Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (135 page)

“Oh yes, they are perfect for knocking sense into obstinate husbands.”  Laughing at the housekeeper’s widened eyes, she held up her hand.  “Forgive me, I do not mean to have you in fear of Mr. Darcy’s well-being.  I find that a pillow serves just as well.” 

“Mrs. Darcy, I long considered who Mr. Darcy would marry.  I am glad that all of my predictions were incorrect.”  She made to leave the drawing room and was stopped by Elizabeth’s call.  “Yes, madam?”

“Perhaps I should do something worthwhile besides teasing Mr. Darcy in his absence.  Shall we go over the accounts?  I can come down to your office?”

“No, no, madam.  We have strict instructions to keep you unoccupied.  Mr. Darcy wishes for you to relax, he said that you have been tired and need to rest.  His precise words were that you have done nothing but worry over him for weeks and it is time for you to be pampered properly.”  Elizabeth’s mouth was open and she watched in utter surprise as Mrs. Gaston picked up a blanket and put it over her knees.  “Now, you just drink your tea and read your book.  I am certain that Mr. Darcy will be home before long and I do not wish to be chastised because he finds you at work.”

“
He
is at work, Mrs. Gaston.”

“That is family business.”  She smiled.

“Pardon me, Mrs. Darcy?  Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley are here to pay a call.”  Lowry announced from the door.  “I was not sure if you were at home?”

“The knocker is not up!”  Mrs. Gaston cried. 

“But these are Mr. Bingley’s sisters, so of course they know we are here.  And,” She sighed and removing the blanket, stood, “they are soon to be my sister’s family.” 

“Yes, Mrs. Darcy.  Shall I send up more refreshments?”  She approved Elizabeth’s obvious hesitation.  “Perhaps I will just clear this away until your guests have left?”

“Thank you.”  Elizabeth smiled.  “I wonder if one of our guests was one of the ladies you considered for Mr. Darcy?”

Mrs. Gaston plumped a pillow and cleared her throat as she left the room.  “I sincerely hoped that Mr. Darcy had more sense than that.” 

Smiling to herself, Elizabeth listened to the footsteps on the stairs, smoothing her skirt and preparing for whatever the visit would bring.  “Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, madam.”  Lowry intoned emotionlessly and stepped aside.

“Welcome Mrs. Hurst, Miss Bingley.  I am glad to repay the hospitality that Mr. Bingley showed us at Netherfield.”  She dropped a slight curtsey in response to theirs and waved her hand at some chairs.  “Do sit down.”

“Oh!”  Louisa looked at Caroline who was also staring.

Elizabeth instantly became self-conscious.  “Is something wrong?”

“Pardon me, I . . .” She blushed.  “Your face.”

Elizabeth touched her cheek and spoke softly, “Mr. Darcy and I were in an accident at Pemberley, did you not hear?” 

Louisa’s eyes widened,  “Mrs. Darcy I must beg your pardon, no, I do not mean to point out any wounds, I am startled by the happiness that radiates from you.  You positively glow!” 

“Oh.”  Elizabeth laughed and her cheeks warmed, adding to the sparkle in her eyes.  The long and welcome night of love making seemed to have left its own mark.  “I am sorry that it is off-putting!”

“No, no!”  Louisa sank into a chair.  “I must apologize for such a terrible start.  My husband described your accident to me and I wanted to call and pay my respects, and then we learned of Charles proposing to Miss Bennet, and I knew that a call was definitely necessary.  Since Charles absconded with your husband we thought that this might be the perfect opportunity, your plans with him would not be interrupted.” 

“It is no trouble at all, I assure you.”  Elizabeth said graciously.  “I was not expecting guests today, so please excuse my gown.”  She smoothed the skirt of her perfectly beautiful morning dress and touched the ruby pendant that hung around her throat.  “I seem to always be caught out when visitors arrive.”

“Oh no, it is lovely.  I always seem to be overdressed for every occasion.”  Louisa assured her.  “May I ask where you had it made?” 

Elizabeth smiled, something was different about Louisa.  “Madame Laurent is my modiste and has a shop on Bond Street.  Do you know it?  I hoped to see if I could find a wedding gift for Jane there.” 

“Madame Laurent!  Oh, she is quite exclusive, we have certainly looked in her windows enviously enough times, have we not, Caroline?  What were you considering for your sister?”

“Well, naturally I would love to purchase her a gown, but I was thinking of something special for her wedding night.  Something to start the evening off well.”  Elizabeth’s eyes danced.  “Mr. Darcy loved the gown that I wore.”

