Believe me, madam,
Yours very sincerely,
Anne de Bourgh
As soon as the letter was written, Anne had breakfast brought to her. Then she decided to try to get dressed. She found to her surprise that she had much more strength than she had expected. To all enquiries, she caused the reply to be given that “she was better, and would be downstairs shortly.”
About mid-morning she went downstairs, saw to the letter's being dispatched, and herself walked Minette. Then she went to the drawing room. There was a visitor there, Lady Louisa. And more than that: her cousin Elizabeth was there, as well. She had made a rapid recovery, due, Dr Lawson said, to her youth, a good constitution, and happiness. Mrs Grainger's predictions had not been realized, the obliging young woman from Torgates had not been needed, and a very few days after her child's birth, Mrs Darcy had announced that she was tired to death with her bedchamber, and did not wish to stay there. Sitting on the sofa, with her baby in her arms, she looked more lovely than Anne had ever seen her.
A conference had been going on, and she was its subject. The unknown, disregarded cousin had become a loved and valued citizen of Pemberley; she who had been thought of as a burden was now an asset; and everyone was there, including Mr Bennet, to discuss her situation, and what they might do to help her. Lady Louisa had arrived with a scheme of her own, but heard it all out in her usual alert, kindly manner, saying nothing until everyone had spoken, and she had the full history of Lady Catherine's visit.
Mr Darcy had alluded—as he thought, very delicately—to the subject of Lady Catherine's disagreement with Anne, but Lady Louisa had no time for delicacy.
“In love with somebody else, is she?” she said. “Well, I am not surprised, it always happens so with your lonely, cloistered girls, who cannot tell anybody about their feelings, and keep things to themselves. Give me a girl who cries, and writes love-letters, and keeps her sisters awake at night; she will grow out of it. Miss de Bourgh has been kept too close, had nobody to confide in; girls like her always fall in love with the first man who is kind to them, and never get over it. And her family can think themselves lucky if it's not a dancing-master, or a groom of the chambers, or some such thing.”
There was a kind of sudden stillness in the room, and Lady Louisa saw that Georgiana's face was scarlet. So… there was something! she thought. I'll wager fifty sovereigns, it was that handsome scamp, what was his name, Wigby or Wilson—the steward's son. It seems to run in the family.
“Now, what is to be done?”
It was at this point, fortunately, that Anne entered the room. There was a general expression of delight on seeing her, and in the middle of the exclamations, and enquiries as to her health, and finding her a comfortable chair, and Anne being allowed to take little Lewis in her arms and admire him, Georgiana's complexion had a chance to recover.
However, at this point, there was another interruption. Mr Lewis Bennet Fitzwilliam Darcy, having been disturbed, and picked up, and kissed, chose this moment to demand attentions from his mother that only she could provide; and Elizabeth was obliged to leave them. “But,” she said, “you have matters well in hand, and you have my full approbation for whatever you may decide, and any assistance that Lewis and I can give.”
As soon as they were all settled, Lady Louisa brought up the reason why she had come to Pemberley; she was going to London in a few weeks, and wished to invite Georgiana to go with her, and have a season in town. She was of the opinion that Georgiana needed the society of more young people, “and not young men,” she said, “So much as young girls; she needs to spend more time with young women of her own age. Look how happy she is when she is with Miss Rackham. You need to laugh with other girls, Georgiana, to be foolish if you will; you need to be young.”
“You are right,” said Darcy. “She must leave us old married people to themselves.”
“Well, I see no reason why Miss de Bourgh, if she is well enough by then, should not come too,” Lady Louisa said. “It would be far better for you, my dear, than going back to Rosings; yes, yes, Minette would be welcome. If she comes to London,” she pointed out, “Miss de Bourgh will certainly meet Lord Francis, for he is sure to be there for the season; but she will also meet other eligible gentlemen. After all, with thirty thousand pounds, why should the heiress of Rosings be limited to considering one elderly suitor, whom she does not like? She might do far better.”
“But supposing Lady Catherine decides to go to London?” Mr Bennet asked.
“She will not do so,” said Lady Louisa. “I have known her for five-and-thirty years, and she will never go anywhere that she is not first in importance. That is why she has been so happy at Rosings, where she rules; that is why she likes Burley, where she is outdone only by the Duchess, who treats her as an equal because she hopes for a rich wife for her brother. She will not go to London. But she may well let Miss de Bourgh go; believe me, she sincerely desires what is best for her daughter.”
Anne could only listen, and thank her, and hope.
On this basis, a plan was concocted. Lady Louisa's ball was to take place within a few days; everyone should go, except Anne. Mrs Darcy, of course, was not able to go, and Mr Bennet, who did not like balls, would stay to bear them company. They should all insist to Lady Catherine that Anne was really unwell, and must stay for the time being at Pemberley. At the ball, or more probably the next day (for they must stay the night), they would mention the plan of Georgiana's going to London. Lady Catherine, it was felt, would certainly approve of Georgiana's having a London season, since it would materially increase her chances of getting an eligible husband. Georgiana would then beg as a favour that Anne should join her and Lady Louisa for the season, and Lady Louisa would put forward every argument in her power to persuade Lady Catherine of the eligibility of the plan.
“I am sorry,” Mr Bennet said, “to be of so little use to Miss de Bourgh that I can only assist her by not being present, but it is just as well. I have had letters from home, and I must leave you all pretty soon. My new granddaughter, little Miss Bingley, is to be christened next week, and they seem to think the child cannot become a Christian unless I am there to witness the proceedings.”
There were exclamations of regret, but everyone must acknowledge that it was, indeed, time for him to rejoin his wife and daughters. In addition, he would be able to describe in person all the perfections of little Lewis, “but nobody shall make plans for their marriage,” Darcy said. “Look what a bad thing it is, to decide these matters on behalf of two people, while they are still in the cradle.”
“I have something to tell you, too,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam, “and perhaps it might be as well not to mention this to Lady Catherine, as we do not want to make her angry. I have been recalled. I must return to my regiment in a very few days; and I find that I do not like the idea of being parted from Mrs Annesley. So I have asked her to marry me, and she has said yes. She has been a soldier's wife before and likes the idea of being one again. We plan to marry very quietly, a couple of days after the ball, and we will leave together immediately after the ceremony.”
There was no one who was not surprised on hearing the news; there was no one who was not delighted. But as for marrying quietly! They were not to think of it, for everyone wished to be there, and as for leaving right after! No! No! there must be a breakfast. Mrs Annesley hastily explained that “quietly” of course meant “only their friends,” and “immediately after” meant “after the breakfast.” In response to a discreet question from Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam explained in an undertone that his godfather, who had recently died, had left him a sum of money quite sufficient, with care and good sense, to support the expense of a family.