Collins cleared his throat, “Lady Catherine, I do believe Captain Hathaway has done very well for himself. I did overhear Mr. Fitzwilliam and the Colonel remark on how very well he has done in his service to the King. I believe he has been greatly rewarded and…”
“I do not care what he has done to improve himself!” she yelled at him. “This is not to be born. To think of the shame and degradation, he brings upon us all by allowing that woman to continue to pollute the Darcy name! She is a vile creature who deserves no regard for what she has done! Even Lady Fitzwilliam should have had better sense than to allow a Darcy to be seen dancing with the son of a farmer. Poor Georgiana, poor girl, she will die an old maid just as you will Anne; all because my nephew would not listen and do what was expected of him. How we all will suffer for his selfish disregard of his mother’s fondest wish! There can be no other explanation other than she has bewitched him and he has forgotten who he is and where he comes from!”
Collins shook his head; he looked over at Anne with a forlorn look on his face, “I am sorry, Lady Catherine, to bring you this dreadful news.”
Before she could respond, Lady Catherine’s servant came in, “I beg your pardon. I do not mean to interrupt your tea, your Ladyship, but Mr. Fitzwilliam is here to see you.”
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes a bit, “Very well, show my nephew in,” she said as she motioned for Collins to leave. “We will continue this conversation later, Mr. Collins,” she told him.
Collins stood up and bowed before her. “Yes, of course, your Ladyship,” he said as he stood up to leave.
Lady Catherine looked over at her daughter and sighed, “I promise you, Anne; Fitzwilliam and that woman will regret the day they went against me. I will do my best to make sure he knows how you suffer. As for me, I am only thankful you will never know the heartbreak that I feel at Fitzwilliam’s betrayal to you and our family. This entire affair has caused me the loss of my dearest nephew, and the loss of any future grandchildren. I feel it most keenly.”
Anne said nothing as her cousin came in to greet them. “Lady Catherine,” Owen said as he walked over and kissed his aunt on the cheek. “How are you, my dear Aunt?”
“I am not well,” she responded as she motioned for him to sit down. “I am very upset by this whole business with Fitzwilliam and that woman!”
Owen shook his head, “Aunt Catherine, I have not come to discuss Darcy or his wife,” he told her. “Although, I am convinced you do the lady a great disservice.”
Lady Catherine ignored his comments. “Your brother still has not called on me, neither has my niece, Georgiana. I am sure that is Darcy’s doing. At the very least, it is at the doing of that woman he married!”
Anne turned to her cousin and said, “What has brought you to see us today, cousin?”
Owen smiled, “I am to be married,” he told her. “I wanted you and Aunt Catherine to be among the first to know of it.”
“Oh, that is wonderful news, cousin,” Anne told him, but before she could say more, Lady Catherine cut her off.
“Whom do you intend to marry?” Lady Catherine demanded. “I hope it is Lady Knowles’s young niece; she is a very lovely young lady who comes from a very good family.”
Owen looked over at Lady Catherine and laughed just a little, “It is in fact, not Miss Georgette Knowles that I am to marry, but rather, Miss Caroline Bingley.”
“Bingley!” she snapped at him. “Is that not the name of the gentleman who married Miss Jane Bennet?”
Owen nodded his head, “Yes, Aunt Catherine, it is. Miss Caroline Bingley is the sister to Mr. Charles Bingley. She is a very special young woman, and I love her very dearly.”
“What does love have to do with marriage!” she snapped at him. “What has come over you, have you forgotten your rank and station? You cannot possibly link the Fitzwilliam name to that of Bingley!”
Owen leaned back in his chair, “Why ever not, Lady Catherine? What offense has Caroline even given to you?”
Anne took up her teacup and sipped it. “Mother does not even know Miss Caroline Bingley.”
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes, “That is beside the point. I know who her brother is! I know that he married into that woman’s family, and I know the entire sorted affair of Mrs. Wickham’s sham of a marriage!”
Owen was a little taken aback by his aunt’s anger and manner of speech. “Lady Catherine, I came here today at the urging of my father to share this news with you. My hope was to offer an olive branch that our family might be reunited, and all of this unpleasant business could finally be put behind us. Caroline is a lovely woman, and I am going to marry her. I would like for you to attend our wedding. It will be a very small affair, with only a few family…”
“Am I to assume that Fitzwilliam will be there?” she asked him.
“I have not yet spoken to Darcy,” he told her. “It is possible that he will return with Georgiana to Pemberley for Christmas time.”
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes, “Surely you do not plan to be married before Christmas?” she demanded of him. “What of the reading of the bands?”
“We do not wish to wait,” he told her. “We will be married in two weeks’ time, and we are to marry at Hallowell.”
Lady Catherine’s eyes opened wider, “There must be a church wedding!” she said, astonished that he would suggest otherwise.
Owen sighed, “Aunt Catherine, I have extended the invitation, and would love for you and my cousin to attend…” he said when Anne interrupted him.
“I should like to come,” Anne told him.
