Chapter 20 #2
"You have no idea who I am, but I shall introduce myself so that you may understand why you would be wise to treat me with greater caution.
I am General Marcus Aaron Sinclair, son of John Sinclair, Earl of Rockwell, and brother to the present Lord Rockwell.
I have had the honour of serving my country in numerous battles, for which I have been decorated.
A single word from me to His Majesty concerning your conduct today, madam, and I assure you that you will regret it.
Indeed, I shall request an interview with your brother at the earliest opportunity to inform him of the disgraceful treatment you have shown my…
niece. Miss Elizabeth is now a member of my family. "
Marcus drew a deep breath before continuing.
"I have not forgotten that you are a woman, though you have shown yourself to be anything but a lady.
Believe me when I tell you that, should I ever learn that you have again insulted or laid a hand upon my dear…
girl, I shall move heaven and earth to uncover every fault I can about you or your estate, and I shall not rest until I have ruined you. Do I make myself clear?"
He paused to let the weight of his words settle upon Lady Catherine. It was likely that no one had ever spoken to her in such a manner, perhaps in her entire life. He wanted Lady Catherine to be absolutely certain of how fearless he was of her, as only a person of a superior rank could be.
She was silent.
"I repeat, do I make myself clear?" he asked, using the general's voice he reserved for delivering the most dire of commands.
A wide-eyed stare and the tiniest nod of her head were the lady's only response. For the first time in a very long time, Lady Catherine was speechless.
Elizabeth remained in Marcus's embrace, listening as he finally put that dreadful woman in her place.
She was deeply moved when he called her my dear girl.
She could not understand why he was defending her with such fierce determination, yet she felt profoundly grateful and clung to him even more tightly.
For a brief moment, she looked up and met the General's eyes. He was gazing at her with unmistakable tenderness.
"Everything will be well, my dear girl. I shall take you back to London with your... aunt."
Mr Collins and Charlotte could scarcely believe what was happening. Lady Catherine had been speechless, but, of course, her silence did not last long.
"You are nothing but a liar. I know perfectly well that this young woman's uncle is nothing more than a merchant."
"I am not Mr Gardiner. The merchant to whom you refer possesses far more education and refinement than you ever shall.
I am Eleanor Sinclair's husband, or Lady Campbell, as you probably know her.
Whether you believe me or not is of no consequence to me, but I sincerely hope you heed my warning, for your own sake. Otherwise, you will live to regret it."
Turning to Charlotte, he added, "Madam, my niece and I are leaving."
"Allow me to accompany you," Charlotte replied.
Lady Catherine made another attempt to approach Elizabeth, but the General's protective stance gave her pause.
Nevertheless, she cried, "Before this woman leaves, she must give me the letter.
Do you know that your niece has met my nephew alone on more than one occasion?
Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Give me that letter at once! "
Elizabeth wanted nothing more than to leave the parsonage, but she would never surrender the letter to Lady Catherine.
She would not betray Mr Darcy's trust. Moreover, she was not certain whether Lady Catherine knew the truth about Miss Darcy and Mr Wickham, and she did not doubt that she would use such information to her own advantage, regardless of the harm it might cause that poor young lady.
"Leave me alone, Lady Catherine. General, please take me away from here."
"You obstinate girl..." Lady Catherine screamed.
"Aunt Catherine, enough! How dare you interfere in my affairs in such a manner?"
It was Mr Darcy.
When he entered the room, the first thing he saw was his aunt insulting Elizabeth.
Once he had silenced Lady Catherine, however, his attention turned immediately to the woman he loved.
He was startled to see Elizabeth clinging tightly to General Sinclair, while the general held her with equal protectiveness.
The disappointment that crossed his face was impossible to conceal, and it did not escape his aunt's notice.
"Lady Catherine, I think it is time for you to return to Rosings with us immediately," Richard said in a firm voice.
Then, turning to Marcus, he continued, "General, I am deeply sorry for everything that has happened here.
On behalf of my family and myself, I offer you my sincerest apologies. The same goes for you, Miss Bennet."
