Elizabeth looked around at the house. She should not bring Emma with her for this conversation. Her duties now conflicted. She looked at Emma.
“Can I play now? Lady Catherine won’t come outside. I can run away if she does.” Emma giggled at that thought.
Elizabeth stared at her. Then she remembered Mrs. Shore’s shouts. Her stomach squirmed with worry. “Be careful. Do not go near the house. I am going to the house of Pamela’s family, and then I will return here.”
Elizabeth went across the yard in a rush. She needed to quickly manage everything. Today was not a good day. The cottage Pamela’s father lived in was a snug model brick affair, built when Sir Lewis de Bourgh had uprooted two villages to create his park and provided the peasants with new houses in compensation. There was a tidy well-kept garden in front, and Pamela’s father, Mr. Evans, sat on a bench in the garden, cleaning the harness for a plow.
He stood up upon seeing her. “Hullo, Miss Bennet. Is there some news about Pamela?”
The man’s tone was guarded, and his expression was odd, halfway between sharp suspicion and friendliness.
Elizabeth pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth. She might say the wrong words and make him think she was threatening Mrs. Shore.
“You may look like a flower, but I’ve got more worrisome matters than watching you stand bout.” The anxiety was evident in the sharp impatience of his tone.
“Mrs. Shore. Your sister. Your sister. I heard her say…she said…”
The expression on the man’s face became grim. He picked up the harness he was working on and placed it under the awning of his porch. “Come in out of the sun. We’ll get you something cool to drink.”
Elizabeth followed him in.
Pamela’s mother was sewing a baby’s dress in an upholstered chair next to the window. She stood and saw Elizabeth and the grim expression on both their faces. “What’s the matter! Did you hear something from that gentleman about our Pamela?”
“No.” Elizabeth shook her head. “He will find Mr. Wickham and get Pamela released. I trust him.”
The woman nodded. She swallowed and then said in a nervous voice, “Mr. Darcy is being very kind. Miss Bennet, would you wish some tea?”
“Yes, thank you very kindly.”
The older man waved for Elizabeth to sit in one of the sturdy chairs around their rough dining table, and then sat down himself. “It is damned foolishness. Young people these days are too uppity. No respect for our betters. Pamela wearing those jewels — she ain’t so old that if she wasn’t in gaol that I couldn’t take her over my knee and birch her fine — not that I beat the youngsters often… I must control my tongue. You are a lady. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard out of my girl, and she’s always been a difficult ‘un.”
Elizabeth nodded quietly, waiting for her turn to talk. The pause helped her to settle herself.
The wife brought a teapot to Elizabeth and placed a warmed scone in front of her and sat down with them, pouring all three of them a cup of tea, starting with Elizabeth.
Mr. Evans continued, “That young man is a right generous type. The perfect gentleman. I went to see Pamela, and the bailiff is serving her hand and foot cause of what he gave him. We can visit whenever we wish. Mr. Hawdry wouldn’t set bail. Knew that your Mr. Darcy would pay it right off.”
Elizabeth blushed. She began to say that he wasn’t hers. But then her brain stumbled over the idea of saying that and her face reddened further.
“I must thank you as well. He’s been our friend for your sake. I know that well enough. Pamela always said you were a good sort. Mary, she isn’t calm. I told her she should stay away a few days. Let the old lady shift for herself and remember how much she loves a good meal. But Mary wouldn’t listen. She was in a fine, fine temper, but thought she ought to return to keep the place. My son wants to — well never mind about that. Best you don’t know. It’s a silly thing, won’t hurt anyone but us if he’s caught.”
The rambling suddenly ended. Elizabeth took a sip from her tea as a nervous gesture. Mr. Evans trained his eyes intently on Elizabeth. “What did Mary say to you?”
“She…she said the French did the right thing when they killed all their nobles, and the way she gestured — she was carving a roast, and the blood flew about. She scared me. She could say something to someone…someone like the butler or Lady Catherine herself. Those sorts of words… I am worried for her. I do not think she is in her right mind. I fear the consequences to her.”
