Pemberley Mistletoe

by Bray, Ayr

  No one could convince her to act reasonably, and finally gave up after an hour of trying. The rest of the morning and much of the afternoon, all that could be heard through the rooms and halls of Pemberley were Lady Catherine’s threats.

  James and Lord Matlock had escaped the house by begging the use of the sleds from Fitzwilliam. The two fled with all three children and were currently enjoying another adventure.

  Georgiana, Mary, and Kitty had been tucked in the corner at the little table all day. There were gowns, wraps, and bonnets strewn everywhere as the girls worked tirelessly to trim them anew.

  Lady Matlock and Roslynd had taken on the difficult task of sitting with Lady Catherine, but Elizabeth, unable to take much more of her ladyships demands, retreated to the Orangery for a moment of peace and solitude. When she arrived she soon discovered she was not alone. Richard and Anne were also there discussing their plans to elope to Gretna Green. Elizabeth feared what she was overhearing.

  Stepping around the corner and into their view, she addressed them. “I apologize, but I could not help overhearing your conversation. I promise you I was not trying to eavesdrop; I was merely trying to escape to somewhere private.”

  “Yes, we had the same inclination,” Richard said.

  “This Orangery, so far, is my favorite place at Pemberley. Fitzwilliam and I often take walks here and talk. I understand how the two of you have also found it a convenient place for private discussions.”

  “How much did you hear?” Anne questioned.

  “Enough to understand that very soon the two of you plan to elope to Gretna Green.”

  Richard and Anne looked at Elizabeth but did not say a word. She continued, “I will not stop you, but let me advise you against it. Fitzwilliam and I have talked at length, and we are confident there will be a positive resolution to your mother’s objections. Lord Matlock has assured us he will not rest until the two of you are able to marry with your family nearby, rejoicing in your union. Do not go off in secret and cause distress to so many when you have a chance at genuine happiness. In the end, eloping will bring you pain even if it grants you temporary happiness. Please, give everyone some time to determine on the state of Anne’s affairs. For heaven’s sake, the solicitors have not even arrived with the will yet.”

  Anne looked up at Richard, who nodded to her. “Very well. We will not run away before the new year, but if the solicitors do not arrive and find some solution soon, we are determined to elope. I cannot fight my mother forever, and as long as we are unmarried she will continue to run my life. I would rather marry and know I have lost everything except my husband then wonder what method she will next employ to secure her position.”

  Elizabeth understood their situation, perhaps even agreed with them deep down, but as a member of the family she could not stand by while they planned to elope without offering advice against it. Eloping was temporary happiness, but once the scandal of the event caught up with the couple, there would be far more harm done than ever imagined.

  She turned to leave them to themselves, offering one additional thought to them before she departed. “If I may be so bold, let me suggest another option. If needs be, Fitzwilliam and I will call the Pemberley parson and have him perform your marriage by special license. It will be a union supported by the family, even if your mother does not accept it. No matter what, promise me you will not elope.”

  Anne thanked Elizabeth for her advice and gave her a hug before she left. No promise had been made, but Richard and Anne felt her kindness and truly appreciated her support.

  After Elizabeth retreated from the couple, she sought out Fitzwilliam in his study.

  When she entered, he held out his hand to her. She accepted it as she stepped close to him. He slid his chair back from his desk and then pulled her onto his lap. She snuggled into him, her legs draped over his, as he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Darcy. What brings you to my study this fine day?” He was teasing her, and she knew it and loved it.

  Elizabeth stayed on his lap, sitting up straight as she told him of Anne and Richard’s plan to elope and her subsequent offer to let them marry in the Pemberley chapel. He praised her quick thinking and assured her he supported her decision. He professed his belief that none of it would be necessary because everyone was determined to find a solution that allowed Anne to marry for love.

  “I hope so. I fervently believe everyone should marry for love,” said Elizabeth.

  “As do I,” answered Fitzwilliam as he kissed her.