“It is impossible to secure an appointment.  With the Season almost here, I doubt that you will have success.”  Caroline spoke quickly.

Well, clearly Miss Bingley is unchanged!
  Elizabeth smiled and arranged her skirt around her legs.  “I will have to let you know, then.  I have never visited her shop.  You see, Mr. Darcy arranged for her to come here as a wedding gift.  I remember that he was adamant that I should receive my due since he did not want to delay marrying.”  Elizabeth noticed Caroline’s attention had moved to her necklace and touching it, she said softly, “This was a gift from Mr. Darcy the day that I received my first guests at Pemberley.  It was his mother’s.  It is a great honour to wear the jewels of his ancestors, and I will never forget his presentation.” 

“It is stunning.  Mrs. Hurst has a few things that I suppose I will wear one day, but of course I am not in any hurry to receive them.”  Louisa smiled.

“You cannot bear her!”  Caroline cried.

Louisa’s embarrassment showed.  “I am trying to get along with her, Caroline.”

“You cannot choose your relatives, Mrs. Hurst.”  Elizabeth assured her.  “And then you marry.”  Louisa laughed, but her face fell when she noticed Caroline.  Elizabeth felt the stare. “I am sure that you will find out the same, Miss Bingley.  I imagine that you have great hopes for the Season?  What sort of a man do you seek?  I know that Mr. Bingley will remain at Netherfield, so it will be the Hursts who will escort you?”

“Charles is remaining at Netherfield!”  Caroline gasped.  “I did not know this!”

“Where did you expect him to be?”  Louisa asked.  “He is engaged to be married; naturally he will be with his betrothed.”

“But . . . will they not come to London for the Season?”

“I do not know when they will marry, but have you not heard of my Father’s illness?  Jane will wish to remain with the family.”

“Why cannot you stay with him!”  Caroline cried.  “It is bad enough that you lure Mr. Darcy away, but now you prevent my brother from coming to Town!  How selfish you are!”

“Miss Bingley, I think that you should refrain from speaking on topics you do not fully comprehend.”  Elizabeth said coldly.  “And no, I will not enlighten you.”

Caroline began to retort when they heard a commotion and turned towards the door. 

“I will show myself up!” 

Elizabeth closed her eyes and prayed for strength.  Lady Catherine and Caroline Bingley all at once, so much for her husband’s plan for her to rest. 

“I am most seriously displeased, Mrs. Darcy!”  The imperious woman proclaimed from the doorway and strode into the drawing room.

Of course you are.
  Elizabeth smiled slightly.  “I am sorry to hear that.  What has you unhappy?”

Louisa and Caroline exchanged glances and the sound of something striking the floor made them jump.  “Perhaps we should come another time,” Louisa suggested uncomfortably as she rose. 

Lady Catherine’s furious gaze turned to the sisters, and had them categorized and dismissed in seconds.  “And who are these people?”

“Lady Catherine de Bourgh, may I present Mrs. Franklin Hurst and Miss Caroline Bingley?  They are Mr. Charles Bingley’s sisters.  You may know him as a friend of Mr. Darcy’s, and he is just engaged to my eldest sister, Jane.” 

“Another marriage for your family, your mother must be pleased.”  She said acidly.  

 “Would you care to sit, Lady Catherine?  Or shall I call you Aunt now as I do your sister, Aunt Grace?” Elizabeth indicated a large chair and nodded to Louisa and Caroline to take their seats. 

“Aunt!  Lady de Bourgh to you!”

“Now that is just ridiculous.  Your name is not Lady de Bourgh.”  Elizabeth sat and folded her hands on her lap.  “Besides, you told your brother days ago that you saw no sense in continuing your public disparagement of me.  Would it not be perfectly obvious that you do think of me with disdain when I am to call you Lady de Bourgh when all the rest of the world calls you Lady Catherine?”

Flustered, she declared, “I am not your aunt!”

“I am afraid that you are.”  Elizabeth smiled sweetly. 

“Mrs. Darcy, I did not come here today to play word games with you!  I came here to address the terrible, egregious behaviour that I witnessed being perpetrated on the public walkways of this city last night!”

“My goodness, what on earth could that be?”  She clasped her hand to her chest.  “Did you witness an assault?”

“I did indeed!  An assault upon my principles!  My daughter was deeply offended.  She was so shocked that I could barely move her away from the carriage window.  How dare you put on that public display of affection!”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened and she put her hand to her mouth to cover her laugh when she noticed Caroline’s gaping stare.  “Oh,
you
were in the carriage that passed?  No wonder Miss de Bourgh is not with you today, her eyes must be burning and her sensibilities crushed!  What identified us, may I ask?  It was quite dark, but then, he is a very tall man, and does attract the eye.”

