Chapter 15 #2
Lady Catherine turned, momentarily caught off guard by her nephew's sudden entrance.
She narrowed her eyes, her lips curling in disdain as she took in his appearance.
"Fitzwilliam, what do you mean coming into the house in such a state?
Has a week of living with this… hussy already destroyed whatever sense of decency you once possessed?
" Her voice dripped with contempt as she gestured to his muddied boots and rumpled riding clothes.
Darcy's jaw clenched, and his fists tightened at his sides.
"I am not here to discuss the state of my boots, Aunt, but rather the poison you seem intent on spreading within my home.
" His voice was dangerously low, barely masking the rage beneath his calm facade.
"You will explain yourself, or I will have no choice but to remove you from my house. "
Lady Catherine's eyes blazed with indignation.
"Your house? You might be the master of Pemberley in name, but you forget that without the Fitzwilliam name, you are nothing!
It is my duty to see that you are not ruined by this woman, this conniving schemer who tricked you into marriage!
As for Georgiana, I have my ways of learning the truth—ways you would not comprehend! "
"You mean you manipulate events to suit your will, hoping to use the knowledge to control me," Darcy spat, his voice icy.
"Richard found Wickham in Newcastle and uncovered the truth—that you were behind his attempt to ruin Georgiana and behind the lies that kept Elizabeth from me.
While her father bears some blame for lying to us both, you blackmailed him into refusing my proposal. "
He stepped closer, his eyes blazing with fury. "If you so much as whisper a word of Georgiana's past, I will ensure you are the one who cannot show her face in London. You will not drag my sister or my wife through the mud for your own purposes.”
Darcy's voice sharpened further as he continued.
"I owe you and the Fitzwilliams nothing.
I have told you many times that I would never marry Anne, but you refused to listen.
You forget Anne is the rightful owner of Rosings even though you have so far kept her from her inheritance.
When she finally claims it, you will be lucky to end up in the dower house—if she allows you even that much. "
He paused, his tone cutting. "While Pemberley might lack a title, it has made us wealthier than either Rosings or Matlock ever could imagine. My uncle may be a peer, but you have far less influence in London than you imagine."
Taken aback by Darcy's confrontation, Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists at her sides, the colour draining from her face as disbelief and indignation warred within her.
"You insolent boy! How dare you speak to me in such a manner?
I am your aunt, and I have always acted in your best interests.
You have let this…this upstart woman manipulate you into defying me!
You will come to regret this rebellion, Fitzwilliam.
I have the power to ruin you and your precious wife. "
"Think what you will, Lady Catherine, but if you utter even one negative word to anyone about my marriage or take any action to harm Georgiana's reputation, I will make this break in our family public," Darcy declared, his voice steady but laced with icy anger.
He stepped closer, his posture tall and unwavering, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he glared at her.
"From this point forward, I no longer recognise you as my aunt.
I will support Anne when she makes a claim to Rosings. "
His eyes narrowed, and he leant forward, a clear challenge in his stance.
“Any insult you hurl at me or my family, I will answer tenfold. You have not set foot in London in over a decade, while there are many who know me and respect my name. I hold influence where you have none. A few well-placed words in the right ears would lead others to question your sanity, rendering any rumours you attempt to spread powerless, madam. My reputation for honesty far exceeds your own.”
With that, Darcy straightened, a look of disdain crossing his face.
A silent challenge hung in the air between him and Lady Catherine, thick with tension.
He crossed the room to his wife, offering his hand to help her stand.
"Madam," he said, his tone cold and resolute as he addressed the angry woman behind him, "if you are not gone from this house in five minutes, I will have my servants toss you out the front door.
Do not test me." Tucking Elizabeth's hand into his elbow, he turned to exit the room, deliberately ignoring Lady Catherine's furious presence.
Incensed by her nephew's willingness to sever ties, Lady Catherine shrieked her displeasure as she trailed after them.
"You selfish boy! You would treat me this way because of that hoyden?
That lightskirt? She is not worthy of you!
Anne was to be your bride. Your mother promised me that our children would wed.
You will ruin your name and your family for this woman!
I will never forgive you for this outrageous behaviour.
I will make sure you regret your defiance! "
Darcy paused as they entered the hallway, signalling to the footmen standing nearby that their assistance would be needed.
He turned to face Lady Catherine, his eyes narrowed as he regarded the brazen woman yelling like a fishwife in his home.
"Madam," he began, his voice cutting through her cries, "my mother wished for me to find love and would adore the woman who is now my wife.
She avoided your company, except when absolutely necessary, because you had become a bitter, angry woman.
I have warned you what will happen if you breathe a single negative word about my sister or my wife.
If you wish to leave this house under your own power, you will do so now—without another word. "
With that, Darcy turned once more, leading Elizabeth towards the stairs, his grip on her hand firm as they ascended to their quarters.
As soon as they entered their rooms, Darcy pulled Elizabeth into his arms, his expression a mix of concern and relief.
"Forgive me, dearest. I ordered that she was not to be admitted, but I am not surprised she still managed to bully her way in.
Are you well?" His voice was low and urgent, as he searched her face for any signs of distress.
Elizabeth pulled back slightly, their eyes locking as she steadied herself in his embrace.
"I am well, my dear Fitzwilliam," she reassured him, her brow furrowing slightly.
"The only thing that troubles me is her claim that she would ruin Georgiana.
It does not concern me what society matrons may say about me, but I would hate to see Georgiana's reputation tarnished before she has a chance to show the world what a lovely young woman she is. "
Darcy sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping as he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of Elizabeth's head, resting his cheek there for a moment.
"I do not believe she will succeed," he said, his voice muffled against her hair.
"Richard will quietly let it be known that Lady Catherine is…
unreliable. As I told her, it has been years since she has shown her face in London.
Those she calls friends have either died or have not spoken to her for so long that they cannot know what she has become.
Because of her claims that I was engaged to Anne, I have been forced to avoid corresponding with my cousin, but Richard does.
He will assist Anne in claiming her inheritance, especially if Lady Catherine continues to be recalcitrant.
Now that I am married, I can also do more to assist her.
When we travel to London next month, we will make inquiries about how matters are at Rosings. "
"So the colonel will lay the groundwork for Lady Catherine to be disbelieved and perhaps even declared mad if she follows through on any of her threats?
" Elizabeth asked, raising an eyebrow as she considered the implications.
Her lips curled into a wry smile. "It is sad, I suppose, but I cannot find it in myself to feel sorry for her. Not when she has done this to herself."
Darcy nodded in agreement, a flicker of anger still simmering in his eyes as he held her close, drawing strength from her presence.
"She has caused lasting harm to all of us.
It was because of her that we were separated for all these years, and it is because of her that Georgiana was almost stolen from us.
Just as you cannot forgive your father for his part in our separation, I find I cannot forgive Lady Catherine, nor do I think we have heard the last from her. "