Chapter 12
TIME AND DISTANCE
Walking along the path, reading her favorite book, Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised upon looking up to see Mr. Darcy heading in her direction.
She marked her place in her book, closed it shut, and waited for him.
“I did not expect to see you this morning, Mr. Darcy,” she said, curtsying, when he reached her.
He bowed. “Miss Elizabeth. When I went to see you in the east library and did not find you there I grew worried.”
Clutching her book in both hands before her, she said, “I am sorry to have given you cause for concern. I decided to stay away today. I feel my continuing presence may be somewhat of a distraction for certain members of your family.”
“Did my sister say anything that might make you feel that way?” Darcy asked in dismay.
“No. Your sister is delightful. I like her very much.” Elizabeth really did enjoy spending time with Miss Darcy. The young lady’s sweet temperament in combination with her fair skin, golden hair, and angelic countenance reminded Elizabeth so much of Jane.
A look of relief spread over the gentleman’s countenance. “You cannot know how pleased I am that the two of you are getting along.”
“Sir, at the risk of sounding impertinent, may I ask why it is so important to you that Miss Darcy and I get along?”
“Do you really have to ask, Miss Elizabeth? I would like to think you and I have become close friends. Now you must tell me at once. Which of my family members has given you cause for uneasiness at Rosings? I was given to believe that you considered my aunt reasonably tolerable, albeit a bit overbearing at times. You have always risen to whatever challenge she has endeavored to lay before you. It is but one of the things I admire about you.”
Elizabeth smiled a little. “You are correct, sir. I have been able to tolerate your aunt fairly well.”
“Then who is it? Is it my cousin Anne?”
“Well, you will concede that she barely acknowledges that I even exist. She has scarcely spoken five words to me during the entire duration of my visit. I fear she does not like me and, well, Rosings is her home as well as Lady Catherine’s.”
“It is true that Anne appears very reticent at times. But I assure you she comports herself in a similar manner with most everyone, which includes members of our own family. I fear Anne rarely shows her true feelings to anyone. How often have you observed the two of us talking when we are together—that is to say Anne and me?”
“You make a fine point, and one I dare not argue except to say she comes across as being very cordial towards Georgiana—almost solicitous. Yesterday, for instance, she came into the library while Georgiana and I were practicing a duet, and she simply would not be satisfied until she had successfully managed to lure your sister away. Not that I am complaining, for I am certain she was eager to spend time with a cousin she has not seen in a long while, but Anne did not breathe a word to me. Can you wonder why I might perceive my near constant presence in her home as an inconvenience?”
“I am sorry my cousin’s behavior gave you cause to feel unwelcome at Rosings. I shall speak with her immediately upon my return.”
“No—I pray you will not. I see no need to introduce undue strife where it is not needed. Besides, I do not plan to be in Kent much longer. It is very likely that Anne and I may never cross paths again once I am away. There is no need to bring attention to a problem that will soon be cleared up by time and distance.”
“If you wish for me to let this matter rest for now then I will. But I cannot agree wholeheartedly that you and my cousin may likely never cross paths again. I truly believe the chances are greater that you will, indeed, meet after you have left the Collinses.”
“Yes, I suppose you are correct. I do not imagine my cousin will give up the living of his own accord, and with that being the case, I shall have many other opportunities to visit my friend Charlotte.” God-willing the Collinses will remain in Hunsford for many, many years to come, Elizabeth thought but did not say aloud for the alternative was in every way unthinkable owing to that ridiculous entail on her family’s estate.
Darcy had reasons of his own for thinking as he did.
“Indeed,” he responded tentatively. If things progressed as he hoped, the next time Elizabeth might well be a guest at Rosings, sharing his bed.
Not wanting to get ahead of himself, he said, “In the interim, I had planned to spend much of this fine day watching you practice. I shall be very disappointed not to enjoy my share of your company today. May I accompany you on your walk?”
“I should be delighted to have your company.”
Their minds made up, the two set out accordingly.
After walking several miles in a leisurely manner, talking easily about Mr. Darcy’s home in Derbyshire, and giving little thought to the passage of time, they found at last, on examining their watches, that it was time for Elizabeth to be at the parsonage.
As was his wont to do, Darcy walked with her and took his leave at the gate.
Lady Catherine did not oppose Elizabeth directly.
Neither had she confronted Darcy about the young woman.
Her nephew was much too sensible to contemplate anything beyond a mere dalliance with someone so beneath him in consequence.
She comforted herself with the notion that men will, after all, be men.
Soon, her nephew would realize that anything beyond a meaningless flirtation with that impertinent young woman was an impossibility, else he would face the scorn of his friends, his family, and his peers.
My nephew would not dare put his reputation in jeopardy.
No longer willing to risk anything where Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s motives were concerned, her ladyship had taken matters into her own hands to see to it that she and her family would meet with the derision of every decent family in England.
Simply sending her away from Kent would have been a less costly solution, but she could not make certain that the young woman would not throw herself into Darcy’s path once she was once again in town and beyond Lady Catherine’s reach.
It was not in her ladyship’s nature not to prepare for every possible impediment to the successful execution of all her wishes, and she resolved that her solution was the best one for everyone who was in any way connected with her.
By now, her scheme was well underway were she to rely upon the confirmation from her sources.
There was nothing or no one capable of stopping events from progressing to a conclusion Lady Catherine deemed satisfactory.
Forcing her nephew to do what she expected of him by marrying Anne was another matter entirely. Lady Catherine and Darcy sat across from each other in the drawing room—their conversation long overdue.
“You can be at no loss, Nephew, to understand the reason I have summoned you today for a private audience. Your own heart, your own sense of right and wrong, must tell you why.”
