Till the End of Time, Mr Darcy

by Erin Berkeley

  “You have ruffled her feathers, my lady,” said Annie in low voice filled with amusement.

  Elizabeth said nothing in reply and instead turned to Georgiana Darcy who remained behind. The girl, only sixteen, had seemed disinclined to say anything since their arrival and taking tea in the parlour.

  Since her being at Lambton, she had heard from Wickham, who was now her sister, Lydia’s husband following their disgraceful elopement that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud; but the observation of a very few minutes upon their arrival convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy. She had even found her cringing at certain times when Lady Catherine’s pompous statements were exceptionally overbearing.

  Miss Darcy was taller than Elizabeth; and, though only sixteen, her figure was well formed with all the gracefulness and appearance of a well-bred lady. Of a certain, her handsomeness could not compare to her brother’s but the general aura of gracefulness and warmness were apparent on her face as to endear her to a stranger as herself. Also, Elizabeth having expected coldness and aloofness or at least some measure of disdain for her brother’s selection of a wife was very much relieved to observe otherwise.

  However though, she had found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable and she found herself of an anxiety now to elicit further conversation and make her acquaintance.

  “You are well from your travels, I hope?” she addressed the girl.

  “Yes, it was much pleasant with scarce disturbance.”

  Elizabeth smiled. Perhaps the removal of Lady Catherine was a good thing for the girl as she threw Elizabeth an uncertain smile that stole Elizabeth’s heart at once. For the second time, – the first being when Wickham ran away with her sister bringing upon disgrace to the Bennet family and necessitating Elizabeth’s marriage to Darcy – Elizabeth seriously doubted the truthfulness of Wickham’s claims about the Darcys. If she had not been witness to Darcy’s hauteur and disdain for those lower in status than he was, even his claims about him might be at peril of solidness in her mind.

  Deciding that a person may not be blamed for the family one was birthed into, Elizabeth entered into conversation directly with Georgiana Darcy and found that her sister in-law did the same with the readiness and ease of a well-bred lady, and they talked very pleasantly well into the evening.

  Chapter Ten

  Elizabeth found her spirits rising to their usual liveliness and playfulness again for the first time since she had been at her new home. This was on no other account but Georgiana Darcy whom she discovered to really be the sweetest, most attentive girl ever. Unlike her own younger sisters, Lydia and Kitty, whose heads were regrettably filled with nothing but petticoats and their unabashed love for redcoats and gossips, Elizabeth found an enlightened mind in Georgiana whose love and practice of music was genuinely tasteful and wonderful to behold. She was well informed without pretence or artifice like her other sister, Mary, who seemed to believe that her talents made up for her ordinary looks and hence developed a consequence and approbation that Elizabeth found mostly embarrassing.

  Georgiana was more like Jane, Elizabeth’s older sister, whom she loved dearly with her heart and was dearest to her in her family along with her father. Soft spoken with an easy disposition, Georgiana endeared herself more to her sister in-law every day and this, despite the opposition presented by Lady Catherine who would rather have none in her party acknowledge Elizabeth’s presence in the house at all.

  “I am afraid that Lady Catherine does not like me much,” said Elizabeth to Georgiana one evening while they played backgammon after supper. The lady under discourse was holding court with her daughter and governess and quite pointedly had asked Georgiana to join her several times until Elizabeth responded that she required her sister in-law’s attention.

  “There is not a person who Lady Catherine likes much, I must confess. So you must not take her disposition to you too much to heart,” responded Georgiana in low tones. “Except perhaps my brother whom she now is very likely to hold in lesser regard because...”

  The girl’s words faded at that point and Elizabeth reached out to touch her hand briefly in understanding. “Because he married me,” she completed and Georgiana nodded apologetically. “I am aware that Lady Catherine fancied that her daughter may be married to Mr. Darcy. Though I do not think they would have made an interesting match,” she said as she looked in Miss de Bourgh’s direction. The girl was of a sickly disposition and agreed much to everything her mother said. “Your brother would be thoroughly bored within a week of his marrying her,” she concluded with a nod.

  Her sister-in-law nodded her agreement and then a giggle escaped from her lips. Elizabeth could not but smile though she had no intelligence of what caused the rare amusement that livened the girl’s face so whereupon she could not hold herself from inquiring.

  “You called him Mr. Darcy,” said Georgiana.

  For a moment, Elizabeth could only wonder in confusion. But her sister-in-law’s meaning soon registered and her giggle joined.

  “It is with utmost regard for your fine character and complete disregard for his lack of, thereof, that I tell you that it is difficult to call him anything but that which I am used to addressing him by,” she whispered theatrically. “So uptight, calculating and overbearing are his looks that many people forget his first name the second it is mentioned in introduction. Mr. Darcy he is and will always be!” She did not desire to tell her new sister that she had called him by his first name in the privacy of their chambers while she was under the throes of his lovemaking.

