by Kate Speck
Sir Lewis shook his head, knowing exactly what his wife must have done, while Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne’s mouths were agape in surprise. Lord and Lady Matlock groaned, not knowing how to salvage this situation to keep gossip from spreading, whether it was Catherine’s doing or William’s, while Robert and Richard smirked and entered the bedroom to open the bed curtains.
Lady Catherine remained by the door with a sneer on her face but her jaw dropped in bewilderment, seeing that it was not her nephew but another who had been in his bed. “What in damnation are YOU doing in here, you little trollop? Are you trying to compromise my nephew?” She yelled as Lizzy sleepily climbed out of bed and walked towards the open door.
“I don’t understand, Lady Catherine. I was sleeping and heard a scream. What has happened?” She genuinely responded while still rubbing her eyes.
Lady Catherine, believing that the girl was sleeping with William, raised her hand and slapped Lizzy as hard as she could and made the young lady collapse to the floor.
There was a loud roaring from the hallway as William ran to his bedroom and stood in front of his aunt, ready to murder the elder woman. “Stand away from her, Aunt Catherine. If you dare touch one hair on her again, I will strike you myself.”
Lady Catherine stepped back in fear of her tall nephew, “How dare you threaten me, Fitzwilliam Darcy?! What the hell is going on here? My daughter lies in your bed and you have kept this doxy in here as well?”
Georgiana, who had run to Lizzy to comfort her as her friend was crying, shouted, “We heard ghosts and came here for protection and fell asleep. William was not here all night and I don’t know how Anne ended up here. We did nothing wrong!”
Mr. Darcy stood in front of his son and took a deep breath. “Look over Lizzy and your sister, Fitzwilliam. Take a deep breath, son. I am as angry as you but you must be a gentleman first. See to our dear Lizzy, son.”
William turned and lifted up the young girl to sit her down on a chair to look at her cheek.
Mr. Darcy closed the bedroom door with the young people in the room together while he stood in the hallway and faced at Sir Lewis. “Lewis, I believe your wife attempted a compromise for my son while we reside under your roof and it is unacceptable that this should happen to Fitzwilliam by his own aunt. I believe we have business to discuss in your study after you order your wife to her rooms.” He faced his shrewish sister-in-law, “I will never forgive you for this. I am only glad the three girls were found in the room instead of my son. We will never step foot in Rosings for as long as you reside here and my children will no longer acknowledge you as their aunt. I will not see you again, madam.”
Lady Anne walked to her elder sister of ten years and pointed her finger in her face. “How dare you hurt that little girl, Catherine? You have always been a selfish being all of your life and never once have you cared for anything but what you wanted. You will never have Pemberley and I will instruct my son to never be generous to you again. Lewis has told us all about his will, sister. You had better hope your husband lives for a very, very long time.” She turned swiftly and went into William’s room with Lady Matlock.
Lord Matlock grabbed his sister’s upper arm and led her to her rooms. “Of all the... nothing but a shrew... You are in for it now, Catherine. George will not be kind and Lewis going to make sure you are miserable for years to come. I thought William was going to murder you. You behaved like a commoner and I am thoroughly ashamed. Absolute disgrace, Catherine...”
Sir Lewis pushed his wife into her room and instructed her maid, “Dawson, she is not to leave her rooms until I allow it. She will take her meals in here and I will have two footmen posted at the door.” He firmly stated and shut the door. He turned to his brothers, “Let us go to my study. I do not know how I can make amends. Poor Lizzy... I hope she is all right.”
“Anne and Margaret will care for her, Lewis.” Mr. Darcy grimly responded. “We have much to discuss.”
The gentlemen retreated to the study and their doors were shut for an hour next.
~*~
“Your cheek is bright red, Lizzy,” Lady Anne pressed it gently as she placed a damp handkerchief on it. “I am sorry my sister struck you. I never thought she was capable of such violence.”
“Mama,” William cried out, “what can we do about her? Can we have her sent off to Bedlam? She has lost her mind!”
Lady Anne smiled, “Your father will take care of her, William. We will leave here as soon as possible and spend some time in London to treat Lizzy to a few special outings.” She looked at Lizzy and caressed her hair. “I plan on spoiling you for the next ten days before we are due to return to Hertfordshire.”
