Netherfield Park Quarantined

by Schertz, Melanie

  “You, you ungrateful child. You should be thanking me for all I do for you. All I do is for you, for your future. It is your right to be the next Mrs Darcy of Pemberley. You were born for such a life. And yet, all you do is tell me to forget this dream. I went through misery to bring you into this world. I had to endure your father’s attentions, and then, when I was confined, I was ill most of the time. My labors went on for two days before you were finally brought into this world. After all of that, I demand the right to see your future be as I have dreamed. Do you understand me?” Lady Catherine was nearly screeching when she finished speaking.

  “Yes, Mother, I understand. Please calm yourself. The physician has told you such bouts will cause your health harm.” Anne attempted to soothe her mother’s nerves.

  Lady Catherine took a deep breath to calm herself. “Now, has the modiste returned with the gowns for your wedding trousseau? She promised to have them finished within a fortnight, and the time is nearly at an end.”

  “She is to arrive later today for a final fitting. Other than slight alterations, the clothing should all be ready for me.” “And the wedding gown I suggested, is it ready as well? It must be ready for your wedding, I will not have my daughter getting married in a simple old morning gown. You will be the most beautiful bride there has ever been.”

  “Yes, Mother, the wedding gown is finished and will be here later today, as well. It was to be made according to your suggestions. They had to send away for some of the lace you suggested, the beautiful lace from Belgium. It arrived only two days ago.”

  Lady Catherine smiled. She had seen some of the lace when she was in London. It was delicate and precious, just like her daughter. “I know you will be pleased with it. As soon as I saw a gown with the lace on it, I was sure it would be perfect for you. Now, did you do as I instructed and order one of the silk nightgowns with the matching robe? You must be beautiful and alluring on your wedding night. Hopefully, you will become with child the first time, and then you will not have to endure his attentions again. He can have his whores to service his needs. And, until you become with child, you only need to allow him into your bed once a month. There is no need to submit often, you are fragile and should not be made to suffer so much.”

  “MOTHER, I will not speak of such matters with you. The physicians you have taken me to have all agreed that I should never carry a child. You know it is too dangerous for me to go through a confinement.”

  “Darcy requires an heir. You must give him an heir. That is your duty. If you do not submit to him and allow him to have his rights as your husband, he will be within his rights to divorce you. You must submit and carry a child for your husband. Fortunately, there is no entailment on Pemberley, so it would not matter whether it is a son or daughter, so long as there is an heir.”

  “I cannot carry a child safely, Mother, and I will not discuss this matter any further. As I do not wish to die to satisfy your demands.” “You are truly an ungrateful child. You will do as I direct you, or you will be in misery. Your husband will treat you with loathing. I will not be disrespected in such a manner. Darcy will expect you to submit, and you will do your duty.”

  “You would prefer to see me die rather than anyone know I cannot carry a child. And you call me ungrateful? Mother, do you not see how disrespectful you are being to me? All you can think of is your opinion, and no one else matters. It is time you accepted the truth. I will not be subjected to something which will take my life, whether you approve or not. Do you understand?”

  Anne then turned and marched from the room. Fury grew in Lady Catherine until she had a severe headache. In her mind, it had to be the influence of Elizabeth Bennet upon her family. She decided, then and there, the only way to eliminate the influence the country nobody had over her family was to eliminate the chit herself.

  Sitting down at her desk, Lady Catherine pulled out some parchment from her drawer. She began a letter to Mr Collins, a letter which would change the course of her life.

  ~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~

  Chapter 17 Nearly three weeks had passed since the demise of Wickham and Mr Collins. In that time, Elizabeth had regained her strength and health. She and Georgiana had become close, their relationship had become one which would make the rest of the group believe they had known each other all of their lives. This brought joy to Darcy, knowing his beloved wife and his dear little sister were extremely fond of each other.

  Preparations were being made for the journey back to England, and, in particular, Hertfordshire. A letter had arrived just two days before, forwarded from Pemberley, from Mr Bennet. The letter informed Darcy, and, Mr Bennet had hoped, Elizabeth of what had happened in Meryton and the neighborhood since they left.

