Chapter 16 #2
“Charlotte has the right of it,” Bennet agreed, stepping out to instruct a groom to ride to Meryton to request his brother’s presence in all haste.
“Are there no limit to the depravity you will sink to in an attempt to get what you want?” Lord Matlock asked his sister, rhetorically. It was sad, as it seemed his older sister was without a scrap of motherly instinct. Lady Matlock and Charlotte went to join the Bennet sisters taking care of Anne.
Lord Matlock felt guilt as he realized he had failed his niece by believing her mother’s lies. Catherine had said Anne was well cared for. He berated himself as he realised he should have taken a more active role in Anne’s life, or even better, he should have taken her into his household.
Just after the two left the drawing room, Sir William arrived, accompanied by his older sons. “I understand you have a trespasser who needs to be moved to the gaol,” Sir William observed.
“Yes, the vermin is in the coal cellar,” Bennet informed his father-in-law-to-be.
“We are here to help Father transport him,” John stated with a malevolent glint in his eyes.
“Yes,” Franklin added, “it is time for us to have a little chat with Mr. Collins.”
The three Lucas men departed to take charge of the trespasser and to make sure he was never in the proximity of their sisters and friends again.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
“Anne, I am so sorry we did not remove you from your mother’s care right after your father passed away,” Lady Matlock said as she held her niece’s frail hand, disgusted at what she was seeing; the poor girl’s skin was almost translucent.
“We mistakenly believed your mother when she swore she had your best interests at heart.”
“As this last birthday approached, things got worse. I am sure she or Jenky intercepted my letters to you,” Anne managed before she had a coughing fit.
“I think we should call for Mr. Jones,” Charlotte suggested. “He is the local physician and apothecary in one. He is trusted by all in the neighbourhood,” Charlotte explained, and Lady Matlock nodded her agreement. Mary went to convey the message to a maid, who would pass it onto Mr. Hill.
“We will nurse you back to good health, Anne,” Lady Matlock promised, though even she doubted her words as they passed her lips.
“As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Aunt Elaine, I am a realist. I believe I am not long for this world, and that is the very reason I require a solicitor,” Anne related between coughs.
No one wanted to lie to Anne, so they said nothing. Not too long after, there was a knock on the door. Mr. Phillips was shown in, along with the Earl, his sons, and his nephew. The three Bennets and Charlotte departed the chamber, knowing it was a family matter.
Once the introductions were made, Anne got straight to the point. “I am unsure how much time I have left; I need a last will and testament drawn up,” Anne rasped.
“It is my understanding you are a wealthy heiress; it will be a complicated document,” Phillips averred.
“No, it will be simple, I wish to leave all of my worldly possessions to my cousin, the Honourable Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam,” Anne insisted.
“It is too much, Anne, it should go to another,” Richard asserted. “I would much rather you save your energy and live with me there so I can assist you as you need.”
“William has Pemberley and more, so he and his family are secure,” Anne stated, pausing to cough. She offered a small smile when Darcy nodded his agreement. “Andy has Hilldale and will one day have Snowhaven and the Matlock holdings, so that leaves you, Rich.”
No one could argue with Anne’s logic. Lady Matlock offered up a silent prayer of thanks as her son would be able to resign from the army and sell his commission.
She had long dreaded Richard going back to the front lines.
He had resisted their attempts to help him in the past, but this was different.
“Anne, I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Richard was humbled by the freedom his cousin was gifting him.
“I want a clause making Richard the owner of Rosings Park from this day forward,” Anne took a sip of water to help quell her coughing. “All I ask is to live out my days in comfort in my suite.”
It took Mr. Phillips but a few minutes per copy; in the end, he had made five of them.
Anne signed, followed by her uncle and cousins Hilldale and Darcy as witnesses.
Phillips would hold one copy; another would be sent to Norman and James in London who would file a copy with the Court of Chancery.
The remaining three would remain with Lord Matlock, Mr. Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam himself.
“If God calls me home, I can rest peacefully now, knowing my mother’s dastardly plans have come to naught,” Anne stated between coughs.
“Where will Lady Catherine live when I move into Rosings Park?” Richard asked quietly.
“That Son, is entirely up to you. Sir Lewis’s will left it up to Anne when she inherits, or whoever the master or mistress is, to make that decision,” Lord Matlock explained.
“So, I will not have to have her in the main house, or even the dower house if I so choose? How would she live?” Richard enquired.
“She will receive a three hundred pound per annum allowance for the rest of her days. She is allowed to remove any of her jewellery she brought with her when she married Sir Lewis, but none of the de Bourgh jewels or property are hers. Sir Lewis never forgave her for compromising him, hence the size of her settlement,” Lord Matlock informed his son.
“How do we proceed and deal with Lady Catherine?” Darcy asked, wanting to know how to help Richard in these next hours and days.
