Forced to Marry

by Bella Breen

  Chapter 29

  Elizabeth sighed. She hoped the militia had not left for Brighton yet. Hopefully she had enough time for an express letter to reach Papa. “Georgiana, I am sorry but I need to go and write a quick letter back home.”

  Georgiana looked up from her sheet music. “Oh, I hope nothing is wrong?”

  Elizabeth stood up. “Not yet. My sister wrote that our youngest sister, who has a want of propriety in social situations, has been invited to go to Brighton with the local colonel’s wife. I think it is a bad idea. I hope I can convince Papa to not let her go.”

  Elizabeth left the music room, but she paused in the hallway. She was not sure of where she could write the letter. Did she have a writing desk in her bedchamber? She had not spent much time there and did not remember having seen a desk. She knew Mr. Darcy would have writing paper in his study. Would he mind if she wrote a letter there?

  Elizabeth walked back into the music room. “Georgiana, is there a writing desk in my bedchamber? Or do you know where could I find paper and ink?”

  Georgiana stood up and laid the sheet music on the bench. “I am not sure if there is one in your bedchamber. I know I have one.”

  “Well, I guess it is time I found out, is it not?” Elizabeth smiled and held her arm out for Georgiana to join her.

  They both walked up the stairs and talked of the formal garden at Pemberley. Elizabeth was happy to find that Georgiana loved walking outside as well. She did not do it often though as she did not like to walk by herself. “You are in luck then. I love to walk outside every day as long as it is not raining. Let us walk after I write this letter.”

  Elizabeth opened the door to her bedchamber and was struck again at how large her bedchamber was. Did she really need a sofa and chairs with a fireplace in her bedchamber?

  Georgiana walked over to the corner behind the sofa. “Here is a writing desk.”

  Elizabeth walked over as Georgiana lifted the lid to the desk. There were blank sheets of paper but there were also piles of letters shoved to one side. Elizabeth was curious about those letters, but she did not want to snoop with Georgiana watching. “It looks like this writing desk belongs to someone else.”

  “I am not sure who used this desk. I have always had my desk in my room, and Fitzwilliam has always had his big desk in his study.”

  Elizabeth shrugged. There would be time to uncover the mystery of whose desk it was later. Right now she had to write her letter and get it posted. Would it be fine for her to send this letter by express to Longbourn? She did not want to scare Papa with an express, but she felt very strongly that Lydia should not go to Brighton. It was a horrible idea! How could he not see that?

  Elizabeth sat down and quickly penned her letter. If only Papa knew how much Lydia’s want of propriety had already harmed them. Her past behavior at assemblies and balls, even her behavior in Meryton, was appalling. She was far too young to be without her parents. Elizabeth folded the letter and addressed it.

  Georgiana had spent the short time rearranging flowers in a vase on the table by the sofa. “Georgiana, you have a talent for flower arrangements. I wish you could teach me as I have found that I can never make them look as beautiful as others can.”

  “I would love to teach you.” Georgiana beamed at her.

  Elizabeth was gratified that she found something she could do with Georgiana besides walking. She could see Georgiana and her spending lovely afternoons arranging flowers together.

  “I would like to send this letter off immediately. I will need to go to Lambton to post it.”

  “I can drive you there in my horse cart. There is enough room for Mrs. Annesley, my governess, as well.”

  Elizabeth put on a jacket and met Georgiana in the entryway with Mrs. Annesley. She had met the governess with the other servants. Mrs. Annesley seemed like a very nice older woman. Like a poor aunt come to live with the family.

  They walked to the stable and watched the stable hands pull out the horse cart, halter, and harness a small horse to the cart. It was a cute horse with black and white splotches. “This is my horse that my brother gave me. I named her Blackie much to the consternation of my brother.” Georgiana smiled at Elizabeth. “But I got her when I was much younger. Of course I would give her a different name now. But she will always be Blackie to me.”

