Chapter 25 #2
Darcy introduced his wife to the butler and housekeeper, a couple who had been in their positions at Seaview since his late father had purchased the house and land as a gift for Lady Anne more than twenty years past.
As they toured the house, Elizabeth was struck by the view from the windows in the sitting room and the master suite above it. Both looked out over the sea; Elizabeth would never tire of that view.
Once Carstens and Thénardier had unpacked and drawn baths for the master and mistress, they were dismissed. Dinner was ordered on trays that evening, and the Darcys did not emerge from their chambers until the morning—two days hence.
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Charlotte was debating with herself on when to inform her husband of her suspicions.
She had just missed her monthly courses for the second time, and she had always been able to set her clock by her cycles.
Her next courses would be due around the time of the double wedding, so she decided to wait until then.
She hoped that if she was with child she would be able to present her husband with a son.
Even without the pressure of the entail no longer hanging over their heads, she knew her Thomas would be delighted by a son.
Luckily Charlotte did not feel any sickness in the morning—yet. She prayed she would be spared that particular malady as she remembered her mother suffered more than most during the first half of her time with child.
There would be another shopping expedition on the morrow, as the Countess wanted as many members of the Ton as possible to know she approved of her sons’ betrothals.
Part of her plan would be to take tea at Gunter’s, where they would be met by Lady Jersey and two of her fellow patronesses.
There would be no question of the Bennets’ suitability after that.
There had been a smattering of talk, most of it driven by the bitter and jealous, that three unknown sisters had snapped up three of the most eligible bachelors in society.
It was conveniently forgotten by those same people that, until he was gifted Rosings Park, Richard Fitzwilliam would not have been considered good enough for any of their daughters.
Sunday would be a quiet day with a family dinner at Matlock House after church services, to which the Gardiners were also invited. Early Monday morning, everyone except the Gardiners would make for Rosings Park in Kent.
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“Richard, your house is majestic,” Mary noted as the carriages approached the house.
“Our house, Mary, our house,” Richard corrected.
“Only when I sign the register,” Mary countered playfully.
“As I feel married to you in my heart already, I assert that it is our home,” Richard grinned at her blushingly silent concession.
“I am sure you will be happy here, Mary,” Anne told her new cousin. “Since Richard took ownership and started to make changes, it was as though a dark veil has been lifted from the house and the estate,” Anne opined.
“Will we see Lady Catherine while we are here?” Mary asked as the conveyance came to a halt under the portico.
“That is entirely up to you, Mary,” Richard averred.
“Mayhap we should invite her for dinner tonight?” Mary suggested.
“I do not object,” Anne replied when Richard looked to her.
“A footman will be sent with a note,” Richard decided.
Bennet made for the library, where he found a large, well-stocked room, even if it seemed no one had updated it or added volumes for some years.
Andrew confirmed that since his uncle’s passing Lady Catherine had done nothing to the library.
Bennet was joined by the Earl and Andrew, while the rest of the party joined Richard and Mary to tour the house.
It did not take long before Lord Matlock and Bennet found a chess set and were playing in earnest.
Kitty and Gigi were acting as scribes for Mary and Richard.
Mary was flabbergasted at the amount she believed would be laid out to refurnish the whole of the home as they moved through the family wing, but after she had tried out a few chairs and beds, she was convinced of the rectitude of the decision to replace all.
Perhaps, based on the information she had gleaned, Richard would not have to expend much additional money based on the amount from objects sold already and from the additional sales of unwanted furniture and objects.
Like her two older sisters, Mary would never be one to spend money just because she could.
By mid-afternoon, they had made lists of furniture for about half of the rooms in the house; they intended to complete that task on the morrow.
Mary was pleased to have Charlotte and Jane with her as she went from room to room.
Mother Elaine had a very good eye for decorating, but she did not think about economy as Charlotte and Jane did.
The footman had returned with an acceptance from Lady Catherine. It would be the first time since being moved into a pensioner’s cottage that the former mistress of the estate would set foot inside the house, and everyone was in anticipation to see how she would behave.
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Lady Catherine de Bourgh had a lot of time to think since she and Mrs. Jenkinson had moved to the cottage. Initially, she had railed against everyone, especially those artful Bennets who had turned her family against her.
After a few days of self-indulgence, Lady Catherine became introspective. At first, it was hard for her to look at her life and decisions honestly, from her attitude towards others, to her compromise of Sir Lewis, and to the present day.
The more honest she was, the more she saw her own actions through the eyes of others, the more ashamed she became.
By the time she was finished with her self-examination, she had accepted the fact that she had many amends to make.
Her most difficult realization was how she had treated those around her, especially her daughter.
She had come to accept the paucity of her knowledge and how much nonsensical advice she had dispensed.
She finally understood why her family felt it was a hardship to be in her company.
Her greatest regret was lying about her sister’s agreement for Fitzwilliam to marry Anne.
Now that she was being honest with herself, she acknowledged the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet was probably the ideal woman for her nephew.
Thus, when a humble Lady Catherine arrived at Rosings Park and addressed her family with apologies spoken in complete sincerity, those who had known her for many years, thought they were hallucinating.
But they were not, and there was no mistaking the genuine effort the lady was making and her absolute contrition.
The longest apology Lady Catherine made was to Anne.
Lady Catherine then apologised to the Bennets for her indecorous behaviour when she invited herself to Longbourn and acknowledged that Mrs. Bennet had been accurate in the assessment of her character at that time.
She informed them that if and when the Darcys were willing to hear her apology, she would make one to them, for her pushing the lie about the betrothal and for her disgusting words to the then Miss Elizabeth.
Then when the family sat for dinner, they experienced another shock, for rather than command the conversation as had been her wont, Lady Catherine only spoke when spoken to and did not once try to give advice about that of which she had no knowledge.
“What do you think of the changes to the house, Aunt Catherine?” Richard asked.
“Given how tastelessly I decorated, I may not be the best one to ask, Richard,” Lady Catherine averred.
“Catherine, the change in you is both incredible and welcome. What occasioned such a change, Sister?” her brother asked.
“It is a simple answer, Reggie. I started to view myself and my behaviour through others’ eyes—my family’s eyes—and I did not like what I discovered. I had a choice; I could have denied the truth clearly before me or embrace it and begin to change. I chose the latter,” Lady Catherine explained.
“It is my belief, Catherine, that it is better late than never,” Lady Elaine opined.
“However it happened, whatever the reason, I am happy to have my sister back.” Lord Reggie raised his goblet as did the rest of the diners and he offered a toast to his sister.
After dinner, Anne met with Richard, his parents, and Mary in the study. As Anne had fully forgiven her mother, she requested her mother be installed in a suite next to her with the clear understanding if Lady Catherine reverted to any of her old behaviours she would return to her cottage.
When the request was put to her, all were both alarmed and pleased to see the pleasure and relief Lady Catherine was overwhelmed by when she gratefully accepted her nephew’s invitation to take the suite adjoining Anne’s.
The tears on her cheeks were proof that she was not ashamed to love them and to accept that they would love her in return.
While the rest of the ladies made their lists in the balance of the rooms they did not get to the previous day, Lady Catherine was moved back into the manor house.