I seriously DISLIKE Lady Catherine.
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 25 - A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Pandemonium broke out at Hunsford Cottage when word of Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s imminent arrival reached the ears of William Collins. Shouting orders at the staff, his wife, and most importantly his wayward cousin Elizabeth Bennet, the sitting room became a flurry of activity just as the wheels of the phaeton rolled to a stop on the main drive just outside the home.
Elizabeth could not resist rushing to the window to peek out at the grand Dames condescension to visit the lowly parsonage. Her eyes recognized the smiling round face of Mr. Darcy’s regular driver, Peter Holbein. She had met the man just that morning when he accompanied her and Fitzwilliam on their visit to the impoverished Holbein family living on the glebe lands her cousin managed. Catching his eye, the driver slowly nodded and slid one finger to the side of his nose.
Before she could work out a plan to go outside, Mr. Collins was seating Lady Catherine in the sitting room. Elizabeth frowned and took a seat on the far sofa as the Collinses fussed and fretted over the grand lady just as she was accustomed. On this visit, Lady Catherine waved her arms as if to swat a fly and shoo her parson and his wife away from her.
“There can be no mistake as to why I have deigned to travel here personally and explain why despite the Archbishop of Canterbury’s arrival to Rosings this very afternoon, none in this household are invited to dine with us this evening. And the fault lies with no other than this hussy you continue to shelter in your home.”
“Lady Catherine, we are most humble to receive your ladyship on any such occasion. And any offense my cousin has given, I most heartily apologize and beg your forgiveness.” Mr. Collins bowed so low before her ladyship that he was very nearly prostrate.
“It is her very existence that offends!”
Elizabeth Bennet could not help herself and smiled at the imposing lady, infuriating her more.
“There! There –” Lady Catherine pointed a long fat finger directly at Elizabeth, “see how she laughs at us? She is guilty I say, guilty of attempting to bewitch my nephews with her arts and allurements. Women of her ilk have a road in London and should not be socializing with families of good standing.”
“Your ladyship is mistaken, perhaps what might be the first time of any such occurrence. I am merely an acquaintance of your nephews, one of them only because he nearly killed me with his horse.” Elizabeth slowly exhaled to restore her decorum.
“I was present in the same county and social gatherings with your nephew, Mr. Darcy, and my friend, and never was there any sign of impropriety or affection on either party.” Charlotte Collins said quietly.
“Do not speak unless spoken to, Mrs. Collins,” Mr. Collins hissed at his wife in a hoarse whisper.
“But –” Charlotte began to defend your friend, but elected to stop when her husband glared at her.
“Regardless of your own estimation of your behavior, as your moral and social superior, I say otherwise. Women of your profession are not suitable for His Grace’s presence. Your utter lack of deference for your betters has barred you from this evening’s festivities and any future visits of Rosings. This is my final word on the subject.” Lady Catherine rose and nodded pertly at her parson. Unfortunately, the target of her vitriol was far from conceding the match.
Gazing determinedly out the window, Elizabeth spoke: “I wonder how much weight your word shall have once you are the dowager of Rosings and no longer the mistress?”
Lady Catherine turned around slowly with her face ever increasing in shades of red. “You would dare to insult a peer?”
“No, your ladyship, I only humbly make the observation your nephew, Mr. Darcy, is set to wed your daughter now the Archbishop has arrived. My cousin has most emphatically championed the blessed event my entire visit. Once that occurs, it will be for Mr. and Mrs. Darcy to determine who shall and shall not visit Rosings.”
“Cousin Elizabeth, I believe you should retire to your room and pack your belongings.” Mr. Collins said through clenched teeth.
“I expressly forbid it!” Lady Catherine called out. Peering at the young upstart, the older woman took great joy in issuing yet another edict. “I desire this trumped up bit of muslin remain in your home until after the wedding. Then she may cry herself all the way back to London and whatever relations will take her in. Once my daughter marries, my nephew will soon tire of your company, mark my words. Men never stay true to their mistresses, because as you get older, their tastes stay young.”
“Then lucky for me I am not the mistress of either of your nephews. And I find it a slander for you to continue to blacken my character, your ladyship.” Elizabeth Bennet rose from the couch and pursed her lips. She knew she ought to behave better, but this woman who had everything yet made all around her miserable, tried every ounce of her dwindling patience. Momentarily closing her eyes, Elizabeth thought of her Fitzwilliam, remembering that after tomorrow, he would be free.
“What’s that she’s doing? Closing her eyes like that, open them I say! Don’t trifle with me young lady and then pretend to swoon. I won’t have it!”
Elizabeth sighed and lowered herself into a deep curtsy. Before rising, she made her apologies. “Forgive me, my tongue has run away from me. I am, as you say, unfit for civilized company. With your permission, Cousin Collins, I shall retire to my room and reflect on what my behavior has cost you in your friendship with Lady Catherine.”
“Yes, yes, I do believe that is best. Come, come, you have vexed her ladyship too much. Forgive us, Lady Catherine, for this evening’s continued offenses.”
