Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (88 page)

“She had poise, and was accomplished, particularly in music.  That must be the source of Georgiana’s talent.”  Lady Matlock said thoughtfully.  “She was not acerbic as Catherine is, but not as intelligent either.  But she knew her place, that is certain.  She was an earl’s daughter and she appreciated her status.”

“Her family.”  Susan nodded and looked to Elizabeth.  “She was very keen on stressing the importance of caring for the family.”

“And nobody outside of it?”  Elizabeth asked.  Susan and Lady Matlock looked at each other.  “Would she have approved of me?”

“Of course!”  Susan cried.

“No.”  Lady Matlock said definitely.   She shrugged at Susan’s wide eyes.  “Do you seriously think that any woman raised in the Fitzwilliam household would approve of such a match?”

“I would hope that she would take her son’s happiness into account!” 

“Well, she was a bit of a dreamer; you see that in Georgiana.  The perfect companion to my brother, George.  Of course that was no love match at the beginning, but it grew into something akin to it, I suppose.  I am sure that George would have painted it that way after her death to Fitzwilliam.  He was a soft-hearted soul.”  Elizabeth looked to Susan and she nodded sadly. 

“He was so like my Harding.”

Lady Matlock looked between them and continued on, “Well, whatever it was, I know that she never lost sight of what would be best for the estate.  My husband’s parents were quite adamant about preserving Matlock and adding to it through a proper marriage.  She learned that lesson well, and would have been happier seeing Fitzwilliam with Anne instead of Cathy.  It would have been a significantly more advantageous match, and it was her sister’s daughter, after all.”  Seeing Elizabeth’s downcast eyes her brow creased.  “There is no sense fretting over your deceased mother-in-law’s feelings for you, Mrs. Darcy.  If you do well by your husband, she will welcome you in heaven, despite your disappointing origins and negligible dowry.”

Elizabeth’s hand went to her mouth and she laughed.  Lady Matlock stared.  “Forgive me, but you reminded me of my mother!  Oh my, so what is done is done and there is no sense fighting it?”

“Of course.  I know that.  My sister Catherine might fight you tooth and claw, but I see no sense in it.  I still have three children to marry off, and none of them are in the bloom of youth.  It is in my best interests to attract mates to them quickly, and having an open rift in the family is not in the least attractive.  Yes, Darcy has avoided us for years, but nobody outside of the family really knew about it.  We put on a show of tolerance when in Town, but now you are here and we must move forward.  So I am going to do you the favour of showing you how to move in society, and you, my dear, will return the favour by accepting mine.”

“You mean that you wish to be seen with me?”  Elizabeth gaped and her eyes sparkled.  “Oh, what irony!  I am the favoured one?  Has this trial by fire I have been experiencing since your arrival merely been a test to see if you can approach me?  Or use me, rather?”

“You will attract a great deal of attention.  With some work you might be charming.  My husband and sons seem to think you are.”  She sniffed and Elizabeth’s eyes widened.  “I can give you the legitimacy you lack.”

“I would think that my marriage would have done that.  Am I not an extension of my husband?  I am defined as Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy?”

“Certainly, and without a title his name is your calling card.”  She leaned forward, “But amongst the women . . . you need me, Mrs. Darcy.”

“And the women will want to meet me and they in turn . . .”

“Will see my daughter standing at your side.”

“Oh, now I see!  My charm will rub off on your less-charming child?” 

“Oh, Grace, really.”  Susan sighed and shook her head.

“You scratch my back and I will scratch yours.”  Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

“Well?”  Lady Matlock’s lips were compressed to a thin line.

“Answer me this.  When you first arrived and entered this room, did you truly mistake me as a servant?”  Elizabeth met her eye. 

“Momentarily.”

“And why did you continue the charade?”

“I wanted to see what you would do.”

“You treated her as a servant!”  Susan stared.  “What about Elizabeth could you possibly have mistaken?   Did you not notice her wedding band or her position at Fitzwilliam’s side?   Oh Grace!  You should be ashamed of yourself!  Did Cathy join you . . . oh I can tell that she did!”

“I expect an apology.”  Elizabeth maintained her steady gaze.

“I do apologize . . .”

