“We expect to be here for a fortnight.”
Two whole weeks. I controlled my facial muscles to conceal my dismay.
Lady Catherine sipped from her tea cup. “I have instructed your housekeeper to have two rooms prepared in the family wing.”
No doubt as the former mistress’s sister, she had grown accustomed to having her choice of accommodations here. “How mindful of you.”
“Well, I always pay attention to these matters, and since we had no one here to greet us,someonehad to take charge.”
With effort, I discarded the impetuous retort on the tip of my tongue. “If I had but known you were coming, I should have been here to greet you, and all preparations would have been made well in advance.”
Lady Catherine put a generous slice of cake on her plate. “You should have been expecting me. I wrote to my nephew to let him know.”
No, that could not be true. “I am certain he received no letter from you.”
“Well, Darcy must not have seen fit to inform you. That does not surprise me. Gentlemen have no obligation to share every little detail of their lives with their spouses.”
What nonsense! I did not bother to make a reply. While my father often kept secrets from my mother for one reason or another, Fitzwilliam would never withhold information so relevant to me and my position.Would he? No, of course not.
My husband burst into the room. His eyes sought me, and I managed to produce a smile for him. He strode to his aunt. “Lady Catherine, this is a surprise.”
She stood and offered her hand, over which he bowed. “Darcy, you know very well I wrote to you and informed you of my intentions. Regardless, I want to make you known to my friend.” She took Lady Rebecca’s hand and brought her before him. “Lady Rebecca Seymour, I am pleased to present my nephew Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
He bowed. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rebecca.”
In horrid fascination, I stood with my hands clenched at my sides and gaped at the spectacle before me: with an amatory glimmer to her eyes, Lady Rebecca gave Fitzwilliam a pert smile and positioned herself in an affected fashion designed to push her ample chest upwards to within a few inches from him. The insolent hussy!
“Your aunt described you as handsome, but she did not do justice to your impressive figure and stature.” Her voice had a purring quality that grated on me.
He took a step back. “I thank you.”
The simper Lady Catherine aimed at me inspired an image of a cat holding a mouse helpless within its jaws. She turned her attention to my husband. “Darcy, Lady Rebecca inherited an estate near Manchester. I told her that you would show her around Pemberley and teach her the fundamentals an estate owner needs to know.”
“Oh yes. I am eager to learn from you.” Lady Rebecca grasped Fitzwilliam’s arm.
He stiffened, stretching his upper body away from her. “My wife and I should be glad to show you Pemberley. I am sure you can learn a great deal from her with regards to running the household of an estate and establishing arapportwith the tenants. Mrs. Darcy has proven herself to be an excellent mistress.”
“That is not what my friend needs.” Lady Catherine’s abrasive tone pierced the air. “An efficient housekeeper can attend to those duties, but she wants to learn all aspects of running an estate lest an unscrupulous steward robs her blind.” At that remark, Lady Rebecca winced and gave Lady Catherine a sharp look.
“Very well.”
A self-satisfied smirk raised Lady Catherine’s cheeks.
Graham’s “mmm” sound drew my gaze. He partook of a pear tart with apparent delight, and his glittering blue eyes evidenced the amusement he derived from our guests’ antics. But they failed to entertainme. Why had Lady Catherine come, and why had she brought Lady Rebecca?
“Now then, you must realize I am anxious to meet my grand-nephew.” Lady Catherine cast her gaze upon me. “I should like him to be brought here now.” Her imperial deportment made it clear she would brook no refusal.
My stomach tensed, and my sight flitted to Fitzwilliam. A desire to voice a protest welled up within me.Are we to expose Bennet to this woman? She is certain to frighten him.Yet Fitzwilliam’s assured bearing conveyed no qualms for introducing our child to Lady Catherine. She was his aunt, after all. However, I should bring Bennet myself and prepare him to meet several strangers. I forced myself to rise. “As you wish. I shall go and retrieve him.”
“What is this?” Lady Catherine’s brows came together. “Why not ring for a servant?”
“I prefer to go myself.”
Fitzwilliam stood. “I shall accompany you.”
“Now that is ridiculous!” Lady Catherine’s outburst had a strident sound. “There can be no need for this, Darcy, unless you cannot trust your wife to accomplish a task so trivial on her own.”
His shoulders straightened as he glared upon his aunt.
