Chapter 22

22

D ays passed with Darcy meeting regularly with his uncle and cousin as well as her father. Despite the flurry of activity, her husband had nothing new to report. It was as if Lord Armstrong was as moral as any other gentleman of his status, which was a relief to Elizabeth. Lord and Lady Armstrong were lofty-minded, but there was no evidence that they were cruel except to each other. Perhaps when Charlie was older, his future guardian would bend his arrogance to bring some joy to the lad.

Elizabeth scoffed. How had she ever judged Darcy to be prideful and arrogant? He was everything a gentleman ought to be. Especially in the privacy of their chambers, he had shown her how giving, gentle, and generous he was. Her love for him grew with each hour.

She had taken to spending much of her days in the nursery. Georgiana was often at Darcy House, enjoying the company of Mary far more than Kitty and Lydia. The two young ladies had a love of music in common. Georgiana helped Mary to balance her desire to shine with modestly knowing her limits. Under her kind tutelage, Mary was blossoming. On the other hand, Mary encouraged Georgiana to move past her shyness.They both were eager to hold the twins. Georgiana favored Charlie, while Mary and Clara had an understanding of sorts.

What joy Elizabeth discovered when the girls came to the nursery. Babies were grand equalizers. It did not matter to the twins who were rich or poor, only that someone doted on them.

Somber Mary competed with Cook for Clara’s affections. Lydia and Kitty were head over heels in love with Charlie. Lydia had the habit of reporting every minute detail of the latest Gothic novel to the little boy. Darcy, who also spent hours in the nursery, later reported that Charlie was hearing a skewed opinion from his aunt about how to court a lady properly.

“My question to you, dear husband, is whether or not you know how to properly woo a lady, for I remember none of your attentions having any success.” Elizabeth loved his reaction when she teased. He lit up like a new day dawning.

“Ha! You were not paying attention, dear wife.”

She could not believe how quickly he let down his natural guard when they were alone. He was a marvelous companion. If it was not for the custody battle, she was convinced they would have a peaceful life.

Exactly fourteen days after Lord and Lady Armstrong arrived and departed from Darcy House, another visitor with equally strong opinions of her own superiority came unannounced. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy’s aunt and Lord Matlock’s eldest sister, along with her daughter and personal clergyman, swept into their home, attempting to turn everything upside down.

“Darcy, I will not be opposed. Reports of a most egregious nature left me no alternative but to leave my estate for Town.” The grand lady, wearing decades-old garments and a turban wrapped tightly around her head, thumped her gold-handled walking stick on the carpet-covered floor, muting the sound effect to her annoyance. “Is it true that you married without my express permission? That you are hiding children from a nobleman? And that you are harboring a house full of miscreants from Hertfordshire under your roof?” Without waiting for a reply, she continued. “I cannot accept that any of these rumors are based in truth, for I am nearly your closest living relative. It would be most unlike anyone in the family to move forward on a matter as serious as wedlock without my consent. You must do what you can to stop these vicious rumors from spreading, or Georgiana’s prospects for an equal marriage will be doomed. What would my sister, your mother, say to know these unsavory charges are being brought against you?”

When she paused for a breath, Elizabeth ordered tea from a very patient housekeeper. Mrs. Price, who stood directly behind Lady Catherine, only rolled her eyes at the outlandish commentary, which Elizabeth thought to be a minor miracle, for Elizabeth had yearned to do it at least four times.

“Aunt Catherine, please allow me to introduce my wife. Afterward, I shall ask Mrs. Darcy’s family to attend us. The babies will remain in the nursery.”

Lady Catherine’s jaw hit the floor. “You dare to suggest that these claims against you are true? Have you completely lost your senses?”

Darcy held out his hand to Elizabeth. She stood next to him. “You have only been misinformed as much as to the nature of my marriage and new relations being unsavory, which I never want to hear in my home again. My wife’s family are gentry. My wife is a gentleman’s daughter. Since I am the son of the same, in this, we are equal.”

“Bah! You are the grandson of an earl, my own father, which renders you far above this new family that you dare claim. Everyone knows that you cannot be wed to anyone other than my Anne. From the cradle, your mother and I arranged your marriage to my daughter. This…” she pointed a bony finger at Elizabeth, “this interloper needs to be gone from Anne’s rightful place at your side.”