“Not to me, to Fitzwilliam.  My husband was full of anticipation for this reunion.  He was a married man, he was joyful, he was hoping so much to begin reconciling with his family, and within moments of your arrival your behaviour dashed his hopes.  Your insult of me, of my sister, and most of all of my husband, was unacceptable.  And then your husband, asking Fitzwilliam to sell pieces of Pemberley to finance the shame caused by your heir!  Not to mention the guilt that you both skilfully try to drape on his shoulders!  You fooled nobody, madam.”  She watched the woman’s face colour.  “I have tried my best to salvage this visit for Fitzwilliam’s sake.  I continue to try because I accept that I have certain family members who behave similarly to you.”  Lady Matlock’s mouth opened and closed.  “Yes, you see, your equals reside in Hertfordshire.”

Susan laughed, “Oh Elizabeth, I admire you so much!” 

“You find this laughable?”  Lady Matlock snapped.

“I do!”  She took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes.  “Oh my, I have not laughed so much in so long!” 

“Laughing at someone being humiliated is hardly . . .”  Lady Matlock stopped when Elizabeth’s eye met hers.  “All right, yes, I am a fool and the rest of my family are as well.  I will apologize to Fitzwilliam, sincerely apologize . . . I suspect that you expect my husband to grovel as well?”

“That would be nice.”

“And
then
will you help us?”

“We will only be in Town briefly.”

Lady Matlock spoke quickly.  “We will make that known and you will be all the more sought.  We can do in weeks what would have been spread over the Season.”  

Elizabeth looked to Susan.  “What do you think?”

She regained her composure and spoke seriously.  “I think this is absurd.  Fitzwilliam fell in love by spending time with you, and rejected every one of these . . . ridiculous social affairs that he hated attending.  He despised the ladies of society that she wants you to befriend.”  Her arms crossed her chest,  “I cannot imagine participating, I was so glad to leave that all behind.”

“I cannot claim that I am enthusiastic about it, just the little I experienced over the past few weeks was miserable, but we do have Georgiana’s future to consider.”  Elizabeth heard Susan’s resigned sigh and asked curiously, “How did you meet the judge?” 

Susan blushed.  “It was a party his parents were holding at Darcy House; my father was an old school friend of Mr. Darcy’s.  We were playing blind man’s bluff, and I was blindfolded.  I found him and of course had to touch him to guess his identity, and . . .” Her blush deepened.  “He felt so . . .”

“Very good.”  Elizabeth whispered and Susan nodded.  “I thought the same the first time Fitzwilliam touched me, I just knew.”

Lady Matlock looked between them without comprehension.  “Well, Mrs. Darcy?”

She took her time giving the countess her attention, and eventually spoke, “I will consider it, but I will reserve my answer until I feel satisfied with your apologies, and learn my husband’s opinion.  But in the meantime I expect your daughter’s behaviour towards me to improve, at least to the point where she stops muttering invectives to any willing ear.  In that she truly resembles her namesake.”  Elizabeth met Lady Matlock’s eye unflinchingly.  “Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“And if we are
such
good friends, I believe that I should at least call you Lady Grace?  Or do you prefer Aunt?”

“Lady Grace.”  She said quickly. 

“And,
Aunt
.”  Lady Matlock’s eyes narrowed as Elizabeth leaned forward and said quietly, “
I
am Mistress of Pemberley and Darcy House, not you.  If you do anything other than behave as a guest in my homes again, our potential arrangement will be rescinded.  You need me far more than I need you.”

“Mrs. Darcy.”  Lady Matlock spoke just as quietly.  “I do hope you understand that my directions to you were meant only in the kindest way.  Your lack of education will put you at a great disadvantage, and while my methods may seem harsh, I think that in the end you will appreciate the lessons.”

“I will certainly never forget them.  I appreciate your willingness to assist me.  However I think that you should quite understand that my husband has been poised to call for your carriage to send you away since you set foot inside of our home.”  Lady Matlock’s face flushed unbecomingly.  Elizabeth looked at Susan and then to the door.  “Now, if you will excuse me, I will seek out Mr. Darcy and discuss your proposition.  You should consider the genuine apology you will be presenting to him.”  She rose to her feet and left the room. 

“That young woman is no fool.”  Susan looked after her, and then turned to Lady Matlock.  “And she is absolutely correct in her chastisement of you.  I think that it is entirely by her grace that you were permitted to stay beyond the first night.  How could you treat her so poorly?  She has done so much for Fitzwilliam already, surely you see the difference?”

