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“Yes, your ladyship.”
She aimed her walking stick at poor Kitty. “And that I suppose is one of your sisters.”
“Yes, your ladyship,” said Elizabeth. What on earth is she doing here?
Delighted to speak to Lady Catherine, Mrs. Bennet readily joined the conversation. “She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is soon to be married as well to a charming young gentleman whose family hails from the North. You may have heard of him. His name is Mr. Bingley—Mr. Charles Bingley.”
Her ladyship was taken aback. “I know full well about your eldest daughter’s plan. It is precisely that news, which brings me here.”
“Oh—how kind of you to have come all this way to offer your congratulations. I suppose you must have been passing through these parts and meant to extend this courtesy from having met my daughter, Lizzy. May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. and Mrs. Collins well?”
“Indeed, they were perfectly well when I saw them the night before last.”
Elizabeth now expected she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, for it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared. How puzzling.
Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment, but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely, declined eating anything. “Mrs. Bennet, if you and your other daughters will pardon me, I should like very much to speak with Miss Elizabeth in private.”
Mrs. Bennet readily acceded to her ladyship’s request and quickly ushered all her daughters save Elizabeth out the door.
Her ladyship stood and walked about the room, looking here and there and everywhere. Her inspection completed, she turned to Elizabeth. “I suppose this is a decent room. However, the prospect from that window over there is nothing in comparison with the view from the parlour at Rosings.”
“I do not suppose it is.” Elizabeth walked closer to her guest. “Excuse me, your ladyship, but might I ask why you are here? I had rather supposed your calling here was to convey a letter from the Collinses while passing through Meryton.”
“Do I look like a letter carrier?”
How rude and shocking was her response. Elizabeth took a step back. “No, your ladyship.” How could I ever have thought her nephew like her?
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes. “You can be at no loss, young woman, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I have come.”
Elizabeth looked at the guest with unaffected astonishment. “Indeed, you are mistaken. I am completely unable to account for the honour of seeing you here; especially as you have made it clear your business does not involve the Collinses.”
“You ought to know that I am not to be trifled with. You may choose to be insincere, but you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in such a moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it.”
She pursed her lips in disgust. “A report of a most alarming nature reached me mere days ago. I was told your sister will be most advantageously married. What is more, I was told that you likely would be soon afterwards united to my nephew, Mr. Darcy.
“Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place to make my sentiments known to you.”
Her voice filled with dismay, Elizabeth said, “If you believed it impossible to be true, I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far.”
Lady Catherine huffed. “I came to insist upon having such a report contradicted.”
“If such a report is indeed in existence, then your coming to Longbourn and confronting me will be rather a confirmation of it, will it not?”
“If!” Her ladyship’s nostrils flared. “Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by you?”
The door of the parlour swung open, and Mrs. Bennet raced into the room. “What is the meaning of this? Your ladyship, with all due respect, why on earth are you speaking to my daughter in this manner?” Bestowing her disapprobation equally, she turned to her daughter. “What is the meaning of this disturbance? Pray, Lizzy, what have you said to our esteemed guest?”
“Rather than be forthcoming, this young woman dares to stand here and plead ignorance to the rumour that she is to be married to my nephew, Mr. Darcy, going so far as to deny being the chief architect of such a scandalous falsehood.”
Mrs. Bennet raised her hand to her chest. “If you will allow me to speak for my daughter, I will say categorically that she has no knowledge of such a rumour. If such a rumour does exist, it is most certainly a falsehood. Why she can barely tolerate your nephew! Just yesterday, I forced her to walk with him to Oakham Mount so Mr. Bingley and my Jane could have some privacy.”
Lady Catherine disregarded Mrs. Bennet and spoke to Elizabeth. “And can you likewise declare there is no foundation for it?”
“Lizzy, you need not feel compelled to give credence to this nonsense!”
“This is not to be borne. Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied. Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage?”
Mrs. Bennet placed her hands on her hips in defiance. “As I have declared, your ladyship, it is impossible! Were it not for your nephew’s stewardship of his friend, I dare say he would never come within a mile of Longbourn. Do you know that when he first arrived in Hertfordshire all those months ago and condescended to attend the assembly in Meryton, he refused to dance with anyone but the ladies in his party? Mr. Bingley danced with many of the young ladies. He danced with my Jane twice. I am certain he would have danced with Lizzy too, had she been in attendance. That is just the sort of gentleman he is. But not Mr. Darcy! He fancied himself quite above his company, I do not mind saying.”