Lady Catherine glared at her. “You will do nothing of the sort!” she snapped at her. “You are much too unwell to go!” Lady Catherine looked back over at Owen. “If you insist on marrying into that family and aligning the great Fitzwilliam name to that of Bingley, and thereby involving yourself with that Bennet woman, I will not support it.”
Owen now better understood what Darcy had been talking about. His Aunt was completely unreasonable. “I will take my leave of you then, Lady Catherine. I wish you well,” he said as he got up to leave. He walked over to the door and stopped suddenly. “Aunt Catherine, Mrs. Darcy is a very fine woman. She is kind and very agreeable. In fact, it was only because of her kindness to both Caroline and myself that we became engaged. I would have thought you could be happy for me. Since Emily’s death, I have been downcast in both spirit and mind, but now with Caroline, I find I have hope once again. I am most grateful to Mrs. Darcy for all that she has done. She is a lady of superior standing, and you do her a great disservice in your bitter anger towards her, I think!”
“I knew it!” Lady Catherine raged. “I knew that woman would be involved with this somehow. She would have to be! She has bewitched you all!”
Owen shook his head in disappointment at his aunt’s conduct. “Goodbye, Anne. I hope to see you again soon.”
Anne placed her teacup down on the table and stood up. “I will show you out, cousin,” she said as she walked over with him towards the door. They both ignored Lady Catherine’s raging accusations against Elizabeth as they went.
“Mr. Collins!” Lady Catherine could be heard yelling. “Mr. Collins, come here at once!”
Moments later, Collins came rushing into the room, “Yes, Lady Catherine, what is it?” he asked.
“Why did you neglect to tell me that my nephew, Mr. Owen Fitzwilliam, is engaged to Miss Caroline Bingley?” she questioned him.
Collins took out his handkerchief and wiped his brow, “I…” he swallowed hard as he attempted to catch his breath. “I had no idea they were engaged. I am sure it must have only happened, or else I would have heard of it. You must know, Lady Catherine that I would have told you if I had known.”
Lady Catherine stood up and walked over to the window. She looked down and saw Anne standing there, speaking with Owen. “Tell me all that you know about Miss Caroline Bingley,” she said in a cold and angry voice.
Collins swallowed again an
d searched his memory, “I believe Miss Bingley is the sister to Mr. Charles Bingley,” he told her.
“Yes, yes, I already know that!” she yelled at him as she turned back around. “I want to know who are the Bingleys; where do they come from, who are their connections!”
Collins dabbed at his forehead again and did his best to recollect what he could. “I believe Mr. Bingley’s father was in trade…” he began to tell her.
Lady Catherine’s eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “A tradesmen’s daughter!” she shook her head as she closed her eyes in disgust. “This cannot be; how can this be! My nephew is to marry a tradesmen’s daughter!”
Collins sunk back in his seat and swallowed hard once again. He sighed heavily as he realized it was going to be a very long afternoon.
Darcy stood near the window, waiting for Mr. Fletcher to come in. He turned when the door opened to see young James Fletcher step inside. “Forgive me, Mr. Darcy, for keeping you waiting, but my father has had a small accident and must remain at home. He sends his regards and asks for your understanding in not being able to attend to you this afternoon.”
Darcy furrowed his brow, “Of course. But tell me, James, what is wrong with your father? I do hope it is not serious.”
James shook his head, “No, he will come through,” he assured him. “He had a rather unfortunate accident while out riding the other day and his horse stepped on his foot. It is rather swollen and will need to remain elevated for several days, the doctor has said.”
“I see. Well, please send him my regards,” Darcy told him. “I suspect you will be handling things while your father is recovering?”
James nodded his head, “Yes, Mr. Darcy, I will be. Of course, my father will still be going over everything with me as well.”
Darcy nodded his head, “Very good, James,” he told him as he walked over and sat down. “Well, if you are ready, we can get to it?”
James sat down at his father’s desk, pulled out his ledgers and took up his quill. “My father made mention that you were considering aligning some of your business investments with Lord Ashworth,” he remarked. “Is that right?”
Darcy thought for a moment about what Elizabeth said, then replied. “I was considering it, yes,” he told him. “But I have since decided against the plan.”
James leaned back in his chair, “May I speak freely with you, Mr. Darcy?” he began to say.
Darcy nodded his head, “Yes, of course,” he said to him.
James pulled out another ledger from his father’s desk. “I have taken the opportunity to thoroughly go over these accounts that Lord Ashworth submitted to my father, and frankly, Mr. Darcy, they do not fully add up. I believe Lord Ashworth is a dubious businessman with a great many peculiarities in his business affairs that have caused me great alarm. I am very glad you have decided against working with the gentleman; if you had told me otherwise, I would have advised you against such an endeavor.”
“Does your father feel the same way?” he asked him.
“He does now, Mr. Darcy,” he told him. “Now that I have shown him conclusive proof of Lord Ashworth’s failing business ventures and mounting debt. Truthfully, sir, Lord Ashworth’s wealth is not what it once was. There are rumors of a number of failed business dealings, as well as the overindulgent living he has partaken of. He owes a great deal of money, and were it not for his wife, would be blacklisted, I think.”
