Darcy cringed with his aunt’s lack of prudence and decorum. “Miss Elizabeth probably did not appreciate your bringing this to her attention.”
“She was livid! She said by marrying you, she would not be quittinghersphere because she is a gentleman’s daughter. I had her there, Nephew! I had her there! I told her I knew of her mother’s low connections, but she insisted if you did not object to her connections, it was nothing to me.”
Much to his regret, Darcy remembered saying something very similar to his aunt’s words at one time to Elizabeth. Now, however, he came to a new realization: his aunt repeatedly abused Elizabeth, and Elizabeth had a right to deny any connection to him. If she had, Lady Catherine would have stopped her tirade, but even with all Lady Catherine said to her, Elizabeth never said she would not marry him. He walked toward the window; he feared if his aunt could see his face at the moment, it would betray how happy this conversation made him.
“I demanded to know if you were engaged.” Darcy’s back stiffened with anger directed toward his aunt’s intimidation of someone lower in standing. “Thankfully, she confirmed you were not engaged, but Miss Bennet refused to promise she would never enter into such an engagement.”Elizabeth would not promise to refuse him.“I told her I would never give up this mission. Being wholly unreasonable, Miss Bennet claimed my application to be ill-judged and my arguments to be frivolous, saying even if she refused your hand, it would not make you turn to Anne.”
“Madam, do you not think you overstepped your bounds? This is my life of which you speak.”
“I have not, Sir. Family resentment will follow such a union.”
“I doubt our family would dare resent any woman I chose.”
“Miss Bennet said something similar. She said she would not let her decision to marry you be affected by duty, honor,orgratitude. Resentment from your family or indignation from the world would mean nothing to her if you were excited by being married to her; the world, according to Miss Bennet, would have too much sense to join in the scorn!”
“Miss Elizabeth is correct, Madame. If I chose her, your disapproval would mean nothing; I would regret the loss of your affectionas my aunt, but it would not alter my decision.” He did not turn to face her.
“Darcy, you cannot mean as such. Have you forgotten your mother’s wish for you to marry Anne?”
“My mother never expressed such a desire to me, and I will not let it control my heart nor my choice. As much as I respect Anne, she is not the woman for me. I need a mistress for Pemberley; I need a mother for my children, Pemberley’s heirs. Anne and I have spoken; she and I are of a like mind in this matter.”
Lady Catherine stood abruptly. “So, you intend to makethis girlyour wife despite my objections?”
Darcy turned back to face his aunt head on.“If Elizabeth Bennet will have me, my life would be complete.”
“It is her arts and allurements,” she said as she headed toward the door,“which make you speak so foolishly. I will give you one week to come to your senses; if not, you will never be welcomed at Rosings again.” With that, she walked brusquely through the hall and out to her carriage, shooing servants out of her way as she went.
When she left, Darcy collapsed into the chair she vacated. Lady Catherine gave him hope; where days before he resolved to put distance between him and Elizabeth, now he thought only of returning to Netherfield and to her. He would have done so immediately if he was not to dine with Edward this evening; also he reasoned he needed time to reflect on what his aunt said and what he should do next. Edward was the perfect person with whom to discuss this encounter for besides Edward’s clear thinking, what Darcy chose next would affect both of them.
Darcy most welcomed Edward’s arrival at Kensington Place that evening. He needed his cousin’s advice because his own emotions were far too out of control for him to think sensibly. The gentlemen took dinner leisurely, stopping several times for intense conversation and then returning to the meal to “chew” over the ideas as much as to consume the food. Darcy updated Edward on the pleasure of finding Elizabeth at Pemberley, sharing many of theintimate details and asking for Edward’s astute interpretation of what Elizabeth said and did. When Darcy told how Elizabeth thwarted Miss Bingley’s attempt at a cut and maintained Georgiana’s secret, the news astounded Edward. “I always found Miss Bennet to be most engaging,” he said with a smile.
Next came the story of George Wickham and Lydia Bennet’s “arranged” marriage. “Now you understand why I purchased the commission,” Darcy related.
“In some ways I wish Miss Elizabeth realized the depth of your love, Darcy. Only a man as good as you would help his worst enemy to secretly save the woman he loves. My estimation of you has increased substantially, and it was always of the highest regard.”
This brought Edward to the news of Darcy’s return to Netherfield. “I went with Bingley when he called on the Bennets the first time. I hoped to be able to talk to Elizabeth, but she barely looked at me. Her needlework was never as beloved as it was that day.”
“Darcy, she had not seen you since sharing her sister’s shame with you. She must be confused. Why would you come there? Elizabeth has to know how you feel by now, but she must wonder how you could renew your affections to her with George Wickham as her brother.”
“What you say is so reasonable when you say it but not when I am living it,” Darcy chuckled ironically.“But things did not change at the dinner two days later. I spent the meal seated next to Mrs. Bennet; she spent the evening surrounded by other ladies, and we were unable to talk at all.”
“Again, Darcy, was that Elizabeth’s doing or Mrs. Bennet’s?”
“Why would Mrs. Bennet want to keep me from Elizabeth? If she threw Elizabeth at Mr. Collins, my wealth should earn me a right to court her daughter. The woman may dislike me, but her only goal is to marry off her daughters to well-suited matches. She would not keep me from Elizabeth!”
“Mrs. Bennet, I doubt, realizes your interest in Elizabeth. If what you say about the woman is true, and she knew how you felt, Elizabeth would be sittingonyour lap. Instead, I think Mrs. Bennetwas trying to keep you from Mr. Bingley. The Bennets must know of Miss Bingley’s cut in London of Miss Bennet by now.You and Caroline are intimates in the Bennets’ opinions. Keeping you from stopping her plans to marry off Jane Bennet to Mr. Bingley seems a more likely explanation of what happened. Did Miss Elizabeth not say anything?”
“She only asked about whether Georgiana was at Pemberley.”
“Cousin, Miss Elizabeth asked about Pemberley because it was the place where you shared somethingspecial.If you do not stop second-guessing everything, you will lose this woman.”Ashamed at how easily Edward saw what he did not, Darcy dropped his head. “Now,” Edward rubbed his hands together in anticipation,“tell me what our dear aunt had to say today. If she said what I hope, both of our loves may be soon achieved.”
“Our aunt heard from her favorite gossipmonger Mr. Collins that Elizabeth started a rumor of our impending marriage, and Lady Catherine demanded it be universally denied. Lady Catherine went to Longbourn to confront Elizabeth.”
“That must have been some conversation! I cannot imagine Lady Catherine displaying much civility.”
“Our aunt was quite frank about what she said to Elizabeth. I kept myself in check to ascertain the extent of the accusations and the exact discourse, but it was difficult. She reminded Elizabeth of her connections, berated her for her insolence, and demanded Elizabeth honor my pledge to Anne.”
Edward emitted a moan. “Please tell me Elizabeth withstood Lady Catherine’s demands. She is the only person who could be so defined.”