“Lady Catherine, if you mean to berate me for not making an offer of marriage to Anne then you are wasting your time and mine.”
“Darcy, you know as well as anyone that it was the favorite wish of your mother’s as well as mine that you and Anne would one day be married.
We planned the union while the two of you were in your cradles.
Everyone in our family desires this union—the combining of two of the grandest estates in all of England. Everyone in our family expects it.”
“Not everyone,” Darcy said under his breath.
Her ladyship leaned in closer. “What is it that you say, Nephew?”
“I said not everyone desires or expects such a union.”
“Who would dare oppose me in this?”
“If you would take the time to consult your daughter on the matter then surely you would know that Anne does not want this.”
“Silence! You speak nonsense! My Anne is a good daughter. She is loyal to her family. She will do whatever I tell her to do.” With that, Lady Catherine rose from her seat in a manner befitting a queen arising from her throne and crossed the room as quickly as a woman of her age could manage.
After pulling the bell to summon a servant, she slowly spun about on her heels and faced her nephew with a broad smile of self-satisfaction.
“What are you about, Lady Catherine?”
“You shall know soon enough.”
Moments later, a servant walked into the room. Lady Catherine said, “Pray find my daughter, Miss de Bourgh, and inform her that I desire her presence in the drawing room post-haste.”
The servant bowed and quickly escaped the room. Lady Catherine sauntered over to the ornately adorned mantelpiece.
“I fail to see the point in sending for Anne,” Darcy stated.
“My purpose is perfectly straightforward. You posit that my daughter does not desire this union, and I strongly contend that she does. The time has come for Anne to have her own share of the conversation. If what you say is true, then I will know precisely how to act.”
“Does that mean you will desist with this preposterous notion that Anne and I will marry each other?”
With a confident air, Lady Catherine replied, “I only say this; let us wait and hear what my daughter has to say.”
Mrs. Jenkinson and Anne were together in the garden when the servant arrived.
The former had just finished arranging Miss de Bourgh’s footstool and had begun arranging a soft blanket across the younger woman’s lap, despite the pleasant weather that day.
She did not want to chance Anne’s catching a chill.
How she doted on Anne and what great satisfaction she derived in so doing.
“Pardon me, Miss de Bourgh,” the tall, lanky man uttered.
Mrs. Jenkinson ceased fussing with the blanket. Speaking in Anne’s stead, she asked, “What is it, Mr. Thomas?”
“Lady Catherine has requested Miss de Bourgh's presence in the drawing room.”
The elderly woman peered affectionately at Anne, whose countenance now showed a peculiar shade of dismay.
“Do you have any idea what her ladyship wants?”
“I can't say that I do,” he humbly replied. “However, Lady Catherine is not alone,” he offered.
Her brow arched, Mrs. Jenkinson asked, “Who is with her?”
“Her ladyship's nephew Mr. Darcy is also present in the drawing room.”
“Very well,” she said, effectively dismissing the footman.
When they were alone, Anne said, “If my mother wants to see me and she is with my cousin Darcy then there is no doubt of the reason for her summons.” She took a series of calming breaths.
“Oh! Mrs. Jenkinson, what am I to do? I have but one of two choices, either of which will lead to disappointment for one of the two people in the world who mean the most to me.” Casting the blanket aside, Anne rose from her seat and drifted towards a small pond. “I feel my situation is hopeless.”
“Miss Anne, my dear, you and I have discussed this matter at length, have we not?”
Anne nodded. “Indeed, we have. I have always known this day would come, but that does not make the prospect less daunting.”
Mrs. Jenkinson went to Anne and took her by the hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze. “I shall be happy to accompany you if you think it will help make things easier.”
“Oh! I am certain that you being there will be a great deal of comfort to me. You know how much I depend on you.”
“Indeed. Now let us go to the drawing room. You know how Lady Catherine does not like to be kept waiting.”
Anne hesitated a bit as though she was not quite ready to face her relations. In seeing this, the caring companion placed her arm about the younger woman’s waist and commenced gently coaxing her along. “Come, Miss Anne, you must not be afraid to speak your mind. The time to do so is long overdue.”
After waiting quietly for what seemed like an hour, but was actually no longer than fifteen minutes judging by the ticking clock, the only sound in the room, Darcy sighed in relief when Anne and her companion walked into the room.
“Mother,” Anne said in a voice barely above a whisper. “You wanted to see me.”
“Indeed I do. Mrs. Jenkinson, I am pleased that you attended my daughter as well. The more witnesses there are to my daughter’s testimony, the better for everyone concerned.”
The elderly companion smiled in acknowledgment of her welcome and chose a seat by the wall, away from the others.
“Might I suggest we all have a seat?” Lady Catherine said, silently directing her daughter to sit next to her cousin on the sofa.
At length, her ladyship said, “Anne, your cousin has informed me that you have no wish for a union with him—that the favorite wish of your dearly departed aunt, Lady Anne, whose name you were christened with, means nothing to you. Is that true?”
Anne turned and studied Darcy’s expression, but only for a second or two before diverting her eyes away. Biting her lower lip, she said, “No, Mother.”
“Speak up, my child. Is it true that you do not desire this union?”
In a clearer voice, Anne said, “No, Mother, it is not true.”
“Anne!” Darcy said in a tone that belied the true extent of his astonishment.
Before Anne could fashion her next response, her mother said, “Let us all be rightfully clear. Do you wish to marry your cousin Darcy or not?”
Anne nodded. “I do.” Her voice trembling, she replied, “I do wish to marry my cousin. I wish it with all my heart.”