by Jann Rowland
At that moment, William was joined by Lady Catherine. Elizabeth, who was by now familiar with the lady, noted the gleam in her eye and the slight smirk on her face and was certain that her ladyship was up to something mischievous.
“Mr. Bingley,” said she, prompting a bow from the man. “How agreeable it is to see you again.”
“And you, your ladyship,” replied Mr. Bingley. “I hope you have been well.”
“Tolerable, yes,” replied Lady Catherine. The conversation continued for the next few moments, and Elizabeth could not help but notice Miss Bingley’s eagerness and impatience to be introduced to her ladyship. In a remarkable bit of restraint, she held her tongue as was proper, waiting for the higher ranked to request an introduction. After the fact, she probably would have preferred to remain unintroduced.
“I believe this is your sister, is it not, Mr. Bingley?” asked Lady Catherine. Again, the haughty and knowing tone of her voice almost brought Elizabeth to laughter.
“It is, your ladyship.”
“She seems a pretty, fashionable girl, though a little too forward for the daughter of a tradesman. Perhaps you will be so good as to introduce us?”
Though Elizabeth could see William almost choking on his tongue, incredulous at his aunt’s words, and Miss Bingley’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, they all managed to maintain their composure. Mr. Bingley obviously had never seen this side of Lady Catherine before, but he did as requested with alacrity and introduced them.
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Miss Bingley was quick to say once her brother had finished speaking. “I have long wished to be known to you, for you are quite obviously highly regarded by your nephew. Our connection is so close to Mr. Darcy that I almost feel like we have known each other for years.”
“Does the woman have no shame?” asked Aunt Gardiner as Elizabeth was busy stifling her laughter.
“I almost thought she was going to claim that they were already family,” replied Elizabeth.
Mrs. Gardiner shook her head, but neither wished to miss the conversation, so they continued to listen.
“That is an interesting point of view, Miss Bingley,” said Lady Catherine. “I had not known you were so deep in Darcy’s councils.”
“We have been to Pemberley, and my brother has been his friend for years, Lady Catherine,” said Miss Bingley. The self-congratulatory note in her tone was unmistakable, as was her brother’s mortification. “I dare say there are few as close to Mr. Darcy and his sister as we are.”
For a moment, Lady Catherine did not say anything in return, and the scrutiny seemed to make Miss Bingley uncomfortable. “Then you should feel grateful for my nephew’s attentions,” said she at length. “For he belongs to one of the most prestigious families in the kingdom.”
“We do, indeed,” said Mr. Bingley, apparently eager to interrupt his sister’s embarrassing display.
Lady Catherine nodded once, regally, and turned to William. “I believe it is almost time to go in, Darcy.”
“Shall we not all sit together?” interrupted Miss Bingley. “It has been an age since we were in each other’s company.”
This time Lady Catherine’s displeasure was unmistakable. But William seeming to sense that she was about to castigate his friend’s sister, said: “I am afraid we cannot, Miss Bingley, for our boxes this evening are quite full.”
“Yes, quite,” said Lady Catherine with a sniff. Then she turned back to Darcy. “Where is Elizabeth, Darcy? I hope to sit beside her, for I believe her observations of the night’s entertainment will be vastly amusing.”
“Elizabeth?” gasped Miss Bingley. Several unpleasant emotions crossed her face at once, and she seemed to have a premonition of what was about to occur.
“She is speaking with the Gardiners,” replied William, and he turned and held out his hand, beckoning Elizabeth to his side. She went readily, though it was a trial to keep the grin from her face.
Miss Bingley’s first sight of her caused her eyes to widen impossibly wide. “Miss Eliza Bennet!” blurted she. “I had no expectation of seeing you in such a place as this.”
“I am happy to see you too, Miss Bingley,” said Elizabeth, her tone purposely dry. “But I must correct you on one point: I am no longer Miss Bennet—I now go by the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy.”
An expression of sheer horror came over Miss Bingley’s face, and she gaped at Elizabeth for several moments. Then, in desperation, she blurted: “You have married a cousin of Mr. Darcy’s?”