William scowled, “I could have prevented it, Lizzy. She was after my honour and I knew what she was planning. I should not have let you and Georgie stay here. I wish I could have slapped her in return.”
Lizzy scoffed, “It’s not anything you could have prevented, Will. Slapping her would not undo what she did to me and I would still be hurt. You did stand up for me and I appreciate that.” She sighed, “I have been pushed and slapped on this trip and I only wish to go home now, although London sounds interesting.” She frowned after Lady Anne sympathetically stroked her cheek and returned to sit with Georgiana while waiting for Anne to awaken. “I... Will, you know you are my best friend but I don’t... I don’t want to marry you. You will not make me marry you, will you?”
Robert and Richard chuckled while William smiled and knelt by the young girl’s feet. “No, dear Lizzy. No one here will ever force you to do anything you do not wish. You are only eleven and you will not be made to marry me or anyone else. I am sorry that you were injured and I will make it up to you. I know, I know,” he shook his head as she opened her mouth to argue, “that I am not personally responsible, but you are a special guest here and you should have been treated better. Father and mother will see to it that Lady Catherine is punished for her offence and Aunt Margaret will take care of Anne.” He looked at Lady Matlock who was still trying to arouse his drowsy cousin. “Shall I take you for a ride on Snowflake? I know that always cheers you up.” He smiled as she excitedly nodded. “Run along to your room to change your clothes and I will see you in a half hour. Georgie, will you go with your friend?”
Lizzy and Georgiana both ran out in joy and William turned to his aunt Lady Matlock. “She was given a draught, aunt. Lady Catherine ordered someone to make her sleep soundly and had Anne placed in my bed to entrap us into marriage.” He turned to Robert and Richard standing by the fireplace.
Richard continued, “I was warned by a confidante what Lady Catherine was plotting and it was revealed to me that Anne is unable to bear children and that Lady Catherine is fully aware of her daughter’s health. It was all a scheme to get Pemberley through her daughter and have Rosings to herself, I am certain.”
“I agree,” Robert added, “Although Uncle George is young and hale yet, she had always thought of herself superior and wished to control you, Aunt Anne. With your illness, she believed she could rule over you, and with Cousin Anne installed at Pemberley, she would be free to charge in and out of your home to make her demands as she wished. With William as Anne’s husband, she would have both Rosings and Pemberley at her disposal and act as mistress to both. No one knows this yet,” he continued grimly, “but Uncle Lewis has had a heart ailment for some time now and does not think he has long to live. He has pains that makes him breathless at times and knows his time on earth is limited.”
Lady Anne and Lady Matlock both gasped with the information. Robert continued, “Father heard of it and had plans to detail out Uncle Lewis’ will on this trip and I am certain they are discussing it now.” He looked at the two young men, knowing that they had no clue as to Sir Lewis’ intentions.
“Well, I refuse to do anything for Lady Catherine again,” William huffed. “I will no longer acknowledge her as my aunt and I shall never set foot here again while she resides here.”
Lady Anne smiled, “
That is exactly what your father said. How like your father you are, William.”
Then, young Anne began to stir and slowly opened her eyes. “Aunt Margaret,” she looked around and saw her Aunt Anne, Robert, Richard, and William all in attendance. “What are you doing here? Am I dying?” She looked at her surroundings and saw that it was not her room. “What am I doing in this room? This is not my room. I feel...” she covered her mouth, “I feel as if I will be sick. I always feel ill but it is worse this morning.”
Lady Anne smoothed her niece’s hair. “Poor Anne... you are innocent and we will make sure Mrs. Jenkinson takes good care of you.” She looked at Robert, “If you would please, nephew.”
Robert smiled, “Of course, Aunt Anne.” He easily lifted the frail woman who was only a little larger than Lizzy, “Let us get you back to your rooms, Anne. It was all a misunderstanding and your father will make sure your companion will take care of you away from your mother’s interferences.” He turned to William and spoke before leaving, “Go and take Lizzy for her ride on the stallion. We will do all we can to indulge her for the rest of our stay. Since it is Saturday and tomorrow is Easter Sunday, I recommend we depart on Monday and enjoy the next days without Lady Catherine’s attendance.” He departed with his cousin in his arms.