“This is no laughing matter, Mrs. Darcy!  I cannot begin to understand why you were walking in the snow . . .”

“Walking!”  Caroline gasped.  “
Again
!”

Lady Catherine ignored her.  “You were under a street light, clasped within an ardent embrace.”

“With my dear husband, and it was wonderful.”  Elizabeth smiled warmly.  “Absolutely wonderful.” 

“I cannot believe that Mr. Darcy would do such a thing in public!”  Caroline cried.  Lady Catherine now turned to stare at her.

Elizabeth raised one brow.  “Believe what you like, but he did.” 

“Who are you to doubt my word?”  Lady Catherine demanded.

“I . . . I was supporting you, my lady . . .” Caroline stammered.

“Lady Catherine hardly needs your support, Miss Bingley.  She is quite capable of speaking on her own.” 

“Yes, I am.”  She nodded curtly to Elizabeth and returned to Caroline.  “Why are you here?”

“They are to be my sister’s family, Lady Catherine.” 

“We hope to have a courteous relationship.”  Louisa offered.

“Hmm.”  The harridan’s gaze moved from one to another.  “I believe it of you, Mrs. Hurst, I see sincerity in you, but this girl,” She pointed at Caroline, “has it not.”

 “I
am
sincere!  I am very fond of Pemberley, and . . .”

“Pemberley!”  Her eyes narrowed.  “What has Pemberley to do with your brother marrying Mrs. Darcy’s sister?”

“Absolutely nothing, except for a hope to be invited.  And perhaps meet my dear husband again.  She is inordinately fond of him.”  Elizabeth offered helpfully.

That earned a sharp stare and Lady Catherine turned back to the woman in orange.  “Bingley. 
You
are the tradesman’s daughter who supposed herself good enough for my nephew.”  Caroline gasped in the face of Lady Catherine’s accusation.  “Such a union would never have occurred.  I would not have allowed it!”  The walking stick struck the floor with a resounding crack and she gestured to Elizabeth.  “At least he married a gentlewoman, even if it was not my daughter.  Mrs. Darcy has made good on every promise she has ever made regarding my nephew.”  She turned to her new niece.  “How can you allow this fortune hunter in your home?  All she wanted was Pemberley!”

“Do you
truly
wish for me to address that particular subject, Lady Catherine?  I can, and I will, and with great warmth.”  Elizabeth met her eye unflinchingly and saw her opponent blink.  “Shall we move on?  You have plans for your daughter, do you not?  Lord Matlock told me of your hopes and Miss de Bourgh’s delight.”

“Hmmph.”  Lady Catherine looked over Elizabeth. 

“He also mentioned your concern over our recovery.  Mr. Darcy and I considered your thoughts thoroughly last night.”  She noticed Caroline’s fixed attention on her face.  “Shall I move closer so that both of you may see more easily?”  Elizabeth asked quietly.  “The marks are nearly gone.”

Caroline blushed.  “I do not know what you are speaking about.”

“Of course you do!  You are looking at the evidence of their accident.”  Lady Catherine snapped at her and admitted grudgingly.  “It is better than my brother described.” 

“Time has passed, healing the wounds.  So perhaps we
are
fit for being in society?”

“Barton told you that?”

“Richard did.”  Elizabeth smiled. 

“My nephew has a poor sense of decorum.”

Internally, Elizabeth’s eyes rolled.  “The colonel sees folly and is not afraid to expose it.” 

“Well.”  Lady Catherine nodded and Elizabeth knew that was the closest she would ever come to admitting defeat.  Her gaze returned to Caroline.  “My niece’s sister is to marry your brother?” 

Elizabeth started when she realized that the niece Lady Catherine was referring to was not Cathy.  It was all she could do not to express her stunned disbelief that she had been accepted.  Her fingers went to the ruby and she noticed Lady Catherine saw her gesture, and knew that she recognized the jewel as her sister’s.  Their eyes met briefly before Caroline finally stammered an answer.

“Yes . . . yes he is.”

“Your parents are deceased?  What are you doing to find a home?”

“I beg your pardon, madam?”

“You are not getting any younger; Miss Bingley, and you will be in the way living in your brother’s home.  You must do your duty and marry.  Your sister has done so, your brother is about to, it is a woman’s duty to marry and leave her family home.  You were never going to marry my nephew and it is useless to continue mooning over him or coveting his home.  Mrs. Hurst, surely you know someone who would take her?”