“Nonsense. Why would Catherine do something such as that? She would never endanger Georgiana’s safety, and I cannot see her putting the Bennet girl in danger either. Catherine is more the sort to attempt to pay the fortune hunter off.” Lord Matlock stated.
“Well, if it was not Catherine who has given Wickham the money to travel from London to Liverpool, and then go by ship to Dublin, tell me who has been paying him. Was it you? Have you lost your mind? Why are you behaving so poorly with regards to William?”
“I have nothing but Darcy’s best interest in mind. He is ill, and can no longer care for himself, Georgiana, or the estates. And this country chit, this fortune hunting nobody, has taken advantage of our dear nephew during this time of illness. I side with Catherine to protect Darcy and Georgiana from this chit.”
“Your sister is the biggest fool of them all. She is angry over Darcy’s choice of a wife. She demanded he marry Anne for so many years, and, due to his refusal to comply, she is in a fury. She is creating false information, making you believe her lies. And that imbecile clergyman of hers is the one with fever damage to his mind, not William. He was never betrothed to Elizabeth. Her mother suggested it, and desired the match, but Elizabeth’s father would not hear of it. He knows what a ridiculous fool the man is, and Mr Bennet, when he thought he was going to die, asked William to marry Elizabeth to protect her. As William already loved Elizabeth, and had planned to ask for her hand, he agreed, knowing that if Mr Bennet had died before they married, Mrs Bennet would force a marriage between her least favorite daughter and the clergyman. There is a special license, the contracts were all legally done, and all involved were of sound mind when all of it came about.”
“How do you know of the wedding?” Lord Matlock asked, still refusing to believe his sister would deceive him so badly. “Both William and Richard have told me the information. You know I correspond with William on a regular basis, and he speaks freely with me. I cannot wait to meet Elizabeth, I plan to welcome her as my niece, no matter what you and your sister say. William loves his wife. There is no reason for an annulment, and there is nothing wrong with William’s mind. It is your jealous sister who is behind the lies. Mr Collins only added fuel to the fire and increased Catherine’s delusions.”
“But I know she has claimed our sister wished the marriage between Anne and Darcy, that she and Catherine had planned the union of their children since they were born. Darcy has never openly denied the attachment.”
Lady Matlock shook her head. “Henry, Anne and Catherine were not close. Truth be told, Anne never could stand your elder sister. You know that Anne and I were the best of friends. If there had ever been an arrangement for William and Anne to marry, would not your sister tell her dearest friend? And William has denied the arrangement, but Catherine has refused to accept the truth. The only thing the poor boy has not done was take out an ad in the papers saying he was not engaged to Anne de Bourgh. That would have humiliated Catherine into retaliating if he had done such.”
Lord Matlock stood and walked over to the sideboard, pouring himself a glass of brandy. He offered one to his wife, who declined. Once he returned to his chair, Lord Matlock took a sip from his glass before he continued. “Are you completely sure Darcy is well? Are you sure he has not permanently damaged from the fever he contracted in Hertfordshire?”
“I have told you, but I will do so again. Fitzwilliam Darcy is as sane and healthy as I am. The fever did nothing to his mind, and he actually smiles when he speaks of his wife. You might not have noticed it, but I did. He is devastated at the moment. How would you feel if I had been stolen away from you, whisked away to another country, because your sister did not approve of me to be your wife?”
Taking another sip, Lord Matlock looked down at his desk. Finally, he looked up at his wife. “May I read the letters you have received from our nephew? I wish to know all that you do, so I might better judge for myself.”
“Of course, I will have my maid bring them down. I was prepared for you to ask and have them already gathered together.” Lady Matlock smiled sweetly. She knew her husband would see the truth when he read their nephew’s words, his description of the love he felt for the young lady. She stepped to the door and asked the nearby footman to send for her lady’s maid.