"This woman did not merely insult Miss Bennet; she also struck her. I shall speak to your father about this, Fitzwilliam. Thank you for your sincere apology."
At last, Marcus was able to leave the parsonage with Elizabeth. Charlotte accompanied them, while Mr Collins remained at Lady Catherine's side in complete silence, utterly at a loss as to what he ought to do.
"I am so sorry for everything that has happened, Eliza," Charlotte said.
"Do not worry, my dear friend. I know none of it was your fault."
The two friends embraced, and Elizabeth set out for London beside the man she believed to be her uncle.
◆◆◆
"I know nothing about that man, but I doubt he is as important as you claim."
"Aunt Catherine, your behaviour today was disgraceful.
How could you insult General Sinclair? Did you truly not know who he was?
General Sinclair is one of this country's living treasures, a national hero.
He will probably soon be raised to the peerage and granted a noble title.
He is also Lord Rockwell's brother, a man almost as wealthy as Darcy. "
Richard wanted his aunt to understand General Sinclair's true importance. During the carriage ride back to Rosings, she had tried to belittle the significance of the man who had threatened her.
"Enough, Fitzwilliam. Miss Bennet is gone, and the matter is settled. Pray cease troubling me with such unimportant matters."
Lady Catherine had no wish to discuss the subject any further. She had, however, noticed the expression on Mr Darcy's face while Richard listed the General's many distinctions.
"If you think I am troubling you now, just wait until the General speaks to my father. I am quite certain he will come here in person to tell you exactly what he thinks of your insulting a national hero, Aunt."
Richard continued to rebuke Lady Catherine throughout the journey.
She was beginning to feel uneasy at the thought that her brother might indeed come to reprimand her. She depended upon him in many respects, especially whenever the mortgage on Rosings had to be renewed.
Mr Darcy remained silent. He was struggling to master his temper before confronting his aunt. The moment he heard the general say that Lady Catherine had struck Elizabeth, he made a momentous decision.
At the same time, however, one question continued to torment him.
Why had General Sinclair come to fetch Elizabeth?
Why had he held her so protectively, and, more troubling still, why had Elizabeth clung to him in return?
What relationship could ever exist between them?
How could he hope to compete with a man like the General?
General Sinclair had appeared like a hero, rescuing Elizabeth from the dreadful Lady Catherine—and from the proud, arrogant Mr Darcy, who, only the day before, had insulted her while professing his ardent love.
For the first time, Mr Darcy was beginning to realise just how grievously he had erred.
When they finally arrived at Rosings, before her nephew could offer any excuse to leave, she addressed him directly.
"And you, Darcy, are you not going to say anything? Do not imagine that I do not know what you were doing with that woman out there all that time," Lady Catherine asked defiantly.
"I have a great many things to say, Lady Catherine, but I shall be brief, for I wish to leave this house as soon as possible.
First, Miss Bennet is a respectable young lady, and she and I have done nothing more than walk through the park and converse.
Second, I can scarcely believe that you sent your butler to spy on me.
I never imagined you could stoop so low.
Third, I have never been engaged to your daughter, nor shall I ever marry her, regardless of what you may say.
Fourth, I shall never forgive you for striking Miss Bennet, for by assaulting an honourable young lady such as she, you have brought disgrace upon both the Fitzwilliam and the Darcy families.
Finally, I shall never set foot in this house again.
Find someone else willing to indulge your temper, for I can no longer endure it.
Good day. Fitzwilliam, I shall wait for you in the carriage. "
Mr Darcy had almost reached the door when his aunt called after him in a mocking voice.
"And all this for a woman who will soon marry the general. They have been promised to each other all along, while you made a fool of yourself by giving her love letters..."
Mr Darcy did not hear another word. He had already left the room.
"Aunt Catherine, I trust you are not so foolish as to fail to realise that the scene you caused today will have serious consequences," the colonel said. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and left the house, making his way towards the carriage that awaited him.
Lady Catherine watched her nephew walk away. With an air of haughty defiance, she convinced herself that, as the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she had nothing and no one to fear.