Elizabeth was surprised to see no reactions from Miss de Bourgh. Would she not speak up for herself? Was she not upset that her mother was speaking like her own daughter was not even in the room?

For as much as Elizabeth occasionally felt that her mother crossed the line when it came to good manners, Francine Bennet would never treat a child like they did not have an opinion, even if she disagreed with said opinion.

Lady Catherine gestured to her clergyman, a heavyset young man with greasy hair and thick fingers. “Tell them as a man of God that the church will not sanction this supposed marriage. Tell them they should not defame the institution of wedlock by claiming something entirely impossible.”

The imbecile clasped the lapels of his coat, rocking forward on his toes and back. “As my esteemed patroness states, her nephew is obligated by familial duty to marry his cousin and no other.”

“Enough!” Darcy’s voice rang throughout the room. “You will cease immediately. Mrs. Darcy and I are legally and morally man and wife. Nothing you can say or do will change that.” He gave his full attention to his cousin, who looked exhausted.

“Anne, would a quiet room and a meal alone refresh you? Shall I have Mrs. Price send a maid to assist you?”

Without looking up from the floor, she nodded.

Elizabeth stepped forward to aid Darcy’s cousin to stand, helping her walk to the door.

“Oh, good lord!” Lady Catherine exclaimed. “Thank god! She is nothing more than a servant. I thought she was your bride.”

Elizabeth barely refrained from laughing when Darcy roared, “What! Of course, she is my wife.”

Speaking softly to Miss de Bourgh, who was barely able to stand on her own, Elizabeth said, “I believe it is best to allow aunt and nephew to find their way past this, do you not agree?”

Miss de Bourgh nodded before they cleared the doorway. Calling upon two of the footmen to provide aid, Elizabeth escorted her to a ready chamber in the family section. Lady Catherine and her parson could stay in the other wing or on another floor if they chose to remain in the house after Darcy finished adjusting the lady’s opinions.

She did not need to hear the altercation. Her husband would gladly share everything that was said later unless it was offensive. Elizabeth already noted that he would do nothing to intentionally hurt her unless it affected the twins.

Lady Catherine had no clue that she was up against a man as stubborn as she was when it came to protecting his own. And Elizabeth was definitely his own.

When the Bennets entered the drawing room prior to dinner, Darcy was not unhappy when his aunt barely acknowledged them. As soon as Darcy began the introduction, the clergyman snapped to attention.

“Bennet? You are Mr. Bennet of Longbourn? Why, I am your heir, Mr. William Collins, humble servant of my patroness, the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh.” He barely paused for a reply. “I had planned to attend you in November 1811 for the purpose of examining the estate and possibly taking one of your daughters as a bride. However, I was required to cancel my travel to care for a small matter in the parish. How is your health? How is Longbourn? Have you abandoned my future estate, then? Have you settled here as your permanent residence? Are you ill? Do I need to hurry to Hertfordshire to oversee my future home?”

Mr. Bennet chuckled while Mrs. Bennet’s mouth narrowed into a highly offended frown. Miss Mary’s gasped in shock at his effrontery. Miss Kitty and Miss Lydia chortled.

“La!” Miss Lydia laughed. “We are away from home not more than two weeks in the dead of winter and you fear our estate is falling apart? Tell me, Mr. Collins, do you know anything at all about estate management? Why, I am but a young lady who has no interest in running a property, but even I know that most landowners are enjoying the season away from their holdings. Besides, has not your great patroness abandoned her estate to be here?”

Darcy glanced at Mr. Bennet to see how he would respond. When he first arrived at Netherfield Park, Darcy’s few exposures to Elizabeth’s father secured his opinion that the man had a sarcastic bent he cruelly used on his wife and daughters. Yet, when he replied, he was a far different man.

“Mr. Collins, if you have not noticed, both Mr. Darcy and I have a black armband on our sleeve. Our wives and my daughters are dressed in black. The loss of my eldest daughter in childbirth has changed every aspect of our lives. Currently, my sole priority is to assist the ladies in my family to move forward with dignity and grace. Being away from Longbourn now is an escape from the weighty memories that surrounded us. Additionally, my two grandchildren are here under the care of my second eldest and her husband, not in Meryton. My former son-in-law’s family is threatening these same children. We are determined to do all within our power to see to their future. Thus, where else would we be?”