He nodded and sighed slowly. He wiped his hand over his forehead, to brush away sweat. “You are a good sort. Pamela said you tried to stop her.”
“It did no good. And then… Mrs. Shore is right to be angry. No one has done anything to stop Lady Catherine.”
“Your Mr. Darcy is doing more than anyone could expect any gentleman to do for a maid who had shown so much cow-brained foolishness as my Pam.”
Elizabeth absently picked up the cup of tea and found it was already empty. She set it down a little too hard. “You need to talk to your sister. Get her away from Rosings for another night. She is too…she wishes someone would do something, but… I don’t want her to be hurt.”
“What I can do, I’ll do it. Mary, she has her own mind. Too stubborn for a woman. Always has been.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I thank you. I must find my pupil again. I do not like this day. It is too…”
“Feels like there is a storm coming. Only it’s not going to be rain.”
“Yes. That is what it feels like. Lady Catherine frightens me. What else she might do. But what she has done to Pamela is enough.”
Elizabeth left the cottage and walked along the country lane back to Rosings. She moved slowly. In her mind, there was something like the miasma of a plague about the house created by Lady Catherine’s presence. It was unsafe, it was unhappy, it was not a place she would willingly return to.
My feelings and wishes are unchanged.
Darcy’s lips on hers. A little voice spoke to her. She did not need to return. Darcy had asked to marry her, she could live with him and be deliriously happy, enjoying his kisses and touches. She could become the mistress of that great estate. She could live in a large room and be dressed every night for dinner in the finest clothes. She could send her mother enough money to make her happy, Darcy could find a better living for Jane’s husband, and he could help Mr. Gardiner pay his debts and find a more comfortable position.
The evening air was still, without much breeze to stir the brilliant green leaves of the trees, and Elizabeth began to sweat during the short walk back to Rosings.
All she had to do was abandon Emma.
Lady Catherine would drive her away eventually anyways, so why wait. Why not leave now while she had Darcy’s eye and love. While she felt this first happy flush of love and desire for him.
A strong breeze kicked up, going through Elizabeth’s sweaty dress and making her shiver. She loved Emma. She could never, ever leave her. Elizabeth just wanted to find the girl and hold her and promise her that everything would be well. Even though it would not be.
Elizabeth reached the end of the meadow and walked up the drive to Rosings. She had long since become used to the magnificent façade of the building, and its rows and rows of mullioned windows, the tall chimneys and spires decorated in a gothic style, and the two wings of the house extending both directions.
As Elizabeth reached the front of the house and began to walk around to the back, she heard Lady Catherine shout from around the corner near the kitchen, “A spy! You filthy, vicious girl! Grab her! Grab her!”
Elizabeth ran around to reach as fast as she could.
The butler held Emma in his arms with a determined expression as Emma squiggled and struggled against him.
Lady Catherine called out, “Hold her tight!” She pulled back her leg to kick Emma as Elizabeth ran towards them.
Emma squirmed to the side, and Lady Catherine’s boot kicked her butler instead. Emma ripp
ed herself from his grasp. She saw Elizabeth and ran behind her.
Elizabeth stood in the pathway panting, with her hands on her legs. What had happened?
“Grab her! Miss Bennet, grab her so I can beat her!”
The shouts had drawn more people to watch. Mrs. Shore stood in the door to the kitchen watching them. One of the footmen who had held Pamela down the previous night hurried up along the other side of the building.
“What did Emma do?”
“She spies! For my nephew! She spies!”
“Ridiculous.”
“She is his creature! She was hiding, spying. In the garden as I walked past! Listening. She wants to tell him. A spy! I’ll destroy them both! Out of my way!”
“Madam,” Elizabeth moved to keep herself between Lady Catherine and Emma, who continued to hide behind Elizabeth. “You do not sound well.”
“You owe me! You were submissive this morning. Let me at her! I’ll never give her to Darcy. He will be punished!”
“Madam, please. Miss Williams has nothing to do with your feud with Darcy. She is just a girl.”