  Elizabeth laughed and climbed into the horse cart next to Georgiana. Mrs. Annesley sat in the back by herself. It was a beautiful day and Georgiana drove the horse cart very well. Or it could be that the horse knew the way to Lambton. The horse was kept to a trot the entire way, so that they were going slow enough for conversation. Georgiana pointed out interesting sites along the route to Lambton.

  They quickly reached the post and stopped. Elizabeth climbed down and posted her letter by express. Now that she was in Lambton, could she stop at the dressmaker? She had not talked to Mr. Darcy about it but he did know she needed new dresses. Did he not? Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. She did not know how Mr. Darcy was with his money. But two dresses should not cause a problem. She could order more after talking to him. He could not begrudge her that.

  Elizabeth walked back to the horse cart. “Georgiana, I need to order a few dresses. I cannot attend church Sunday wearing this. Could you take me to the dressmaker?”

  Mrs. Annesley spoke up. “I can hold the horse while you go to the dressmaker. I think that is very wise of you to consider how your wardrobe will look and reflect upon Pemberley.”

  Elizabeth gave the governess a small smile. She understood what Mrs. Annesley did not say, that her clothes desperately needed replacing. “Thank you, Mrs. Annesley. Come Georgiana, let us go to the dressmaker.”

  Elizabeth and Georgiana walked arm in arm one block to the dressmaker. The shop was nearly the same size as the one in Meryton but contained higher quality fabrics. Elizabeth was measured and ordered two dresses out of fabric that was not expensive but of much better quality than she had worn before. Elizabeth was thrilled at finally having new clothes. The Bennets were not poor, but with five daughters they did not have money to spare.

  The dresses would be ready to pick up the next day. Elizabeth breathed easy as they walked back to their horse cart. She would be able to wear the new dresses for church on Sunday and not look like a poor relative when she walked in with the Darcy family.

  Georgiana drove them out of Lambton back to Pemberley. They were having a pleasant conversation about growing up in the area when they came around the bend to see a carriage in front of Pemberley. Elizabeth frowned as she did not recall Mr. Darcy saying anything to her about expected visitors. “Were you expecting anyone today?”

  Georgiana shook her head. “No. When our neighbors come to visit, they are usually in a cart or chaise. Besides, it looks like there is a coat of arms on that carriage.”

  “Perhaps it is a neighbor after all?”

  Georgiana shook her head again. “We do have an earl nearby, but they would not take their carriage to visit us. They never have. They usually come in their own horse cart.”

  Elizabeth frowned. She did not feel good about this unexpected visit from nobility. There had been enough shocks lately in her life. She certainly did not want another one. As they drove closer to the front of Pemberley, Elizabeth gasped as she realized she knew that coat of arms.

  Chapter 30

  “It is Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s carriage!” She would never forget that coat of arms on that carriage that had taken her away from Hunsford and dropped her off alone at a posting inn. Elizabeth knew Lady Catherine was Darcy and Georgiana’s aunt but she wished she could refuse Lady Catherine entry into Pemberley. There could be nothing pleasant about this visit.

  “Georgiana, we need to find out where Mr. Darcy is today. Who would know besides his steward?”

  “I am sure somebody must know.”

  “Perhaps the stable hands.” Elizabeth was relieved when they passed the carriage without anyone climbing out. She would not put it past Lady Catherine de Bo
urgh to try to chase her off the grounds of Pemberley. She must already be inside the house.

  Elizabeth berated herself for forgetting the part Lady Catherine played in Elizabeth’s leaving Hunsford so suddenly. She should have realized that Lady Catherine would not have given up on her plan to keep Mr. Darcy and her apart, though Elizabeth thought a letter would have sufficed instead of her traveling such a long distance. Lady Catherine must be desperate indeed if she traveled all this way. Why, she must not know they were already married!

  Elizabeth knew she would not meet Lady Catherine de Bourgh without Mr. Darcy by her side. She had to find him before his aunt found her.

  The horse cart stopped in the stable yard, Blackie’s halter held by a stable hand. “Do you know where Mr. Darcy went today?”

  The stable hand shook his head. “No I do not, Mrs. Darcy. But Mr. O’Brien the stable manager will.”

  “Could you get him for me? Thank you.”

