by Zoë Burton
“I hope that, by the time the threat is gone, we will be back at Pemberley and you may walk about as much as you choose.” Darcy kissed her nose. “Thank you, my love. I will rest easier knowing you are safe.”
“That is why I have agreed, my darling. I know you and your protectiveness. I do not want to cause you undue worry.” Smiling at her dear husband, she pulled his head down and gently caressed his lips with her own.
Chapter 7
Rosings, Kent
Lady Catherine, Lord Matlock, and his sons greeted the surprised butler as they entered the manor house, handing their hats, gloves, and sundry other items to him.
“Where can my niece be found at this time of the day?”
Thatcher bowed to the gentlemen, curious as to their sudden appearance and his mistress’ strange silence, but knowing that he could not ask about it. “She is in her rooms, my lord. Shall I call for her?”
“No, please do not. I would rather she not know we are here just yet. I need you to call the staff together for me, but first, send me three of your strongest footmen. We shall meet them in the library, I think. Oh,” he added as the butler bowed again, “See that tea and a meal are sent to us, as well. Something substantial, not those tiny things the ladies call sandwiches.”
“As you wish, sir.” Thatcher bowed again before turning and walking away. His first order of business would be to send the footmen to the library. He knew just the men he would send. The long-time servant’s steps became lighter as he considered Lord Matlock’s reasons for his odd orders. He knew it was unfounded, but hope spread in his breast that certain things in the house would change.
Turning to his sister, Matlock inquired as to her preferences.
“I would like to bathe and change my gown. However, Anne’s rooms are very near to mine, and the activity may alert her to my presence.”
“Then let me set the guards at her door before you go up. Come, sit in the library with us for now.”
No sooner were Lady Catherine and her guests settled in their seats than a knock sounded on the door. Tansley, being seated closest, stood and strode across the room. Peeking out, he saw three men in Rosings livery standing in the hall, and opened the door wider to allow them in.
“Come in, come in. Stand here, if you please.” Lord Matlock indicated the center of the seating area where he and his family were reclining. “Tell me your names.”
“I am Taylor, sir, and this is Jones and Hall.” The speaker and his companions looked as though they might run.
Matlock, aware as he was of the unease of his sister’s staff on an everyday basis, much less when something new and unexplained happened, sought to put their minds at rest. Once he had assured them of their safety and encouraged their honesty, he explained the task he was setting them to do.
The footmen, though they trusted Lady Catherine’s brother, still looked to her for confirmation that what he said was true and that they should obey his directives. Finally convinced, they assured Lord Matlock that they were happy to do as he bid, and hurried away to Miss de Bourgh’s rooms, stationing themselves in such a way as to prevent her from leaving her rooms through any of the doors.
In the library, Lord Matlock was interviewing the house staff. Lady Catherine, after seeing the reactions of the footmen, decided to stay to answer any questions they had and reassure them that she supported her brother in his investigation. Most simply looked relieved, but a few of the more outspoken maids asked questions, looking for assurances about their positions and safety. Once everyone was satisfied, the group was dismissed.
“I will go now, Brother, and have that bath. Thank you for taking care of this. For the first time since Lewis died, I have hope that things will become peaceful once again.”
Lord Matlock stepped toward her and grasped her hands in his. “I am sorry that it has taken me so long to do it. I wish with all my heart that you had come to me earlier; we may have prevented much of the chaos.” He pulled her into a hug. “I love you, Cathy. You have been my only sister for many years now. I do not want you to suffer, especially not in your own home.”
Lady Catherine clung to her brother, enjoying the physical contact with another person that she had been denied so long. Eventually, though, she pulled back, schooling herself into the strong-willed woman she was reputed to be. “Thank you, Henry. You are a good man; our parents would be proud. Now, I will let you three discuss what you will. There will be hot water for bathing in your chambers, whenever you get up there.”
~~~***~~~
Anne never noticed her family’s arrival, as she was confined to her room. She did not feel well, and, not expecting anyone, much less her mother, had elected to remain in her bedchamber, resting. That evening, when she finally descended from her room, she found to her surprise that half of her mother’s side of the family awaited her in the drawing room. Stopping abruptly, Anne looked from one to the other, her suspicions raised by their sudden appearance.
“Mother, I did not know you had returned. I assume you were successful in your quest?” As she spoke, Anne glided into the room and around the end of a sofa. She stopped, curtseyed to her uncle and cousins as she greeted them, and sat on the edge of the seat, her bearing that of one who was in charge of her domain. “Uncle, I was unaware that you planned to visit.”
“It was a spontaneous decision. Your cousin required my assistance, and when I arrived, I learned that your mother was returning,” Matlock smiled at his sister, who smiled faintly back. “So I offered to deliver her here to you. How are you, Niece? Thatcher informs us that you kept to your rooms today; I hope that you are not coming down with something.”
