Chapter 19 #2
“Lizzy Bennet, you were expected home days ago. Why have you waited so long to arrive?” Mrs Bennet demanded, her tone shrill and grating.
Elizabeth remained standing, just inside the door, her husband behind her and shadowed.
Those in the room could not see him, and he deliberately held back, as he and Elizabeth had discussed before arriving.
“I have not been Lizzy Bennet in some years, madam,” Elizabeth said. “When I was cast from my childhood home and disowned by my family, I became Elizabeth Gardiner.”
“There is no need for you to act all high and mighty now, Lizzy. You have finally come home to your family, and you will do your duty to save us from the hedgerows. I suppose your uncle has given you some money for you to be dressed as well as you are. When your trunks are unpacked, you will have to allow your sisters to look at what you brought, for you will not need all those fine things when you are wed,” Mrs. Bennet began.
“Who exactly am I to wed, madam? I know of no engagement that has been entered into on my behalf. Why should others claim the dresses that were purchased for me? What right do they have to what my uncle gave me?” Elizabeth asked, maintaining a calm and cool demeanour despite her rising anger.
Knowing that her husband was behind her, silently lending his support, did much to cool her frustration; that and knowing that none of the plans the Bennets had for her would come to fruition.
All four of Elizabeth’s sisters were surprised by her sudden appearance in front of them and were shocked at her defiant words and stance.
While Jane and Mary remembered their sister, Kitty barely recalled that she had another sister.
Lydia was the least surprised since she had been privy to her mother’s plans for Elizabeth though she was a little surprised that this sister actually arrived.
For most of her life, she had heard her mother only complain about her second daughter and knew her mother planned to force her to marry Longbourn’s heir as a way to ‘save the family from the hedgerows.’
For the last several months, after intercepting a letter meant for her husband, Mrs. Bennet had corresponded with the future heir of Longbourn.
Through these letters, she hatched a plan meant to ensure her status as Mistress of Longbourn even after her husband’s eventual death.
But it was necessary for the man to marry one of her daughters, and she had determined that Elizabeth was to be the sacrificial lamb.
"You shall marry the heir to Longbourn, your father's cousin, Mr. Patrick Collins.
He is a little older than you, but I am certain he will make you a good husband.
I will train you to be a good wife and the mistress of this estate in the month before your wedding, and you and your husband will live in the dower house.
We have already begun refurbishing the cottage; it is a little small, but it will do for you.
The estate will pay for you to have a few servants, but you and your husband will likely spend a great deal of time here since Mr. Collins wants to begin learning how to manage the estate," Mrs. Bennet explained.
"Unsurprisingly, your plan is illogical.
Is not Mr. Collins nearly as old as Mr. Bennet?
" Without waiting for a response, Elizabeth asked. “Why in heaven’s name do you believe he will live longer than Mr. Bennet? What will happen to you should Mr. Collins die before Mr. Bennet or only survive him by a few years? You will still be homeless.” Mrs. Bennet gasped and prepared to rebuke her daughter, but Elizabeth merely shook her head and waved her hand as though it did not matter.
It did not. "It is irrelevant. Nothing you say or do can make me marry this man. "
Mrs. Bennet stood, her anger rising toward her second eldest child. “You will do as you are told, Lizzy. You will not defy your mother in this way.”
Elizabeth’s eyes snapped; her anger and frustration at the way her mother had always dismissed her coming to the fore.
“My name is Elizabeth, madam. I have not been Lizzy since I left here. When you cast me aside, I chose to take a different name since I no longer wanted any part of the person I was before.”
“That is absurd, Lizzy; you are my daughter, and nothing will ever change that. It is about time you and your uncle came to your senses, but I am thoroughly vexed that you did not come home sooner. I gave you a fortnight, yet you had the audacity to wait until the very last moment to show yourself,” Mrs. Bennet snapped, waving her hand dismissively.
Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief, and the movement prompted Darcy to step forward.
Feeling his presence behind her, she took a deep breath.
"Mrs. Bennet, you are the one being ridiculous if you think I owe you anything or can be forced to do your bidding.
I will not lift a finger for your comfort and marrying the man you suggest is out of the question. "
She was cut off before she could introduce Darcy.
Mrs. Bennet spied him standing behind her and began shrieking.
"Lizzy Bennet, you travelled from London alone with this man?
Has my brother reduced you to a common trollop or allowed you to become some man's mistress?
You will ruin yourself and your sisters by gallivanting around in this way.
How dare you show up here with your, your, paramour? "
“Madam, cease this caterwauling at once,” Darcy commanded, his deep baritone catching the attention of everyone in the room. “Had you allowed your daughter to finish the introductions, you would have heard who I was and my connection to her. Instead, you choose to cast aspersions without thought—”
Again, Mrs. Bennet was not listening and cut him off. “That girl is no child of mine. I would never allow such a girl in my home. I insist you leave at once. Lizzy Bennet is dead to me and is never again welcome in my home.”
"Then it is a good thing I have not been Lizzy Bennet for a decade, madam. My name is Elizabeth Darcy. I married the man standing beside me several weeks ago. And I can promise you that I will never step foot in this house again, so long as you are the mistress here."