Smoky Dreams

by Jaeza Rayleigh

  "She seems to be good at taking advantage of people by surprising them or ignoring their objections. You might still need to battle her if you wish to protect Miss de Bourgh. Is your cousin of age?"

  "Yes, she is twenty-six and technically she has been the owner of Rosings since her father's death, but his will stipulated that Lady Catherine had the right to manage the estate on Anne's behalf until she reached her twenty-fifth birthday or until she married, whichever came first. Even after that, according to the will, Lady Catherine has the right to live at Rosings until Anne marries and can only be dislodged on the request of the husband. At that point she must move to the dower house and live off her settlement. Anne does not wish to marry, but she does wish to live without her mother's interference. The terms of the will make that difficult as regards Rosings."

  "Then why is your aunt so insistent you marry your cousin? I would think she would want her daughter to remain unmarried for good."

  "Richard speculated it might be because I have my own property and would not wish to live in Kent. If I married Anne, my aunt's living arrangements would stay the same. I also believe she wishes to have leverage to control me and my funds."

  "It seems she is a very grasping woman. I am glad I was not required to meet her, yet still was able to enjoy some fun at her expense."

  "Papa," Elizabeth admonished. "Do behave."

  "Why? Your young man knows me for who I am. I expect he would have enjoyed the joke on his aunt even better if he had not been required to speak with her either."

  "Too true," Darcy agreed.

  "Well, the others are probably beginning to wonder where you two are. Off with you now before they come looking here." Mr. Bennet gestured to the door and waved them off, still smiling at the absurdity of the story he had just heard. Darcy and Elizabeth took the hint, although Elizabeth was laughing softly as she kissed her father's cheek before heading out the door.

  Chapter 29: Anne

  When Darcy and Elizabeth returned to the sitting room, they found it much calmer and quieter than when they left. The four younger girls had returned to the music rom. Bingley and Jane sat in a corner in private discussion, while Mrs. Annesley sat close by Mrs. Bennet listening to her ideas for the double wedding. Richard sat with Miss Lucas and Anne, listening to their conversation and sometimes helping it along. Seeing everyone already looked happy in their choice of conversation partner, Darcy and Elizabeth took up a corner of their own.

  "From the things I had heard about her from Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, and even from you and Georgiana, I was expecting your cousin to be a sickly, pale young woman with no energy or conversation. Instead, she reminds me a great deal of Kitty. She is lively, but not sure of herself in company, so she is following the lead of those around her. While she has clearly been taught good deportment, your cousin is so willing to please she could easily be led astray by poor company. And where I had expected her to be standoffish and keen to exert her rank, she is so friendly she has already asked us all to call her by her given name."

  Darcy looked at his cousin carefully. She looked different from what he would have expected of her as well. Of course, she was overdressed either for travel or a call on friends, but that was typical of Lady Catherine's style and not unexpected since his aunt probably made all the decisions about his cousin's wardrobe. Nor were the olive and bronze shades of her heavily embroidered gown a surprise – it was one of Lady Catherine's favorite color combinations. The lady's tendency to rely on lamp or candlelight even on bright days must make the shade even more unflattering to Anne's complexion. In this sitting room, which was brightly lit by the winter sunshine pouring through the windows, Anne looked a little pale and sallow, but not to the degree he remembered.

  "I wonder if she looked so ill in part because of my aunt's preferred colors and lighting and in part because we so frequently heard Aunt Catherine say Anne was ill. I am aware that false things repeated often start to sound like truth unless you actively choose to resist them."

  "Yes, I have noticed that as well. I remember you said she truly was ill as a child, but then your aunt used that illness as a means of control."

  "Because Anne did not engage in conversation or other social activities, I assumed she was still somewhat ill, if not to the extent my aunt insisted on. Yet, looking at her now, it may be that was as much my aunt's choice as everything else was."

  They both watched as Miss Lucas coaxed Anne into expressing an opinion. Darcy's cousin was paying carefully attention to the conversation and appeared fully engaged as she responded.

  "I think staying with your family for a few days will be good for her," Darcy told Elizabeth. "I know Georgiana enjoyed her visit here immensely in addition to it helping her feel more confident in company."

  "We will treat Anne like one of the family," Elizabeth said, adding teasingly. "I hope that thought gives you no cause for concern."

  Darcy smiled. "None at all. Just like Georgiana did, she needs to experience what it is to have sisters. Besides, I am not her guardian, although I will do whatever I can to help her break free from her mother's dominance. Anne is an adult. In the end she must make her own choices. Although, I suspect she may need some assistance at first. I doubt she has made many of her own choices regarding anything important in the last fifteen years or more."

  "I can hardly imagine what it would be like to have all my choices controlled by someone else. I value my ability to choose, even when the choices are limited or when I make bad decisions. Well, we will just have to see how much, if any, help she wishes as she learns to decide which directions her life will take. She may miss the familiar comfort of having everything decided for her before too long."

  "Do we not all miss that, once we have had to become adults and take on the responsibilities as well as the privileges that involves?"

