Chapter 27 #2
Jane took Elizabeth’s hand for a moment, a warning without words that Elizabeth understood. Lady Catherine had brought the quarrel to Netherfield, but Jane had no wish to participate.
Louisa poured tea despite Lady Catherine’s refusal and offered a cup to Anne. Mrs. Jenkinson asked whether the room held a draft and Hurst said it held several. Louisa gave him a look, and he returned his attention to the page.
Caroline tried to regain control of the visit. “You must find Netherfield modest after Rosings, Lady Catherine, though we have sought to make it comfortable.”
“Comfort depends upon order.”
“I agree.”
Elizabeth saw Caroline receive the word as praise.
Lady Catherine looked toward Jane. “You are the eldest Miss Bennet.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“My nephew’s friend admires you.”
Jane’s color rose and Caroline shifted in her chair.
“Lady Catherine,” Georgiana said.
Her aunt silenced her with a glance.
Jane answered with care. “Mr. Bingley has shown my family much kindness.”
“Kindness invites mistakes when young women attach hopes to it.”
Elizabeth released Jane’s hand and faced Lady Catherine. “My sister has made no claim upon Mr. Bingley.”
“I spoke to her.”
“No, you spoke of her.”
The room changed. Caroline sat rigid, caught between satisfaction at Elizabeth’s rebuke and alarm at its boldness. Louisa set the teapot down before it slipped from her hand. Georgiana understood why Darcy had written of Elizabeth with such care.
Lady Catherine studied her. “You possess the sharp tongue Collins described.”
“Collins?”
“My clergyman at Hunsford. Your father’s cousin.”
Elizabeth’s surprise became amusement. “Your information has travelled farther than its source.”
“He knows your family.”
“His acquaintance is with Charlotte.”
“Longbourn will be his.”
“One day. My father has no plan to assist him.”
Hurst lowered the newspaper.
Lady Catherine ignored him. “You make light of serious matters.”
“I make light of Mr. Collins when the occasion permits.”
Georgiana looked down to hide a smile. Anne made no attempt.
Caroline saw both reactions and lost patience. “Miss Eliza has a wit that some find diverting.”
“Darcy among them?” Lady Catherine asked.
The question struck Caroline harder than Elizabeth. Her eyes moved toward the door, as though Darcy might enter in time to deny it.
Elizabeth answered before she could. “You must ask him.”
“I intend to.”
“Then you have not wasted your journey.”
Jane rose. “We should return home.”
Caroline rose. “You have not finished your tea.”
“We have stayed long enough.” Jane’s voice held no reproach, but Caroline heard it.
Elizabeth turned to Georgiana. “I am sorry our meeting has taken this form, Miss Darcy.”
“So am I.” Georgiana rose. “I hoped to meet you.”
Lady Catherine’s cane struck the carpet. “Georgiana.”
The name carried warning, but Georgiana did not withdraw the words.
Elizabeth’s expression softened. “I am glad we have met.”
Caroline stepped between the exchange and Lady Catherine’s response. “I will have your shawls brought.”
“They are in the hall,” Elizabeth said.
Louisa walked with Jane and Elizabeth to the door. Georgiana followed before her aunt could forbid it without making the command plain before the servants.
Sarah stood when Elizabeth appeared. She crossed the drive, stopped beside her, and looked past her toward Georgiana.
“This is Sarah,” Elizabeth said.
Georgiana came down one step. “My brother has written of her.”
Sarah approached, sniffed Georgiana’s glove, and accepted a touch upon her head.
Elizabeth watched her. “He was generous, I hope.”
“To Sarah, yes.”
The answer brought a smile to Elizabeth’s face.
Lady Catherine appeared in the doorway. “Georgiana, come inside.”
Georgiana removed her hand from Sarah’s head. “I hope we shall meet in better circumstances.”
Elizabeth glanced toward Lady Catherine. “I hope so, too.”
Jane and Elizabeth turned toward the path. Sarah followed, looked back at Georgiana, and ran ahead.
Lady Catherine saw them cross the lawn. “That dog entered the drive as though it belonged here.”
Hurst spoke from behind her. “The dog waited for permission.”
Lady Catherine turned.
He folded his newspaper beneath one arm. “That places her ahead of most visitors.”
Louisa looked away and Anne smiled. Georgiana met Caroline’s eyes and saw the relief gone from them.
Lady Catherine returned to the drawing room and chose the largest chair. “How long has this familiarity continued?”
Caroline followed. “Miss Eliza has visited Netherfield before.”
“And Darcy was here when she came.”
“He was.” Caroline sat near Lady Catherine, ready to supply each fact that might support her case. “He encountered Miss Eliza before the assembly, though he did not know her name. Since then, she has found cause to attract his notice at every gathering.”
Georgiana heard the distortion at once. Darcy’s letters had described no pursuit. He wrote of meetings, arguments, mistakes, and his own failure to understand Elizabeth. Caroline had turned his attention into Elizabeth’s design.
“Miss Elizabeth has not sought him,” Georgiana said.
Caroline looked at her. “You cannot know that.”
“My brother would know.”
Lady Catherine struck the carpet with her cane. “Your brother sees what this girl wishes him to see.”
Anne took the chair beside Georgiana. “That would require Miss Elizabeth to control both his eyes and his judgment.”
“She controls enough,” Caroline said. “He watches for her entrance and listens when she speaks. He has begun to excuse conduct he once condemned.”
Louisa set the tea things in order. “He has also begun to question judgments he formed without knowledge. That may not count as corruption.”
Caroline turned. “You have seen the same change.”
“I have seen a change. We differ on its cause.”
Lady Catherine fixed Louisa with a stare. “You permit this under your brother’s roof?”
“Charles owns Netherfield. He receives whom he chooses.”
“Mr. Bingley appears governed by every warm feeling that crosses his mind.”
Hurst lowered himself into his chair and opened the newspaper. “That is why people like him.”
“No one asked you,” Caroline said.
“That does not stop me from venturing an opinion.”
Lady Catherine ignored him. “Darcy should have left when he saw the character of the neighborhood.”
Georgiana thought of the letters hidden at Rosings and the care with which Darcy had admitted each error. “He may have stayed because his first judgment was wrong.”
“Darcy does not require correction from a country girl.”
“Then she cannot have changed him,” Anne said. “You cannot claim both.”
Caroline rose and went to the window. The path to Longbourn remained visible between the trees, though Jane, Elizabeth, and Sarah had passed from sight. “Whatever Miss Eliza intends, Mr. Darcy’s position makes caution necessary.”
Louisa watched her sister. “Whose caution?”
Caroline did not answer.
The sound of wheels came from the drive, followed by Bingley’s voice in the hall. Caroline turned from the window. Lady Catherine straightened in her chair and placed both hands upon her cane.
Georgiana looked toward the door, worried that Darcy had returned without warning of what awaited him inside.