  The two remained alone in the study for close to an hour, moving only as far as the leather sofa in the corner. They reclined together, enjoying the opportunity to be alone though their house was full of guests.

  Sunday was no better than the day before. Lady Catherine continued to storm around the manor as if she owned it, making demands of everyone that crossed her path. The more impatient she grew, the more unreasonable her demands became.

  Everyone was relieved on Monday when both solicitors and the stewards arrived from London. The men were offered rooms to rest in and meals to warm them. It was not long before all four men came downstairs and were ready to being the business for which they had been summoned to Pemberley.

  Lord Matlock thanked them all for coming. Mr. Macintyre, Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s attorney, and Mr. Brown, his own solicitor, were both there to provide legal advice. He explained to Mr. Macintyre that they needed to understand Sir Lewis’s will as it read regarding his daughter Anne de Bourgh. He further explained that Mr. Brown was there to advise him on his options should he desire as patriarch of the family to petition the will.

  Mr. Macintyre looked aghast at Lord Matlock and replied, “Why would you want to petition the will? Sir Lewis provided handsomely for his daughter. I helped him to draft her provisions, and I assure you he was specific in every detail.”

  “Yes, well, it is that specificity I am concerned about. It is my goal to make sure Anne has a say in the decisions that affect her life most.”

  “Yes, sir, that was her father’s intent as well.”

  Lord Matlock looked at the man skeptically. “It is my understanding from my sister, Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s widow, that Anne does not have a say in those matters that affect her life most significantly; her marriage, for instance.”

  “Yes she does. Come, let us read the will. Sir Lewis de Bourgh was adamant that Anne should never be forced into a marriage she does not want.”

  Lord Matlock, James, Richard, and Fitzwilliam all eyed each other. They were skeptical but hopeful at the same time.

  Mr. Macintyre opened his satchel and pulled out a large stack of documents. All of the men listened closely as he read aloud from the pages. They could scarcely believe their ears. Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s will detailed the provisions Anne was to receive in a detail none of them ever imagined.

  “CATHERINE!” bellowed Lord Matlock through the halls of Pemberley.

  Anne came running from the drawing room and looked with concern from her uncle to Richard. Her eyes pleaded for him to tell her what was the matter, but he could not; the shock was still too great.

  Fitzwilliam came to the couple’s side and assured Anne, “All is well. Uncle will reveal all in due time. Rest assured, the two of you will marry.”

  Anne’s knees went weak with relief. Had Fitzwilliam not been there to catch her, he doubted Richard would have come to his senses in time to perform the service. He supported Anne until she had regained her composure, and then turned her over to Richard, who had recovered enough to care for her.

  Elizabeth approached her husband and asked, “Is all well, Fitzwilliam? Is it true that Richard and Anne are free to marry?”

  He nodded his head but would not say more.

  Ten minutes later, an exceedingly angry Lord Matlock led his scolded sister into Fitzwilliam’s study and called the whole family in to witness. Anne, Lady Matlock, Roslynd, and Elizabeth all entered the room and stood next to the men they love
d.

  The room was silent until finally Lord Matlock began to speak. “Mr. Macintyre has brought with him a copy of Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s will. I must admit, at least for my own part, that it is vastly different from anything I have been led to believe, or even imagined.” He looked scathingly at his sister. “Anne, I am sorry to be so blunt, but your mother has lied to you for many years, and I am happy to say you are free to marry the man of your choice without fear of being disinherited.” Anne’s knuckles where white as she tightly grasped Richard’s hand in her own. “I think it best if we have Mr. Macintyre read you the relevant sections of your father’s will. I think you will be happy to discover how much your father loved you, my dear.”

  Anne smiled at her uncle and turned her wondering eyes to Mr. Macintyre.

