“It does seem odd, but it is nonetheless true. This is your first time going so far north, is it not?”
“Yes; my father does not like to travel, so I have only been to Town and to Kent.” Her lips tightened as she recalled the circumstances that led to her being exiled from Charlotte’s home.
Mr. Darcy saw the expression on his wife’s face and correctly understood the origin of that expression. “I am sorry that you are now estranged from your good friend, Mrs. Collins.”
“Oh, no, we are not estranged at all; I think our friendship as sound as ever it was before, but of course I could not invite her to the wedding, as your Aunt Catherine would have demanded to know where she was going and why.”
“Does Mrs. Collins even know of your marriage?”
“She does, as Lady Lucas wrote to her about it immediately.”
“She did not tell her husband about it, I trust?”
“No, she did not. Hold on, I have her letter here, as I only recently received it and have not yet replied to her.” Elizabeth rummaged in her reticule and produced a folded quarto sheet, which she handed to him.
“You wish me to read her letter?” he asked in some surprise.
“There is nothing in it unfit for your eyes,” she assured him.
He opened it and read:
Dear Eliza,
My mother writes that Mr. Darcy has succumbed to your manifold charms, which of course cannot surprise anyone who has seen the two of you together. I will ease your mind by telling you that our post is brought directly to me, so Mr. Collins has not seen her announcement, and I will take great care to intercept any letters that come from Meryton before the twenty-fifth of May! We can all imagine Lady Catherine descending upon Meryton with her daughter in tow, and I will spare you that experience if it lies at all within my power.
How I wish I could see you wed! But of course that is not possible. You must write to me, Eliza, to tell me how you are faring among such people as the Darcys. I understand from Lady Catherine that his family is very high indeed, and I know you have limited patience for affectation and posturing.
I must take this opportunity to tell you again how deeply the circumstances of your visit here weigh upon my heart. I wish very much that it might have gone differently, but I know not how that might have happened. If Mr. Darcy had not come, then you would not now be married, so I can hardly wish for that. If Lady Catherine had been more reasonable – well, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride, as the proverb says.
I miss you, Eliza. Perhaps one day we might both happen to visit Meryton at the same time. Let us try to arrange it, shall we?
Your devoted friend,
Charlotte Collins
“She is a kind lady and a good friend,” Mr. Darcy commented, giving the letter back to Elizabeth.
“She is, indeed. But, William, I must change the subject. How am I to get on with your mother? She hated me on sight.”
He replied, “Elizabeth, I will not pretend that it will be easy. She has been a good mistress of Pemberley for decades, though her strength has waned of late. We have not entertained at Pemberley since my father died three years ago.”
“Will she not resent me, despite her waning strength?”
As Mr. Darcy considered his mother, a vision of her conspiring with Aunt Catherine rose before his mind’s eye. He was not feeling kindly towards her just now. He said, “I have given the matter a good deal of thought, and I think that you must begin as you mean to go on; you are now the mistress of Pemberley and must take on your new role with your customary energy. Do not let my mother stand in your way or impose her will upon you.”
“But –“
And now he claimed her lips again, driving all thoughts of Lady Anne from both their minds.
***
Lady Anne pulled the letter from her pocket and read it for the twentieth time. Each time she read it, her anger grew, but that did not stop her; indeed, now she could no more stop reading it than she could stop breathing.
Dear Mother,
By the time you read this, I will be wed to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I did not extend an invitation to the wedding to you or Georgiana because you have made your disapproval of Miss Bennet quite clear, and I did not wish her distressed on such an important day. We are on our way to Pemberley, as I have been gone from the estate too long.
Mother, she is a kind and gentle soul, and I believe the two of you could become dear to one another, if you would only allow it. In any case, she is to be the mistress of Pemberley, and I must insist that you treat her with the respect her position deserves. She will occupy the mistress’ rooms upon our arrival; please select another room for yourself.