Elizabeth laughed and leaned into William’s side, and he responded by pressing his hand to the small of her back. “No, indeed,” said she. “In fact, I am Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. We have been married these past three weeks.”
If the woman was not so reprehensible, Elizabeth might have pitied her when her face appeared to crumble. All her pretensions toward becoming the next Mrs. Darcy had been laid bare as nothing more than vain ambitions. But she quickly recovered, and turned a smile on Elizabeth which was just short of a sneer.
“I am all astonishment. How ever did you manage such a thing, Miss Eliza?”
Both William and Lady Catherine’s countenances darkened at the insinuation in her tone, but Elizabeth only laughed. “In the usual manner, I would expect, though I have no other experience with which to compare it. Mr. Darcy proposed and I accepted, after some weeks of courtship, of course.”
“I could never have imagined that a man such as Mr. Darcy would have had any admiration for you. I had thought his tastes were more sophisticated, though I do remember having heard something about fine eyes.”
Amused at the woman’s venom, Elizabeth looked up at her husband, noting the playful quality in his returning gaze. “That was only when I first knew you, my dear, and it was far short of the mark. It has been many months since I have considered you to be the handsomest woman of my acquaintance.”
Outrage colored Miss Bingley’s countenance, though Elizabeth could not imagine why she would be offended for a husband’s obvious appreciation for his wife.
“And we count ourselves fortunate to have her,” said Lady Catherine, interrupting when Miss Bingley appeared ready to unleash her vituperation again. “I cannot imagine a better wife for my nephew, I assure you. They are quite happy together.
“Of course,” continued Lady Catherine in a casual tone, “given Elizabeth’s background as the daughter of a gentleman, there can be no question of the eligibility of their match. I am certain any naysayers are intelligent enough to hold their tongues, as the entire Fitzwilliam family stands behind them.”
Mr. Bingley, who had stood by stupefied, found his voice—it was just in time, Elizabeth thought, for Miss Bingley appeared on the verge of making some further social faux pas.
“I extend my congratulations.” He turned to William, a question in his eyes. “I had no idea you had renewed your acquaintance with the Bennets, Darcy. You left Hertfordshire long before I did.”
“We became reacquainted when I visited Lady Catherine in Kent at Easter,” replied William. “Elizabeth and her family were visiting a relation of theirs at the same time.”
“And it was to our benefit,” asserted Lady Catherine. The stern countenance she presented to Miss Bingley appeared designed to quell any attempt at incivility or cutting comments. It appeared to work, as Miss Bingley held her tongue, though her eyes blazed.
“Indeed, it was,” said William, bestowing a soft look on Elizabeth. “I cannot be any happier with how everything has proceeded.”
Bile appeared to rise in Miss Bingley’s throat, for she turned green. For his part, Mr. Bingley appeared more than a little confused, but his confusion soon turned to consternation.
“And your family, Miss Bennet?” asked he, turning to Elizabeth, his eyes pleading. “Your parents are well? And all your sisters are still at Longbourn?”
For a moment, Elizabeth watched Mr. Bingley, wondering how she should handle this situa
tion. He was not a bad man, she thought, just one who was too easily led. Yes, his departure had caused Jane grief and had left her the target of gossip, but she knew that Mr. Bingley had not meant to hurt her, and Jane would not wish for him to be unduly hurt in return. Miss Bingley was a reprehensible creature in Elizabeth’s estimation, but Mr. Bingley was not. That knowledge tempered her response.
“My family is quite well, sir. I thank you for asking. My younger sisters are at Longbourn, though I believe Lady Catherine will host Kitty and Lydia again soon. But Jane is here tonight, as she has been recently married to Mr. Darcy’s cousin, the former Colonel Fitzwilliam.”
“Married?” asked Mr. Bingley in a faint sort of voice.
“Yes,” replied Elizabeth, “in the same ceremony in which Mr. Darcy and I were joined.”