  “The beginning of his Last Will and Testament is all of the usual legal jargon and evidence of witnesses. Let me see, I think this is a good place to start.” Mr. Macintyre situated his glasses upon the end of his nose and read aloud a section of the will. Upon conclusion of the section, he looked up from the documents and said, “To make sure that all of the ladies understand, I would like to speak in gentler terms and clarify. This section means that Anne is free to marry anyone she chooses. Her marriage portion is to be £50,000. In addition, upon her marriage she assumes full responsibility, with her husband, of Rosings Park. In addition, if she is still unmarried at the age of eight and twenty, Anne will assume full responsibility for all aspects of Rosings Park—”

  “Yes, yes, we all understand what the will says. We are intelligent women.” Anne turned her fierce eyes on her mother. “Mother, how could you? You have known all these years what father’s will said, and yet you maintained I must marry Fitzwilliam. Not only that, but once he married Elizabeth you continued to make me think it was you who would choose my husband, when all this time it should have been my choice. Richard and I have lost years of happiness because of your cruelty.” Anne took a deep breath, her ire rising even more as she considered the attorney’s words. “I was supposed to assume full responsibility of Rosings Park more than eight months ago? I would like to understand why you never told me any of this. Why you led me to believe I would be cast away from Rosings Park if I did not marry whom you wanted, when in fact I should already be Mistress of Rosings Park.” Then, turning to Mr. Macintyre, she addressed him. “And why have you never told me? I understand that my father’s brother was executor of my father’s will and should have been the one to tell me, but he has been dead for years. When I came of age, was it not your responsibility to inform me? Your responsibility to ensure my father’s will was executed in the absence of my uncle?”

  Mr. Macintyre was concerned. She was right, and he had tried to speak to her on several occasions, but her mother had always said she was sick. He had never questioned Lady Catherine or dared to intrude upon Anne under such conditions.

  Lord Matlock placed a calming hand on his niece’s arm. “Come, Anne, please allow Mr. Macintyre to finish. I think you will be mightily interested in learning what else your father set forth in his will for you.”

  “What, there is more?” Anne questioned.

  Mr. Macintyre continued, his voice a little hesitant, for he did not want to increase the ire of Miss de Bourgh. “Yes, Miss de Bourgh, there is more. Upon your marriage or your eight and twentieth birthday, whichever comes first, you become responsible for the decision of where your mother is to live. She of course has her marriage portion, which was £25,000 and all cumulative interest, but you choose whether she is to remain at Rosings Park, move to the London Townhouse, or the Rosings Dowager House. Your mother loses her marriage settlement of £25,000 and all its cumulated interest due to the finacial distress the estate is currently in.”

  “Financial distress?” Anne questioned. “What do you mean?”

  All eyes turned towards Mr. Johnson, the steward of Rosings Park. “Miss de Bourgh,” Mr. Johnson glanced at Lady Catherine with a bit of trepidation and fear as Anne nodded for him to continue, “as of the week before Christmas, all of the financial accounts are drained; in fact, some of them are in arrears. I have been recommending to your mother for the past six months that she should retrench, but she assured me that you would soon marry, which would provide sufficient funds to bring the accounts into balance.”

  A general cry went up around the room and all eyes went to Lady Catherine, who sat with her arms folded across her chest, a smirk on her face.

  “How is that possible? Ever since the death of your late husband’s brother, you have had me review the estate ledgers,” Fitzwilliam exclaimed.

  Lady Catherine rounded on her nephew. “Of course I had you review the ledgers. You were supposed to marry Anne! I had to make sure that you understood the worth of Rosings Park and how wealthy it would make you when combined with your precious Pemberley.”

  Mr. Johnson feared for his position, but it was time everyone knew the truth. “Her ladyship has instructed me to maintain a separate ledger these past ten years complete. She advises me which transactions are to be withheld from the ledgers you review.”

  “Catherine, how could you?” Lord Matlock asked his sister in an accusing manner. His tone became harsh as he demanded answers. “What is the current financial state of Rosings Park?” Mr. Johnson began to respond, but Lord Matlock held up his hand to silence him. “Catherine, I asked you a question. You will answer me at once.”