Mr. Collins looked to Lady Catherine, apparently unsure of how to reply.

His aunt thumped her walking stick three times in rapid succession. “What do you mean that your former son-in-law’s family is trying to remove the children from here? Who are they to take anything away from Darcy?”

Mr. Collins’s expressionwas a mixture of greed mottled with sly stupidity. “Is one of your grandchildren a boy? Is he expecting to inherit once you are gone? Surely, your grandson cannot have Longbourn ahead of me.” He poked his chest with his thumb.

“My grandson is not yet one month old, so as intelligent as I believe him to be, he has no great expectations of taking anything away from you, Mr. Collins. To answer you, Lady Catherine, our grandson’s aunt on his father’s side, is married to a powerful man with friends in high places who insists on making little Charlie his heir, leaving Clara behind. His petition and ours are in front of the Court of Chancery. According to the order of the Lord Chancellor, we have two weeks remaining before we will lose my grandson forever to Lord Armstrong.”

“Malcolm Armstrong? Who is he to us? I have heard his name. A baron compared to an earl?” Lady Catherine scoffed. “Darcy, tell the court who your grandfather on your mother’s side was. That will be all that is necessary to settle this matter. A baron? Bah!”

“The Lord Chancellor knows, Aunt Catherine.” Darcy watched in amazement as his aunt transferred her ire at his marriage to the aunt and uncle of the twins.

“What has been done? How can they be worked upon?” she demanded. “Why, had I known about this, I would not have hesitated to attend the Lord Chancellor himself. Who is he, some court-appointed judge who thinks more of himself than he should?”

“He is Sir Robert Hendricks, Aunt.”

“I see.” She deflated in front of his eyes. “I am aware of who he is and the connections he has to the throne. My father and grandfather were embroiled in a lengthy land dispute with the Hendricks that ended up in Matlock’s favor. He hates all Fitzwilliams. You will get no justice there.”

Darcy groaned. His wife’s expression was crestfallen. For the millionth time, he wished his aunt could exercise self-control. It was not to be.

“Mr. Bennet, are your daughters out?”

“Yes, Lady Catherine.”

“All out? How odd to have three younger daughters out in company when only the eldest two wed. Did they have a governess?”

“No, Lady Catherine.”

“No governess? What sort of upbringing have they had then?”

Without hesitation, his father-in-law answered, “The sort of upbringing that qualified my Jane to be married to a wealthy young man with a heart of gold and my Elizabeth to your own nephew. Each of my girls are rational creatures who require little direction, Lady Catherine. ”

Darcy saw Miss Lydia elbow her sister Kitty. “Did you know that we are rational creatures? Papa said so. I understand the creatures part but why ever would he consider either of us to be rational?”

Darcy hoped his aunt could not hear the girls. He knew their father could when Mr. Bennet glanced in their direction. Poor Elizabeth pretended to cough to keep her composure. Mrs. Bennet paid her youngest no mind. From the moment Mr. Collins identified himself as Longbourn’s heir, she had not ceased scowling at him.

His aunt continued her offensive questioning during dinner. Mr. Bennet handled her with equanimity, leaving Darcy and Elizabeth to enjoy their meal.

As his gaze settled on one person, then the next, Darcy never would have thought such a motley crew would entertain him. Yet, when Elizabeth reached under the table to clasp his hand in hers, he would have welcomed even the most distant Bennet cousin to his dining room. They were not a quiet group. In fact, the younger girls were rather noisy in their attempts to engage Anne in conversation. For better or worse, Lady Catherine appreciated their efforts, leaving them alone for the moment.

It was a fragile sort of peace, but he would take it as long as it existed. After that, he would take charge, keeping Elizabeth’s life as easy as possible.

He entwined his fingers with hers, stroking her palm with the pad of his thumb. Family meant more and more to him each day. Leaning toward his wife, he whispered, “We need to keep everyone, including the children, with us, Elizabeth, for always.”

Her eyes widened in pleasure. “I agree.”