Chapter Fourteen #2
Before Darcy could say anything, Elizabeth hurried to his sister’s side. “Perhaps you could help me choose the best seat for enjoying the music,” she said, taking Georgiana’s arm.
She gave Elizabeth a grateful smile, and the two women hastened toward the music room.
Aunt Catherine turned her attention once again to her wayward progeny. “You will obtain an annulment. I did not give permission.”
“I am of age,” Anne said levelly.
Her mother glared at her, confounded. Anne had been of age for many years.
Had it never occurred to her mother that she might someday have her own thought?
On the other hand, Darcy never suspected his cousin of possessing such a strong will.
Perhaps she had merely pretended to be amenable to her mother’s designs.
Darcy was beginning to admire his cousin’s fortitude.
Anne’s aunt regarded Lady Catherine. “They are in love.”
“I assure you I will be a fine husband for Anne,” Donaldson said stoutly, without apology.
Aunt Catherine drew herself up. “I forbid you to be married!”
Anne regarded her skeptically. “On whose authority? We were married in a church.”
Her mother grabbed Collins by his arm and pulled him forward. “You must stop this!”
Collins looked like he would rather be burned at the stake than embroiled in this dispute. “M-Me?” he stuttered.
“Do something…priestly. Make this go away!” Aunt Catherine waved her hands wildly.
“I do not know what I c-can—” Collins said. “An annulment m-must have the c-consent of the parties.”
His patroness pulled him closer to her. “An exorcism! Do you know how to perform an exorcism?”
Collins’s wide-eyed expression suggested he thought his patroness might be the person needing an exorcism. But he turned to Anne and scrutinized her closely. “She does not appear to be possessed by a demon.”
“She must be!” Spittle flew from Aunt Catherine’s mouth. Darcy had never seen her in such a state.
Darcy could not allow this farce to make a mockery of his musicale. “Enough, Aunt. You are causing a spectacle!”
Aunt Catherine glanced behind her and realized that her rants had drawn a small crowd. This was far superior entertainment than what the guests had expected. She flushed, realizing she had paraded family business before the ton.
However, she marched up to her daughter, pointing a finger in her face. “We will discuss this later.”
Anne nodded. “I look forward to it.” Her head held high, she led her party into the music room. Aunt Catherine glared at the other guests until they followed suit.
Then she stalked up to Darcy. “You must do something!”
“Why?”
“This is your doing!” she hissed.
“I have created a situation where Anne has married her beloved, and I am engaged to mine?” he asked with raised eyebrows. “Indeed, I am a villain.”
His aunt sniffed. “If you had only made her an offer—”
Darcy cut her off. There was no need to repeat this argument. “Perhaps you should return home and rest, Aunt Catherine. You are not a young woman, and so much agitation cannot be beneficial.” He looked meaningfully at Collins. “She is rather red in the face, think you?”
The clergyman, for once in his life, immediately understood what was necessary. He took his patroness’s arm. “Indeed, your color is high, madam. I beg you not to destroy your health!”
Darcy expected her to object, but she apparently felt as ill as she seemed. She sagged against Collins, causing him to stumble under her weight. “Perhaps I should.”
“I will call for your carriage,” Darcy said immediately. The sooner his aunt departed, the better for everyone. Not wishing to delay the musicale, he sent instructions for it to start without him.
He and Collins escorted Aunt Catherine out of the house and into her carriage. Darcy could at least be assured that Collins would take excellent care of his patroness.
As Darcy climbed the stairs to the Darcy House’s entrance, he realized he no longer needed to remain engaged to Elizabeth. Harwood was gone, and Anne was married. Elizabeth could throw him over without risking any dire consequences.
Rationally, this was good news. But, for some reason, Darcy’s heart raced, and his chest tightened. It was too soon. He wanted more time with Elizabeth.
But for now, he had a musicale to host. Time enough to worry about his odd reaction later.
***
Elizabeth sat next to Lady Sterling, hoping to talk to William after the event. But when he arrived, he took a chair left empty for him in the front row. Elizabeth startled, noting that Lady Julia was seated beside him. Had William arranged that?
The music was lovely. Miss Darcy and her friends were truly accomplished. At sixteen, Miss Darcy had achieved a level of proficiency on the pianoforte that Elizabeth could not hope to reach. No doubt she had an excellent practice instrument at Pemberley.
The space was unusually large for a music room; there must have been fifty people in attendance. Elizabeth surmised it was designed specifically for this purpose. Perhaps William’s mother had hosted musical entertainments.
The decor was elegant and tasteful, with no sign of the ostentatious gilt that drowned the viscount’s ballroom.
The wallpaper was pale blue, and the curtains were sturdy dark blue damask.
The furnishings were very au courant. Had William redecorated it since his mother’s death?
Elizabeth could not imagine the expense.
No part of Longbourn had been redecorated during her lifetime.
Despite the quality of the music, Elizabeth had difficulty concentrating on it. Now that Miss de Bourgh was Mrs. Donaldson, William did not need an excuse to avoid her. And Elizabeth need not worry about the viscount anymore. Should she offer to break off the engagement immediately?
No doubt it had occurred to him as well that they no longer needed to maintain the charade of an engagement. They had committed to the pretense through the end of the Season, but that was months away.
Would William want to wait? He might feel bound to continue the charade as promised. Was it cruel to continue their association? Was she an anchor around his neck?
It would be a relief to end the deception. The longer the charade continued, the heavier the weight of deceiving everyone became. A few times, she had nearly confessed all to Jane, but she did not want to tarnish her sister’s felicity with Mr. Bingley.
Once she returned to Hertfordshire, she could write to William and break off the engagement, so he would be free to make an offer to another—more suitable—woman.
She imagined him standing at the front of a church beside Lady Julia.
Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them away impatiently.
Regret was ridiculous. She had always known their “affaire” must come to an end.
Why should she mourn if it ended earlier than expected?
She had enjoyed a thrilling London adventure, far above anything she could have dreamed when she arrived at Sterling House.
She was willing to admit she had developed tender feelings for William, but that was her own fault.
I knew better than to engage my heart, but I let it happen anyway.
Foolishly, I confused fact and fantasy. No doubt the sentiments will fade once I am at Longbourn and away from William.
A clean break will let us both carry on with our lives.
In the front row, Lady Julia leaned over to William and whispered something in his ear with a smile. He laughed. The sight was like an arrow to Elizabeth’s heart, but she was a fool. Did I really suppose I was the only one who could make him laugh?
Elizabeth sighed, and Lady Sterling gave her hand a little squeeze, probably guessing what troubled her.