CHAPTER 15 Lady Catherine’s Visit
The next morning Darcy awoke early and went straight to the rose garden.
It was even lovelier in the morning than it had been at twilight.
He walked between the rows and studied the blooms, a pair of shears in one hand and a basket in the other.
He whistled as he walked, happy that Elizabeth was finally out of danger and excited about the possibilities before him.
He cut one stem then another, choosing a variety whose shades consisted of pink, yellow and pale green.
He sniffed the blooms and wondered if Elizabeth would sniff them as well in the not so distant future.
But he knew he had a great deal to make up for, and that he needed to apologise and show her a better side of himself. He would even grovel if he needed to.
He went on clipping and whistling, then eventually saw Lady Catherine appear on the terrace above him.
“Darcy!”
“Yes, Aunt?”
“What are you doing there? Should you not be at breakfast with the rest of us?”
“I did not think you would be awake yet, Aunt. I apologise.” Darcy looked at his pocket watch and was surprised to find that he had already spent more than an hour in the garden.
Lady Catherine walked down the steps and joined him. “Are you picking flowers, Darcy?”
“I am. They are for Miss Elizabeth.”
She eyed the blooms closely and fingered a few of them. “Sir Lewis used to come here and pick some for me…when he was alive.”
“Oh…I never knew.”
She smiled nostalgically. “His tastes tended more towards the darker reds, however.”
Darcy nodded and waited for her to say more. He expected to hear more reminiscences about Sir Lewis de Bourgh but instead she said, “So have you decided to join us today?”
He shook his head. “No…not today. Perhaps…tomorrow. But I would be grateful if you gave these to Miss Elizabeth for me.”
Lady Catherine frowned. “I could simply tell you to give them to her yourself…”
“Yet I hope that you do not.”
She shook her head. “I cannot understand you, Darcy.”
He shrugged. “Sometimes, I cannot understand myself.”
Lady Catherine laughed. “You are a strange one, Nephew. But I shall do this for you. However, you must promise to call on her…one of these days. And soon.”
Darcy was confused and asked, “But why should you care so much whether I do or not? Why should you keep pushing me towards Elizabeth when it was only a week ago that you wished for me to marry Anne?”
She touched him lightly on the chin, as one might do a little boy, and replied, “Because…you love her. And I wish for you to be happy.”
She turned away before he could say anything and began to walk back up the stairs. “And I insist you come up to breakfast forthwith.”
Darcy smiled, looked at his basket full of flowers and responded, “Yes, Aunt, I shall be there directly.”
*****
An hour later, Elizabeth sat in an armchair by the window and saw two people coming up the lane.
One of them was Mr. Bingley, and the other was…
Lady Catherine. She leaned forward and took a closer look just to ensure that she was not mistaken.
It was, in fact, Lady Catherine. Elizabeth leaned back against the chair and wondered if she was simply there to visit Charlotte.
That was the most likely explanation. She also noted that Bingley was carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand which were likely for Jane.
She smiled at his thoughtfulness and wished that Darcy could have given her some flowers.
But of course she had no right to expect that as she had called him deluded and told him she did not even like him.
At length, she heard the sounds of the front door being opened followed by voices in the entry hall.
They were louder for a while, then grew fainter as the guests were taken into the parlour.
She sat absently on the bed and thought to herself, Lady Catherine cannot possibly be here to call on me… can she?
For a while all the voices were muffled and at times inaudible. But after a period of about ten minutes, she heard footsteps in the hallway. Presently Charlotte came in and asked if she was well.
“I am improving steadily,” she said cautiously.
“Are you well enough to receive visitors? Or rather, Lady Catherine?”
Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide and she swallowed. She never thought that Lady Catherine was particularly fond of her but she could not possibly refuse such an honour as a visit from the great lady.
“Do you think that I am presentable?” she asked.
Charlotte regarded her closely, then moved a few strands of her hair away from her face. “Yes, you shall do, Elizabeth. I shall have Mary bring in an extra chair, so the two of you may converse.
Elizabeth nodded then Charlotte left. She wondered if somehow Lady Catherine had heard about Darcy’s proposal and was now there to upbraid her, perhaps ask her to give him up.
She would not blame her if she did. She could imagine Lady Catherine telling her how her daughter was meant for Darcy and how it had been planned from their infancy.
She could even imagine Lady Catherine insulting her relatives and her ties to trade.
Then telling her how she might pollute the shades of Pemberley were she to become Darcy’s wife.
Elizabeth began to feel slightly panicked after that, as she awaited Lady Catherine’s arrival.
Eventually Charlotte entered and Elizabeth rose to greet her honoured guest.
“Miss Bennet,” she said as she walked in and was shown to the comfortable armchair, “I am glad you are better.”
Elizabeth sat in the other chair and faced her. “I am honoured by your visit, Lady Catherine.”
Surprisingly, Mary returned with a vase full of flowers - the same flowers that she had seen Bingley carrying earlier - and put them down on a nearby table.
“These are for you, Miss Elizabeth,” said Lady Catherine.
“They are?”
Lady Catherine looked curiously at her before answering, “Yes. Why would you think otherwise? They came from my garden and were picked this morning.”
Elizabeth, who recalled who was carrying them earlier, only said, “I assumed that they were from Mr. Bingley…to Jane."
“Well, it was Darcy who picked them,” said Lady Catherine. “And they are from him. To you.”
“Mr. Darcy!”
“Yes, I just said so. He asked me to give them to you.”
Elizabeth was stunned. That Darcy would pick the flowers in the first place. And that Lady Catherine would deign to deliver them for him.
“Does it surprise you that he would pick them for you?” asked Lady Catherine.