William kissed his mother’s cheek and went to his dressing room to prepare for riding. He was still angry but for Lizzy’s sake, he was determined collect himself and put on a smile for his young friend. But he burned once again, remembering her reddened cheek, and thinking of Georgiana, how he would not have held himself back if anyone had harmed his baby sister, he threw down his hat and marched to Sir Lewis’ study where the men were gathered.
“FATHER!” William shouted, “You must do something. I keep imagining if she had struck Georgiana instead and I am beyond angry that an innocent little girl was harmed. What would you have done if it was Georgie’s face bruised by Lady Catherine’s hand?”
Mr. Darcy stood and wrapped his arm around his son’s shoulder. “Fitzwilliam, I know you are upset. Lizzy has a special place in all of our hearts and what Catherine did is unforgivable. She not only hurt Lizzy but tried to dishonour our family name by using her own daughter.” He sat the young man down in front of Sir Lewis and Lord Matlock and calmly spoke to him. “We are seeing to her future, son. She will not go unpunished and I shudder at the thought of what might have happened if she had been successful, but we will resolve this matter and make it up to Lizzy. How is she doing? Where is she now?”
William composed himself and responded, “She is feeling better. I promised her that I would take her riding on... Oh, no!” He stood up. “I was to take her on Snowflake and I am a quarter hour late. You know how she is, father. That girl...” He ran out of the room and his father followed him in concern.
Chapter 15
“LIZZY! Where are you?!” William shouted towards the empty field next to the Rosings stables. “That girl will give me grey hairs, father!”
He ordered the stablehand to saddle up another horse when he heard the neighing of his own horse.
His heart dropped as he saw the tiny girl on top of his large stallion going faster than she was accustomed, and he jumped on to the still-unsaddled horse to race to her side.
“LIZZY! ELIZABETH BENNET, SLOW DOWN!” William yelled as he drew closer to her.
“I’M TRYING! HE IS TOO STRONG!” She cried out as she tugged on the reins as hard as she could, but as she pulled, the horse turned to one side and Lizzy slipped off the saddle and landed on the ground with a loud thud.
William jumped off his horse and knelt by her side and carefully touched her shoulder. “Lizzy,” he whispered as tears rolled down. “Lizzy, please be well.” He released a deep breath as he saw her stir.
“’All my possessions for a moment of time.’” She quoted Queen Elizabeth’s last words. “I fear that I am nearly dead, Will. Everything hurts.” She moaned.
William helped her turn over onto her back and looked at her face. “Anything broken? What hurts most?”
Lizzy began to sit up and he held her. “Nothing is broken. All my parts seem to be working but my body is going to smart for days. I don’t think I’ll ever get back on a horse again, Will. That was the most frightening moment of my life, more than the ghosts we heard last night.”
William relaxed and smiled, “And yet you quoted Queen Elizabeth’s last words, Lizzy. Your majesty, I am relieved that you are not dead.” He quickly wiped his face as his father approached with the stablehand.
“Good lord, are you well, child?” Mr. Darcy fussed as he helped her stand to her feet. “We must call for the apothecary to look you over. Your father is going to kill me, Lizzy. First Catherine, now Snowflake... he is not going to let you out of Longbourn for years!”
Lizzy gasped, “But it was not your fault, Mr. Darcy! I will not say anything if you do not!”
“Lizzy,” Mr. Darcy sighed, “I must tell your father what happened. Why were you on Snowflake alone? You are only allowed on Ghost alone because she matches your size and you are still required to have an attendant in case something like this happens.”
Lizzy lowered her face and looked at her shoes, “I was waiting for Will but he took so long, and I’ve been on Snowflake so many times, I thought I could handle him. I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have ridden him by myself.”
William chuckled, “I thought you would be giving Lady Catherine an apoplexy but never imagined it would be me. My heart stopped for several seconds, you know.” He lifted up her arms one at a time and assessed her for injuries. “You will definitely be bruised and sore but everything looks all right.”