Darcy was stunned, “I am glad you looked into this matter so thoroughly, James,” he told him. “I had no idea.”
James nodded his head, “Yes, Mr. Darcy, it is all too true. In fact, if I may point out to you,” he continued speaking. “I know recently you have undertaken some business dealings with Lord Knowles upon my father’s advice to you.”
“Yes, that is true,” Darcy told him without saying anything about the letter Lord Knowles sent to him.
James took in a small breath, “I do not mean to offend you, Mr. Darcy, and I would never go against my father’s counsel to you, so please know I have talked at length with him about what I have learned. In light of what I have shared, he has asked me to convey this new information to you now. I feel I should warn you, I have discovered that Lord Knowles has aligned himself with Lord Ashworth, much to his detriment. I believe Lord Ashworth will only bring about ruin for any who do business with him. If I may, sir, I recommend you end any further involvement you might have with either of these gentlemen,” he suggested.
Darcy leaned back in his chair, “I already have ended my involvement with Lord Knowles as of yesterday. That was one of the things I wished to speak with your father about,” he told him.
“Very good, sir. A wise decision, I must say,” he remarked. “Now, Mr. Darcy, if you do not mind, I have several other ventures that I believe will be very promising and will be very profitable for you. I could go over them with you now?”
Darcy nodded his head, “By all means, please speak your mind. I am very intrigued to learn what you have to suggest.”
“Very well then; let us begin with this property investment idea…” James said as he took several papers from his bag.
Charlotte sat in the sitting room working on her sewing when Anne came in, “Oh, Miss de Bourgh, is there anything I can do to help you?” she asked as she put her sewing aside.
Anne smiled briefly, “I wondered if I may ask you a few questions,” she said as she sat down across from her.
“Of course, ask me whatever you like. If I can, I will answer,” she assured her.
“I was wondering about Mrs. Darcy,” she began to say. “Do you think she would be opposed to seeing me?”
Charlotte furrowed her brow, “I cannot speak for Lizzy directly, but I can tell you that she is not the sort of person to treat anyone unkind,” she told her. “If you do not mind my asking, Miss de Bourgh, why do you wish to see Lizzy?”
Anne did not answer her. Instead, she said. “I am sure you have learned of my cousin's engagement to Miss Caroline Bingley?”
Charlotte nodded her head, “Yes, Mr. Collins informed me of Lady Catherine’s displeasure at the news.”
Anne rolled her eyes and shook her head, “Never mind about that,” she said. “I wondered if you could tell me, is it possible that when Elizabeth was missing during the ball, that she was with Miss Bingley and my cousin?”
“Yes, I suppose that is possible,” she told her. “Mr. Fitzwilliam was very attentive to Miss Bingley for the rest of the evening once they returned to the ball. I suspect that Mr. Fitzwilliam probably asked Miss Bingley to marry him at the ball.”
Anne furrowed her brow, “Thank you, Mrs. Collins, you have been very helpful to me,” she told her. “I appreciate your kindness to me. I wonder if I could prevail on you to help me with something?” she said as she began coughing just a little. Once the coughing fit passed, she said, “Would you accompany me tomorrow to see Mrs. Darcy?”
Charlotte nodded her head. “Yes, I can go with you to see Lizzy,” she told her. “Would you like me to write a note and inform her of our coming?”
“Yes,” Anne responded, “However, if you would be so kind as to say nothing to my mother?”
“Yes, of course,” Charlotte answered.
Anne stood up and was about to leave when she stopped, “Oh, and perhaps it would be best to say nothing to Mr. Collins either.”
Charlotte sighed, “I will not tell anyone of where we are going.”
Anne considered again, “Mrs. Collins, could you ask Mrs. Darcy to send her carriage to pick us up? Request that her driver meet us just down the way out of sight of the house. That way, I can say to my mother that we are going for a walk. I do not wish for her driver to inform her of where we are going.”
“Of course, Miss de Bourgh,” she said. “I will let you know as soon as I hear back from Lizzy.”
“Thank you,” she said before leaving the room.
Elizabeth found it difficult to focus on her book, so she decided to go for a walk. She retrieved
her wrap and was just about to go when one of the servants came up to her. “Beggin your pardon, ma’am, but a letter has come for you,” she told her as she handed it to her. “The boy said it was very important that I give this to you without delay.”
Elizabeth looked at the writing, “Thank you, Jenny,” she said. “I will be walking in the garden if Mr. Darcy should return and wish to know where I am.”
Jenny curtsied, “Yes, ma’am,” she said.
Elizabeth took her letter and walked out into the gardens. The skies were gray and overcast; it looked as if it could rain. She pulled the wrap about her shoulders and shivered just a little. It really was rather cold; probably much too cold to be out of doors, but she found herself feeling the need for some fresh air. She made her way through the maze and stopped once she reached the center to sit on the bench and read her letter from Charlotte.
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