Elizabeth did not know how to answer without offending Mr. Darcy. But she was indeed surprised, and so murmured, “Yes…and that you would deliver them.”
Lady Catherine looked at her impassively. “Perhaps it is hard to believe, but he has indeed picked them. And here I am, as you see.”
“I am very honoured that you came.”
“As you should be,” said Lady Catherine.
“And please thank Mr. Darcy for the flowers.”
“Yes, I shall. But perhaps you might thank him yourself, when next you see him.”
Elizabeth, who had not seen him in over a week, answered her with a question. “Is Mr. Darcy well?”
“He is.”
Elizabeth stared once more at the flowers, and hoped that Lady Catherine would speak more about Mr. Darcy.
But instead she said, “I met your sister downstairs. She is a very beautiful young lady.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Yes, she is, Your Ladyship. Both inside and out.”
“And Bingley is quite taken with her.”
“I believe he is.”
“It will be a good match for her,” said Lady Catherine, “as well as for him. He comes from trade but is wealthy. While she is poor but a gentleman’s daughter.”
“That is all true, Lady Catherine. But…they also love one another.”
“And do you think love is an important factor when choosing a spouse?”
Elizabeth did not know how she could be having such a conversation with Lady Catherine but, as she was enjoying it, she decided to let it run its course. And so she answered, “I would not marry where I did not love.”
Lady Catherine looked at her thoughtfully before saying, “Even if your estate was entailed from the female line and you had no significant dowry?”
That is all true, thought Elizabeth, realising that Lady Catherine was talking about her family. Then she recalled Darcy’s proposal more than a week ago and answered, “Perhaps I am too much governed by my heart but…I would not marry someone I did not love - even in such circumstances.”
“I am not certain your mother would approve of such notions.”
“True, she probably would not.”
A silence fell between them.
Eventually Lady Catherine changed the subject again and asked, “But you are better now, Miss Bennet? You are able to move about?”
“Alas, I have been confined to my room as I still feel quite weak. But I would like to go outside sometime soon.”
“My nephew, Darcy, is very fond of the outdoors,” said Lady Catherine, reverting back to that gentleman.
“Is he?”
“Yes. And perhaps…if he is available…you and he might take some air together one of these days.”
Elizabeth was again astonished but she only answered, “Yes, I would like that…whenever Mr. Darcy is free.”
Lady Catherine nodded and they spoke for a while about the areas near Rosings and the paths she and Darcy might take once she was able to walk further distances.
“Pemberley also has many lovely walking paths,” said Lady Catherine. “A little wilder than Rosings but…such were my sister’s tastes.”
Elizabeth was surprised at the mention of Pemberley, but only said, “I too am fond of wilder gardens.”
“Pemberley is likely the most beautiful estate in Derbyshire. And many ladies have tried and failed to become its mistress.”
“Oh, I see. You mean..?” Was Lady Catherine referring to the many women who pursued Darcy?
“Yes, precisely,” said Lady Catherine, almost as if she had heard Elizabeth’s unspoken thoughts. “Many have pursued Darcy over the years.”
“For himself or for Pemberley?” asked Elizabeth impulsively.
Lady Catherine eyed her thoughtfully before answering, “Most of them have not even looked at him beyond the exterior. So yes, it was Pemberley they were really after. I suppose he saw through them and realised he did not wish to be in a loveless marriage. Perhaps that is why I wished for him to marry Anne. At least they are fond of each other. And Anne, of course, is not mercenary.”
“Of course,” murmured Elizabeth, thinking that this was the most bizarre conversation she’d ever had with Lady Catherine. However, she only said, “You speak as if you no longer wish for a match between them.”
Lady Catherine shrugged. “They do not wish for it so…who am I to force them?”
“That is very generous of you…to consider their wishes,” said Elizabeth cautiously.
“Hmm,” said Lady Catherine, with a look of skepticism. “People seem to forget that we from a different generation were also…once in love.”
“So you and your husband were a love match?” asked Elizabeth abruptly.
“We were,” responded Lady Catherine as if she were agreeing to a question about the weather.
Elizabeth wondered if she would speak more about her marriage, but she changed the subject again by saying, “I wish for the same for my daughter…and my nephews. Particularly, Darcy.”
“You wish for Mr. Darcy to have a love match?” asked Elizabeth, attempting to clarify.
“Do you find it unusual that I would?”
“I do not know,” replied Elizabeth honestly. “I only know that persons in your circles frequently consider other factors when contemplating matrimony - things such as money, connections…a title. So it is surprising that Your Ladyship would speak only of love.”
Lady Catherine smiled. “My, but you are a forthright young lady!”
“I apologise if I offend.”
“Not at all, Miss Bennet. For I find this to be a remarkably refreshing conversation. But you are correct, most persons of the ton often think only about social standing when considering marriage. But I have never thought that such things conferred happiness. And my husband, Sir Lewis, was the same.”
“You agree with me, then?” asked Elizabeth with a grin.
“Or perhaps it is you who are agreeing with me,” responded Lady Catherine.
Elizabeth chuckled and gave a small nod of acquiescence. They spoke of other matters. Eventually, after about ten more minutes of conversation, Lady Catherine announced her intention to leave.
“I enjoyed talking with you today, Lady Catherine,” said Elizabeth. “Thank you for calling. And again, please thank Mr. Darcy for the lovely roses.”
“You may be certain I will. And do not be surprised if he calls within the next day or so.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I look forward to it.”
Lady Catherine took her leave and Elizabeth was left alone to ponder what had just happened.
It appeared as if Lady Catherine was attempting to bring Darcy and herself together.
She stared at the pale pink and yellow roses and thought of him.
And then she thought, It is one thing for Lady Catherine to attempt to play matchmaker, but what of Darcy himself?