“A spy!” Lady Catherine pulled her cane back and swung it at Elizabeth’s head.
Elizabeth threw her arm up to block the ironshod tip. It hit Elizabeth’s arm with a sharp pain.
Lady Catherine pulled the cane back again and swung once more. This time Elizabeth stepped back so that it missed her. When Lady Catherine overbalanced and then moved to swing it back, Elizabeth grabbed the cane from the air and twisted it away from the older woman, whose grip was frighteningly strong.
“Grab her! Grab her!” Lady Catherine pointed at Elizabeth. “She assaulted me! You saw! Call Hawdry! I shall have you in the stocks for this.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam had walked up behind Elizabeth, unnoticed by her. He put his hand on the butler’s shoulder and said in a commanding voice, “That is enough. You can see my aunt is not herself. Let Miss Bennet and Miss Williams go.”
“I am myself! I have never been so much myself. You are dismissed, Miss Bennet! Get out! Throw her out! I do not wish her in my lands any longer. She is trespassing! A trespasser. Arrest her! Trespassing!”
Colonel Fitzwilliam and the butler exchanged a long look. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s manner was clear and commanding. The butler at last nodded. “I see. She is not herself.”
“I will destroy you! I do not brook insolence. I am not in that habit! Miss Bennet, your family will be destroyed. I will hunt you all down. I shall make you all miserable. I shall ensure no man ever hires you! I shall ensure no one connected to you is ever employed again! I shall destroy everything!”
Elizabeth pulled Emma away from the ranting old woman, back up the path and around the corner.
Her arm hurt. Elizabeth looked at it and saw that the spot where she had been struck was bleeding. The metal-shod bottom of Lady Catherine’s cane had torn the skin off her arm. Elizabeth shivered imagining that blow hitting Emma.
Emma looked at Elizabeth with wide eyes. “I didn’t mean to! I meant to avoid her, like you said. I swear.”
“I believe you, honey.”
“You can’t go! You can’t! I need you! She can’t stop Mr. Darcy from taking me, can she?”
“Emma…”
“I love you. Don’t leave me like Mama, and everyone else did. Don’t leave me with her. Don’t.”
Elizabeth felt a coldness in her stomach. She had somehow always expected this to happen. “Perhaps Lady Catherine will change her mind and not dismiss me.”
Emma sobbed harder and held Elizabeth.
They walked into the house, and then went upstairs to the nursery.
So it had already happened.
Elizabeth wished to throw up. Lady Catherine was mad, and Colonel Fitzwilliam’s action could only protect Emma for a little while. Soon she would be alone with the mad woman and her house full of obedient servants who could do nothing to protect Emma either.
Elizabeth quickly entered her room once Emma sat in the nursery and she grabbed a washing cloth to wrap around her bleeding arm.
“You can’t leave me!” Emma ran up to Elizabeth again. “What will happen?”
“I do not know.”
“Promise me you won’t leave me.”
Elizabeth began crying. She wanted to promise her. “I cannot promise anything.”
“What about Mr. Darcy?”
He will not marry Anne. There is nothing he can do. Elizabeth could not say it.
She kissed Emma’s forehead. “Maybe he can help us. Maybe we shall still go together to Pemberley in a few weeks. It is so beautiful, and the flowers are in bloom, and there is a deer park, and so many cobblestoned pathways through the gardens.”
“You are crying.”
Elizabeth stroked Emma’s hair and sat her on her lap.
“I thought Lady Catherine would kill me, and then I would join Mama.”
“I will not let her.”
Emma shuddered closer to Elizabeth, and shook her head. Elizabeth, following a powerful impulse, took the little girl’s head in her hands and made her look at her. “Emma, I swear I shall not allow her to do that to you. I will protect you.”
The coldness in Elizabeth’s chest was stiffening to a resolve. She would throw anything away in a desperate attempt to protect Emma.
A cold voice sounded. “You should not make a promise you cannot keep.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam stood in the entrance to the nursery with a pitying expression. “My aunt has calmed enough to allow you to remain until eight in the morning tomorrow. The house shall provide a cart to bring you to the post stop. Here—” Colonel Fitzwilliam extended his hand forward, holding a bank bill and several large silver coins. “Your wages. She wished to not pay them, but I convinced her that would be unwise.”