  “I must agree with you, though I am his sister and should rather not. But I would allow that he is only that way with strangers. I have seen him with his friend, Mr. Bingley, and I daresay that there are no traces of condescension from one to another. He also relates quite well with Mr. Bingley’s sisters and to me. He simply is everything a sister may desire in a brother who is many years older than herself.”

  These words were the most that Elizabeth had witnessed her sister string together in one sentence and nothing but genuine care for her brother could have drawn such from the usually diffident girl. Of certain, Elizabeth had witnessed the work of Darcy’s scheming mind as regards the success of his plans which had thrown Jane and Mr. Bingley apart despite the blossoming love between the two. She, however, would not deign to argue with her sister about the virtues, or lack of it of her brother and decided instead to entreat that Georgiana play the pianoforte for them while tea arrived.

  The evening would have concluded on the note of gorgeous music that flew from Georgiana’s perfect fingers, but for Lady Catherine coming to station herself beside Elizabeth and commanding that her attention be diverted to her instead.

  “I shall have a word with you in private, Elizabeth Bennet,” said she in her most commanding tone.

  Perhaps if she had addressed Elizabeth with aught other than her maiden name, then she would have been in a much better disposition to be at ease with her. “No you may not, tonight, Lady Catherine. I am weary and would like nothing better than to retire to my bed after listening to Georgiana’s sweet music. We shall have a discourse tomorrow if you still wish, but not tonight.”

  “Headstrong girl! So be it,” the lady hissed at her and went away in a flurry of colourful evening dress that echoed her dissatisfaction to be spoken to in such open manner. The lady, thereafter, sat close to Georgiana at the pianoforte ever ready to offer praises and advice in much the same breath, adding that her daughter Anne had surpassing excellent taste in music and would have fared better than her niece had her health permitted her to practise.

  Observing the scene in quietness, Elizabeth was certain that this woman had received very few contradictions in her life and was increasingly displeased by Elizabeth’s unwillingness to bend to her every whim like everyone else was wont to do. She decided there and then that it would be a great pleasure, indeed, to increase the numbers of contradictions she received from thence onwards when the circum
stances so permit. Let it not be said that she condoned a bully in her own home regardless of the relation of the person.

  As it happened, the circumstance presented itself the very next day when Lady Catherine requested that Georgiana must take some time to teach Anne some drawing lessons. The two had been about to take a turn in the garden when Lady Catherine interrupted their plans. Elizabeth had a half mind to insist that Georgiana remain with her but, she figured that if the lady was desperate to hold a discourse with her, she might as well get the deed done with at the earliest.

  Together, they took the path that led towards the river and entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water in total silence. Elizabeth allowed herself to be fascinated once again by the noble rise and fall of the Pemberley grounds and the serenity of the woods to which they were now approaching. She must have walked this aspect of the grounds three or four times since she moved to Pemberley but she never failed to be moved by the sights. She soon began to yearn for the pleasant company of Georgiana and wished that they were together so they could marvel in the sights as one. Lady Catherine was silent beside her, leading Elizabeth to wonder why she had schemed to have her to herself when she desired to hold her silence.

  By the time they entered the woods, she had given up hope of the pleasant company that would have made the exercise worthwhile and shifted her attention to enjoying the view by herself. She wondered idly how her husband was fairing on his trip to see his steward. The days they spent together following their wedding were short and she had not a complete understanding of his many commercial engagements. She knew that he was master and landlord of properties here in Derbyshire but knew little else of his other occupations. She wondered if he expected her not to show interest in his businesses and if she would have to engage him in a debate to get him to tell her all about his engagements for she was very much interested about learning. She had not allowed her mind to dwell much on his thoughts these past weeks, she admitted, because doing so only elicited vivid images of naked bodies and tangled bed sheets.

  “Miss Bennet,” came the voice of her ladyship at last, intruding most unwelcomingly on Elizabeth’s thoughts. “You ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But I have observed that you have been nothing but wilful and unacceptably assertive towards me. You have been with me at Rosings Park and I expect that I shall meet a far more reasonable young woman and that I will be treated with much civility and obsequiousness than you have shown me, but I should have expected no less from a person of your family connections whose education your own self have admitted to being sorely neglected. You must know that my character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. I must tell you that I am not pleased about this business of your marriage with my beloved nephew. I wonder unceasingly at what whims and wiles you might have used upon him, but I do not find you exceedingly handsome or entirely accomplished to attract his attention in the least. Have no doubt, I gained intelligence of your deviousness on him at the gathering which held at Gracehill manor. Certainly, you must have schemed and connived to have him in exactly that position knowing how honourable he is.”

  Elizabeth could not allow her to continue such fallacy. “Were you also told that I refused your nephew’s hands several times before he prevailed upon my family to convince me?”

  Lady Catherine dismissed her interruption with a wave of her hands. “That is nothing but a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, knowing how honourable a man he is. But then, you must have planned your scheme well to portray yourself an unwilling party when you were eyeing his wealth the entire time. Your sister did the same thing going off with that Wickham boy. Yes, you must know that I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement. What a disgraceful thing indeed! I know also that the young man's marrying her was a quick patched-up business to avoid her ruination, conducted at the expense of your disadvantaged father and uncle.”