A pallor settled over Mr. Bingley’s face, but he could not say anything more as Jane and Fitzwilliam approached at that point, and he was faced with the previous object of his affections.
“Mr. Bingley, Miss Bingley,” greeted Jane. “How pleasant it is to see you again.”
Though Mr. Bingley appeared like he could not think of anything less pleasant, he readily agreed. Then, proving himself to be a good and amiable man, he shook Fitzwilliam’s hand and bowed over Jane’s, saying: “I offer my congratulations. I believe you will be very happy with Fitzwilliam, for I know him to be a good man.”
Elizabeth had known that Fitzwilliam had wondered about his first meeting with Mr. Bingley after his marriage, and his response was determined by Mr. Bingley’s reaction. As such, he only nodded his head warmly at the other man and said: “I intend to make her very happy, Bingley. I thank you for your felicitations.”
A nod from Mr. Bingley and he turned back to his sister. “I believe we must find our seats, Caroline, for the first act is about to begin.” He shook William’s hand again, saying: “I am eager to hear all that has happened to you these last months, Darcy. I have no doubt the story will be fascinating.”
“We will invite you for dinner,” said Elizabeth, smiling warmly at the man. “I am certain Mr. Darcy will be happy to renew your acquaintance.”
Mr. Bingley beamed and then turned away, leading his brooding sister back to the rest of his party. Elizabeth watched them go, feeling compassion for Mr. Bingley. She did not know if he had possessed any true love for her sister, but such a meeting must have been a shock for him.
“He is an amiable man, Darcy,” said Lady Catherine, “but the sister is intolerable.”
“You have stated my opinion quite succinctly, Lady Catherine,” replied William.
Mr. Bingley was, indeed, invited to dine with the Darcys soon after. And though Mr. Darcy would have preferred otherwise, Elizabeth convinced him that they should at least attempt to come to some sort of accommodation with Miss Bingley, if for nothing else than to preserve Mr. Bingley’s reputation in society. Unfortunately, it was not to be, for Miss Bingley came to dinner determined to find fault with Elizabeth and voice her displeasure in a way which could not be mistaken. As Lady Catherine also attended the dinner, sparks soon flew between the two women, resulting in a blistering set down which left Miss Bingley sullen and silent for the rest of the evening.
Though the invitation was not repeated and Miss Bingley never set foot across the threshold of any house the Darcys owned again, Mr. Bingley maintained his friendship with Mr. Darcy for the rest of his life. His attachment to Jane was soon revealed as nothing more than infatuation, and when he finally did marry to a woman connected and possessing a healthy dowry—and not Georgiana Darcy—it was clear that matters had worked out for all involved. On the other hand, Miss Bingley’s schism with the Darcy and de Bourgh families soon became known, and she returned to York where she spent the remainder of her life. Elizabeth never knew nor cared if the woman eventually married, and Mr. Bingley did not inform them, knowing that she had become a persona non grata to them.
As for the other Bennet sisters, Mary did, indeed, become a new favorite of her father’s, often leading Mrs. Bennet to say that her middle daughter had become as incomprehensible as Elizabeth. This did not bother Mary in the slightest, for her desire to be noticed in the family was realized with her relationship with her father. When some years later she met a young man who could not live without her, Mr. Bennet gave his permission, though with as much reluctance as he had with her elder sisters. But she was happy, and that was what counted. Thereafter, Mr. Bennet took to visiting all his daughters—including the youngest when they finally married—often when not expected, though he was always welcome.
For their parts, Kitty and Lydia, after their sisters’ marriages, stayed as often with their new relation by marriage, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as they did with their elder siblings or parents. There, they were often joined by Georgiana Darcy, who overcame her fear of Lady Catherine and became close friends with the youngest Bennets. Under Lady Catherine’s tutelage, all three girls improved until they too found young men of their own and joined their elder siblings in the state of matrimony. Lady Catherine was known to say quite often that the three young girls were her proudest achievement—Kitty and Lydia because of their previous wildness and Georgiana because of her shyness. They were a great comfort to her, especially after Anne married and moved into her own home.