  Lady Catherine raised dark eyes that seethed with rage and hatred towards her brother. “There is no financial state because all of the money is gone. Every last penny of it. I made sure of that.”

  “Why? How could you do such a thing?”

  “It has been evident to me for years that Anne and Fitzwilliam had mutually decided against marrying. All my well-laid plans were destroyed, just like that; gone with the frivolous concept of true love.” She practically spat the words from her mouth. “I was denied true love, and Anne’s fate shall be the same. If she wants to keep her beloved Rosings Park, then she will do as I say and marry a wealthy man who can restore the estate to its former grandeur.”

  “Catherine, you were not denied true love. You chose to marry for wealth. No one forced you.”

  “Of course I was forced. Father made it clear to me that no sensible man would have me, so when sir Lewis de Bourgh approached him with an offer, he accepted him. I was informed that I would marry him, even when I told father that I expected another to ask for my hand. Father didn’t agree; he said the man would never ask and demanded that I marry Lewis. Well, I did it. I gave up true love and married Lewis, and for what? Nothing. Even had the other man not asked, I would have been happy to wile away my days as a spinster. In fact, I should have preferred it.”

  “So you decided that because you were forced into what you consider a miseable life that you would force your daughter into the same? Shame on you! But at least your plan was thwarted. I suppose you never imagined your husband would understand the depth of your manipulative character, did you? Still, it is no excuse for running the estate to ruin.”

  “Yes, it is. I have immense pleasure sitting here knowing there is nothing you can do to prevent it at this point. Anne must marry a man of fortune or she loses it all.” Looking at Anne, she steepled her fingers and tapped them against her pursed lips as she chanted, “Choices, choices, choices.”

  It was difficult for anyone to comprehend the extent of Lady Catherine’s lies and deceit. Lady Matlock could not believe it possible that any woman would injure her daughter, her own flesh and blood, in such a manner. Lord Matlock had trouble pinpointing when the sweet sister he remembered had grown into such a vindictive person. He understood she had changed over the years, but even in his darkest thoughts he never imagined her as vicious as this. Lady Matlock tried to calm her husband with reassuring caresses on his arm, but, to own the truth, she was ready to strike Catherine.

  Elizabeth admitted to Fitzwilliam that, at any moment, she expected to wake up from this horrid dr
eam. He was aghast, dismayed, and horrified that Lady Catherine could run the estate into ruin, right under his nose, and he not see it. James and Roslynd did not know what to think.

  In a final attempt to raise everyone’s ire, Lady Catherine threw one last slight at Richard. “The question is, Richard, does she love you enough to give up Rosings Park and follow you around on your little army assignments, or will she forget all about you and find a man who has the means to provide for her the lifestyle to which she is accustomed?”

  The question hung in the air like a pendulum until Anne answered it. “I choose to marry Richard, and it matters not whether he has a fortune. We will use my dowry and your marriage settlement to restore Rosings Park, even if it takes every penny of it.” Despite her declaration, the excitement Anne had felt at being able to marry as she pleased was wholly overshadowed by the gloom of losing Rosings Park.

  The room was silent until finally Lord Matlock chose to break up the gathering. “Come, I think we should all leave Anne and Richard. I believe they will have much to talk about.” It had been a long day, and everyone had much on their minds as they left the room.

  As the door closed behind them Anne turned towards Richard. His expression was clouded, and Anne was unable to determine his feelings. It was apparent to him that Anne needed a man who could help her run an estate, not a man of the army.

  The significance of everything they had been told was beginning to sink in, and before Anne could say a word, Richard addressed her. “Anne, I think you should take a day to think through all you have learned. From the sound of it, Rosings Park will need a rather large infusion of money. I do not want you to have to use your dowry to save your home.”

  “Richard, what are you saying?” Anne questioned with eyes full of fear.