  Elizabeth’s entire being trembled with disdain and anger. “I shall not endeavour to dissuade you from this line of thought seeing as your mind is made up to think so little of me and my family. Pray tell, is this all you wished to say to me? To insult me in this manner? If it is, we may depart each other’s company now and enjoy the tour of the grounds without the necessity of hampering the other’s progress.

  “Not so at all, if you please. I have by no means done with this conversation, Miss Bennet.”

  Elizabeth bristled. “You may wish to begin calling me by my husband’s name now, Lady Catherine,” she gritted.

  The lady’s face was stubbornly set. “I shall do no such thing. The title of the Lady of Pemberley belongs to my daughter. Have you not heard me say this many times while you were at Rosings?”

  They were now at the opening of the trees having climbed a fairly high rising ground which caused the ladyship to breathe heavily. Or perhaps, it was her agitation and anger at Elizabeth which caused her belaboured breath. At that time, she glared at Elizabeth and invited her to sit with her beneath one of the woody trees for a spell. Elizabeth obliged, knowing that she would certainly not be delighted at whatever it was the woman had more to say to her.

  Her eyes wandered the charming views of the valley, the opposite hills, and surrounding trees. Her home was indeed beautiful and she was beginning to feel a sort of protective nature towards it. Pemberley was truly her home regardless of her feeling for its master. She was not going to be intimidated in it.

  “I have been longing to set you straight and will not hesitate to do so and have come down here especially so that I might make my sentiments known to you. The engagement between my nephew and daughter is of a peculiar kind which was designed by myself and his mother while in their cradles. You must see, therefore, that we have meant that the union must be accomplished even when one of us is gone. But here you are, Miss Bennet, a young woman of inferior birth wholly unallied to the family tearing apart the wish of two mothers! Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his dear departed mother? Even you cannot be lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy as to do this to a great family such as ours.”

  “But already I am married to your nephew. I do not intend to leave my marriage based on some scheming which, if he chose to uphold, he would not have offered me his hand. Though the plan to marry Miss de Bourgh might have been made early ago, I daresay that the finality of it rested with Mr. Darcy and he has made his choice but clear!”

  For the first time, Elizabeth wished that their marriage was the romantic type wrought by confessions of love, but it was not, and she felt pained that Lady Catherine knew this.

  “Only because of your deviousness in bringing him to the offer,” cried she. “You must tell me, was the marriage consummated before his going away?”

  Elizabeth was mortified by the question. Really, the audacity of the woman was appalling and it was realized that she was greatly incensed to her course of action.

  “You may not ask me such questions on my property or out of it, Lady Catherine!” she cried.

  “This is not to be condoned,” insisted the ladyship. “Miss Bennet, I insist on being satisfied this very moment. Has he, has my nephew, gone into you as man and wife? If he hasn’t then – and even if he has, there is much to be saved from this unfortunate situation. I shall make you an offer more interesting than marriage to him if you would leave him. I shall give you my word – and you may be rest assured that I do not give it lightly – that I shall see to it that your sisters are well established in occupation or in marriage to a man worthy of them in rank and other matters. I shall make a nice allowance of two thousand a year to your mother and father and establish your dowry to a man you so desire. What say you, Miss Bennet?”

  Elizabeth concluded that Lady Catherine’s obsession was great indeed and ruined her sanity to an immense degree. Her proposition was wild and the assumptions that she w
ould be willing to take such inducement to discard her wedding vows was preposterous in all its presentation.

  “I must say to you, Lady Catherine, that you have greatly misjudged my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these,” said she in a trembling manner due to the enormity of her anger. “I cannot tell how much your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, but I can tell you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine. You have crossed your boundaries in all ramifications, and I must, therefore, beg to be importuned no farther on the subject. I shall take my leave of your presence now. I do not desire to draw from the same air as you.”

  “Miss Bennet,” cried Lady Catherine as Elizabeth rose on her feet. “If you wilfully act against my inclinations, know this – you will have directly set yourself against me and those beloved to him. You shall be despised by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us!” she flung carelessly.

  Elizabeth turned back to glance at the woman without disguising her revulsion. “These are heavy misfortunes indeed,” she said in ill-veiled sarcasm. “However, as the wife of Mr. Darcy, I am fortunate to have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to this situation that I could possibly have no cause to regret.” Her hand swept the entirety of the valley giving meaning to her words.

  Lady Catherine gasped, holding her bosom in great anger. “You shameless, selfish girl! You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew even when a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody? You must rethink your course!”

  Elizabeth began to walk away. “I have nothing further to say to you. You now know my sentiments in this matter. Goodbye, Lady Catherine.”

  “Is this really your final resolve? Very well! I had expected to meet a reasonable well-bred woman in you, but I know better now which course of action to take. Do not imagine, Miss Bennet, that your designs on my nephew shall ever be gratified. I came to try to persuade you and you have failed in that regard. Depend therefore on it that I will carry out my point of seeing you depart in one way or the other!”