Chapter 22

Netherfield Hall

9 th November, 1811

Georgiana relaxed back on the ottoman, sipping her tea. Anne was seated on the padded bench before the pianoforte, carefully picking out a simple tune, pausing often to glance up at the sheet music in front of her before restarting. Mrs. Annesley sat close beside, observing Anne's progress, ready to help any time the young woman needed it.

The music was not truly enjoyable, especially to one of Georgiana's expertise, but she well remembered her own hesitance and mistakes upon just starting to learn, and joy welled in her heart at the thought of her dear cousin and friend belatedly having a chance to learn to play. Anne was definitely thriving, far from her mother's tyranny, surrounded by friendly faces. She had finally begun to put on weight and was now looking far more healthy. She had even had a few new dresses made by a local dressmaker, which embraced the simpler country styles. Georgiana was confident that the new dresses, which were far less cumbersome and uncomfortable than the highly ornate styles Lady Catherine preferred, were helping Anne feel well.

Georgiana was also happy here at Netherfield. She felt far more cheerful and lively than she ever did in Town, and being with her beloved Fitzwilliam made her feel safe. She was grateful, too, for his attentiveness, as he spent at least a part of each day with her. Even her mind was more at ease as she accepted what Fitzwilliam assured her was true, that Ramsgate had been scarcely her fault at all. She was young, and the much older and cannier Wickham, and his accomplice, Mrs. Younge, had dealt with her treacherously.

But now Wickham had fled far away, and Mrs. Younge with him, and the future was looking bright indeed. She was safe and protected to finish growing up, and her brother and cousins and her Matlock aunt and uncle would help her enter society when she was ready. And one day, if she decided she wished to marry, Fitzwilliam and her uncle would help her find a suitable husband, who would honor and respect her rather than try to seduce her away to marry over the anvil in Scotland.

"Anne, what are you doing ?" an unwelcome voice cried out from the doorway.

The sudden, strident question caused Anne to crash the keys in a discordant jangle of notes, and Georgiana set her teacup down so suddenly that some of the warm liquid spilled onto her lap.

"Mother!" Anne exclaimed, staring in disbelief at Lady Catherine de Bourgh. "What are you doing here?"

"I am here to talk to Darcy about his absurd decision to ... but Anne, what do you imagine you are doing? You are not well enough to play the pianoforte! You will find yourself in bed with one of your megrims. Now stand up and move away from the instrument immediately."

Anne hesitated and then shook her head. "I will not, Mother. I feel very well indeed, and playing the pianoforte is hardly fatiguing. It is not as if I am climbing a tree!"

Lady Catherine looked astonished at these fighting words from her always meek daughter and took a few enraged steps forward. "Anne, get up this instant and take to your bed. I should have known this would happen when you left without Mrs. Jenkinson. You simply must..."

"Lady Catherine!" a male voice bellowed, and Georgiana, who had been cringing as her aunt's speech grew louder, heaved a great sigh of relief as her brother appeared in the doorway, his back erect, his eyes flashing.

"What is the meaning of this?" Darcy continued, striding into the room to tower over his aunt. "How dare you march into my friend Bingley's home and begin giving orders to his guest?"

"Anne is my daughter, and she will listen to me!" Lady Catherine snapped, and then, observing the truly thunderous expression on her nephew's face, fell silent, rather to her own astonishment.

Darcy, noticing his sister's wide eyes and fearful demeanor, managed to turn a comforting smile on her. "My dear sister and cousin, please, will you not accompany Mrs. Annesley out of this room so I can speak to Lady Catherine?"

Anne, who looked torn between outrage and fear, hesitated and then stood up and walked over to Georgiana. "Shall we, Cousin?"

"Certainly," Georgiana replied and was surprised that her voice did not quaver.

Lady Catherine awoke from her stupor in time to reach out a claw in an attempt to grasp Anne's arm, but her daughter avoided the hand with ease, and left the room with Georgiana at her side and Mrs. Annesley in their combined wake.

The door shut behind them, and Darcy said, "Lady Catherine, I suppose your arrival here is no surprise given that we met Mr. Collins some days ago, and I assume he sent word that Anne and I are guests here at Netherfield Hall. But how dare you stalk in and berate my cousin in such a way?"

"I am her mother," the lady began blustering, and then, again, fell silent when Darcy took another step forward, his countenance truly forbidding.