  Elizabeth smiled at him. "Soon we can share those responsibilities and privileges. I look forward to helping you do your best by Pemberley and its people."

  For a time, they discussed some of the household issues she might face once they returned to Derbyshire as man and wife. Eventually, though, Miss Lucas stood, saying it was time for her and her sister to leave.

  "I will get Maria for you, if you like," Elizabeth said as she rose to farewell her friend.

  "Thank you, Eliza," Miss Lucas replied. Elizabeth quickly left the room and returned with all four girls. Miss Maria made her farewells and the Lucas sisters went on their way. Darcy was pleased to notice Richard looking after Miss Lucas with an intrigued expression and he noticed her look back at him before she left. He hoped it was significant, but he had told Elizabeth he would not interfere. That meant it was best he did not even tease Richard about it yet.

  Mary now settled in as Anne's conversational partner. They took seats close enough to where Darcy sat with Elizabeth that he could easily hear their discussion. Apparently, Anne had already learned that Mary played the pianoforte. He was surprised when he heard Anne express a wish to play.

  "My mother always says that I would have been a great proficient if I had ever learnt, as if that means anything, but the truth is, she would never allow me to try. She cannot play herself and I do not think she wanted me to show her up if it turned out that I could. I have often been jealous of Georgiana because I know she plays very well, and her brother encourages her to play as much as she wishes."

  "I will be happy to help you begin, if you like," Mary told her. "I cannot teach you anything complicated, but I can certainly show you how to read the music and find the right notes. I have been teaching Kitty and she is doing very well at it."

  Darcy was amazed the joyful look on Anne's face as she accepted Mary's kind offer. She really did need sisters, he thought.

  "Have you never had the chance to try playing, Anne?" Elizabeth asked her.

  "Not really. Not in any way that counts. Mrs. Jenkinson can play. Mother likes to have her perform on the rare occasions we have company and allows her to keep an old instrument
in her sitting room to practice on. Shortly after she came to be my companion, I begged her to teach me. We had not even finished the first lesson before someone on the staff told Mother what was happening. She summoned us both to her immediately and berated us fiercely. She told me I was forbidden to risk my health by playing and threatened to sack Mrs. Jenkinson without a reference if she ever attempted to teach me again. Mother expressed her displeasure over the incident for weeks and I have never touched the instrument since."

  "How terrible!" Mary said sympathetically, and Elizabeth agreed. Darcy also agreed but chose not to say anything about it.

  "While you are here you may learn and practice if you wish," Elizabeth told Anne. "The only time the pianoforte is off limits is when Mama has one of her megrims. You will know if that is the case, without a doubt." Mary nodded agreement.

  "Does she have them often?" Anne asked.

  "Not really. It happened frequently when we were younger, but she has had fewer in recent years. It is unlikely she will have a spell while you are visiting with us." Mary told her.

  They talked for a little while about some of the other things Anne wanted to do now that she was away from her mother. Eventually Anne turned to Darcy and asked how she would go about setting up her own establishment and if he thought she would be safe from her mother if she moved into the de Bourgh townhouse.

  "You will need to have a companion for a start, Anne," he replied. "I was surprised to hear that Mrs. Jenkinson was leaving you altogether."

  "Her sister has been very ill. Mrs. Jenkinson has helped support her for years and now she wants to go stay with her sister to help her along. She would have been leaving either way, so this represented a perfect opportunity for her to be free as well. She also told me I would need to hire another companion if I was to be on my own. She suggested you might help me, since you had experience hiring companions for Georgiana."

  "Ah. I had not realized she had somewhere she needed to be. I will be happy to help you find someone, Anne. In fact, although we are cousins, I would like you to consider me an older brother and look to me for any of the same kind of help I would give Georgiana. I will not attempt to run your life, and if you feel I am doing so, please say something. What I will do is give you my advice and help you accomplish what you wish while protecting you as a brother should. Is that agreeable?"

  "It is. Thank you. I have never made any big decisions on my own and I suspect I will need both your help and advice. Most importantly, I understand very little about the law and what rights I have to my property or money. I brought everything I had with me, but it is only about three hundred pounds. I think Rosings is supposed to be mine, and I know my dowry is, but I do not know how to gain the money I will need from them to live on."

  Darcy nodded his understanding. "I can help you with that, and I will also help you tie up your funds so you cannot be cheated or lose it all if that is what you wish for me to do. I have had a strong tendency to simply take over, which I am trying to overcome. If at any time you feel I am becoming overbearing, you need to tell me to stop. I promise I will listen."

  "I think I understand," Anne said. "I know I do need your help. I also do not want to be cheated."

  "The money you have now will keep you for a while as long as you do nothing extravagant. You will not need a new companion while you are with the Bennets, and we can arrange whatever you wish to do when your visit is ended. I know my father had one of the copies of your father's will because he was the executor. It is in my safe at Darcy House. Once I have sent for it and seen what the exact terms are, we will have a better idea of what to do about your funds and housing arrangements."