Within a half hour, Lord Matlock was seated at his desk, reading the letters Darcy had written to Lady Matlock. Tears welled in the man’s eyes as he read the words of love, of the admission from Darcy of how lonely he had been since his father’s death, how empty he felt until he met Elizabeth Bennet. None of the young ladies of society came close to the impertinent, witty, intelligent and beautiful young lady from Hertfordshire. There was no pretense in the young lady, she did not care about his money or property, she only wished for his heart.
For over two hours, Lady Matlock watched the emotions flowing over her husband’s features. The smile and small chuckles at the tales of Elizabeth’s behavior after William’s foolish words at the assembly, the tears for the pain he admitted to having suffered without ever turning to his family, the admiration for the way William described his wife, including the sparkle in her eyes when she teased him.
The anguish that flowed through Lord Matlock when he read of Elizabeth’s devotion to her husband when he took ill, her refusal to leave his side, how he woke after the fever broke to her napping at the side of his bed. It was clear that William’s words showed that he was the same as he had ever been mentally, only now, he knew what it was like to be truly loved and desired for himself, not what he was.
“What a fool I have been. I must speak to Catherine, convince her that we were mistaken. She must be stopped from her behavior. I knew nothing about her hiring Wickham, or having him abduct Georgiana and Darcy’s wife. I would never have allowed her to do such a thing. And Collins, he knows how to spin a tale to make himself convincing.”
“Perhaps it would be wise for us to journey towards Ireland. I believe Richard and William will need all the support they can find in retrieving the ladies.”
“Yes, I agree with you. My being there, using my influence to countermand my sister’s orders, may be of assistance to our nephew. Besides, I know the location of the small estate Sir Lewis owned some twenty miles from Dublin. Shall we leave in the morning?”
With a smile, and a nod, Lady Matlock agreed and went to prepare for the trip.
~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~
Chapter 12 In the carriage, making the final leg of his journey to his future, William Collins was quite pleased with how things were turning out. When he became ordained, and was made a generous offer by Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr Collins knew his life was improving. After his father’s death, he knew he was the heir to his cousin’s estate, and, though it was nothing in comparison to the likes of Rosings Park, it would be his own estate, allowing him to be a gentleman.
His visit to Longbourn was not as he had planned. It was his intension to find a bride from his cousin’s five daughters. When Mr Collins arrived, the eldest two daughters were staying at Netherfield. Then the epidemic broke out. Mr Bennet became ill, and, after he was moved to the makeshift hospital, Mrs Bennet became nervous. It was then that the lady agreed to see that Elizabeth married him as soon as possible. Mrs Bennet admitted that her eldest daughter, Jane, was the prettiest, but she claimed there was soon to be an engagement between Jane and Mr Bingley. Mr Collins also learned of Mrs Bennet’s dislike of her second eldest daughter.
He could not wait to meet his future wife, all Mrs Bennet said impressed the clergyman and made him feel he would be quite fortunate having such a fetching wife at his command.
But then Mr Collins learned of the marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth. This infuriated Mr Collins, and nothing he said or did made any difference to the father of his future wife.
Once Mr Collins had recovered, he went directly to his patroness. He knew of Mr Darcy being the nephew of Lady Catherine, and she had spoken often of the engagement between her daughter and Mr Darcy. If a
nyone knew of his anguish over the Darcy marriage, it would be Lady Catherine.
Arriving at Rosings Park, Mr Collins went straight to the grand lady, telling her his sad tale of stolen dreams and how it was her own nephew who had destroyed Mr Collin’s happiness. Lady Catherine was furious. She ranted for hours of how Elizabeth Bennet must have used her arts and allurements to make Mr Darcy forget what he owed his family and his own betrothal to Anne de Bourgh. Inwardly, Mr Collins smiled. It was exactly the reaction he had hoped for. If all went as planned, the Darcy marriage would be annulled, and, in her disgraceful fall from being a proper lady, Mr Collins would offer to marry her to restore her reputation and protect her family. He knew she would be grateful to him, and her gratitude would make their married life quite fulfilling.
