Chapter 14 Mistake #2
“Mother, I beseech you to bear this in mind.
This may very well be my final evening on this earth.
Each word I utter consumes precious energy that may further reduce my time here.
There is so much I wish to tell you, yet the act of speaking itself poses great difficulty.
Therefore, I implore you, promise me that you will refrain from reacting until I have finished what I have to say.
Do not utter a word, do not rise from your seat.
Hear me out completely. Will you grant me this promise, mother?
Understand, this is the last request your daughter will ever make to you. "
There was no way to evade such a request. Lady Catherine pledged to her daughter that she would listen attentively to everything she had to say. Little did she anticipate the words that would unfurl from her daughter's lips.
“Mother, the first thing I want to tell you is that you are the worst mother one could ever have in their lifetime.”
What?
Darcy House, London
Darcy
Darcy was preparing for his journey to Hertfordshire when Mrs. Jenkins, the housekeeper, entered with a sizable envelope in hand.
Immediately recognizing Bingley's distinctive scrawl on the top, Darcy eagerly tore open the envelope.
Inside, he found a small note accompanied by another sealed envelope.
As he read the brief message, his heart sank.
Darcy, I explicitly instructed you to cease all contact with me. I implore you to respect my wishes.
Realising that the second envelope contained the very letter he had sent to Bingley, still unopened, Darcy felt a mix of disappointment and frustration. His friend hadn't even bothered to read its contents, neglecting the courtesy such correspondence deserved.
Darcy was not inclined to impose his company on others.
He typically preferred to withdraw from situations where he had no place or from individuals who did not welcome him.
However, there are moments in life when the stakes are high, when relationships, or even one's own well-being, are in jeopardy.
Darcy recognized this as one of those moments.
Very well, Bingley, it appears that I must shake some sense into you. We shall meet at Netherfield on Monday. If Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley must resort to a fistfight to mend their friendship, then so be it.
Regrettably, this plan never came to fruition. Just as he was burning the contents of the envelope, Mrs. Jenkins arrived with another small letter. Darcy perused its contents and immediately asked the housekeeper to bring his sister to him without delay.
Anne dying?
Longbourn
Elizabeth
Elizabeth was initially surprised when Mr. Bingley, now Charles to her, expressed his intention to marry Jane within three days.
He revealed that he had secured a special licence and arranged the necessary settlement documents even before departing from London to court her sister.
Upon contemplation, Elizabeth discerned the reason for their haste.
They had been deeply in love for nearly six months and had already endured numerous trials.
Her mother, predictably, voiced her complaints, but both Jane and Charles remained steadfast in their decision.
Once her father granted his approval, Charles dispatched an express to his sisters and brother-in-law, stating that he had no one else to invite.
Elizabeth contemplated the absence of his friend from Charles's list of invitees.
She could comprehend why Mr. Darcy had chosen not to return to Hertfordshire.
Who would willingly revisit the home of a lady who had rejected his proposal?
Later, when she found herself alone with Jane, she couldn't resist asking about Mr. Darcy's decision not to accompany his friend to Netherfield. Jane's response both surprised and saddened her.
"Lizzy, it seems that Mr. Darcy and Charles had a falling-out. They are no longer friends. Charles claims that Mr. Darcy was involved in Miss Bingley's scheme to keep us apart. He alleges that Mr. Darcy specifically requested Miss Bingley not to mention my presence in London to him."
"But Jane, I saw Mr. Darcy in Kent, and when I inquired about whether he happened to meet you in London, he appeared genuinely surprised. I didn't think he was aware of your presence," Elizabeth replied, her voice tinged with confusion.
"I don't know, Lizzy. I am just as perplexed as you are. However, Charles insists that he confronted Mr. Darcy directly about his knowledge of my presence in London, and Mr. Darcy admitted to it," Jane explained.
He confessed? So, his confusion when I asked him about Jane was an act? No, it is time I believe in him. He also mentioned that all he did was in service to a friend. There must be some misunderstanding here.
