First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice) (15 page)

“
But you do intend to ask for her hand?” Georgiana ventured.

“
I certainly believe I will, though I have no intention of yet broaching the subject with Aunt Catherine. When I depict her for you, her family and circumstances seem insignificant obstacles: the mere backdrop to a comic theatric. It is in their company that I wonder what foolishness this is I am entertaining. But then Miss Elizabeth walks into the room and I have eyes and ears for no one else. What is a man to do?”

“
If you have so many doubts Fitzwilliam, than what madness is this that we pursue – rushing off to Rosings to put an end, once and for all, to Aunt Catherine’s matrimonial ambitions? And on behalf of her rector, a man your profess to be adverse to, but whom you indulge for no reason whatsoever other than his relationship to a lady of unsuitable background?“

Darcy gave what for him was a sheepish smile, “I do not believe I ever used the word unsuitable.”

“
Then why do you hesitate? Never have I observed a lady to have near this effect on you. I have longed for a sister such as you describe. If she is really as wonderful as you say, certainly she will not wait forever for you to make up your mind. She has a duty, after all, especially when one considers her familial circumstances, to marry well. She must find it rather insulting that you look so far down upon her relations; do you really believe she will remain available once another man has expressed his interest?” Georgiana had never spoken to her brother so forcibly and was surprised he did not seem to mind, let alone call an immediate end to the conversation, as she had feared.

“
Miss Elizabeth seeks not a mercenary marriage,” he replied with a slightest tinge of petulant indignation. “She wants what I do, a loving relationship. Were she able to find one in Hertfordshire, I have no doubt she would already be married. And indeed, she feels much the same about her relations as I do. The poor woman has been suffering their company all her life and I assure you, she is often mortified by it.”

The vehemence of his defense only served to convince Georgiana that he had better hurry up and marry the lady. She breathed deeply before proceeding, “Then why not rescue her from her predicament?”

Darcy sighed, “Would marriage rescue her? When you stretch an arm towards a drowning man, the odds are you shall soon both be floundering in the water.”

“
But we live in Derbyshire, they in Hertfordshire!” Georgiana was beginning to feel exasperated. “Surely you would rarely see her family.”

“
There is truth in that,” he mused reflectively. “When did you become such a wise young lady?”

“
I have had the benefit of my brother’s excellent example to guide me.” They shared a loving smile and the conversation ceased, both siblings consumed with their own thoughts for the remainder of the journey.

--

Lady Catherine certainly was surprised by the appearance of her nephew and niece but received them, as expected, with the utmost graciousness. She was quite pleased to see the Darcys – as isolated as she and Anne were in their small, familial circle, she thought on her sister’s children almost as if they were her own. These were the bonds of intimacy that she looked forward to solidifying with a marriage between the families. In fact, Lady Catherine chose to regard such a casual form of arrival as none other than a sign of her fondest dream’s impending fulfillment.

She explained at length that Anne was spending the day abed, listing her many complaints while Georgiana pondered the irony that Lady Catherine could, simultaneously, be so excessively attentive to her daughter’s health and oblivious to the fact that such chronic illness virtually eliminated her marriageability. “I know how anxious you both must be to see Anne,” Lady Catherine said with an intelligent look at Darcy, which he very nearly squirmed under, “but she has been most unfortunately indisposed as of late. I have high hopes, however, that she will join us for dinner. She shall, of course, improve with the spring, as she does every year. Anne is under the strict care of an illustrious physician, and Mrs. Jenkinson is most attentive to her comfort. She shall surely soon be thriving once again. You both look hale yourselves – you seemed a bit peekish when last I saw you, Georgiana. How long do you intend to stay?”

Darcy accepted the cup of tea which his aunt had just poured for him, “I am afraid we remain for only two nights, Aunt Catherine.”

That lady frowned, “And where do you travel from here?”

“
I will return Georgiana to London before continuing on to Hertfordshire, from whence I came.”

“
Nonsense Darcy! Two evenings is no length of time for a proper visit. Stay out the week and I will be able to introduce you to my new rector who returns tomorrow, having also been visiting in Hertfordshire. I simply must have your opinion of him. Besides, you cannot possibly intend to travel on Sunday!”

There was no point in delaying the inevitable. To disassemble now would be unmanly. He had hoped to delay this conversation until he and his sister had the opportunity to rest from their journey, just in case Lady Catherine was so incensed as to expel them from the house, but saw little choice other than to take advantage of this opening, though he did not relish the thought of having to spend the evening in a crowded and noisy inn.

“
I have already had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Mr. Collins, ma’am. You see I have been visiting my friend Charles Bingley, of whom you have heard me speak. He is recently engaged to be married to the eldest daughter of the house Mr. Collins is to inherit.”

Lady Catherine was clearly taken aback by this announcement and not at all pleased, “Very well. I am sorry to lose the opportunity of making the introductions. I have instructed Mr. Collins on the importance of marriage for a man in his position and encouraged him to find an appropriate match amongst his many cousins. It seemed most fitting as the estate is entailed upon him. A wife who already knows the ways of the house will make the transition upon inheritance far smoother. I am chagrined to learn that the eldest is spoken for, as she would be the obvious choice to replace her mother, but I suppose her marriage to Mr. Bingley will raise the family’s consequence and so is not to be lamented. I understand there is a bevy of ladies at Longbourn. Surely the second will do as well as the first, as long as her sister’s good fortune has not made her too proud. If she is a smart girl, she will marry Mr. Collins and put an end to the entail, a sorry thing for women. The De Bourgh family saw no need for such measures, fortunately for Anne.”