“I did feel unwell this morning, but that is not unusual. A little rest is all I needed, so I took it.” Anne was becoming annoyed with the unprecedented attention she was receiving from her uncle. Usually, when any of the family visited, they did not speak to her at all beyond a greeting, and she encouraged that behavior by not starting conversations with anyone. She had made an art of appearing to others as a sickly and timid girl. A glance at her cousins gave her more reason to be vexed: the pair of them were examining her closely. She did not appreciate what she was beginning to feel was an inquisition. She turned her attention back to Lord Matlock, catching him in the middle of a sentence.
“…very wise. Has the physician been called? We should make sure you are as healthy as a young lady ought to be. I know your mother fears you will overdo; you would rest easier, I think, Catherine, if you knew of a certainty that she was well.”
Lady Catherine began to respond to her brother in the affirmative when Anne interrupted. “I have no need of a physician, Uncle. I am fine. There are times when I need to rest more often than others, but it does not mean I am ill.”
Lord Matlock heard the irritation in Anne’s voice, and it pleased him. He needed to push her to the point that she displayed the behavior his sister told him about. He looked at each of his sons in turn. He had asked them to observe their cousin and had been pleased to see them doing just that over the course of the conversation. One at a time, he caught their eye, and silent communications were passed.
“I am glad to hear of it.” The viscount spoke to his cousin. “I have not seen you so lively in some time as you are this day.”
“Neither have I.” Richard seconded his brother’s observation.
Both the colonel and the viscount were keen observers, Richard by way of his training as a soldier, and Tansley from his work in assisting his father’s political wrangling. The pair of them had seen enough in Anne’s demeanor and posture to understand that she was becoming angry. When their father paused and glanced their way, they were able to nod to him their confirmation of the fact and indicate that he should proceed with the plan they had laid out. Their eyes remained focused on their cousin when their father began to speak once more.
“Well, then, since you are in such a good condition, I will share our family’s good news with you! What say you to that?”
“Of course you are! You are a Fitzwilliam; we do enjoy a good celebration.”
Anne smiled thinly, wishing he would get on with it and retire to a room so that she could interrogate her mother.
“Your cousin Darcy has married! He found a wonderful young lady, the daughter of a gentleman from Hertfordshire. She is everything he is not.” Lord Matlock chuckled at his next words. “Witty, charming, and comfortable in social settings. My sons and I have welcomed her into the family with open arms. She will do us credit, do you not think, Catherine?”
Lady Catherine cleared her throat, but still, her soft answer sounded rough, “Indeed, I do.”
Anne glared at her mother, then turned back to her uncle. “What is her name? I was unaware that he was courting anyone.”
“Her name is Elizabeth. Her father’s last name is Bennet.”
“How did she manage to ensnare him?”
“Ensnare him? I do not think she did that,” Richard laughed. “He looked rather pleased to be caught, if she did!”
“Of course she trapped him,” Anne snapped, her anger rising at the colonel’s making sport of her. “He would never have ignored his duty had he not been compromised in some manner!”
“He was not ensnared or trapped or anything similar, Anne. They met in London and fell in love the way every other couple does. One must only look at Darcy’s expression as he gazes upon her to know that he is besotted.” Richard’s sharp eyes never veered from their perusal of his cousin’s face as he spoke.
“She is, as well, Brother. You saw the way her face brightened when he entered the room the day we arrived at Bingley’s.” Tansley also paid close attention to Anne as he spoke.
“Indeed. It was heartening to see. I hope to one day see a look like that gracing the face of a young woman when she looks at me.”
Having seen Anne’s reactions to his sons’ statements, Lord Matlock braced himself for his niece’s reaction as he spoke his next words. “Darcy has done his duty, and done it very well. He has chosen a gentlewoman, one who will be a credit to him and to Pemberley. His parents would both be pleased with his choice.”
Without warning, Anne stood. “His duty was to me, Uncle. We have been engaged since we were in our cradles.” She turned to her mother. “Tell him, Mother!”
“Anne, I-“
“Tell him Darcy is mine! You have told me for as long as I remember that he and I were formed for one another. You promised him to me, and I want him.”
“He is not yours, Anne. It was wrong for me to say it even once. His mother and I did speak of the union, but it became clear even before she passed that she desired her children both to marry for love. I tried to hold on to the idea once it became clear that your health was not vigorous, but my brother-in-law and nephew both refuted it.”
Lady Catherine took a deep breath before she continued. “I went to Hertfordshire as you requested I do, and I spoke to both Darcy and Elizabeth.” She spoke louder and with haste when her daughter made a noise low in her throat. “I could see plainly that they have eyes only for each other. Neither would listen to my arguments against the union, and I was nearly thrown out of the house for offering Elizabeth money to leave him.”
