My husband shifted his weight, and creases formed on his brow. “My love, why expose yourself to any more of her rancour? My aunt can be a malicious old crone when she wants to be.”
“Yes, I know. I got a taste of her malice last night. My efforts at gaining her good opinion might be a waste of time, yet I should like to try.”
He brought my hand to his chest, and his eyes pleaded with me. “I do not like this. How can I let anyone with such evil intentions remain?”
“I do not think you truly see your aunt as evil. She seeks to avenge a perceived wrong to her daughter. Erroneous as she may be, she is impelled by maternal instinct.” My husband’s frown and the determined set to his jaw signified his inner struggle. In other circumstances, it might be unfair to take advantage of the fact that he loathed denying me anything I desired, but in this instance, I acted for his sake.
“I see your point, but the timing of their visit could not be worse. I know you are disappointed that both Georgiana and Jane are unable to come for your birthday”—his inflexion increased in strength—“but to have the company of Lady Catherine and her ‘friend’ thrust upon you at this time is insupportable.”
My fingers moved through his hair, an action that had served to placate him many times in the past. “You must know that I am certain to have a delightful day as long as you and Bennet are present.”
He groaned. “Very well. If you truly wish to try to change my aunt’s mind, then I suppose we shall let them stay—at least for now.” He kissed my forehead. “You are an extraordinary lady. Despite my many misgivings, I love you for wanting to attempt this onerous feat.”
“I love you too.”
Fitzwilliam’s lips captured mine in a hungry kiss, and a multitude of enticing sensations coursed through me. His kisses travelled to my neck, and I angled my head to facilitate his movement. When he halted and moved away, I peered at him through my lashes.
He traced his finger over my bottom lip. “Alas, it is time we went downstairs for dinner.”
My brow arched, and I gave him the saucy expression he treasured. “Then I dare say we had better hurry.”
His fiery gaze caressed me. “As you wish.” His voice sounded husky. He scooped me into his arms as though I weighed no more than a feather and took me towards the bed.
Lady Catherine
Darcy and Elizabeth kept Mr. Graham, Lady Rebecca, and me waiting in the drawing-room for a full twenty minutes before they arrived together, both grinning like simpletons. I did not rouse myself to admonish them, but my pointed glare made it clear their transgression had not gone unnoticed. Of course, one could not expect any better from a wife of such faulty breeding.
My poor nephew endured such a plebeian existence! Anne would be distraught if she had lived to see the woman to whom her son had tied himself. Would that I could be spared from having to witness this grotesque situation! Due to Mrs. Reynolds’s efficiency, the household continued to run without calamity despite its incompetent mistress. If not for her, Elizabeth would be exposed as an uncouth, low-born, baggage with no idea how to behave with decorum.
In contrast, Lady Rebecca displayed admirable manners and benefited from a fine education. Moreover, her elegant beauty far surpassed Elizabeth's looks. The first time I set eyes upon Lady Rebecca remained emblazoned upon my memory…
Three Weeks Earlier
London
Lady Catherine
I arrived at my friend Lady Juliet Comerford’s gathering with low expectations. Over the years, her standards had relaxed to an alarming extent. At her most recent dinner party, I had been importuned for over twenty minutes in conversation with a fellow guest only to have the man revealed as a tradesman! After I gave Lady Juliet a piece of my mind, she apologized. Still, I had insisted upon approving the list of guests before attending any of her future routs.
In the dining-parlour, a stunning lady took the seat across from me, and I found it difficult to tear my eyes from her. Her countenance seemed familiar, yet we had never met. The perception hit me like a bolt of lightning, and my mouthful of tea almost went the wrong way. The woman bore a remarkable resemblance to the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet. A rush of excitement surged through me as a scheme took shape in my mind. That lady would be the perfect instrument for obtaining revenge against the woman who stood in my daughter’s rightful place as Mrs. Darcy. If Darcy met this similar, but superior, version of his wife, he would be forced to recognise his mistake in choosing a woman so below him in consequence.
At my request, my friend introduced the young woman as Lady Rebecca Seymour. After conversing with her, it became clear she possessed the intelligence, education, and talents to attract my nephew.
I sought a moment alone with Lady Juliet, and my friend provided the pertinent details of Lady Rebecca’s situation. She was a widow and the daughter of an impoverished marquis,now deceased. Her late husband, a baron, had left Lady Rebecca without sufficient funds to live in comfort. She survived on the generosity of family and friends.
Several months earlier, Lady Rebecca had inherited a small estate from a distant uncle. Unfortunately, the steward had been stealing from his employer for many years. After the elderly gentleman’s death, the thief ran off with everything in the estate’s coffers—over two thousand pounds. At this bit of intelligence, I clasped my hands together, unable to contain my excitement, for I could not have devised a more ideal situation. Due to her urgent need for funds, Lady Rebecca would be apt to participate in a scheme of my design if she received sufficient payment.
I coaxed Lady Rebecca into accompanying me to the gardens. We sat together on a secluded bench, and I moved to face her. “I have a proposition that could be lucrative for you.”
Lady Rebecca raised her brows but remained silent.
“I want you to accompany me to Pemberley Estate in Derbyshire, the home of my nephew Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. He married a woman who is far below him in wealth, social standing, and character. Your assignment is to seduce him into a romantic liaison and thereby humiliate Mrs. Darcy. If you agree to do this, I shall pay you five hundred pounds upon our arrival at Pemberley. After the successful completion of the task as assigned, you will earn an additional fifteen hundred pounds.” I resisted the urge to smile when Lady Rebecca’s eyes grew wide at my mention of the money.
“But…why askme? If you wish to hire someone to entice your nephew, I imagine you can find any number of women capable of accomplishing this at the nearest brothel for a fraction of the cost.”
I hesitated, for it would not do to disclose Lady Rebecca’s prodigious resemblance to Mrs. Darcy. “That is true. But mynephew is not like most men. He does not frequent brothels or have mistresses. If he is to stray from his wife, it would take a lady of intelligence, good breeding, and education—one like yourself.”
Lady Rebecca twisted the topaz pendant of her necklace. “But I have nothing against Mrs. Darcy. I would not want to be responsible for destroying anyone’s marriage.”
