Bingley had joined Fitzwilliam in solidarity as the guests entered his parlour, but with one look at Caroline, he commanded his sister to withdraw. She followed him with an astounding meekness, possibly boding well for future relations between brother and sister. The pair retreated from the ensuing family spectacle, Bingley casting a brief commiserating glance toward Fitzwilliam.
“Fitzwilliam!” Lady Catherine spat. “Where is Georgiana?”
“Oh, likely still dressing, Aunt. Darcy spoils her, you know. She never rises above ten in the morning.”
Lady Catherine pointed her cane at him. “She is a Darcy! I know better, Fitzwilliam. Bring her to me at once!”
“Still in her nightdress! Why, of course, Aunt, I shall try, but her maid is a rather stout young thing. She will not take kindly to….”
“Have her sent down immediately, with all of her luggage!” Lady Catherine bellowed. “I am taking my niece and leaving this barbaric country!”
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that, Aunt,” Richard shook his head, his manner hardening somewhat. “Darcy wishes for her to remain where she is, and do you know… I saw the guardianship papers myself.” His voice was soft, but a practised ear could discern the threatening edge to his tone.
“How dare you, Richard Fitzwilliam!” Lady Catherine raised her cane again as if to strike. “I can bury you! One letter to your commanding officer….”
“And what, Catherine?” boomed a deep voice.
Lady Catherine whirled, her face blanching in denial. Her nephew and brother had entered the room, both looking something the worse for their hasty travels. Darcy had hurriedly donned a fresh coat and combed his hair, but his blouse ruffles remained limp, his cravat pitiful, and his breeches dotted still with flecks of mud.
Matlock crossed his arms, a manner he affected only with wayward children and his recalcitrant sister. “You were saying something to my son, Catherine?” he demanded again.
She found her voice. “You went back to London! What are you doing here, James? Of all the deceitful, manipulative, unworthy conduct!”
“Yes, that is how I would characterize it,” he levelled an icy stare at his sister. “It so happens that I enjoy travelling in freezing weather in the dead of the night. Let me be understood, Catherine. My son isnotyour concern!”
Lady Catherine’s ire switched to Darcy. “Mynephewis! Fitzwilliam George Richard Darcy, you will go down on your kneethis instantand do your duty to your cousin! You have shirked your responsibilities for far too long, and your lack of honour has had serious consequences on Anne’s health! You have distressed her long enough, and this time,you willcapitulate!”
“No, Aunt Catherine, I will not.” Darcy’s voice was steady and even, as though he were discussing crop rotation with his steward. “I regret to cause my cousin any pain, but I have never desired the connection you say exists. Even should I wish it, my hand is no longer my own to bestow. Another has a claim on my honour.”
“Thatvile temptress! You cannot ally yourself with thatchit, Darcy! She would taint us all! That the shades of Pemberley should be polluted by such a —a scheming, low-born...” Her words were cut off when Darcy took three long strides and towered over her, his face inches from hers and his eyes blazing.
“You would do well to check your words,Madam!” The lady reeled, and her mouth dropped in scandalized fury at Darcy’s blatant omission of her title. “Miss Bennet is to be Mistress of Pemberley and of Darcy House, and guests shall be welcomed or repulsed atherpleasure. Her nature is more generous than mine, but I promise you,Madam, I will not tolerate any insults to my wife!”
Lady Catherine trembled, her gnarled fingers reaching blindly for a piece of furniture by which she might support herself. “Did you hear that, Brother? Your nephew has lost his mind and become violent besides! I shall see your reputationruinedin theton, Darcy!”
The earl laughed menacingly. “How might you expect to do that, Catherine? You will exhaust your daughter’s resources and ruin yourself in the process!”
She shot out her hand, extending one long withered finger. “I am not without my means, James!” She rounded on Darcy, pointing that same finger at him. “I know all about Georgiana!”
Darcy staggered back and paled. “What?”
Fitzwilliam was at his side in a moment. “Impossible!” he cried. “What can you possibly….” Darcy stopped him with a subtle shake of his head.
Their fearful exchange was not lost on any of the room’s occupants. Anne’s eyes widened, and Matlock glared quizzically at the pair.
Lady Catherine smelled blood in the water. A triumphant smirk blossomed on her face. “I know,” she stalked closer, “that she was alone at Netherfield with that son of a tradesman! You abandoned your duty to her, Darcy, to call on that trollop and left Georgiana to be compromised! I know he was alone in a carriage with her! She is ruined, Darcy, or will be when my solicitor receives the notice I posted to him yesterday. His directive was to release that information through all of his contacts if you do not satisfy meimmediately!”
Darcy and Fitzwilliam both stared in dumbfounded bewilderment. Then, as one, their frames began to quiver. Darcy, however, was beginning to laugh, while Fitzwilliam trembled with rage. “How dare you do such a thing!” the colonel snarled. Had his aunt not been a woman—the wordladywas questionably and rather too generously applied—he would have had his hands about her throat.
Darcy halted him with a hand on his shoulder. “An interesting attempt, Aunt Catherine, but Bingley is an engaged man. Additionally, he is very strict with chaperones. There is never a room without a footman, and Georgiana’s maid accompanies her at all times.”
“That matters not,” she waved a hand blithely. “A hint of scandal is all that is required. Do you seriously think anyone would take the word of a maid over mine? She will never make her presentation at court, Darcy! No one would risk an association with a tainted woman. That friend of yours will be forced to marry her if she is to save face at all, and what will happen to your pretty little Miss Bennet then? I fancy she will not defend the Darcy family quite so well once her sister has been abandoned for their sake, will she?
“You see...” she raised her cane, stepping forward, “I know all about her, too! You only barely won her consent, Darcy, and you certainly have not her father’s yet. Her greed may have caused her to accept you after a fashion, but she does not like you. The insolent little chit may have some sense, after all—you never had any prepossessing traits, Darcy! Too much like your father, but that matters not to me. I have only to threaten Georgiana and offend that Bennet girl, and you have no recourse but to do as I wish!”
“Enough!” Matlock pushed between his son and nephew, both of whom by now were taking turns between anguished pallor and righteous fury. “Catherine, you go too far!”
“Do I, James? Why have you never checked him? He has been allowed to disappoint Anne for far too long! Unconscionable that a Darcy should shirk his duty!”
