Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (13 page)

“Oh.”  Elizabeth was taken aback.  “Thank you, Mama.”

“How my wild daughter with no beauty or fashion could possibly attract such a rich man . . .” Mrs. Bennet spun and headed off again. 

Sighing, Elizabeth looked at Jane.  “I should have known better.”

“She did say she was proud Lizzy, and I think she would fight to the death anyone who suggested that you were not good enough for Mr. Darcy.” 

“I suppose that insult and compliments will always go hand in hand with anything Mama says to me.  But if there were no Mr. Darcy, I can see her being equally enthusiastic for me marrying Mr. Collins.  As she says, it is the result that matters, not who the man is or how I may feel about him.  She would have pushed me to accept any proposal and had I refused, she would have heaped her fury upon me.  Do not tell me I am wrong, Jane.”  Elizabeth stopped her sister’s protest before it left her lips.  “You know it is true, I am her least favourite, but my marriage is important so she will fight for it or crow about it, whatever is needed.”   Biting her lip she spoke softly.  “I am so used to her behaviour that I never realized how she appears to others until I saw Fitzwilliam’s offence with her reaction to the news of our engagement.  I was mortified on his behalf.”

“Not on yours?”

“No.”  She hooked her arm with Jane’s.  “It was odd, after only moments of being engaged, I felt protective of his feelings.”  Smiling, she looked out to the distance.  “How can that be?”

“You care for him.” Jane hugged her.  “When will you admit it?”

“I do not know.  I guess . . . until I see him here before me, and . . . when this stops feeling like some incomprehensible dream . . .”

“At least you did not call it a nightmare!”  Jane laughed.

“No, Mr. Collins is not with us.”  Elizabeth smiled then looked at her feet.  “He will not give up, will he?”

“Papa does nothing to stop him.” 

“He probably sees it as surreal as well.  Why would he seal my fate with such a man?” 

“Perhaps it is as Mr. Collins says; he did not think you would receive a better offer, or that any of us would.”

“But I have.”  Elizabeth shook her head.  “No, of course I have not.  We planted that engagement announcement, and of course Mr. Darcy is an evil man who denies poor Mr. Wickham his living.”

“Is he still in Meryton?”  Jane looked around the bustling market town as they entered its outskirts. 

“Mr. Darcy is due back tomorrow, what do you think?  That will tell the truth of it.”  Mrs. Bennet had reached the dressmaker’s shop and was ushering in Mary, Lydia and Kitty when a large, crested carriage drove onto the main road.  Everyone in the street stopped to look at the beautifully crafted conveyance. 

“Is that Mr. Darcy, Lizzy?”

“No.”  She said slowly.  “His carriage is green, but similar in size.”  The driver noticed the two pretty ladies and pulled up beside them.

“Excuse me; I am looking for direction to an estate?”

“Of course, how may we help?”  Elizabeth smiled. 

“I am seeking Longbourn, the Bennets?”  He saw Elizabeth’s mouth drop open and how she immediately looked to the windows of the carriage.  “Miss?”

“I am Elizabeth Bennet and this is my sister, Jane.”

“Oh!”  The man smiled.  “Well.”   He looked back to the footmen hanging onto the rear of the carriage and one jumped down and knocked on the door. 

“Lady Catherine, these two ladies are Bennets.”

“Lady Catherine.”  Elizabeth whispered.  “Oh, no.”

“Lizzy?”  Jane squeezed her arm.

“Fitzwilliam indicated that they do not get on well, and remember, Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham said that he was engaged to her daughter?”  She drew herself up. 
Be civil, no matter what she says, be civil.  Fitzwilliam would accept nothing less.

“You are Miss Elizabeth Bennet?”  An imperious voice floated out from within.

“I am.”  Elizabeth stepped forward.  “You are Lady Catherine de Bourgh?  Mr. Darcy’s aunt?”

“I am.”  Crooking a finger at her, she commanded, “Step inside here, Miss Bennet.  We are in need of conversation.” 

“My sisters and mother are waiting for me . . .”

“What I have to say will not take long.”  She sniffed and stared forward.

“Very well.”  Elizabeth glanced back at Jane, who remained outside, before climbing in and taking a seat beside the formidable woman.  The footman closed the door and suddenly the carriage lurched forward.  She noticed an elderly woman seated next to a pale lady then looked to Lady Catherine, who was studying her intently.  It was unnerving but Elizabeth decided that was the point of the exercise, and decided to ignore the clear attempt to intimidate her.  “Are we going somewhere?”  She smiled.  “If you are seeking your nephew, I am afraid that he will not return from London until tomorrow.  I am sure that he will regret missing you.”