Elizabeth resisted an impulse to throw the money upon the floor in anger, and instead calmly placed it in her reticule.
“And Emma?”
“She is no longer your responsibility. Miss Bennet, everyone, perhaps even Lady Catherine, can see there is something between you and Mr. Darcy. He will help you in some—”
“What will become of my girl!”
“She is not your girl. As Darcy has determined not to marry Anne—” Colonel Fitzwilliam smiled “—Lady Catherine will not give the girl over to him. She is Lady Catherine’s ward.”
Elizabeth looked at Emma who stared with wide scared eyes. “Please don’t go. Please don’t. Mr. Darcy said he would take me. He said! He promised!”
“The deuce!” Colonel Fitzwilliam glared at the little girl. He said in a thundering voice, “You are old enough to understand. There are times when a man can do nothing. Times when unpleasant things happen. Darcy can do nothing. Lady Catherine is your guardian. That will not change. Accept it!”
“But Mr. Darcy said—”
“Damn you. My cousin is a damned fool. He can’t do everything for everyone. He won’t marry Anne for your sake if he won’t for his sister’s.”
“Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth spoke sharply, “I would appreciate it if you do not argue with my pupil or attempt to scare her.”
“She needs to know.”
“Might I speak with you privately?”
Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded. Elizabeth stood. “Emma, stay here.”
“You can’t leave me! Miss Lizzy! You can’t!”
Elizabeth swallowed, and then she and Colonel Fitzwilliam went into the hall outside the nursery closing the door firmly. Elizabeth spoke in a voice barely above a whisper so Emma, who she suspected was listening on the other side of the door, could not hear. “I am frightened. For Emma. Lady Catherine tried to beat her.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam shrugged.
“Emma is a child. She should not be left with such a woman.”
“There is nothing that can be done. You know that. Move on with your life. I think if you were to offer encouragement to Darcy, he would offer to marry you.”
“He asked last night. But I cannot marr
y him because I need to protect Emma.”
“That duty is past for you. Move on with your life. I would be delighted to welcome you into my family. My good word will help with my brother and—”
“It isn’t duty. It is love. Being dismissed does not change my need to see Emma safe.”
“But it ends your ability to do anything. I will do what I may to protect her. I do care.”
“What can you do?”
“I intend to often be present at Rosings, and I shall speak to the servants. They are not bad people, and I hope we can restrain any of Lady Catherine’s excesses. A little beating never hurt a child, but if someone is there to stop—”
“Do you truly believe anyone will stop Lady Catherine? Not at the cost of their position.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam said in a hard voice, “It is the way things are. She is Emma’s guardian. The law makes it right for her to choose what shall happen to the girl.”
“Are you an Englishman? Have you not fought against tyranny? She is a little girl! You ought to be ashamed of yourself. A true man would do something.”
Elizabeth realized her words echoed Mrs. Shore’s earlier in the evening.
Colonel Fitzwilliam hesitated for a long time. Then he said in a harsh voice, “You must be packed by seven thirty in the morning so that the cart can collect your belongings.”
Elizabeth reentered the nursery. Emma ran away from the door and sobbed against the wall. “You will leave me. You will.”
Elizabeth tried to embrace her. Emma tore out of Elizabeth’s grasp and tore open the door and ran to the opposite corner of the room. “Go away! Go away! I don’t want to see you anymore.”
“Emma…”
“You hate me. You only pretended to love me! Mr. Darcy too!”
Elizabeth sighed. She was not sure what to do. After watching the girl, who refused to look at her, Elizabeth sighed and went to her room. She needed to pack.
She removed the bloody cloth from around her arm. The wound had stopped bleeding and a scab had formed. She ought to immediately wash the cloth so that it would not stain, but Elizabeth had no energy to do so. It was just an object. She threw the cloth to the side.
The Trials: A Pride and Prejudice Story Page 16
