Chapter 15. Lady Catherine’s Horses #2
“He will be in the fields or at the house sir. Our mother has reached her time, and she is...”
“Then we must make certain that all is well,” William said as he took Kitty into his arms and comforted her alongside Georgiana.
“No one will harm you Miss Kitty! I promise,” William assured the girl. “Your father will come for you shortly and all will be well–I shall make certain of it!”
**++**
“Shall we all venture into the kitchens?” William asked.
“The kitchens sir?” asked Mrs Hobbes.
“My aunt would never venture into the kitchens, and I believe we shall be safe there. And I am certain Mr Nichols and the undercook can provide tea and cake.”
With his sister and the younger girls occupied with the refreshments, William turned to his housekeeper and his sister’s nanny for more details of his aunt’s arrival and venture into his house.
When he had their recounting of events, he motioned the two eldest Bennet sisters to his side where he asked them to once more tell him of the event.
At the conclusion of the interviews, William shook his head and said, “You were both proper in your actions. Miss Bennet, who taught you to ‘disarm’ a man in such a manner?”
“Our father told us sir,” Jane explained. “We are not defenceless.”
“I must remember to tell my sister someday,” he told them but to his surprise, the two girls grinned.
“We shall tell Georgie when she is a few years older,” Elizabeth volunteered. Then she teased, “Papa was very red when he explained the movement, much like you are now sir.”
Darcy nodded in thanks. Satisfied he had the basic events; he drained a cup of tea and asked his footmen for the location of his aunt’s footmen.
“They are both locked up in the cellar sir. The empty cheese room–they can’t get their hands on anything of value.”
**++**
William climbed the staircase with Mrs Hobbs at his side. At the door to the bed chamber were his aunt was confined, he nodded for the footman to move to the side. He did not knock but merely unlocked the door and stepped inside followed by his two servants.
Lady Catherine sat silently in a chair before the cold fireplace.
“Your hospitality is lacking nephew,” the woman said.
“Mrs Hobbes would you be so kind as to throw open the draperies. This room is entirely too dark for my liking.”
The housekeeper drew open the curtains on both large windows and William was able to clearly see his aunt –without her wig she appeared to be much older than he had previously thought.
“I have come for my horses,” she said calmly.
“If I call the magistrate, you shall certainly be confined for a period of time. You laid hands on the daughters of a well-respected gentleman. They hang men for doing such.”
“I am the daughter of an earl!”
“No one remembers my grandfather who has been dead for twenty years. And your brother is hardly welcomed in respectable homes in town. His gambling debts are ruining Matlock.”
When Lady Catherine made no comment, William continued. “What do you mean by entering my home and attacking a child?”
“It was your servants who attacked me!”
“Above stairs? In the classroom?”
Lady Catherine frowned, “The girl assaulted me and brought blood!”
“Aunt, you did not even know your own niece. You laid hands on a guest and her sisters defended her. You frightened a defenceless child.”
“Fitzwilliam, look what the girl did to me!” Lady Catherine insisted holding up her arm where there were red marks where Kitty had bitten down.
“It is no more than you deserved,” William said.
Mrs Hobbs cleared her throat and brought the wig forward and laid it on the table beside Lady Catherine. William stifled a chuckle before he said, “I do recommend that you should find a better wig maker or purchase one that does not resemble some creature from the wilds of the Americas.”
Now his face grew still, and he said, “This is the second time you have forced your way into my home aunt. I have no intention of there being a third time. The magistrate will be summoned, and you will return to London only after you have paid damages.”
“The magistrate will deal fairly with me!” Lady Catherine sneered. “He will take my side.”
Darcy rose and gave Mrs Hobbes instructions. “My aunt is to receive no service from a maid until after the magistrate speaks to her. You may send up a supper tray this evening but until then she gets nothing from my household.”
“Fitzwilliam! The earl will speak to your father about this treatment!”
