“Your father will be sorely disappointed in you, Fitzwilliam,” Lady Catherine huffed out as she rearranged her skirts. “Defying our wishes of Darcy and Anne to marry.”
“My father never supported your mad desire to have Darcy marry your daughter.”
“He most assuredly did!”
“When he and mother learned of our marriage, they congratulated us and said they could breathe a sigh of relief because your eternal haranguing of Darcy would finally come to an end.”
“Your parents knew you had married while I was left in the dark?”
“When you wrote Georgiana and Lady Matlock, crowing about my marriage to Darcy, they immediately cornered him and demanded information,” Anne told her mother. “Darcy explained what we had done, asking for their forgiveness.”
“And rightly so.”
“He asked forgiveness for not allowing them the opportunity to attend our wedding, Mother, not the act itself.”
“The engagement between the two of you was of a peculiar kind. From your infancy, you were intended for each other. Itwas the favourite wish of myself and my sister. While in your cradles, we planned the union: and now, you have ruined everything by marrying a man who cannot rub two farthings together.” Richard snorted at his aunt’s faulty memory. “You have something to add, nephew?”
“I do. Neither my Uncle George or Aunt Anne agreed to a cradle betrothal, and were adamantly against it. As such, no betrothal contracts were ever drafted and signed, and no marriage settlements agreed upon. This was a dream only you held onto, Lady Catherine – or shall I call you Mother?” His aunt’s face blanched again. “Lady Catherine it is, then.”
He turned to Ann.
“Shall we go up? Our room should be ready.”
“Room! You dare share a room?” Lady Catherine quivered with fresh rage. “Are you peasants, low born farmers that you dare to share a room under my roof?”
Anne stood and clasped her hands in front of her body.
“My husband and I share a room because we love each other and are still newly wed.” She raised one finger to silence her mother, who had taken a deep breath before partially opening her mouth. “You shall remain silent, Mother. How quickly you have forgotten that Rosings is my house, and my rules take precedence. You may wish to retire to your chambers and ruminate on how you wish to proceed in the future.”
“Well… I never…” she spluttered.
“That much is painfully obvious,” Anne said in agreement. “Come, Richard. I wish to rest quietly before dinner is served.”
With no hesitation, Richard extended a welcome arm for his wife to take and they quit the room, sharing a quiet laugh as a litany of unexpected expletives were heard bouncing off the walls of the drawing room.
Chapter Twenty
“My lord, my lady,”the Bennets’ new butler intoned after opening the door of the earl’s town house on Park Lane.
Lady Rumley looked around the spacious vestibule, her eyes wide, her mouth droppingopen ever so slightly. A good portion of Longbourn would fit in the front half of the town house. She had no idea where to look next. Taking pity on his wife, Bennet asked the butler to summon the senior servants, and have them gather in the main drawing room on the first floor.
Lightly taking her elbow, Bennet guided his wife up the grand staircase, then down the hall to a formal sitting room. One where she would receive visitors on her “at home” days. Soon they were joined by the butler, and both the housekeeper and under housekeeper.
“Thank you, Bentley. Will you please introduce these capable ladies?” Lady Rumley asked, knowing she had to establish herself as the head of the internal workings of the household.
“Yes, my lady. May I present to you Mrs. Mary Larson, the housekeeper of this fine establishment, and Mrs. Christine Bentley, not only the under housekeeper, but also my wife.”
“I would like to meet with both housekeepers tomorrow morning, to go over the menu, employmentissues, and look at the household accounts,” Lady Rumley said. “Does nine o’clock tomorrow morning work best for you? I would not like to interrupt your morning routine. At least, not on my first full day as your mistress.”
“Whatever you wish, my lady,” Mrs. Larson said, dipping her head with respect. “I fully expect you to look over the household ledgers and inventory lists.”
“I will do that, once I am more comfortable in my surroundings. Having spoken with the senior servants at Tetherwood, I am confident that you have done an admirable job here, Mrs. Larson.”
“Thank you, my lady. It has been an honour to serve the previous Bennet family, and I look forward to serving you.”
“Well, then,” Lady Rumley said, clasping her hands in front of her body to hide the small tremors she still experienced when learning how to behave as a countess. “We shall meet on Tuesday next. That gives me a week to get settled and visit family.
“Very good, my lady.” Mrs. Larson gave the countess a respectful curtsey and with a nod of her head, signalled to Mrs. Bentley that they could both go about their duties. The butler also gave his employers an impressive half bow, and closed the drawing room door upon his exit.