Lady Catherine had not looked at Anne beyond the occasional glimpse as she spoke, but now, with her final statement ready to be spoken and knowing exactly the reaction the words would elicit, she looked deep into her daughter’s eyes. “In the end, I willingly retired to a room and remained there until my brother came to Netherfield. I have told you repeatedly that Darcy has refused to offer for you and have suffered your anger each and every time. I have spoiled you by allowing you to have your way, and by pacifying you in order to avoid your temper. No more. My brother and nephews all know the truth and will stand behind me. You will not marry Darcy; he is already married, to another, and she is not going to leave him.”
As her mother spoke, Anne grew more and more rigid. Her cousins and uncle watched as her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and her countenance grew dark enough that they feared she would suffer apoplexy. As the last of her speech left Lady Catherine’s mouth, the explosion they had feared but not really expected, erupted into the room. All three gentlemen leapt into action, though not quickly enough to prevent injury.
Chapter 8
Anne launched herself at her mother, screaming with enough volume that the servants rushed into the room to see what was happening. Before her uncle or cousins could reach her, she had one hand buried in Lady Catherine’s hair while the other slapped her so hard the entire room heard it.
Lord Matlock had been seated the closest to his sister, but his sons reached Anne first. Richard caught her hand as it drew back for another strike, preventing her from using it. Tansley was doing his best to pry his cousin’s fingers from her mother’s hair. Lord Matlock, seeing the progress, or lack thereof, that his sons were making, simply strode up to Anne from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her away. His movement caught Anne off guard, and she instinctively let go of her mother’s hair to grab for her uncle’s arm to steady herself. Her uncle tried to place her on the settee where she had been sitting before, but the moment his grip lessened, Anne twisted away from him, striking his nose in the process. Clutching his face, Lord Matlock reared back, away from her swinging fists.
Anne’s fury was beyond anything the three gentlemen had ever seen. In the end, to keep her away from Lady Catherine and prevent more violence, Richard tackled his cousin, and he and his brother simply sat on her to hold her down until her emotions tired her out.
Her voice now hoarse from screeching innumerable invectives at her cousins, uncle, and mother, and her body weakened from the aftermath of her anger, Anne finally lay silent. Richard and the Viscount slowly rose from their positions to stand beside her, looking down at her. Lord Matlock motioned to the servants who had filled one end of the room to assist his niece up to her chambers.
Once Anne was on her way upstairs and the rest of the servants dismissed to their duties, the family assessed the damages. Lady Catherine was being attended by her maid, who had brought slivers of ice in a cloth to press on her mistress’ face. Lord Matlock sat on a chair, leaned forward with a handkerchief held to his nose. Miraculously, no furniture had been overturned. The earl removed the cloth from his face to check for further bleeding and, finding none, he leaned back in his seat.
“Well, boys, I think your aunt was correct.”
“Of course I was correct! Do you think I would lie to you about something like this?”
“No, no, Catherine; you would not, and I know this. I guess I simply did not understand the magnitude of the problem. Now that I do, we can take steps to protect you.”
“My staff, as well. They have endured much to retain their employment.”
“Yes, your staff, as well. I believe the first step must be to set a guard outside of Anne’s rooms, as we did when we arrived. I doubt she stirs for a while, so we have time to instruct the footmen and attend to our own needs.” Lord Matlock was creating a list in his mind of the next steps he should take.
“We need to decide how to approach Anne, do you not think, Father?” Richard, as a military man, comprehended the need to thoroughly understand the plan of approach for any battle. After the scene he just witnessed, it was clear to him that making his cousin see reason was going to be just that—a battle.
Tansley contributed his two pence to the discussion. “I would suggest bringing in the physician to prescribe a course of medicines to calm her…laudanum and the like.”
“I am not certain we want her dependent upon laudanum. We all know individuals who are; such a thing might make Anne’s behavior worse. However, I do see a need for sedation, at least some of the time. Were she younger, we could get away with hiring a governess to teach her how to behave.”
“Why can we not still do it?” Tansle
y rushed to defend his idea when his father scoffed. “Anne obviously needs more than Mrs. Jenkinson, who is far too timid, in my opinion. We can replace her with someone who has a more forceful personality, who can withstand tantrums. We will assign one of the guards we set over her to be a sort of minder; he can be with them or nearby at all times, and when my cousin behaves badly, he can step in to restrain her.”
“Mrs. Jenkinson is a widow; I am not certain she could find other employment, even with the excellent reference I would give her. If we must replace her, I would rather retire her to a cottage on the estate with a nice settlement.” Lady Catherine had, over the years, become increasingly grateful for her daughter’s companion. She did not know how the woman had been able to avoid the worst of Anne’s outbursts, but she had and was always cheerful.
“Very well, Sister. That can be arranged. In the meantime, while we search for a new companion, we will keep her sedated.” Looking at his eldest son, the earl instructed him to call for the physician. “I wish to speak to him before he sees Anne.”
“I will make certain he does.” Nodding to his family, Viscount Tansley strode to the hall to seek out the butler.
“What shall I do, Father?”
“For now, nothing. I may need you to train the footmen to restrain your cousin without injury. I know you have done so with your soldiers.”