“I will see him soon enough.  I came to this place to see you.”

“I am pleased to meet you.”  Elizabeth held the elderly woman’s eyes.  “This is a great surprise; I was looking forward to meeting Mr. Darcy’s family perhaps in London or at Pemberley.  Your desire to come to Longbourn to meet me is a great honour, madam.  Are you here to offer your felicitations?”  Anne coughed and Elizabeth glanced her way and back to Lady Catherine. 

“Felicitations?  For this outrageous engagement?  I think not, Miss Bennet.”  She sat up and gestured to Anne.  “You will end this farce immediately.  Mr. Darcy is engaged to MY daughter.” 

Elizabeth met her gaze calmly and smiled.  “If that is so, it seems that Mr. Darcy is sadly unaware of that fact, or else why would he offer for me?”

“That is very much a question I wish to have answered, and I will address the subject with him as soon as this situation is settled.  Look at you, Miss Bennet!  There is nothing remotely fashionable or beautiful about you.  How have you managed to bewitch my nephew?”

Elizabeth bristled.  “Bewitch?”

“It is not so many years ago that women such as you were burned at the stake for your evil ways!  What trickery did you perform to capture my nephew?”

Her colour heightened, Elizabeth’s eyes flashed.  “I hardly tricked him, he proposed to me, not the other way around.”

“You spent a week in his company under the same roof, supposedly tending your ill sister.”

“There was nothing supposed of her illness, but I admit to spending time in his company.”

“And you did nothing to promote yourself to him?  You did not display your feminine wiles, or suggest an assignation . . .”

“Lady Catherine, your disappointment is understandable; however I do not think that wild accusations are necessary, and before you say something that I will find unseemly, I will stop you.  No, I did not offer myself to Mr. Darcy.  I did not invite him to my bed, I did not trip and fall into his arms, I did not seduce him, or ply him with wine.  Neither did he do anything of a similar nature to me.  Mr. Darcy chose me.”  She lifted her chin.  “He chose me of his own free will.  I have nothing to offer but myself and he still chose me.  Unlike my father who determined that I was the daughter he would sacrifice to your pastor.  His choice was of an entirely different nature, and as you know that gentleman, you surely can understand why I would reject him.”

Anne laughed softly and her mother gave her a sharp look as she began to speak.  “Miss Bennet, you make a great show of saying that you were Fitzwilliam’s choice, but may I ask, had he never come to this place, would not Mr. Collins have been precisely the epitome of your hopes for a husband?” 

“Pardon me?”

“Were you raised to expect a man such as my cousin?  I was, you see.  I have always expected to marry Fitzwilliam or at the least a man of similar means.  I have always been meant for him.  Why would you expect me or my mother to simply let him go without protest?”  She smiled when Elizabeth’s brow creased.  “Tell me, Miss Bennet, what do you know of London?  What do you know of society, not just the balls and fashion, but the politics, the relationships, what do you know of furthering your husband’s interests with women of his station?  And his sister, she is but fifteen, but soon she will be out and searching for a husband herself.  Will you feel comfortable at Almack’s, will you even be allowed in?”  She shook her head sadly.  “I doubt it.  They may see Fitzwilliam’s name next to yours, but your low birth, your questionable connections will prove fatal to her hopes.  You might find someone to sponsor you at St. James’s but you will never be allowed to be the wife and sister my cousins require.  Truly Miss Bennet, your eyes are bigger than your mouth, accept your cousin, it is your destiny.  Leave me to mine.”

Elizabeth sat still, considering the truth of everything Anne had said, and doubt once again crept into her heart and mind.  She knew that she was ignorant of everything Anne described.  She knew she was unlikely to be welcomed by his society, and it frightened her to her bones.  Looking down at her hands, she allowed the fear she had been trying to push away to grow.  And then her downcast eyes saw a slight movement.  Anne had lifted her finger in warning.  Elizabeth looked up quickly to see a satisfied smirk upon Lady Catherine’s lips, and the memory of two points immediately returned to her. 

