“She has the hips of a good rhinoceros,” he mumbled.
And the discussion began its inevitable spiral downward after that.
The carriage arrived at Longbourn at nearly half past noon. It was a vastly improved Longbourn from when Lady Catherine had last visited, that horrible day when she confronted Elizabeth, shouting out her views on the unsuitability of any sort of relationship between the poor country girl and Darcy.
Both Darcy and Bingley had together refurbished and beautified the old household of their in-laws. The garden was once again fine-looking, the house itself painted, the roof repaired, the drainage problem that had flooded the front yard and back was easily solved by Darcy, and the inside saw new wallpaper, sofas, tables, and draperies courtesy of Bingley.
It was an elegant little manor house that now stood before Catherine as Fitzwilliam handed her down from the carriage and they began to walk up the drive.
“Well, it seems quite an unexceptional home,” she offered kindly. “Much better than I remembered.” Perhaps the girl was not as much beneath her nephew as she had believed. Guiding her by the elbow, Fitzwilliam proceeded to lead her down a lovely little walkway through the front flower garden, a path that was lined by a beautiful low box hedge. It was a lovely day, the quiet interrupted only by the chirping of the blackbirds, the robins, the Tits— Blue, Great and Coal.
When they reached the first of four stepping stones that led to the main front veranda, a strange sort of keening noise began, faintly at first, growing louder and nearer in proximity. They stopped, quizzically looking first at each other and then about them. The sound grew more strident.
It was then that a medium-sized porker appeared from around the back of the house, streaking across their path and squealing at an ear-deafening pitch, followed closely by a barefoot, unkempt serving boy wielding a butcher knife and swearing like a drunken sailor. Catherine gripped Fitzwilliam’s arm and tightly closed her eyes.
They stood frozen for several moments. “Steady on, old girl.” Fitzwilliam struggled valiantly against the urge to laugh.
Catherine stared straight before her and swallowed. “Richard, really… you know how… Richard, I dislike… cant terms… such as ‘old girl’…
His chin hit his chest as he bit his upper lip. It was a while before he could speak. “Actually, I believe that was dinner.”
She winced and paled.
“Remember, dearest, in warfare it is always best to choose your battles.” He squeezed her elbow gently. “Shall we proceed?”
She shut her eyes again and nodded.
Compassion replaced the apprehension that had nearly paralyzed Lizzy after sending the serving girl to find Darcy. There was true anxiety in the face and mannerisms of the proud woman who stood before her, and Lizzy curtseyed respectfully to her new aunt. “Lady Catherine, I cannot tell you how happy we are that you are here.”
Catherine nodded, nervously shifting her feet. “I am very sorry for your loss, Elizabeth. Please accept my condolences to you and to your family.” Her voice wavered only once, and she cleared her throat, pulling fretfully at her gloves before continuing. “It was never your mother’s fault, nor her wish, I am sure, that her garden is so small.” Fitzwilliam turned his head to the side, coughing once to cover his bark of laughter.
“That is very kind of you to say, Lady Catherine.” Lizzy motioned for them to be seated. “Your condolences are dearly appreciated.”
“It’s Aunt Catherine, now, Elizabeth.” Catherine bestowed upon her a brief, strained smile that quickly faded. She stared at the ceiling, perhaps hoping to discover written there some mutually enjoyable topic of conversation. Finding nothing, she sighed.
“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.
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.