“Of course, I do.”  She huffed as she tried to regain her composure and poured a little of the orgeat into her teacup.  “The man is lost to her.  I was not blind to the way he was caressing her throat or that there was a hidden agenda in his talk of passion flowers.  I have no doubt that Cathy’s absence now is because she spotted the two of them still entwined in the driveway after the rest of the men entered the house.”  Susan bit her lip and looked down to her teacup.  “I hope that our offer of assistance will help to mend the breach in our family.”

“It was a breach because you pushed your will on Fitzwilliam when George died.   It remains a breach because of the abominable way you and every member of your family, save the colonel, has behaved since you walked in that door.  If Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth agree to your shenanigans they have the patience of saints.  I think that you should be prepared for this breach to remain.” 

 “Your thinking is too narrow.  What if that will had been pushed by his dearly departed father?  Who would have been sitting here making tea for us today had he lived?  And would Darcy have had any thought at all of resisting it?  Cathy, Anne, or some other woman of the
ton
would have been his wife.  I know that you have a love match with your judge, Susan, but surely even he expected far more for Darcy’s choice of bride than this.” 

Susan sighed.  “Yes, he did.  But he is not blind to love.  He cares for Fitzwilliam deeply.  Although he would never hold back his opinion, he will also support the man he looks at as a son.  But that is not the point of our conversation.  Elizabeth
is
Fitzwilliam’s wife, and as she said, what is done is done, there is no sense in fighting it.”

“LAZING ABOUT IN BED ARE YOU?”  George Darcy leaned against the bedpost and crossed his arms.

His brother blinked, and blinked again.  “George?” 

“What is wrong with you?  You need to wake up.  Was not wishing to kill me enough for you?” 

“Did I?  I do not remember . . . I . . . I was wrong, did . . . did I give in to the impulse?  I remember that I was obsessed, and then I . . . I became mad.  If you had not broken the entailment, I . . . I could have lived with it, I think.” 

“Lived with it?”  George laughed hollowly.  “Bad choice of words, Brother.  You mean
I
could have lived with it.”

“I am so sorry, George, the pain, you cannot understand the pain . . .”

“Can I not?  I lost my babies, too, Harding, I lost my wife!”

Judge Darcy blinked at the hazy vision.  “Not in one week, you never knew your babies, they were never born.  You never knew your sons.  You . . . you did nothing when I lost my children, you would not let Samuel come to Pemberley House to be safe!  You would not expose Fitzwilliam to the chance of becoming ill.”

“I will not deny it; he was my only child and Pemberley’s heir.  I hurt you by cutting you out of the entailment; you know that I did it for a reason, Harding.  Look at yourself, look what has become of you!  Wake up, man, before it is too late!    Where has my brother gone?  Think!  Fight your way out of it!  This is not you, Harding, this is not my brother!  Wake!  Why kill Fitzwilliam and send him to me?  To force my daughter to marry your son?  I want to see my son again, Harding, but not yet, his time has not come.  Leave him alone.  You have done enough.  Let him love this woman he has chosen.  Let my daughter try to find a life.  You have done enough.” 

“I have done enough . . .”  He sank back against his pillows.  “I have done enough . . .” 

“Sir?”  Carson entered the room.  “Sir, did you call?”

“Darcy.”  He said from his delirium.  “Darcy . . .”

“Yes, sir.”  Picking up the empty glass that had contained his dose of laudanum, he shook his head.  “The cure is worse than the affliction, I think.”  He covered the judge and stepping across the room, closed the door behind him. 

STEPPING OUT IN THE HALLWAY, Elizabeth looked right and left, and then spotted a footman.  “Have you seen Mr. Darcy, Thomas?  I think he was going to the billiards room?”

“I thought I saw him enter the library, madam.  Shall I ask him to return?”

“No, I will go to him, thank you.”  She smiled and continued on.  “What would take him to the library?”  Hearing the sound of a mournful song ending, she reminded herself to speak with her sister privately before the day was out.  Susan indicated that something was bothering her, and Elizabeth suspected that it was more than the criticism she received from Richard.  Even Lady Matlock noticed and that was dangerous.  At last she came to the library door.  She looked in, but it seemed empty.  Just to be sure, she went inside and made a circuit of the peaceful room.  Sighing, she stopped to look out of the window at the weather, and thought again of the tense talk with Lady Matlock.  Her eyes closed, her arms came up to hug herself, and she wished Darcy was there to hold her.  She did not hear the advance of footsteps across the carpet, but smiled when she felt a warm presence behind her.  “There you are.”