“Miss de Bourgh, it is my understanding that you are of a weak constitution.”  Anne startled.  “Tell me, when were you last in London?  When have you participated in the Season or been presented at court?  Have you many friends?  Tell me of your accomplishments?  What exactly do you have to offer
Fitzwilliam
other than Rosings?”  Seeing that no response was forthcoming, Elizabeth leaned forward to the blushing woman.  “You may not have the bombastic style of your mother but you are just as conniving.  Yes, I was never expected to receive a marriage offer greater than one such as Mr. Collins’, but the salient fact is that I
have
received one from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and as I have had only a month to impress him where you have had a lifetime, I think that his choice against you is clear.  Tomorrow when he returns from London I will see if his choice to take my hand in his remains.  Whether it does or not, his decision will be made without regard to your or your mother’s wishes, just as my decision will not be based on the opinions of two people so wholly unrelated to me.  You almost had me fooled, Miss de Bourgh, it will not happen again.”

Lady Catherine snarled.   “My daughter was formed to be his wife.  What did you do to that made him forget his duty?”

“Forget his duty?”  Elizabeth laughed, disconcerting the woman.  “I have known Mr. Darcy for a very short time but if there is one thing I do understand, duty is an obligation that he takes deeply to heart.  I have come to realize that he is a very deliberate and careful man.  His proposal may have been impulsive, but the decision behind it was anything but.”  She turned to Anne.  “Mr. Darcy wrote to me, telling me that he had announced to you his decision.  The papers are full of notices of our engagement and wedding plans.  This journey of yours was unnecessary; all you have achieved is tiring your horses and wasting my time.”  The carriage came to a stop at a cross roads.  Elizabeth stood and opening the door, lightly jumped down.  “Now if you will excuse me, I have a ball gown and wedding dress to purchase.  Good day.” 

Elizabeth closed the door and catching the eye of the driver, waved him on just as she heard Lady Catherine’s cane strike the ceiling and her voice demand that they move.  As soon as the carriage was out of sight, she felt all of her bravado disappear and she began to shake, and hugging herself as tears began to fall, she whispered.  “Oh Lord, please, let me not have failed him.”

Chapter 5

T
he carriage rolled along through the countryside, the light rain making the roads muddy but not impassable; soon they would be at Netherfield.  Darcy gave up trying to read his book and addressed his valet.  “How is the staff with the news?”

“They are following your orders, sir.”  Parker said respectfully.

“That is not what I asked.  Speak freely; I have no doubt that my actions of late have been the subject of great interest.”

“Sir, I have not spoken a word of Miss Darcy to anyone, and the coachmen have kept your confidence on the travelling over the past months.  The staff in Pemberley and London all thought you were visiting friends.”

Darcy closed his eyes and nodded.  “Hardly.  I was fortunate, I suppose, to return to London to meet Colonel Fitzwilliam in time to receive the letter.”

“Yes, sir.”  Parker waited and noticed that his master was drifting into dark thoughts of that horrible and desperate ride north.  “However sir, the staff expresses concern now for your new occupation.  Mrs. Gaston is fretting sir; you know how she worries over you, almost as much as Mrs. Reynolds does.”  He saw Darcy’s brow crease and added hurriedly, “But she has expressed a firm desire to be as welcoming as possible to the new mistress.  She has prepared her rooms and has chosen her maid.” 

“I would expect no less.”  Darcy returned his gaze to the window. 

“Yes, sir.”  He spoke carefully, “All of the staff is grateful for who you did
not
choose.”

The slight smile appeared and Darcy relaxed enough to look back to his valet.  “As am I.  Who did they fear?  One of my cousins or Miss Bingley?  Or some other society beauty?”

“I would say any of them were equally feared, sir.”  Parker spoke tonelessly but matched his master’s expression.  The two men were in absolute agreement in that assessment.

“Miss Elizabeth will need help, and I fear she will receive little outside of our home from our peers and family.  I expect at the least for my staff to ease her into her role, and to be supportive.  I want her to be happy in her home.”  He watched for the nod; Parker would make his master’s wishes clear to all.  “I assume that you have informed them of everything you know of her?”

“Yes, sir.”  Parker admitted.

“And that was?”  Darcy’s unwavering gaze fixed on the man who had served him for nearly a decade. 

“I encountered Miss Elizabeth in the kitchen and halls of Netherfield frequently during her stay, sir.  Despite her obvious worry and exhaustion, she was unfailingly kind to every person she met, regardless of station.  The staff of Netherfield knew of her by reputation in the neighbourhood.  I was confident in passing on the good news to Mrs. Gaston and Lowry.  They were understandably relieved.”