  Anne was agreeing with his comment when Captain Denny was announced. He and Anne were soon introduced, and she appeared very happy to meet yet another member of the Bennet family. Darcy could tell it was a bit of a surprise for her to learn that Mrs. Denny was already in the house and had been all along. It was even more of a surprise when they explained that she was confined to her room while she was learning to behave better in company. It would all become clear at dinner time, Darcy felt, although he now knew better than to say so aloud.

  Denny soon left Anne and Mary to their conversation while he went to talk with Richard. Tempted as he was to join them, Darcy still had a question for Anne. He found himself amazed by how chatty and enthusiastic his cousin proved to be outside the company of her mother. Over the past five years he had not heard more than a few full sentences from her, but now, without the presence of her mother to silence her, she seemed eager to contribute to any conversation around her.

  "I am surprised to hear you speak so freely, cousin," he said just before they were all called in for dinner.

  "It is a relief to be able to talk without being judged. Mother always insisted children should be seen and not heard. When I tried to speak, she either told me outright to be silent or deliberately talked over me. I soon learned not to try. If anything I said in response to her rare questions did not match exactly with what she wanted to hear, she became irate and could rail on the subject for days. The only time I could talk freely was when Mrs. Jenkinson and I were out in the phaeton. Unfortunately, she is naturally a very taciturn person, so even then our conversations tended to be short. Being here where everyone likes to talk is so much fun!"

  "You are very welcome to be here with us, Anne," Elizabeth said. "And talking is something most of the Bennets do very well indeed."

  As they were called in to dinner, Denny went up to escort his wife downstairs and to the table. He must not have mentioned the newest guest, because as they entered the dining room Mrs. Denny stopped in her tracks, pointed at Anne and asked, "Who is she? She looks like she is dressed for a court appearance, only that color is terrible on her. Why is she here?"

  Anne was surprised by the stream of comments and had no response to make. She looked more confused by the situation than anything, after the gracious welcome the rest of the family had extended. Darcy supposed living with Lady Catherine had made her less sensitive to insults and rude behavior. Everyone else was staring at Mrs. Denny in either surprise or disgust. Beside him, Darcy heard Elizabeth softly groan, "Oh, Lydia."

  "Lydia, do you wish to return to your room now?" Denny asked his wife.

  "No. Why would you think that?" She turned to look at him with an expression of incomprehension.

  "Then perhaps you could rephrase your questions in a more tactful and gracious manner," he suggested, with a look that said he was not going to accept any foolishness.

  Mrs. Denny looked around the room where everyone was staring at her, including Mr. Bennet, who come in just behind the Dennys. It was clear to Darcy she was thinking carefully about the situation. Finally, she turned to her husband and asked, "May I be introduced to our guest?"

  Denny turned to Anne, who nodded her permission. He proceeded to make the introduction, including the information that Anne was Darcy's cousin and that she would be staying as a guest at Longbourn. When he finished, he gave his wife another sharp look. She walked over to Anne, curtsied, and apologized somewhat insincerely for her rude remarks. Darcy saw him give slight sigh as Mrs. Denny looked back at her husband for approval, but in the end, he nodded before escorting her to her chair. Anne then requested an introduction to Mr. Bennet, which Darcy supplied. With the formalities out of the way, the meal began.

  After her rocky start, Darcy could tell Mrs. Denny was more careful to make sure she followed the rules she had been given for the rest of the meal. She probably did not want to risk losing the privilege of going to the party the following evening. She frequently looked at Anne, however. Partway through the meal, Anne addressed Mrs. Denny and asked what colors she thought might look better on her.

  "My mother has always picked the fabrics and patterns for my clothes," she explained. "This is what she likes."

  Once again, Mrs. Denny looked to her husband for approval before she answered. He gave a nod, but also a warning look. His wife understo
od not to be insulting in her response.

  "Those colors make your skin look more yellow and they drain any luster from your hair or eyes. You need to stay away from colors that have those yellow tones to them because they only heighten the effect. I think you might look better in a bright blue or perhaps a pale pink. I would have to try some different fabrics next to your face to be certain."

  "If you or your sisters could help me decide on some more attractive colors, I would appreciate that. I do not want to buy new clothes yet, but when my finances are settled, I would at least have a better idea of what would suit."

  That started a conversation about clothing that was of little interest to the men, but they did not fight against it. Darcy and Denny were across from each other and took the opportunity to talk about the upcoming journey to Newcastle. Even as he attended to his own conversation, Darcy could see that the question had broken the ice with Mrs. Denny and she was now willing to speak helpfully to this guest who valued her fashion expertise. By the end of dinner Mrs. Denny was as welcoming of Anne as all the rest of the family.

  As he rode back to Netherfield in the carriage with Georgiana, Darcy thought about the events of the day. It had been like no other he had experienced. Between the two encounters with Lady Catherine and having to readjust everything he thought he knew about Anne there would be much to consider before he finally fell asleep. With any luck, he could get his cousin well-settled before the wedding. He would have to discuss the situation with Richard the following morning. This evening would be too soon. He wondered what kind of dreams these events would produce.