“The deeds to Rosings Park and the de Bourgh house are held by Norman and James in London. When Anne is well enough to travel, we will have the deeds made over in Richard’s name.
” Lord Matlock turned to his younger son.
“Now you are a landed gentleman of considerable wealth, is there not something you need to do?”
“I will depart for the Dragoons’ headquarters in London to see General Atherton, resign from the army and sell my commission.
If you excuse me, I will go request writing materials from Mr. Bennet and send an express to the General so he may begin the process and knows when to expect me.
” Richard exited the bedchamber to go write his letter.
“Anne, you do not know the gift you have given a mother. Each time Richard has gone into battle, I have prayed he would return home to us; while dreading every visitor and letter in case it was to deliver the news I feared.” Lady Elaine hugged her niece delicately and kissed her on both cheeks.
“I was most fearful when Richard would go to war as well, Aunt Elaine and Uncle Reggie; it is the principal reason he is my heir; my decision was made easier knowing my other cousins do not need any more.” Anne looked tired, so the family withdrew from the bedchamber to allow her to rest; they were replaced by Gigi’s maid, who offered to sit with Miss de Bourgh.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the three Bennet daughters and Miss Lucas returned to the drawing room, a belligerent Lady Catherine wanted to know which was Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She felt she could harangue the young lady into giving her satisfaction, as her family was not present for the moment.
“That would be me, Lady Catherine. How may I be of service?” Elizabeth owned.
“Remember my betrothed’s warning about issuing of further insults, or crass language, before you continue talking to Miss Elizabeth,” Charlotte warned the woman, just as the imperious woman opened her mouth to state her expectations.
Lady Catherine’s head swivelled until she realized Mr. Bennet was listening and saw the thunderous look on his visage. She closed her mouth but lifted her head higher to show her superiority, but all she achieved was looking more ridiculous.
Richard entered just then and spoke quietly to Bennet who nodded as he offered a quiet response. Richard thanked him and headed to the study. A few minutes later the rest of his family returned to the drawing room.
“As of some minutes ago, Catty, you are no longer the mistress of either Rosings Park or de Bourgh House,” Lord Matlock stated, his voice cold and emotionless.
“What nonsense, Reggie. Anne knows not how to run an estate,” Lady Catherine replied dismissively.
“Only because you refused to educate her,” Lady Matlock returned.
“She is also too ill to perform the duties,” Lady Catherine claimed.
“You may be correct, Lady Catherine, but as Anne has gifted me with all of her holdings, the point is moot,” Richard stated, returning to the drawing room to find the conversation he intended to start was already in progress. He was grateful for whoever had opened the topic.
“Impossible! I will not allow it!” Lady Catherine blustered.
“You have no say in the matter, Catty,” Lord Matlock pointed out.
“As of two weeks past, when Anne became five and twenty, all of Sir Lewis’s former property became your daughter’s.
As you like to boast, there is no entail on any of it, which allowed Anne the freedom to do as she wished.
She wished to gift everything to Richard.
She exercised the free will you denied her for so long. ”
“No, it is MINE!” Lady Catherine screamed.
“As you well know, it was never yours. I failed as executor because I believed you when you said would teach Anne what she needed to take her rightful position. All you have ever done is in service to further your own delusional claims. I think I need to have you examined by a doctor to see if he recommends a long stay at an institution for the mentally unbalanced,” Lord Matlock challenged.
Lady Catherine realised at that moment all her plans and schemes to retain Rosings and access to Pemberley’s coffers had failed. “What is to happen to me?” the defeated woman asked.
“You do not deserve to live in the dower house. I will offer you a pensioner’s cottage at Rosings Park rent free on the condition you do not interfere in the lives of any servants, tenants, or others.
If that is not acceptable to you, you are free to take the five and seventy pounds you will receive each quarter and make your own way in the world,” Richard laid out for the lady.
Knowing she had no other option; Lady Catherine chose the cottage. Lady Catherine was escorted to Netherfield, along with a note to Mrs. Nichols to assign the broken lady a room on the guest floor.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the coal cellar door opened, Collins thought his patroness was there to put things to rights. Instead, he saw Sir William and his two sons glowering at him. He was dragged out and handed directly over to Franklin and John Lucas.
Collins had never been so frightened in his life. By the time they reached the Meryton gaol, Collins was decidedly the worse for wear. “You will be held for a month for the crime of trespassing. You should be defrocked by then.”
“Dudley will never write to anyone,” Collins scoffed.
“He has already done so, but your greater concern should be the countess of Matlock, who is the Archbishop’s first cousin and the Bennets’ friend.
She wrote to her cousin as well, informing him why you should be defrocked as soon as may be.
” Sir William grinned as he shared the information with the man he hoped would get his just deserts.
Only then did Collins realise that his patroness had not come to his aid, and he might have overestimated the strength of the cards he held in his hand.