Chapter 5 Elizabeth Fixes upon a Lofty Goal #3
My poor nephew endured such a plebeian existence!
Anne would be distraught if she had lived to see the woman to whom her son had tied himself.
Would that I could be spared from having to witness this grotesque situation!
Due to Mrs. Reynolds’s efficiency, the household continued to run without calamity despite its incompetent mistress.
If not for her, Elizabeth would be exposed as an uncouth, low-born, baggage with no idea how to behave with decorum.
In contrast, Lady Rebecca displayed admirable manners and benefited from a fine education. Moreover, her elegant beauty far surpassed Elizabeth's looks. The first time I set eyes upon Lady Rebecca remained emblazoned upon my memory…
Three Weeks Earlier
London
Lady Catherine
I arrived at my friend Lady Juliet Comerford’s gathering with low expectations.
Over the years, her standards had relaxed to an alarming extent.
At her most recent dinner party, I had been importuned for over twenty minutes in conversation with a fellow guest only to have the man revealed as a tradesman!
After I gave Lady Juliet a piece of my mind, she apologized.
Still, I had insisted upon approving the list of guests before attending any of her future routs.
In the dining-parlour, a stunning lady took the seat across from me, and I found it difficult to tear my eyes from her.
Her countenance seemed familiar, yet we had never met.
The perception hit me like a bolt of lightning, and my mouthful of tea almost went the wrong way.
The woman bore a remarkable resemblance to the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
A rush of excitement surged through me as a scheme took shape in my mind.
That lady would be the perfect instrument for obtaining revenge against the woman who stood in my daughter’s rightful place as Mrs. Darcy.
If Darcy met this similar, but superior, version of his wife, he would be forced to recognise his mistake in choosing a woman so below him in consequence.
At my request, my friend introduced the young woman as Lady Rebecca Seymour. After conversing with her, it became clear she possessed the intelligence, education, and talents to attract my nephew.
I sought a moment alone with Lady Juliet, and my friend provided the pertinent details of Lady Rebecca’s situation.
She was a widow and the daughter of an impoverished marquis, now deceased.
Her late husband, a baron, had left Lady Rebecca without sufficient funds to live in comfort.
She survived on the generosity of family and friends.
Several months earlier, Lady Rebecca had inherited a small estate from a distant uncle.
Unfortunately, the steward had been stealing from his employer for many years.
After the elderly gentleman’s death, the thief ran off with everything in the estate’s coffers—over two thousand pounds.
At this bit of intelligence, I clasped my hands together, unable to contain my excitement, for I could not have devised a more ideal situation.
Due to her urgent need for funds, Lady Rebecca would be apt to participate in a scheme of my design if she received sufficient payment.
I coaxed Lady Rebecca into accompanying me to the gardens. We sat together on a secluded bench, and I moved to face her. “I have a proposition that could be lucrative for you.”
Lady Rebecca raised her brows but remained silent.
“I want you to accompany me to Pemberley Estate in Derbyshire, the home of my nephew Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. He married a woman who is far below him in wealth, social standing, and character. Your assignment is to seduce him into a romantic liaison and thereby humiliate Mrs. Darcy. If you agree to do this, I shall pay you five hundred pounds upon our arrival at Pemberley. After the successful completion of the task as assigned, you will earn an additional fifteen hundred pounds.” I resisted the urge to smile when Lady Rebecca’s eyes grew wide at my mention of the money.
“But…why ask me? If you wish to hire someone to entice your nephew, I imagine you can find any number of women capable of accomplishing this at the nearest brothel for a fraction of the cost.”
I hesitated, for it would not do to disclose Lady Rebecca’s prodigious resemblance to Mrs. Darcy.
“That is true. But my nephew is not like most men. He does not frequent brothels or have mistresses. If he is to stray from his wife, it would take a lady of intelligence, good breeding, and education—one like yourself.”
Lady Rebecca twisted the topaz pendant of her necklace. “But I have nothing against Mrs. Darcy. I would not want to be responsible for destroying anyone’s marriage.”
What is this sanctimonious foolishness? Is it a manoeuvre to trick me into paying more money?
