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And this from a woman whose acquaintance I just made. I shudder to think what measure of counsel I might be subjected to should I remain in her ladyship’s company for a long duration.
Before Elizabeth could fashion an appropriate response, Colonel Fitzwilliam intervened. “I shall be happy to accompany Miss Elizabeth on her countryside rambles and protect her from the hidden dangers that, no doubt, concern you, Lady Catherine.”
Her ladyship said, “That is precisely what concerns me, Nephew.” And with that, she strode away from the colonel and Elizabeth, relying heavily upon her bejeweled walking stick.
Relieved to be spared the older woman’s company, she turned to the colonel. “What, pray tell, was that about?” Elizabeth exclaimed with energy.
“That, I am afraid, is the very nature of my aunt. However, if it helps, you should consider yourself blessed, for as egregious as her conduct was toward you, I fear it is nothing in comparison to how she will behave toward your elder sister.”
Elizabeth felt a surge of nervous energy course through her body. “Jane? Why on Earth would your aunt treat Jane poorly?” A likely answer dawned on Elizabeth no sooner than she asked the question. “Is it my family’s lack of fortune?”
The colonel shrugged. “I am afraid your family could be among the wealthiest families in all of England, and it would make no difference to Lady Catherine.”
“Then what would be the basis for her possible ill treatment of my sister Jane?”
The colonel pursed his lips. “Maybe I have said too much. I should not like to speak out of turn and thus, be the cause of any misunderstandings.”
“Sir, whatever you know or suspect affects my sister. You ought to know I am here at Pemberley not solely as her companion but as her fiercest protector. I beg you to tell me what you know — what I ought to know — so I can know how to act.”
Subtly ushering Elizabeth to a corner of the room that afforded the two of them a bit more privacy to speak at leisure, the colonel said, “Well, it is no secret to anyone in the room, save you and your family, that Lady Catherine has long harbored the belief that my cousin Darcy and her daughter, Anne …” Here, he paused and glanced in Lady Catherine’s direction.
Elizabeth allowed her eyes to follow suit, and she noticed a young woman sitting beside her ladyship—a young woman whom she surmised must be Lady Catherine’s daughter. She silently urged the colonel to continue his speech.
He did. “It is Lady Catherine’s favorite wish that her daughter, Anne, is to be married to Darcy.”
Her thoughts puzzled, Elizabeth asked, “Is the gentleman aware of this longing on his aunt’s part?”
The colonel took a sip of his beverage. At length, he said, “Indeed, he is. As I said, it is a matter that is widely known by everyone who knows him best.”
Elizabeth knew not what to think, what to say, or how to feel. Her mind in a tumult, she weighed the colonel’s words against what they must surely mean for her sister.
Do these people mean to make a mockery of my sister—to pit her against the granddaughter of an earl, likely an heiress in her own right? Abhorred, she wanted nothing more than to storm across the room, take hold of her sister by the arm, and get her away from these atrocious people who thought so highly of themselves and so little of the feelings of others.
“You seem very upset, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Should I not be upset?”
“I beg your pardon, for I did not intend to distress you.”
“How could Mr. Darcy do it? How could he invite my family here under such pretense? Why would he be a party to such a scheme?”
“I fear you mistake my words. My uncle does not sanction a possible alliance between his son and Anne.”
“But, you said everyone knows about it.”
“I did, and it is indeed true that there is a general expectation that such an alliance might one day come to be, but allow me to assure you that neither my cousin nor my uncle ascribes to such a notion. My cousin is no more interested in marrying Anne than he is interested in marrying his horse. Otherwise, he would have done so long before now—” He cleared his throat. “—Married my cousin, I mean to say. An alliance between Darcy and Anne would result in the combination of two great estates and untold wealth.”
“Shall I count you among those who would wish for such a prospect?” Elizabeth asked, eyeing him squarely.
“As I have no stake in the game, I defer my preference to my cousin Darcy’s. I trust whomever he chooses as his future bride, on whatever timetable he deems appropriate, will be an excellent mistress of all this one day.”
Elizabeth had been so thoroughly distracted by all the colonel had to say about the peculiar engagement between the younger Mr. Darcy and his cousin Miss Anne de Bourgh that she had almost missed another unfolding event. Indeed, her sister Jane had garnered some attention. It pleased Elizabeth to espy Fitzwilliam Darcy and Jane, standing opposite each other across the room, engaged in what seemed like pleasing conversation. It also intrigued her to witness the way another member of their intimate party attended Jane so diligently as well.
She was about to ask the colonel to tell her the name of the other young man when it was time to go in to dinner. Lady Catherine captured the attention of everyone in the room with a stern advisement to her nephew. “Darcy, lest you forget, my Anne is in want of an escort to the dining parlor.” Lady Catherine seized her daughter’s arm and led her directly to Darcy.
By his reaction to his aunt’s edict, it would appear that the gentleman had fully intended to escort Jane. Obliged to accept his cousin’s proffered arm, he offered his other arm to Jane. “Will you allow me to escort you as well, Miss Bennet?” Darcy graciously asked.
The other young gentleman said, “Darcy, if you will allow, I shall be honored to escort Miss Bennet in your stead.” He cleared his throat and continued, “I pray you will allow it, Miss Bennet.”
