said, and Mr. Collins hurried to support her statement.

Tea and refreshments were finally served, and the conversation turned to the activities of some families in Hunsford. Then Lady Catherine again turned her attention to Elizabeth.

“How long do you plan to stay in Kent, Miss Bennet?”

“My friend Mrs. Collins kindly agreed to host us for a fortnight.”

“My father-in-law will stay only a week, but my cousin and sister-in-law will remain with us longer,” Mr. Collins added.

Lady Catherine dismissed him with only a glare. “Good. You should come and dine at Rosings sometime this week. Starting next week, we might not have time to spare for you. My two nephews will arrive for their annual visit. They usually come a little later, but this year, Darcy decided to come earlier. He seemed especially eager to visit Rosings,” Lady Catherine uttered, glancing at her daughter. Anne’s expression wore apparent uneasiness.

“Your ladyship is too kind and generous to us.” Mr. Collins bowed lower one more time.

Elizabeth fought the temptation to roll her eyes at the news. Having to see Mr. Darcy again was one of the least pleasant things she could imagine. It was fortunate that he would likely not step past the edge of the Parsonage’s garden. The Collinses were surely not among his friends.

“We expect another visit too. From my uncle—my aunt’s brother,” she heard herself saying.

“Which uncle and aunt do you mean?” Lady Catherine inquired. ‘The ones who are in trade and live in Cheapside?”

A trace of anger stirred Elizabeth; Lady Catherine’s disdainful tone reminded her of the Bingley sisters and the haughty Mr. Darcy.

“Yes. My aunt lives near Cheapside, but her brother has just rented a house in Park Lane.”

Lady Catherine’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What Park Lane do you mean, Miss Bennet?”

“Are there several? If there are, I only have knowledge of the one in London,” Elizabeth answered.

“You must be confused, Miss Bennet. The houses on Park Lane are far above the means of your aunt’s brother, I am sure,” her ladyship opined.

“Indeed, I heard the same. The gentleman himself told us when we were in London…” Sir William unwisely attempted to support Elizabeth’s words.

Lady Catherine turned her attention to him. “Are you an expert on the estates of London, Sir William?”

“I am not…I only meant to…”

“And have you seen the house for yourself?”

“No…”

“Then I would suggest you wait until the answer to these questions is ‘yes,’” Lady Catherine concluded in a patronising voice.

The rudeness was unacceptable to both Sir William and to her, and Elizabeth wondered whether she would be able to remain composed. She would have gladly replied sharply, but she had to consider Charlotte, who would be at the Parsonage for many years and would have to bear her ladyship’s ‘generosity.’ She had to keep herself under proper regulation for no more than a fortnight; it would be a test of her self-control.

For the remainder of their visit, Lady Catherine continued to inquire about the Bennets, and Elizabeth patiently complied in her duty as a polite guest. But she anticipated the moment of departure with eagerness.

Dinner was quick and tasteful, and Elizabeth contributed little to the conversation, which was similar to their earlier visit. At the end of the day, she found her small chamber at Hunsford more comfortable than the large, imposing rooms and windows of Rosings, and silence and solitude were a welcome change after the irksome discussions.

She briefly considered she had twelve more days of such activities, and she fell asleep in exhaustion.

Chapter 5

Two days later, Elizabeth took advantage of a few hours by herself. Charlotte, along with her family, went for a long ride around the parish, but Elizabeth had no inclination to hear more praise of Lady Catherine and the excellent living of her cousin, so she pretended a slight headache and remained at home.