“And quite by accident,” Elizabeth hissed, moving her chair so that she might see past her mother, and look to William for reassurance.
“You will forgive me if the pressing matter of your future, Elizabeth, has prevented me from discovering whatever became of that horrid little parson who shaded the memory of your poor late mother.”
“To answer your question, your ladyship, Miss Cardew and I are courting; I intend to marry her when my friend here consents.”
Lady Catherine turned her attention back to William. “Are you some kin of the late, lamentable Mr. Cardew? I understood you to be quite without family.”
“After the death of his first wife, Mr. Cardew married my guardian’s widow. I was sent away to school then, but Mr. Cardew was kind to me when I visited home. His wife was ailingwhen he died, and on his deathbed he asked me to care for his daughter.”
Lady Catherine’s posture conveyed her displeasure. “And you did not think to mention any of this to me during our interview, sir?”
“You did not ask.”
“And you are allowing this coxcomb to pay court to her?”
“I am going to marry him, Lady Catherine,” Kitty said, holding her head high.
Lady Catherine gave a heavy sigh. “I do not know if there is anything particularly exciting in the air, in this part of Surrey, but it seems to me that the amount of engagements taking place must be substantially disproportionate to the quantity of respectable chaperones present.”
“My governess had been with us all the time,” Kitty protested.
“Girls who have governesses do not need husbands,” Lady Catherine sniffed. She turned to Jane, who had been silently seething at Richard’s side. “Come and meet your half-sister, my darling. We might remain a few minutes more, before making our departure; it is perhaps best if Elizabeth is brought home under cover of darkness.”
Elizabeth stood and moved closer to her lover. “I do not wish to return home, Mamma. Please, do not make me choose between you and William.”
Jane crossed the room, but she stopped before she reached Kitty, who was gazing at her with open wonder. “I notice you no longer refer to him as Mr. Darcy, Lizzy.”
Lady Catherine’s face flashed with renewed ire. “Lizzy, you cannot be aware of this man’s unforgivable deceit!”
Beside Elizabeth, William looked at Richard with blatant betrayal. Richard only shrugged his shoulders, his expression still severe.
“I did forgive Mr. Worthing, Mamma. He told me his reasons for pretending to be Will Darcy, and I comprehend that he meant no harm in it.”
“I see. And might these reasons have anything to do with why you informed your cousin Rebecca that you would be going to Pemberley?”
“What? No! I only thought it would be convenient – our return from Scotland would bring us very close, and you might all join us, to cover up my disappearance and perhaps be reconciled. You know I am fond of the place, but….”
“But you did not think your aunt would be most seriously aggrieved to receive a man who has masqueraded as Will Darcy in her former home? After all she has suffered, for you to bring this pretender there! Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”
William hastily attempted to offer his explanation, an abbreviated version of all that he had told Elizabeth of his youthful impulse to seek refuge from his burdens at home. Lady Catherine looked to Richard, who gave a nod. “This is just what he told me – what I explained to you in the carriage. He is not trying to usurp anything from your sister or her daughter.”
William looked aghast. “What? Certainly not!”
Elizabeth let out a shrill cry of indignation. “Mamma, how could you think such a thing? You know I adore Aunt Anne!”
Jane gently laid a hand on Elizabeth’s arm. Her wrath had cooled since Kitty was brought to her notice, but her attention was still fixed on the conflict at hand. “I comprehend his reasons, and perhaps they were not malicious, but how can youforgive a man who deceived you for weeks and distressed Lady Anne so greatly – and even consent to elope with him?”
“You are marrying Richard, when he used Mr. Bunbury as an excuse to avoid us all for years,” Elizabeth cried. “There is no such person, Mr. Darcy told me that Richard made it all up.”
Kitty let out a squeak of astonishment, and Mr. Bingley leaned in and whispered something in her ear that seemed to appease her.
Jane smiled tranquilly. “Yes, Lizzy, I know. Richard told me the truth on our very first evening in London. He was honest with me at once.”
Elizabeth glanced warily at William, sensing the merit of her sister’s argument. Lady Catherine seized upon her moment of doubt. “You must give up this madness, Elizabeth. His courtship of you was a fabrication enacted in the shadows.”
Tears prickled at Elizabeth’s eyes, and Kitty came forward to comfort her. “I know my guardian very well, Lady Catherine; I know he loves her dearly.”
“That is immaterial,” Lady Catherine thundered, causing Kitty to shrink back a little. “Richard, make yourself useful and speak sense to your friend – persuade him to give this madness up. Jane, you might inform your sister Elizabeth how we have been in anguish over her, believing her to be ill at Rosings. Afflicted, apparently, by the same indisposition as the famous Mr. Bunbury.”