Again she looked knowingly at Darcy while he cringed at the thought of Mr. Collins making love to Elizabeth. He would get to the point, “It is actually something said to me by Mr. Collins that brings us here today, Aunt Catherine.”

“
And what was that Darcy?” Lady Catherine demanded in her customary manner, refreshing her nephew’s tea most unsuspectingly.

He took a deep breath before proceeding, “Mr. Collins informed me that you have spoken openly with him of your long held belief that I intend to marry Anne. I understand that this is a treasured notion of yours, Aunt, but I must assure you here and now that neither Anne nor I favor the idea. It would be best for all involved if you would relinquish it altogether.”

“
Surely you jest!” she exclaimed, though it was evident he did not. Indignantly she rose from her chair and declared with a stiff spine, “A union between yourself and Anne was the fondest wish of both your mothers! Who else so proper, so fit, to follow in my dear departed sister’s footsteps at Pemberley than my very own daughter?”

“
But I am not fit, Mother,” broke in a strained but determined voice. Lady Catherine turned in shock to see that Anne de Bourgh, her always obedient daughter, had at some point entered the room and stood shakily holding the knob of the door.

“
Anne! Why are you downstairs? You shall return to your rooms at once!”

“
I heard of our visitors and wanted to greet them properly.” She began to move towards her cousins, in doing so revealing a nervous Mrs. Jenkinson teetering anxiously behind her mistress.

“
But you are unwell Anne,” her mother insisted. “You must not exert yourself so. Mrs. Jenkinson, see her back to her room immediately.”

“
I am afraid, Mother, that as this conversation intimately involves me, I will not be kept out of it.” Darcy and Georgiana stepped forward to greet her as warmly as possible, considering the tension all were feeling. Anne took a seat as Lady Catherine continued to stare at her daughter with a bizarre mixture of outrage, surprise, and concern.

“
As I said before and as you can plainly see,” Anne resumed, “I am not fit to be a wife, let alone mistress of a large estate. Please Mother, on my behalf, do not insist on this.”

“
But who else will Darcy marry?” Lady Catherine responded in perplexity. So accustomed was she to the idea of uniting the estates of Rosings and Pemberley that she had never contemplated any alternative. The inhabitants of the room could read her next question in her countenance, though it wasn’t asked aloud: “Who will marry you, Anne?”

“
Let me assure you, ma’am, that I have no desire to marry. I had much rather be allowed to keep quietly to myself here.” Anne looked timidly at her mother. It had taken a great bout of courage to defy her and she was nearly drained from the exertion. Noting her fatigue, Lady Catherine’s motherly instincts overtook her ambitions.

“
I would never insist you do something against your will Anne. You are an adult and I have always treated you as such but, right now, I must insist that you act like one by removing upstairs. I predict you will be unable to join us for dinner following this ridiculous display. You must attend more carefully to your lady, Mrs. Jenkinson.”

Anne complied, followed by both the chastened Mrs. Jenkinson and her mother, who sharply ordered the housekeeper to show the guests to their rooms. Both Darcys breathed slight sighs of relief. They would not be thrown from the house that evening.

--

Anne did not join them for dinner, a quiet affair. Never had the siblings seen their Aunt Catherine so subdued, though she was not so downcast as to deny herself the pleasure of interrogating Georgiana regarding the progress of her studies, but even this was done half-heartedly. Typically Lady Catherine took great pride in Georgiana’s achievements. She considered her niece amongst the most accomplished young ladies in the kingdom, in no small part due to her own invaluable advice, but on that night it only served as a reminder of Anne’s chronic ill health. The diners did not touch on the subject of marriage, it was still too raw, yet Darcy recognized that it must be resumed before his departure if he was to remain on cordial terms with his aunt.

Upon waking the next morning, Darcy looked out the window to observe that, though the grounds remained wet, the rain had momentarily subsided. He decided to seize the opportunity for some fresh air and called for a mount, hoping the exercise would compose his thoughts. So focused was he on how to resume the previous day’s conversation with his aunt that it was not until he passed the parsonage, situated just outside the grounds, that he realized he had unwittingly performed Mr. Collins a second service by not depriving him of the joy, which he was sure to relish, of announcing his impending nuptials to Lady Catherine himself. “Let him enjoy it,” he thought while dismounting in order to walk around the house, taking note of its appointments so he could answer any questions the Bennets might have about Mary’s new home. It would be far more pleasant when his future trips to Rosings could be conducted in Elizabeth’s company; she would delight in the easy access to her sister, just across the park. So be it. Since the night of the assembly, event after event had decidedly proven that fate could be trusted to care for its own concerns. The rectory was well cared for and salubriously situated; he believed Miss Mary would like it very well.

He returned to the house, changed from his muddied clothes, and proceeded downstairs to find Lady Catherine partaking of a solitary breakfast. “Ah, Darcy,” was her grim greeting. “You always were an early riser. How do you find the grounds?”

“
Lovely even in this foul weather, Aunt.”

“
Indeed they are,” she snapped, wondering in silent bitterness why he would reject an estate he so admired when it was his for the taking, though she well knew the answer. “You might mind the weather and reconsider your impetuous travel arrangements.”

Darcy chose not to resume that topic, “When I return in the spring with my cousin Fitzwilliam, ma’am, I will look thoroughly into any repairs that are needed with your steward, as usual. My cursory survey this morning will aid me then. I imagine that the western wall will need to be reinforced if this winter proves difficult.”

“
Perhaps you would rather forgo the burden. It would befit you to remain in London throughout the season. You shall need to find yourself a bride.”