  The stable hand yelled to another stable hand, who ran off. Elizabeth turned to look behind them but no one had appeared from the front of the house yet. She hoped the carriage driver had not gone inside to alert Lady Catherine of their arrival. An older man came out from the stable and walked up to their cart. “Good day, Mrs. Darcy. What may I do for you?”

  “I would like to know where Mr. Darcy is today. Georgiana and I are going to surprise him with a visit.”

  The stable master frowned. “I do not think that is a safe distance for you ladies to travel by yourselves. You should take the carriage.”

  Elizabeth chewed her bottom lip. She did not want their visit to Mr. Darcy to be a spectacle. “We shall continue to use the horse cart; however, I would like a few men to accompany us on horses.” She noticed Mr. O’Brien had not said where Mr. Darcy was. “Is Mr. Darcy far?”

  “He is not, as he is on the old Johnson land. All the lads know the way. I will have some get saddled up in a trice.”

  The stable hands were prompt and soon they were on their way, quickly moving past the de Bourgh carriage and away from Pemberley. hopefully with Lady Catherine de Bourgh none the wiser.

  Mr. Darcy walked the field with his steward, nodding to the tenants and congratulating them on picking up the new planning method so quickly. He was sure this would increase the crops output by at least 20 percent. If it went according to plan all his lands would use this new method.

  A call from behind got his attention. Mr. Darcy turned to find a horse cart with two riders accompanying it. Who was this? Mr. Darcy walked out of the field to where the cart had stopped. He was dismayed to find his sister and his wife. He looked at the fields to see that all the tenants had stopped their work and were staring. Mr. Darcy turned back to his unexpected visitors.

  “Elizabeth, Georgiana. This is a surprise.”

  Elizabeth climbed out of the cart. She was not smiling and actually looked worried. “Fitzwilliam, I do not know how to say this, but the de Bourgh carriage is at Pemberley.”

  Mr. Darcy straightened. “Are you sure?” There was no reason for his aunt to visit him, especially so soon after his marriage—one she did not approve of and hopefully did not know about. However, it was a good bet that she had found out.

  “Oh yes, I am quite sure that is her carriage. It is the same one that deposited me at the posting inn after she forced me out of the Hunsford parsonage. Georgiana and I had gone to Lambton on an errand and saw the carriage when we came back. We quickly came here. I did not want to visit with her without you present.”

  “That was a wise move. I am surprised she is here. She must have left Rosings Park several days ago.”

  “Does she know that we are married?” Elizabeth asked quietly so that the servants could not hear her.

  “I think it is safe to assume that she does.” Mr. Darcy exhaled. “I shall come back with you. I am glad you came. It is much better if we face her together.” Elizabeth beamed at him, gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, then climbed back in the horse cart.

  Mr. Darcy walked to Georgiana, who was holding the reins. “You have driven quite a distance today.”

  “Yes, and I did it splendidly!”

  “She did. She is very skilled driver.” Mr. Darcy smiled at the praise his wife bestowed upon his sister.

  Mr. Darcy then went to his horse where it had been eating grass. He leapt up on the horse in one jump, a feat of physical strength, and accompanied them back to Pemberley

  The three Darcys quietly entered the house through the door that led to the stable yard. Elizabeth almost giggled at the thought of sneaking around their own house to hide from Lady Catherine. She quit giggling when she remembered that the dress she was wearing was one from Longbourn, out of date and worn. She could not believe Lady Catherine was here before she had even gotten a new dress made. That woman was a nuisance.

  Elizabeth wanted to ask Mr. Darcy if they could just throw her out, but Lady Catherine was their aunt. Mr. Darcy would be the one to decide what to do about her.

  The three of them entered the drawing room in the midst of Lady Catherine de Bourgh yelling at a servant. “Where is my nephew? I have never known him to be absent for so long during the day. Has that fortune hunter already addled his brains?”

  “Good afternoon, Aunt. I hope you were not referring to my wife?”

  Elizabeth was pleased that Mr. Darcy would not let that insult pass. She honestly had not known what to expect from Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s visit. She knew now that it would be unpleasant in the extreme.