  Learning of the death of her uncle, Elizabeth broke down in tears. Mr and Mrs Phillips had been unable to have children of their own, and they loved their nieces dearly. Jane and Elizabeth had been closest to both sets of their aunts and uncles. Mr and Mrs Gardiner adored the eldest Bennet sisters as much as Mr and Mrs Phillips.

  Knowing the reason Mr Phillips was murdered was even more devastating to Elizabeth. She felt guilty for her family’s loss, as well as the destruction which had occurred in the neighborhood when the men were attempting to find the papers at Longbourn. Darcy was grateful for Bingley’s being at Longbourn. Even more, Darcy was pleased with Denny’s work in protecting the Bennet family. He would see to a reward for all Denny’s work.

  Lord Matlock was furious when he learned the news. He knew his sister was involved, and for her to go so far as to lead to the murder of a good and decent man for her own selfish goal was far beyond what he would have ever though his sister could do. A letter was quickly written to Mr Bennet, informing him of the rescue of both of the Darcy ladies, and the travel plans for the Darcy and Matlock families. They gave instructions for the letter to be posted express upon its arrival in England.

  There was no longer any desire on Lord Matlock’s part to protect his sister from whatever justice had to serve her. The lady he had loved, the sister she had been to him all of his young life, was no longer living in the body of the lady known as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The lady had turned into a bitter, self-serving woman who was ruthless and heartless.

  The morning the group was preparing to leave Rosemoore, a letter arrived for Mr Collins. Upon examining it, Lord Matlock recognized the handwriting of his sister. He opened the letter and read what his sister had to say.

  My Dear Mr Collins, I hope you have arrived at your new home and have found it to be to your satisfaction. Remember, you are the Master of Rosemoore now. You dictate to the staff how you wish things to be done. I have a situation which I require your assistance in solving. I know this will not sit well with you, as I promised your being able to keep that country chit as your own in payment for your assistance. But it is time her influence must come to an end. Without even meeting her, my own daughter has taken an attitude in supporting my nephew’s choice in his marriage. With the fortune hunter permanently gone from existence, I will not require an annulment for my nephew to be able to fulfill his family obligations in marrying my daughter. I will require proof that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is dead, even if it means I will need to travel to Ireland to witness her demise myself. The only thing I ask is that the method is painful and agonizing, as she has caused the lives of my family to suffer so terribly since she ensnared poor Darcy. To compensate you for the loss of your chosen wife, I would be pleased to find a more appropriate wife. There are plenty of young ladies in the area here in Kent, I am certain I will be able to find a pleasant young lady who would meet your needs. Please send word of what solution you have for the situation as soon as possible. As I said, I would be willing to travel to Ireland to witness the event. Your former patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh

  Lord Matlock was completely overwhelmed with this turn of events. How could his sister plan such horror? This was the girl he could remember reading to him when he was little, the girl who protected him whe
n their father had been angered with his breaking the window of his father’s study, the girl who had snuck pastries to him late at night when Henry did not like the dinner served. How could she have become as heartless as to ask someone to murder an innocent young lady, and for nothing more than the fact that their nephew had fallen in love with the young lady.

  Elizabeth went through a range of emotions in fast order. After all she had endured, after all her family had suffered and was still suffering, now this evil harpy was ordering her death. Finally, Elizabeth stood firm on her decision. “William, I wish to make the journey with you to Rosings. I believe I have earned the right to confront the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She deserves to suffer some of my wrath for all she has done to harm me and my family.”

  “My love, I do not want you anywhere near that self-centered hag.” Darcy stated in a protective manner. “I do not wish to have you even close enough for her to lay eyes on you.”

  “I understand, my love, truly I do. The last thing I wish to do is be near her. But she has attempted to destroy me and my family. She had my new sister kidnapped as a distraction to lure us to Town. She had me kidnapped to be removed from your life. And that was not enough, so she had my uncle murdered due to his not relinquishing the marriage contract and our marriage license. That is not mentioning the fires which were set in the neighborhood, the damage which was caused from them, and the attack against Jane, Lydia, Mr Bingley, and Mr Denny. And yet, this is still not enough for her. She orders my execution, even demands being present to see my demise. Well, I believe it is my right to watch her expression when she learns she has failed miserably.”

