“It’s good to see you also, Richard, dear friend. How are you able to be away from Paris at this time?”
“I am on the diplomatic circuit, Elizabeth. I have been shuttling between London and Paris for several weeks now.”
At that moment, Darcy entered the room. “Your ladyship,” he said quietly as he walked toward his aunt and bowed, taking both her hands to kiss. Her eyes were on Darcy and him alone now. She fought back a warm smile that would have betrayed her joy, but her eyes grew moist with emotion.
“You look very well, Darcy, indecently so. Marriage certainly agrees with you. How is your heart?” She poked her finger into his hand to see if an indentation remained which would expose his water retention. There was none. She nodded in relief and smiled.
“My heart is quite well, Aunt Catherine. Thank you.” He took a step toward Fitzwilliam, and they both shrugged at each other before pulling up their chairs.
The four sat down and made small talk for a while, Elizabeth surprised that her reaction to Lady Catherine was so different from their initial meeting. Perhaps living with Darcy has made me more compassionate. A strong feeling of love for this new family of hers welled up within her.
Like Darcy, Catherine was accustomed to a world where people jumped when she spoke, where people never entertained the thought of voicing an opinion contrary to hers. The Darcys and the de Bourghs and, for that matter, the Fitzwilliams, all took for granted their world of privilege, would know no reaction to their existence other than acquiescence to whatever they wished.
Experiencing a surge of empathy for Catherine, Lizzy noted the way the older woman looked at Darcy, all the love of a mother toward her own son. In the end, it turned out they had something very important in common after all—they both loved him dearly. Absently, Lizzy placed a hand on her stomach. She must have had a smile on her face, because she noticed Catherine was looking straight at her.
“Elizabeth?” Catherine looked deeply into Elizabeth’s eyes. “You are with child, aren’t you?” Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s heads shot up with a start, and Fitzwilliam let out a hoot.
“Are you, Elizabeth?” he asked with delight.
Darcy knew not what to say, but Elizabeth answered happily, “Yes, Aunt Catherine, I am.”
“All right, Catherine, I realize you know all and see all, but how on earth did you divine that?” His aunt amazed Fitzwilliam with her ability to wheedle information from people that they had previously been able to keep secret from the rest of humanity.
“Well, Fitzwilliam, if you did something more than ride horses all over the Continent, drink inferior brandy, and chase loose women, you would be able to spend some time studying human nature. Elizabeth has placed a gentle hand on her stomach each time I have asked about her health, and then she has looked contentedly at her husband.” Catherine smiled proudly.
“You are a wonder, Aunt!” he proclaimed.
“Yes, of course I am.” She was mildly surprised that the fact even needed to be voiced.
When Catherine and Fitzwilliam stood to leave, Lizzy reached out and took her new aunt’s hand in both of hers, sincerely regretting the shortness of their visit. “I am so sorry my father was not here to greet you. I know he would have been greatly honored by your visit, Aunt Catherine.”
“Well, of course he would have been, my dear. Indeed, who would not?” Catherine patted Lizzy’s hand in return.
Darcy walked up to her and kissed her cheek, “Thank you, Aunt, for coming today. It has meant a great deal to both Elizabeth and me.” Tears welled up in his aunt’s eyes as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “You have shown yourself to be the better person, and as always, you have my sincere admiration and love.”
“Stuff and nonsense. This is family, and family is the most important thing in the world. Didn’t I always teach you that, Darcy? Both you and Richard?”
Fitzwilliam tucked her hand under his elbow. “Indeed you did, Aunt Catherine. You taught us well.”
“You must all come to Rosings soon, perhaps next month,” she announced grandly as the door to her carriage was closed. Her mood was ecstatic, a new burst of enthusiasm for living putting bloom to her cheeks, and she looked lovingly through her carriage window at the smiling couple.
“Your father and sisters, also, Elizabeth. It will do them all good to get away from this horrid little house anyway.” She settled back into her carriage then suddenly came forward, poking her head out of the window again. “Your sisters will benefit greatly from my experience. Mark me on this. I will have them drawing in two weeks. And I have heard your sister Mary is a great proficient on the pianoforte. She shall be able to use the one in the children’s wing, as long as she’s in no one’s way and does not play too loudly.” With that, she nodded to Fitzwilliam, and he signaled the driver to be off.
Darcy and Elizabeth spent the next few weeks with her father, ensuring that the new housekeeper was well established before they returned to Pemberley and Georgiana.
Try as she might, Elizabeth could think of little else but what Jane had told her about Caroline and Darcy, although she did not dare bring up the subject again, considering the last episode, what with her unfortunate destruction of furniture and all. However, a seed of doubt had been placed in her mind.
If she had only asked Darcy what had really transpired between Caroline and her husband at Netherfield, she would have eased her fears.
Darcy had been avoiding Caroline as much as possible the afternoon of the funeral luncheon; however, after seeing Bingley walk away from a conversation with him, the siren struck.
“Caroline, I didn’t see you there, excuse me.”
She had brought him a cup of tea. “I believe I prepared this as you like, cream and no sugar.” Her eyes skimmed over his shoulders and chest and boldly wandered down farther before returning lazily to his eyes.
“Thank you, Caroline. That was thoughtful of you. I am sorry I have not had the opportunity of visiting with you.”
“I understand your dilemma quite well, Mr. Darcy. However, I do admit to a fear that you have been attempting to avoid me this whole week. I hope that our friendship has not been strained because of your change in marital status?”
Caroline was generally all smiles and fluttering eyelashes at the sight of any man. Resenting her loss of Darcy, especially to Elizabeth, she exaggerated this affectation with him, thinking it made her more alluring and feminine. It did not.
“Not at all, Caroline. It is just that my time has been quite taken up elsewhere these past days. I am sure you can appreciate that the loss of Mrs. Bennet has been felt deeply by her family.”
“Yes, this is the essence of a family in mourning, I have noticed.” She gave a wicked little laugh as she motioned to Mr. Bennet, sitting alone in a corner with his back to the room and examining an old manuscript, Kitty and Mary arguing over who would take the last seedcake, and the Reverend Mr. Collins quoting Philippians to any poor soul who would listen. “The only thing wanting are jugglers and the elegant Lydia dragging along her dutiful husband, Wickham, picking at his teeth.”
She had a hard, cruel mouth when she spoke, and Darcy wondered how he had ever thought her attractive. It infuriated him that she believed she could insult his wife and her family even as they mourned. “Please excuse me,” he said coldly and turned to leave. Caroline clutched his arm and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “You are the most noble and long-suffering of men. I don’t know of another who would take on this ridiculous family with such grace and dignity.”