AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 14
Elizabeth watched Jane sign the parish register before she moved to peek around her new husband. The intruder was a tall, thin, elderly woman whose clothing was very well made, though somewhat behind current fashions. She clutched a mahogany walking stick with a silver head. A rather tall hat was perched precariously atop her head, slipping to one side as she strode purposefully up to the altar.
The earl had extricated himself from the knot of well-wishers who awaited the happy couple and was approaching the woman from one side while the viscount trailed her. On the other side, William and the colonel had stepped between her and the intruder. The woman was surrounded.
Elizabeth blinked as the stranger reached the vicar and stated, firmly and loudly, “I declare an impediment to this disgraceful spectacle!”
Elizabeth should have been mortified to have her wedding disrupted in such a way. Instead, she was forced to stifle a laugh at the aristocratic woman whose tall hat seemed to protrude from one ear.
“A spectacle it is,” Henry said loudly, “but you should not be so harsh upon yourself, Aunt Catherine. You are, at the least, well-dressed.”
Oh! It must be William’s Aunt Catherine—Lady Catherine, the woman who wanted him to marry her daughter Anne. The older woman whirled to glare at Henry but was not distracted by him for long.
The vicar eyed Lady Catherine warily. “The time to declare impediments has passed, madam.”
“I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and I shall be heard,” the woman stated boldly, striking the stone floor with the stick to emphasize her words.
The vicar sighed.
Lady Catherine gazed down her nose at the shorter cleric. “This man”—she pointed at William with one long, slender finger—"is engaged to my daughter! Now what have you to say?”
“Only that he is now married to mine,” Papa replied, and for once, he did not sound as though he was teasing. Elizabeth was quite proud of him.
Jane took Elizabeth’s arm. “Who is that woman?” she whispered.
“I believe she is Mr. Darcy’s aunt,” Elizabeth responded.
“They are related?” Jane asked, incredulous.
“Who is this person, Henry?” Lady Catherine inquired disdainfully as she looked Papa up and down.
Jane lifted a hand to her mouth. “Oh. I see the resemblance now.”
“Jane,” Elizabeth whispered, trying desperately not to laugh.
“Only the father of the bride, Aunt Catherine,” Henry replied merrily. “He clearly knows she is old enough to wed. Therefore, the impediment of the bride’s age has been satisfied.” He glanced over at William. “Is there a Bennet in the Darcy bloodline?”
“Do not be ridiculous!” declared her ladyship.
“Then they could not be sister and brother.” Henry stroked his chin. “I presume you do not intend to claim impotence as an impediment?”
Elizabeth’s cheeks warmed.
“Henry,” William growled, but the viscount only grinned.
“I was not addressing you, boy,” Lady Catherine said icily, then turned to the earl. “Henry, how could you allow this to happen?”
“Darcy was never going to marry Anne,” the earl told his sister. “Neither he nor Anne wish it. What would you have me do?”
“Lady Catherine,” the vicar said in the tired tone of a man well used to complaining relatives, “if wishing Mr. Darcy would marry your daughter rather than Mr. Bennet’s is your only impediment, I am afraid it will not stand. If you have a contract, you must seek your remedy in the courts. I cannot help you.” He addressed William. “If you would kindly take your party home, sir, I have another couple waiting to say their vows.”
“This is not to be borne!” Lady Catherine exclaimed, waving her fist in the air. It would not have been so concerning had it not been the fist clutching her stick. The vicar stumbled back, and William and the Fitzwilliam men surged forward to interrupt Lady Catherine’s tirade. Jane hurried to Papa’s side, but Elizabeth remained still, hoping to avoid the woman’s notice.
Elizabeth was so entirely engrossed in the scene before her that the deep voice in her ear made her tremble with shock. “I should not be surprised he has jilted even his own cousin. It should have been my sister here today, not you.” The man’s breath was hot in her ear. “You may tell him he will hear from me.” Her heart raced wildly as she took a step away to view the man who was speaking to her. A deep chill overtook her as she stared at him. He looked familiar . . .
“Who are you?” she asked weakly, thinking she ought to raise her voice but feeling entirely unequal to it. She was only just able to turn her head to look at him.
A pair of hazel eyes glared at her, through her, but he did not answer. He just gave her a small, sickly smile and walked away towards a side entrance, placing a hat on his head. There was a sudden splash of light from the street as the door opened, and then he was gone.