  Darcy shook his head. “I understand your feelings, my dearest. The mere thought of your being in the same house as she, though you will be safe in my arms, is like a rod of ice piercing my heart. While dealing with her, I cannot be fearful for what could happen to you.”

  Lady Matlock stepped closer. “William, I will stand beside Elizabeth, keeping her safe, while the confrontation with Lady Catherine occurs. It is my belief you wife should be allowed to be there, and allowed to speak her mind to my harpy sister in law.”

  “You have nothing to fear, Cousin. I will be there, as will Father. With the three of us men and the two ladies, I believe we can handle the bitter old woman.”

  Georgiana was surprised. “What of me, Brother? Am I not to journey with you?” “No, Georgiana, you will stay at Longbourn with the Bennets and Mr Bingley. You will enjoy spending time with Miss Jane Bennet, who is betrothed to Mr Bingley. And Mrs Phillips is at Longbourn, I am sure she would enjoy spending time with you, especially hearing you play the pianoforte.” Darcy said.

  “Oh, yes, Georgiana, my aunt would dearly love to hear you play on the pianoforte. Ever since my sister, Mary, died, Aunt has commented as to the loss of my sister’s music. Mary was gifted on the pianoforte.” Elizabeth smiled at her newest sister.

  A look of displeasure was obvious upon Georgiana’s expression. “Very well, I will go to Longbourn. But you must promise not to be gone long to Rosings.”

  Darcy and Elizabeth both agreed. Neither wished to spend any more time at Rosings than necessary.

  ~~ ** ~~ As the carriages came to a stop in front of Longbourn, Mr Bennet, Jane and Mr Bingley stepped from the house to welcome their guests. Seeing Elizabeth, Jane came forward to embrace her sister. As she only had the use of one arm, while her other was still splinted, Elizabeth wrapped her right arm around her sister and held tightly to her.

  After several moments, Mr Bennet insisted on his turn to hold his daughter tightly. “My dear girl, are you well? I have been so worried for you.” He stated as he felt tears beginning to well in his eyes. He held her dearly as he continued to speak. “Your mother and the younger girls are with your Aunt Gardiner. Your Aunt Phillips is here, in the parlor, waiting to see you.”

  Tears were streaming down Elizabeth’s cheeks. “I feel so terrible, my poor aunt. When I heard of Uncle’s murder, it made me ill. I wish I were not responsible for his death.”

  “Just speak with your aunt. She does not blame you for what happened.” Mr Bennet placed a kiss on his favorite daughter’s cheek. “How long will you all be here? Shall I assume you will be traveling to Kent in the near future?”

  Elizabeth nodded her head. “We will leave here in the morning for Kent. Lord and Lady Matlock will be remaining there for a fortnight, assisting Miss de Bourgh in taking over her birthright. William and I will return here as soon as we are finished confronting Lady Catherine and seeing that she is stopped from her destruction.” Seeing the other members of their party approach, Elizabeth wiped her tears and smiled. “Papa, Jane, Mr Bingley, I wish to introduce to you my new sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy, and William’s aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Matlock. Uncle Henry, Aunt Rebecca, and Georgie, this is my father, Mr Thomas Bennet, my eldest sister, Miss Jane Bennet, and, of course, Mr Charles Bingley, you all know. Papa, Lord and Lady Matlock’s second son, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, will be coming here in the morning. He diverted to London for their family physician, who will travel with Richard.”

  Mr Bennet welcomed his daughter’s new family to his home, and the group entered the front door. Elizabeth hurried into the parlor, wishing to see her aunt. Mrs Phillips stood as the party entered the room, and moments later, she was engulfed in her niece’s embrace.

  “There, there, calm yourself.” Mrs Phillips said as Elizabeth sobbed. Patting her niece on the back, she continued. “Your uncle loved you so very much. He was so proud of you, and pleased to see you married to such a wonderful man.”