From the moment he first saw Elizabeth, Mr Collins dreamed of having her as his wife. His carnal hunger grew, as she was quite pretty and had a perfectly formed figure. While he lay ill with scarlet fever, he wished to feel the comfort of her firm breasts, or to be able to caress the tender flesh of her thighs. It frustrated him when she rarely tended him, for in Mr Collins’ opinion, a betrothed should attend her future husband before all of the other patients.
Now, as he neared the lands Lady Catherine had gifted him as a wedding gift, he could not wait to see his intended once more. They would be married soon, Lady Catherine was in the process of having her current marriage dissolved. Once she was free of Darcy, she would be his. Though he knew it was improper, especially as he was a clergyman, Mr Collins could not help but entertain thoughts of anticipating his vows with the country beauty.
A wicked grin grew upon his lips as he thought of taking Elizabeth for the first time. It had been some time since he had been with a lady, though, in hindsight, she was no lady. He remembered afterwards how he had scrubbed himself raw after he had been with her, realizing she was a whore who was only with him for monetary needs. Before he had bedded her, she had been complimentary towards him, speaking sweet words of love she had learned in the years of her employment. Having never had a lady ever speak in such a manner to him, it was no wonder he was taken in by her.
But now he would have his wife, and would be able to take his pleasure whenever he wished. To be able to see her as God made her, touch her and taste her, Mr Collins found his breeches growing quite uncomfortably tight. Oh, I cannot wait. I must make her mine immediately upon my arrival at the estate. I need her. And once I have had her, she will be mine forever. She will never wish to leave me.
The carriage came to a quick stop. Opening the door, Mr Collins stepped out to learn what was wrong. “Forgive me, Sir, but one of the horses has come up lame. We will have to stop at the next village to find another. With luck, the delay will not be too long.”
Climbing back inside the carriage, Mr Collins returned to his thoughts of his soon to be wife.
~~ ** ~~ “Mother, why do I need a new gown made?” Anne de Bourgh asked. Her mother had sent for a modiste to come to Rosings Park, with the intention of having her daughter’s wedding clothes made.
“Anne, you cannot marry in an old gown, you must have a new gown, one which shows your figure for your future husband.” Lady Catherine stated. Anne was confused. “And just whom am I to marry? You have told me for years of my betrothal to Darcy, though he married another. Who do you have to fill the position of groom?”
“I have not changed my mind as to your husband. Darcy’s marriage will be annulled soon enough. Then I will make him an offer he cannot refuse.” “What could you possibly offer him to make him give in to your demands?” Lady Catherine smiled. “If he wishes to maintain control of Pemberley, and his fortune, and avoid being locked away in a sanitarium, he will do as I say. I have witnesses who will verify his instability if he refuses to cooperate. And if he wishes to see his little sister again, he will obey me, or she will be kept from him for the remainder of his life. Have no fear, he will come around to our way of thinking.”
“Mamma, please, this is not the way I wish to catch a husband. My cousin has made his choice and I am sure he is pleased with his wife. Richard wrote to me, he told me Darcy and his wife are a love match. How can you break apart their marriage? There is nothing wrong with Darcy’s mind, he is as he always was. It would be wrong to destroy his happiness to allow you to have what you wish.”
“He was meant to marry you, and he will honor your betrothal or spend the rest of his life locked away.” Lady Catherine spoke with such force as to frighten her daughter. “You will see, Anne, your cousin will be a good husband to you. Now, let us order the rest of your wedding clothes.”
~~ ** ~~ Curled up on the far end of the bed in her room, Georgiana Darcy was praying for her brother to find her. She had been in fear for her safety for days, as she came to understand the truth of Wickham’s feelings towards the Darcy family. What was most painful was the betrayal of her companion. Mrs Younge had been kind to her, complimentary, and given her advice on many issues. Now, the young girl questioned everything in her life except one thing. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, her beloved brother would come for her.
When Wickham had forced her into the trunk, Georgiana feared he would leave it somewhere and she would die inside the trunk. For days, the journey continued. Each evening, the trunk was opened and Mrs Younge would give her some broth and tea. Then her gag was returned and she was lowered back into the trunk. Finally, after the trunk was brought into a room, Mrs Younge opened it and left it open. The former companion left the room for a little while, only to return with Wickham. The man lifted Georgiana from the trunk, placing her carefully on the bed.