“I think I will go lie down for a while and not leave my rooms for the rest of the day.” Lizzy wiped her tears. “I don’t want to ride horses anymore.”
Mr. Darcy kissed the top of her head and smiled at his son, “Fitzwilliam, I will return the other horse back to the stables. Here is Johnny with Snowflake. See you back inside shortly.”
Lizzy began to walk with Mr. Darcy but William held her back by one shoulder. “No, young lady. You ride with me.”
Lizzy exclaimed with fear in her eyes, “No, Will! I can’t! I will fall again and I might be killed next time!”
William knelt down to meet her eyes. “If you fall again, you get yourself up and get back on the horse again. You are now aware of your own mortality, my queen, but you must never allow fear to control your future. You get back on the horse and you keep trying until you master it. Do not give up. Lord knows how many times I fell off as a child and my father lifted me up and sat me back on the saddle each time. No one ever improved without failing first, Lizzy. I will hold you as I always do, but you must get back on.”
Lizzy timidly asked, “You will hold me? You’ll not let me fall?”
“Never, your majesty. I will keep you safe.” He confidently answered.
Lizzy walked to pat the horse’s nose, “It was not your fault, Snowflake. You probably had no idea what I was doing up there and you ran as fast as you could. I would fly if I could and I understand.”
She turned to William who was adjusting the saddle and lifted up her arms. “I’m ready, Will. You will protect your Queen Elizabeth and off with your head if you fail me!” She sternly commanded.
William easily lifted her up onto the saddle and laughed, “Aye, your majesty. I will protect you with my life.”
~*~
Mr. Darcy watched from a distance. He knew it was of utmost importance for Lizzy to face her fears immediately and it was a valuable lesson for her to learn as she grew into adulthood. He was proud of his son for his loyalty to the young lady who had become one of their own and wondered how their lives would have differed if they had never leased Netherfield. He made the decision, then, to purchase the estate for his family so that they would always have a home in Hertfordshire. With Lady Anne’s health improving, they would return to Pemberley for the next several months but Hertfordshire was a fine estate for
the winter months, only four hours from London.
He wondered what Fitzwilliam’s reaction would be to the changes that Sir Lewis was implementing to his will. He knew his son’s future would be prosperous, and he was excelling in his university courses and would become an exemplary master for Pemberley one day. Mr. Darcy returned to Rosings to inform his wife of Lizzy’s accident and to return to the gentlemen for Lady Catherine’s punishment. Instead of spending only two or three days in London, they were now available to stay a full week and planned on indulging Lizzy to every entertainment she could enjoy there.
~*~
“Well, I will refuse. I am mistress here and I will do as I wish, Lewis.” Lady Catherine barked. “Who is Margaret that she can take over my position? I will not allow it!”
“She is your brother’s wife and Countess of Matlock, Catherine, and as master of my estate, I have asked her to see to the household while you are indisposed. You have lost your mind, Catherine, if you think you will escape this unscathed. I warned you back in December but you disobeyed me and I am mortified by your actions.” Sir Lewis sharply retorted. “Your father knew the situation of marrying off his spinster daughter to a man twenty years elder and wanted to ensure that you would have security for the rest of your long life after I pass, Catherine, but I was no fool and he agreed to £1,000 a year from my estate upon my demise for your settlement.”
He smirked to see her shocked face. “It will be less than what you are accustomed to, but you will be better off than most widows in the country. I will be updating my will for your nephew to become heir at my passing and your brother has agreed that you will be immediately removed to the dower house then and Anne will be placed under Henry’s care and far away from you. As I have been feeling unwell lately, I have made arrangements to begin its renovations and it will come from your funds, so I suggest you are frugal with your allotment.” He raised his hand to cease her argument from starting. “AND... as Mr. Bennet is within his rights to have you arrested for the assault of his daughter and no magistrate in his right mind would find you innocent, as reparation, I have given George £500 from your current annuity. It is either that or going to prison for a year, wife, and I thought you would rather enjoy the comforts of home. There are other contingencies in my will but no need to worry about the details today, Catherine. I will explain after our guests have left but you rarely listen in any case.” He taunted.