"Jane, remember how Charles himself shared Mr. Darcy's words when they returned to London after the ball.
Do those sound like the words of someone scheming to keep you apart?
If Mr. Darcy genuinely wanted to separate you two, why would he leave the decision of whether or not to return here to Charles? " Elizabeth inquired.
"I can't believe I'm hearing you defend Mr. Darcy in this matter. What has come over you, Lizzy?" Jane questioned.
Oh no, did I sound too eager?
"Jane, I must admit that my previous judgement of Mr. Darcy may have been clouded by my own hurt feelings and biases. I let his insult affect me more deeply than it should have. Now, I'm trying to see him in a different light and understand him better," Elizabeth replied.
Jane's next question caught Elizabeth off guard. "Is this because you are attracted to Mr. Darcy?"
"What are you implying, Jane?" she responded abruptly.
"Lizzy, don’t try to evade my question. I've known from the very beginning that you were drawn to Mr. Darcy.
It was evident to me from the day of the assembly.
Your reaction to his insult, the way he occupied your thoughts, it all showed the powerful hold he had over you.
Whether you loved or hated him, he was never far from your mind.
I tried to warn you against letting Mr. Wickham's tales sway your judgement.
It seemed like you were determined to dislike Mr. Darcy without giving him a fair chance," Jane replied.
How right you are, Jane. I was a fool not to see it. How much will I pay for my folly?
As Elizabeth sat in silence, Jane continued.
"Regarding the broken friendship between Charles and Mr. Darcy, I've chosen not to dwell on it when I'm with Charles. I can see the pain it still brings him. Charles truly valued their friendship, Lizzy," Jane replied.
Elizabeth could only nod. A sense of unease weighed on her, although she couldn't quite pinpoint the exact cause.
Rosings Park, Kent
Anne
As Anne had anticipated, upon being called the worst of mothers, Lady Catherine swiftly rose from her seat. Anne immediately raised her hands.
"You gave your word, Mother. You pledged not to leave your seat or show any reaction. I implore you to return to your chair. There is more to be said," Anne gestured towards the chair and observed her mother reluctantly complying, resuming her seat.
“I declared you the worst mother one could have, because you were never there for me as a mother.
I could never regard you as a mother, and I never knew your love.
You appeared more like an angry matron, giving orders and imposing rules.
I was meant to obey you, not to feel your affection.
Do you remember Mrs. Armstrong, my nursemaid who retired when I reached the age of twelve?
For those twelve years, I regarded her as my true mother.
The void left by her departure is something you shall never truly comprehend.
While Mrs. Jenkinson is kind, she cannot hold a candle to Mrs. Armstrong, who loved me as her own. She is the one I hold dear as a mother.
I am somewhat aware of the challenges you faced in the early days of your marriage to my father.
Mrs. Armstrong tried to help me understand you better, fearing that my affection for you might wane after she stopped being my nursemaid.
She used to tell me about how you were a kind and considerate woman before marriage.
But the marriage to my father changed you, or rather, your ownership of Rosings after his passing transformed you from a loving person into a controlling one.
You are addicted to control and power, mother.
If you believe that being the mistress of Rosings defines you, let me clarify something.
You also hold the distinction of being the most inept estate manager one could encounter.
Should you dispatch someone not related to you, other than that foolish Mr. Collins, to inquire about your reputation among our tenants, the truth will emerge.
Names like "Rosings' Reigning Nightmare" and "Lady Dictator" will be whispered.
Our tenants not only dislike you but also fear you due to your power to shape their lives, compelling them to act out of self-preservation.
You may claim that the estate thrives under your ownership.
Indeed, I overheard you stating that it yielded eight thousand pounds last year.
Allow me to inform you that Pemberley generates more than that each year, despite being smaller and having fewer resources.
If either Darcy or even Richard were to take charge of this estate, it could potentially double its current yield.