That night, Mrs Younge brought some stew, bread, and drink. “Why are you doing this?” She asked the woman. “Your brother will pay for your return. Now that we have brought our other guest to her new home, we will soon be contacting your brother again to arrange your ransom.”
“Who is your other guest?” Georgiana asked.
“Never you mind. You have never met the lady, and now, you never will. Your brother will never be plagued by the likes of her again.” For a moment, Georgiana thought of who Mrs Younge was speaking. Then a thought came to her mind. Could it be the other guest was Georgiana’s new sister? Could they have abducted Elizabeth as well? The young girl’s heart began to break for her beloved brother. But why would Mrs Younge state that Elizabeth would never be in her brother’s life again? Did they not intend to ransom Elizabeth as well?
“I do not understand.” Georgiana stated. “You naïve girl. There are those who are against your brother’s foolish marriage. Those people are powerful. The marriage is being annulled, and your brother will be rid of his mistake, for she has been given to another man to be his wife. We wait here for that man to arrive, for he will remain here at this house, with her. Then we will leave to exchange you for the gold from your brother.”
“But William loves Elizabeth. How can anyone do such a thing to them?” “As I said, there are powerful people who do not wish for the marriage to be. It is best that you forget she existed, for, after her new husband arrives, no one will ever see her again in England.”
With that, Mrs Younge left the room, leaving the young Miss Darcy alone to grieve for the pain her brother must feel. And while she thought, Georgiana considered ways in which she could assist her new sister escape from this horrid place.
~~ ** ~~ Rosemoore Park was a quiet little estate, nearly the size of Longbourn. Sir Lewis had purchased it as a place to take his daughter and get away from his wife from time to time, though they were only able to enjoy the estate once before his death. Other than the annual income of two thousand pounds, Lady Catherine had nothing to do with the estate and had never visited it. Though she would miss the income, she decided it was well worth the loss to be rid of Elizabeth Bennet.
So Lady Catherine devised a plan. As a reward for his loyalty, Lady Catherine decided to gift the estate to Mr Collins. The only stipulation was that no one in England ever hear from Elizabeth aga
in. Her family would be told that she died, and, after the marriage was annulled, Fitzwilliam Darcy would be given the choice of either spending the rest of his life in an sanitarium or marry Anne de Bourgh.
Mr Collins had been thrilled and grateful for Lady Catherine’s generosity. Not only would he be able to leave the life of a clergyman, and have an estate of his own, but he would have the lady he had wished for to be his wife. He had no difficulty with the stipulation, for he did not wish any interference while he trained his wife to be obedient and subservient to his wishes.
As the carriage came to a halt in front of his new home, Mr Collins looked out and smiled. He was thrilled with what he had seen of his new estate, and the house appeared clean and comfortable. And most of all, his future bride was inside, waiting for his arrival.
Wickham was at the door to greet Mr Collins as he stepped from the carriage. “Good day, Mr Collins. Welcome to Rosemoore.”
“Thank you, Wickham. I pray all is in order.” Mr Collins said as he entered the house, handing his outer wear to the housekeeper. “There is a slight problem, but I am sure it will be rectified soon enough. This is Mrs O’Rourke. She is the housekeeper, and her husband is the butler. There are two footmen, three maids, and we have a young man who was hired to be your valet. There is also a cook. We can discuss the rest of the estate tomorrow. In two days’ time, my party will be departing.”
“Very well, please take me to see my betrothed. I wish to see her first.” Wickham guided the new Master of Rosemoore up the stairs and to a room near the far end of the house. As Wickham unlocked the door and opened it, he stepped aside and allowed Mr Collins to enter first.
Seeing Elizabeth lying on the bed, so still and fragile, perspiration beaded upon her forehead, Mr Collins was appalled. “What is the meaning of this? What is wrong with my intended?”
Netherfield Park Quarantined Page 11