And Anne did, indeed, marry, though perhaps not in quite the way she had expected. She did not catch the eye of an earl, as she had expected, but a year or two after her pursuit of Mr. Darcy ended, she found a baronet who met all her expectations of happiness, and followed in her mother’s footsteps. Whether she was disappointed in not being able to find a man of higher rank, she never said, but as Lady Catherine was reasonably assured of her daughter’s comfort, she found no cause to repine.
Mr. Collins, unfortunately, was never to find the same felicity in marriage as all his cousins did. Whether it was because word of his behavior toward Elizabeth was circulated or because his comments of amending her behavior became known, he never found a wife and did not marry. Thus, though he did inherit Longbourn on the passing of Mr. Bennet, it was after many years as the parson of Rosings, for Mr. Bennet lived to a hale old age. And having no children of his own, the entail, which was to continue one more generation, was broken, and Jane’s second son inherited the estate.
As for Lady Catherine herself, she also lived to a ripe old age. She found much joy and contentment in being a grandmother to Anne’s children, as well as great aunt to her nephews’ children and those of the other Bennet sisters. Her exploits were legendary, as were her actions in arranging matters so that her younger relations could find joy. The Darcys and the Fitzwilliams were often found at Rosings visiting, and laughter rang through its halls. Elizabeth and Jane ever after considered her to be a dear friend and aunt, for they were sensible of how she had brought them together with their husbands by insisting they stay at Rosings that eventful spring.
The End
Please enjoy the following excerpt from the upcoming novel On Tides of Fate, book three of the Earth and Sky trilogy.
Wisteria was much as Terrace remembered. She was heavyset, though not quite overweight, with the brown hair and eyes of her people, and though her younger sister was delicate and slender, Wisteria was rather like a battering ram in comparison. She was not unattractive, but Terrace knew many men would be put off by her plainer features and the contemptuous curl of her lips. If, indeed, they had not already been put off by her domineering manner and poisonous tongue. With some interest, Terrace noted a few pockmarked scars on Wisteria’s face, including one—quite deep—just under her left eye. Terrace wondered whether she had been in a battle of some kind.
There were a number of noble men and women standing by in the room, gazing on Terrace, as though wondering what she would do. Wisteria held her hand out to a nearby servant, who placed a goblet in her hand, backing away deferentially, almost genuflecting before the woman.
Terrace watched this scene with shock. Groundbreat
hers had never required such strong obeisance from their subjects. Most of those who lived in the castle were Groundbreathers themselves, descended from the same people who had originally been blessed by Terrain. Tillman’s requirements for respect had been almost perfunctory in nature, though Sequoia had always been more stringent. But even that imperious woman, who Terrace knew to be a good person at heart, had not acted the way her oldest daughter did. The girl almost seemed to think that she was Terrain himself.
“Welcome, Aunt,” Wisteria said, her contemptuous amusement not hidden when she paused to drink deeply from the goblet that had been provided to her. “To what do I owe the honor of this unannounced visit?”
“I am sure you understand exactly why I am here, Wisteria. I wish to know what happened to my brother, and I want to know what you have done with River.”
Wisteria cocked her head to the side. “You were informed, were you not?”
“I was. But I would hear it from you nonetheless.”
Wisteria shrugged. “It is as you were told. There was an attempt to take over the castle, and my father was an unfortunate casualty.”
“You speak of him as if he was nothing more than a Groundwalker,” Terrace spat. “He was king of our people!”
“You had best moderate your tone,” the chamberlain said. “Your niece is to be addressed with the respect she deserves and referred to as ‘Your Majesty.’“
“I changed her soiled linens when she was a child and swatted her bottom when she misbehaved,” Terrace snapped. “You had best mind your manners, or my niece will need a new toady to do her bidding.”
The man stiffened at the insult, but Terrace’s glare must have been fierce enough that he knew better than to speak any further. The sullen glare he directed at her, however, informed Terrace that she had made an enemy. But she did not fear what a man who kissed her niece’s feet could do, and she turned her stony gaze back on Wisteria.