William smiled. “My father will enjoy this tale once he is assured that Georgiana, and my servants are well. And my uncle is most anxious to remain in my father’s good graces –Matlock is hopeful of arranging a match with Lord Humphries this spring for their eldest daughter.
Can you imagine the earl’s displeasure if your invasion of my home and assault of the magistrate’s daughters were to be reported in the London papers? ”
“The magistrate’s daughters?” exclaimed Lady Catherine.
“Yes,” William answered without emotion.
“Forgive me if I failed to mention that the young ladies visiting with my sister today are the daughters of the magistrate here in Meryton. He is the man who holds the bill for the care and feeding of your horses for more than eight months. I hope your purse is flush aunt. This will be an expensive day for you surely.”
Lady Catherine cursed in a most unladylike manner as William led his servants from the room and locked the door once more.
**++**
It was almost four of the clock when the Bennet carriage arrived at Netherfield and Mr Bennet stepped from the vehicle as his daughters poured out of house with Georgiana, Nanny Brice and Mr Darcy among the cloud of gowns and anxious faces.
“Well girls, you have a healthy baby brother!” Mr Bennet announced loudly to the hugs and kisses of his daughters and the congratulations of his neighbours. “Master Thomas Bennet arrived just after two of the clock.”
“Can we go home and see him, Papa?”
“Can I hold him, Papa?”
“Can he come outside and play with us tomorrow?”
“How is Mamma?” asked Elizabeth.
“Your Mamma is well. She has already had the babe to her breast, and she swears he was born hungry.”
Jane blushed but leaned over and kissed her father’s cheek.
“Will you need a wet nurse, Mr Bennet?” asked Mrs Hobbs. “Mrs Chancy is to wean her latest charge in another week and she would be pleased with a position with your family for a year I am certain.”
“Thank you, Mrs Hobbes, I shall discuss the matter with Mrs Bennet and have her send you word.”
“Mr Bennet, before you depart from Netherfield, there is an unfortunate matter you must deal with as magistrate,” William explained suddenly terribly embarrassed. “My aunt has invaded my home once more and laid hands-on Miss Kitty.”
“Catherine? Are you well child?” Mr Bennet took Kitty’s hands and looked her over.
“She grabbed my arm and scared me Papa,” Kitty confessed.
“But you are well?” he said taking his child into his arms.
“Yes, Papa,” squeaked Kitty. “I bit her, and she let go.”
“Papa, I was afraid too,” Lydia said, and Mr Bennet took his youngest daughter into his arms for a long hug too.
“But you were brave! All my girls are brave!” Mr Bennet told his girls as they returned to the interior of Netherfield.
“Mr Bennet, do you wish to interview my aunt this afternoon?” William asked and was surprised by Mr Bennet’s laughter.
“My good friend, I have no wish to deal with your unfortunate aunt this afternoon. My wife and son are waiting for us to return–Mrs Bennet is most anxious to introduce her daughters to their new brother.”
William blushed and bowed his head. But then Mr Bennet took his elbow and said, “And my wife most particularly asked that you and your sister come to supper tonight. She will be abed, but Miss Georgiana must have her peek at the newborn. Can your aunt wait until the morrow?”
“Certainly Bennet! Certainly!”
“Come girls, we must get home!” Mr Bennet announced. “The Darcys will join us for supper but now your Mamma insists on your presence to meet Master Thomas born this day!”
When William escorted his friend toward the carriage, he asked, “Bennet, are you drunk?”
The older gentleman grinned and explained, “I have had not a single drop of drink Darcy. Wait and see, on the day that your lady love is safely delivered of your child, and you hold that tiny form in your arms, you will discover that love is the greatest intoxicant under God’s heaven!
I am drunk with happiness today, Darcy!”
William smiled and after helping his friend into the carriage and shutting the door, watched the Bennet carriage roll away, the team seeming to have a higher step caught up in the emotion of the afternoon. Georgiana stood at his side and waved until the carriage was out of sight.
“Brother, I am so glad we came to Hertfordshire.”
“As am I Georgie,” William echoed. “Netherfield is home now.”
**++**