  “It is my fault Uncle was killed.” Elizabeth said between sobs. “No, my dear girl, it was not your fault. It was the fault of the evil ones who meant to cause you and your husband harm. The men who killed your uncle have been taken into custody, and the people behind them, the ones who hired them, will be dealt with soon enough.”

  “I was heartbroken to learn of the murder. Uncle was so dear to me.” Mrs Phillips smiled. “As your godfather, your uncle was very pleased to be a part of your life. He was thrilled to see you married to Mr Darcy, and that your marriage is a love match. And I know he is in heaven, watching over us, and is grateful for your recovery.”

  Elizabeth pulled back from her aunt and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. “Aunt, you have met my husband, William, but you have not had the opportunity to meet my new sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy, and William’s aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Matlock. Aunt Rebecca, Uncle Henry, Georgiana, this is my Aunt Phillips. She is my mother’s sister.”

  Darcy stepped closer to Mrs Phillips. “I cannot begin to tell you how saddened I was to learn of the death of your husband. He was a good man, and I respected him greatly. Please know that if you need anything, Elizabeth and I will be more than pleased to be at your service.”

  “Thank you, Mr Darcy. And please, you must call me Aunt Phillips as well.”

  Smiling, Darcy nodded. “And you must refer to me as William.” Lord Matlock stepped forward, holding out his hand to Mrs Phillips. “Madame, it is an honor to meet you. William and Elizabeth have spoken highly of you and your husband. Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss.”

  “Lord Matlock, I am grateful for your words. My husband was a fine man, and he thought highly of your nephew, especially his choice of a wife.” Mrs Phillips smiled and patted her niece’s shoulder.”

  “Mrs Phillips, I know my sister is responsible for the men coming to your husband’s business, and I know they were the ones who killed Mr Phillips. I promise you this, my sister will pay for what she has done.”

  Mrs Phillips nodded her head. “All I wish is to see the people responsible never be able to cause harm to anyone else. I do not wish for anyone else to endure such suffering as I have from losing my dear husband.” “I completely understand.” Lady Matlock stated as she stepped forward

  to meet Mrs Phillips. “Now, our niece has told me your great love of flowers. I must ask your opinion on several
varieties which I had thought of having planted in my flowerbeds.”

  Elizabeth smiled as she realized Lady Matlock’s manner of changing the subject to lighten the mood. It did not take much to convince Mrs Phillips to speak of her flowers, and the two ladies were soon lost in conversation. Mr Bennet invited the men to his study, while Jane and Elizabeth went outside to the garden to visit.

  Sitting beside her sister, Jane took Elizabeth’s hand in hers. “Tell me the truth, Lizzy, are you well? I can see your arm is bandaged, but are there any other injuries or are you still ill?”

  “My splint comes off in another two weeks, and then I will be completely recovered. The fever is completely gone, the infection is cured, and the wound is healed. So, I can honestly say, I am very well, indeed.”

  “When we learned the truth, of how that man had abducted not only Miss Darcy, but you as well, I was so frightened. And then, when Papa read the letter telling what had happened, I thought I would swoon. Charles was so attentive, and kept me from sinking into a melancholy.”

  Elizabeth gave her sister’s hand a squeeze. “My poor Jane, you have been forced to endure so much. Not only were you fearful for my safety, but you were here when Uncle was killed, and then the attack against the house. William told me it was you and Lydia who were taken hostage by the two men. I am shaking, just thinking of what could have happened. And Mr Bingley, he was so brave in rescuing you.”

  Jane blushed. “Charles was so daring, though I was frightened for him when it happened. And when I heard the pistol fire, I thought my heart would stop. I was so grateful when I was finally able to come in the hall and see for myself he was alive and unharmed. But Lizzy, there was so much damage done. Lucas Lodge was horribly burned, as well as the barns at Netherfield. And the Adams’ tenant house was destroyed. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries, and the men who were missing were found and tended. Papa and Charles were so angry at the men who caused all the problems. And, when we learned they were the ones who killed Uncle Phillips, well, let me tell you, it was the first time in my life I wished to cause harm to someone else. I wished to wrap my hands around their throats and throttle both of them.”