Five
“This is unacceptable! My daughter has lost her mind!” Lady Catherine shouted. “We have been trapped in London for almost a week for God-knows-what treatment, and we have neglected our affairs at Rosings. This is nothing more than a whim, which I have always disapproved of. And now you insist on me allowing Anne to ride in Hyde Park? Is she ill or not? I shall put an end to this once and for all!”
“Catherine, please do not shout,” Lord Matlock requested in a low voice. “I do lose my temper at times, but I control myself. Our servants are not accustomed to yelling, and we do not wish to incite gossip.”
“Besides, you are upset all the time, and I cannot understand why,” Lady Matlock added. “Nobody is keeping you in London if you prefer to be elsewhere. Anne is well taken care of, and she seems to enjoy our company.”
It was a warm, sunny day, and the Darcys were in attendance at the Matlocks’, together with Colonel Fitzwilliam and Anne.
Darcy visited the Matlocks daily with Georgiana and spent some time with Anne. He was relieved that his cousin showed an obvious improvement, even in such a short time. Lady Catherine was always there, of course, causing a disturbance, but he had learnt to pay no attention to her.
He was overjoyed, counting the days until he would leave for Netherfield. He had received another letter from Mr. Bennet, and one from Bingley, which gave him joy for the mere reason that they were connected to Elizabeth.
He also expected Mr. Gardiner to visit him in the afternoon, and he planned to discuss the pressing matter of Wickham. He needed to be sure if and how much Elizabeth had been told,so he could at least be prepared. His forthcoming meeting with Elizabeth gave him thrills that kept him awake at night and pleasure that made him smile during the day. Even Georgiana noticed his joy and told him as much.
“Besides, you have the tendency to always exaggerate,” Darcy heard Lady Matlock say. “Anne does not intend to ride a horse but to stay in the carriage, which is warm and comfortable, with me and her cousins. The doctor said she needs a little bit of fresh air, just as he insisted that she must go to Brighton for the summer.”
“So Anne cannot come home with me, but she can take rides in the park?” Lady Catherine continued with growing anger.
“Mama, I wish to go. I never go anywhere…I like to see people…” Anne pleaded.
“See people? Have you not seen enough people? What has happened to you, Anne? I blame Darcy for this situation! He insisted on you staying when we should have returned to Rosings, and all would be well now!”
“So, if I understood well, you blame Darcy for your unreasonable decision to travel from Kent to Hertfordshire and then to London?” the earl asked, mockery apparent in his voice. “How is he guilty for you not judging properly?”
“He is! If he had complied with his mother’s wishes and done what was right—”
“Mama, for Heaven’s sake, will you stop with this nonsense! How long will you expose me to ridicule, begging someone to marry me?” Anne cried in a voice that nobody had heard before, clearly on the verge of tears.
Lady Catherine stared at her daughter, her eyes and mouth wide in disbelief, struggling to breathe and speak, but Anne continued despite the tears coursing down her cheeks.
“I do not want to marry Darcy, just as he does not want to marry me! You cannot force me to marry or to go home! I donot need to marry — I have enough fortune to do what I please! Darcy told me I can sell Rosings if I want, can I not?” she asked, looking at him.
“You can, Anne,” he responded calmly. “You can do whatever you wish, with everything that rightfully belongs to you.”
“Anne, dear, try to calm yourself,” Lady Matlock said gently.
“Sell Rosings?” cried Lady Catherine. “Are you a lunatic? And you, Darcy, an ungrateful man with no respect for your closest relative! Your mother would die again if she saw your dreadful behaviour!”
“Lady Catherine, I shall not dignify you with an answer to such claims,” Darcy said, struggling to keep his voice level, noticing Georgiana was tearful from distress. “Either you mind your words or I shall never speak to you again. As you may know, I resemble you in some ways — I am as resentful as you are, my temper is as bad as yours, and my good opinion once lost is lost forever. I have borne your behaviour for too long, but it all ends today.”
He expected Lady Catherine to shout again, but the earl interjected decidedly.
“Enough with this madness in my house!” he demanded. “Catherine, you either watch your words or I shall ask you to leave. You have your own house in town to stay in if you wish, or you may return to Rosings and complete your unfinished business. I am sure Anne does not intend to sell it immediately.”
“Sell it? Stop saying such horrible things! Nobody can sell Rosings! Anne, you must recover your wits and think properly! We shall return home together and speak of all this. We shall put this whole disturbing situation behind us.”
“I shall not return home with you, Mama. I have no intention of selling Rosings unless I am forced to do so. Darcy, do I have enough money to live in town if I wish to?”
The question took everyone by surprise, and Lady Catherine turned red, gulping for air.
“Anne, what are you saying? Live in London? Where? You cannot do anything by yourself! You need Mrs. Jenkinson to cut your meat, for God’s sake! Do not make a fool of yourself! You must think of your father and your name and your reputation!”
“I shall think of myself alone for once. If I cannot do anything by myself, I shall hire help. Can I do that, Darcy?”
“You may do whatever you please, Anne. There is no need to sell Rosings since it brings you a significant income. You have several other investments I have made at Lady Catherine’s request, which are also mostly yours. I may say your fortune has increased since you inherited.”
Their conversation was interrupted by another outburst of fury from Lady Catherine until Lord Matlock unceremoniously led her out of the room.