"Anne is five and twenty, and well able to manage her own life," Darcy declared. "Furthermore, she is obviously doing far better physically here at Netherfield than she did either in Town or at Rosings."

"She has always been sickly. It is irresponsible of her to live away from Doctor Bamber in Kent."

"While I have no intention of marrying Anne, I assure you that I will take care that if she falls ill, she will receive excellent medical care."

Lady Catherine snorted so dramatically that Darcy was reminded, for a moment, of an irritable bull.

"If you would do your duty and marry Anne," she said petulantly, "and not chase after blonde country girls, I would not be concerned..."

"What?" Darcy interrupted, astonished.

"You asked Miss Jane Bennet to dance with you twice at some ball, Nephew! Now the girl insists that you are not courting her, and I suppose I must believe it, but to ask a girl of no connections to dance is not worthy of the Darcy name. What were you thinking?"

Darcy was so thunderstruck that it took him a moment to recover sufficiently to speak.

"You spoke to Miss Bennet?" he finally rasped.

"I did," his aunt declared, lifting her chin. "I visited Longbourn before I came here, and while Miss Bennet is, I suppose, an attractive young woman, she is definitely not a suitable bride for a Darcy."

Darcy gulped, his vision filled with that of Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

"What did you say to the Bennets?" he demanded, suddenly furious.

"You will not take that tone with me, Nephew! I am almost the nearest relation you have in the world and am entitled to know your dearest concerns."

"Georgiana is my nearest relation, and furthermore, I assure you that I am far closer, and fonder, of my cousins, and Lord and Lady Matlock. Lady Catherine, I am frankly appalled at your decision to call at Longbourn, and what, berate Miss Bennet because I asked her to dance with me?"

"You asked for two sets! That is beyond the pale..."

The door opened at this juncture, and the combatants turned as Bingley, dressed in buckskin breeches and a green coat, stepped within and shut the door behind him.

"Darcy?" the younger man asked in confusion.

Darcy took a deep breath and said, "Bingley, allow me to present my aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is also mother to my cousin Anne. Lady Catherine, Mr. Charles Bingley."

Bingley bowed as Lady Catherine turned plum red with indignation. Darcy, watching her, could not regret his decision to introduce his aunt to Bingley first, instead of the other way around; it served his interfering aunt right!

"Lady Catherine," Bingley said, "it is an honor to meet you."

"It is," the lady replied, tilting her nose further skyward. "Now, I require a room for the night, and one for my maid as well. I wish for my bedchamber to be next to my daughter's."

"No," Darcy said firmly before Bingley, who was obviously confused, could reply. "I believe there is a pleasant inn in Meryton, Aunt. You may spend the night there if you wish."

"Do not be absurd! You cannot think that I, the daughter of an earl, would demean myself in such a way! Such places never air the sheets properly, nor would the food be to my liking!"

"You may do what you wish, but you will not stay here," Darcy said coldly. "Town is less than thirty miles, and if you leave now, you will arrive at the de Bourgh house before nightfall."

"Nonsense. I insist on staying here! I have not seen Anne for far too long. I am certain Mr. Bingley would not be so cruel as to deny me the chance to spend some time with my only child!"

Bingley stared, wide eyed, at the intruder, and then cast a bewildered, anxious, pleading look on Darcy.

Darcy sighed. Bingley was an amiable man, and it would be difficult for him to refuse an earl's daughter lodging for the night.

"It is your choice, of course, Bingley; this is your house, and we are but guests. If Lady Catherine stays, however, I will spend the night at the inn at Meryton, along with Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley. I will also invite Anne to join us. Given your appalling behavior today, Lady Catherine, I will not stay the night under the same roof."

Lady Catherine listened to this with growing incredulity, and exclaimed, "What are you speaking of? I have done nothing wrong!"

"You descended on an entirely innocent family and harangued and insulted them. It is insupportable!"

Bingley turned pale. "Which family?"

"The Bennets," Darcy said and felt his stomach lurch uncomfortably. "My aunt took it upon herself to berate Miss Bennet for supposedly tempting me..."

"She insulted Miss Jane Bennet!?" Bingley interrupted, his demeanor changing from courteous gentleman to enraged tiger in a moment. "Lady Catherine, you are not welcome here. I order you to leave this house immediately!"