  Lady Catherine de Bourgh stood. “Am I to be insulted thusly? How dare you marry that harridan from Hertfordshire! Are the grounds of Pemberley forever to be polluted?”

  Mr. Darcy narrowed his eyes. “I heard how you treated my wife in Hunsford. You threw her out of the parsonage where she visited with a dear friend Mrs. Collins. You had her left alone at a posting inn without providing transportation for her. My cousin Col. Fitzwilliam rescued her and brought her to London to her relatives. And now you come to my home and insult my wife? You are—”

  Lady Catherine shook her cane at her nephew. “You did not have to marry that girl! I had that all taken care of. I am not saying she is a fortune hunter, but she did not head for the hedgerows!” Elizabeth gasped. “I know all about her family’s home entailed to Mr. Collins. She needed a wealthy husband to house all her younger sisters after her father dies. You have been blinded by a bit of muslin!”

  Elizabeth gasped again and took a step back even though her arm was still through Mr. Darcy’s.

  “Get out! You are to leave immediately! You have no rights to come to any of my homes ever again. You may not write me. You will not call upon me. I will not visit you at Rosings Park. You have insulted my wife, whom I love dearly. If you were a man, I would call you out.”

  Mr. Darcy saw the shock upon his aunt’s countenance. “You did not know that, did you?” he continued. “I love Elizabeth. I offered marriage to her before we were ever compromised. Now get out before I throw you out! And do not underestimate me, madam. I will gladly throw you out the front doors myself.”

  Mr. Darcy turned to find several servants in the hall. “Mr. Brown and Mr. Agnew, take her out!”

  Chapter 31

  Elizabeth and Georgiana stood back as the two footmen escorted Lady Catherine de Bourgh out of Pemberley. She forbade the servants to touch her, so they accompanied her to her carriage. The entire walk she let Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth know what she thought of them.

  Mr. Darcy turned to the two most important women in his life. “Pardon me but... I must excuse myself.” Mr. Darcy bowed and quickly left the room.

  Elizabeth and Georgiana looked at each other and wrapped their arms together. Elizabeth blinked, still unable to believe that Lady Catherine de Bourgh had shown up at Pemberley. Not only that, but she had insulted Elizabeth so badly that Mr. Darcy had thrown her out. Elizabeth shook her head. “I had not expected such vulgarity from Lady Catherine de Bourgh.”

  “I have never heard her sp
eak thusly. I have never seen my brother so angry before.” Georgiana was still wide-eyed.

  Elizabeth could have told her that she had seen him that angry before. Hopefully, Mr. Darcy would not remember the last time and realize Elizabeth had been involved then as well. Even though what Lady Catherine said was horrid, Elizabeth wore a smile because Mr. Darcy had declared his love for Elizabeth in no uncertain terms.

  Elizabeth turned and walked out of the drawing room, her arms still intertwined with Georgiana’s. She approached a footman. “Has the mail arrived yet? I am expecting a letter from my sister.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Darcy. The letters were delivered to Mr. Darcy’s study. I apologize but none were addressed to you.”

  Elizabeth frowned. She thought for sure Jane would have written her again. Oh well, hopefully she would receive a letter on the morrow detailing that Mr. Bingley had proposed to Jane. Elizabeth smiled. This day was touched with perfection. Especially since the rubbish had been taken out. “It is a beautiful day outside. Let us walk through the gardens. We could find some flowers and perhaps you could show me how to arrange them?”

  Georgiana smiled. “I would love that.”

  They did not see Mr. Darcy until supper. Elizabeth refrained from bringing up Lady Catherine during the meal or even after when they sat in the drawing room and read while Georgiana played the pianoforte. But when they were in Mr. Darcy’s bedchamber Elizabeth finally broached the subject. “This must have been hard for you today, having your aunt escorted off the grounds.”

  Mr. Darcy shrugged. “She has always been overbearing and opinionated. I put up with it because she was my mother’s sister. However, that cannot excuse her behavior. She has never acted anything like my mother.”