My chin set higher. “Do not waste a moment of concern on Mrs. Darcy. She is a heartless harpy who contrived to steal the man meant to marry my daughter! My nephew must be mired in regret for his foolish choice of a wife. If you wish to know all the sordid details, I shall apprise you during the journey to Derbyshire—that is, if you agree.”
Lines formed between Lady Rebecca’s eyebrows. “What is your nephew like? Is he attractive?”
Aha—now I have her! “My nephew is uncommonly handsome. Lady Juliet is familiar with him, and she will tell you the same. He is one-and-thirty and in top physical condition.”
A knot formed in her forehead. “If not for my dire financial situation, I should never consider such an outrageous scheme, but I need the money. I accept your offer.”
My posture dipped with my exhalation, and I presented a genial smile. “I am pleased to hear it.”
Present Day
Pemberley
Lady Catherine
A rumbling sound of pleasure came from the golden-haired Adonis, Mr. Graham, rousing me from my reverie. Like the night before, he spoke little, attending to his overladen plate of food like a starved man. How did he maintain his trim waist?
Throughout the meal, I attempted to excite Darcy’s anticipation of hearing Lady Rebecca’s musical performance and encouraged a dialogue between them.
To my annoyance, he kept referring to his wife with a question or remark, drawing her into our conversation.
I could scarcely eat for grinding my teeth.
Why should I wish to listen to anything she could have to say on any subject?
In my pique, I grew quieter than usual. Elizabeth, though, blathered on; she made trifling comments and elicited smiles from my foolish nephew.
I had to admit, for all she lacked in education and breeding, Elizabeth had a gift for maintaining Darcy’s interest.
After dinner, we removed to the music room.
I almost hummed along as Lady Rebecca delivered a splendid musical performance, singing and playing on the harp.
I had selected the pieces for her and included Darcy’s favourites.
However, my smile disappeared at the sight of the Darcys seated close together on the sofa and holding hands.
Without Elizabeth’s base influence, my nephew would never indulge in such improper behaviour in the presence of guests!
Lady Rebecca’s musical skills ought to have impressed Darcy, yet several times I caught him talking softly to his wife instead of listening.
Even so, Lady Rebecca finished playing to applause and words of praise from all present.
She glanced at me on her way to her seat as though seeking approval for a job well done.
I managed to produce a tight-lipped smile.
I could not blame her for my nephew’s apparent failure to be moved by her performance.
Mayhap he ought to witness the stark contrast between his wife’s meagre talents and Lady Rebecca’s.
Upon my suggestion that Elizabeth play for us, she gave me a wide-eyed look—no doubt my request took her by surprise. Nevertheless, she complied.
My anticipatory grin died on my lips soon after Elizabeth played the opening notes to a wistful Beethoven sonata. Her skill had improved a great deal since her visit to Rosings over three years ago. She must have taken my advice to practice with diligence. How vexing!
Lady Rebecca had taken Elizabeth’s place on the sofa next to Darcy. Her attempts to engage him in conversation, though, did not succeed; he seemed intent on listening to his wife play. His terse replies to Lady Rebecca bordered on incivility.
In a final attempt to emphasise the superiority of Lady Rebecca, I asked Elizabeth to sing. She chose a melancholy, Irish folk song.
After she sang the first few verses, I sat taller, rejoicing in my clever idea, for her voice could not measure up to Lady Rebecca’s superior soprano, which rivalled that of an opera star.
But when I turned to my nephew, his visage attested a different opinion.
He displayed a slight smile with a luminous quality to his eyes.
Upon my word, Darcy had deluded himself into a false reality, believing his wife to be a gifted songstress.
When Elizabeth left the instrument, Mr. Graham took his leave of us. Soon thereafter, we all withdrew from the music room to retire for the night.
At the second-floor landing, Lady Rebecca and I turned left towards our rooms while Darcy and Elizabeth turned right towards the master’s and mistress’s chambers.
When I reached my doorway, a sudden impulse made me turn back.
Darcy and Elizabeth strolled along the passage hand-in-hand, stopping in front of the mistress’s door.
My nephew raised Elizabeth’s hand to his lips for a kiss.
She gazed at him with a seductive smile.
A strange sensation came over me at the sight of them, along with a whisper of a memory long buried.
I raised my hand to the wainscoted wall to maintain my balance.