Elizabeth scurried around her ladyship and passed her cousin to take the stairs as quickly as a lady might. Hopefully, she had done just enough damage to keep Lady Catherine from suspecting the true plans tomorrow, and permitted to retire early, she was certain to rise with the sun in time for the ceremony. Pulling out bread and a small bottle of wine her maid Anna had smuggled from the kitchens the first time Mr. Collins withheld food from her, Elizabeth found her appetite fleeting with the excitement of a wedding on the horizon.
Chapter 26- A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Longbourn grew dramatically in size in the perceptions of Catherine Bennet as yet another sister was off on a grand adventure, yet she remained home. Just that afternoon, Lydia Bennet, the youngest Bennet sister, was invited as the distinguished guest of Mrs. Forster, the Colonel’s wife, to follow the militia to Brighton for the spring and summer drills. Kitty Bennet tried to not take her ire out on the poor watercolor she was making of a vase with wilted flowers when her peace and quiet were disturbed by the only remaining Bennet sister still at home, her older sister Mary.
“You know Mama shall be cross to see your paint set again. Why must you antagonize her so?”
The paint set was another gift from the Bennet sister who must not be mentioned, Elizabeth, and arrived as an early Easter gift through the post. Kitty now had half a dozen art pieces for her sister that she planned to bind in a portfolio with her next month’s pin money. She didn’t dare send her sister anything in return, but still held out hope that one day, the family might heal. Her sentiments directly echoed those of her Aunt Gardiner’s.
“You’re doing it wrong. Look at how big your vase is compared to your table. It’s too big.” Mary criticized, looking over Kitty’s shoulder.
The statement was too much as Kitty looked down and saw that her sister was right. In a fit, Catherine Bennet seized her artwork and crumpled it to a small ball and threw it at her sister who was now backing away slowly.
“There, are you happy? You harpy! Why, why can you never mind your own business?”
“Don’t take your frustrations out on me. It is not my fault Lydia was allowed to go to Brighton and you were not invited.”
“It’s not fair! Lizzie is away in London. You got to go to Bath. When will it be MY turn?” Kitty slammed her paint set closed with a flip of her fingers and swished her brush most vigorously to remove all color.
Mary shrugged and lay on the extra bed now in Kitty’s room. “You mustn’t speak her name. Father has said we must not, and we must not.”
“But why? What reasoning has ever been given? No one would have married that toad!”
“I would have. I would have married Mr. Collins, and you should not call him a toad!”
“Oh, you loved him did you? All his sermonizing and superior airs. Yes, I’m sure you would have made the happy couple until you found out what poor Charlotte had to the hard way.”
Mary’s ears perked up at the hint of gossip surrounding her beloved William. “What did Charlotte Lucas learn? Any fault of Mr. Collins is surely caused by an unsupportive wife.”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Tell me! It is a vicious lie, whatever it is.”
Kitty shook her head. “No it’s not, I heard it straight from Maria Lucas when she returned from Kent!”
“Tell me!”
Kitty mimed locking her lips, which only infuriated Mary more. Frantically looking around the room, Mary spied a favored bonnet by her sister and snagged it, threatening to rip it to shreds.
“No! You’re no better than Lydia!”
“Where do you think she learned it?”
“Girls!” Mrs. Bennet shrill voice carried up the stairs and both Mary and Kitty realized their spat had gone too far. Kitty marched over to Mary and giving her a surprising shove, snatched the bonnet from her hands as she fell back towards the bed. Only Mary’s feet slipped from underneath her and she landed on the hard wooden floor with a thud.
Kitty’s eyes widened in fear as loud steps could be heard thundering up the stairs. A very angry Mrs. Bennet stood in the doorway as Mary began to sob and pointed her finger at Kitty.
“What is this? What have you done to poor Mary?”
“Nothing, Mama. She was going to rip my bonnet!” Kitty held up the bonnet as proof of her sister’s treachery.
“She’s painting again, and she won’t stop talking about Lizzie,” Mary whined as she continued to whimper from the floor.
“That’s not true, tis not! I wouldn’t tell her what Maria Lucas told me about Mr. Collins blackening Charlotte’s eye during their visit, and she —”
“Enough!” Mrs. Bennet stormed past Kitty and collected the offending paint set as it sat next to the window.
“No, please! I so enjoy the painting, and it is an accomplishment!” Kitty pleaded.
“You wish to work on your accomplishments? Stitch. Read. No husband will want you with paint beneath your finger nails and your wild visions on paper!”
“Please, Mama!” But it was to no avail, Mrs. Bennet carried the paint set out of the room and Kitty sunk to the floor in sobs. After a few minutes, Mary ended her charade of being injured and slithered towards her sister forlorn before her.
“That’s what you get for spreading lies!” Crawling backwards away from Kitty’s reach, Mary rose and restored her dress and appearance before leaving the room herself.
Anger pounded and throbbed in Kitty’s head until she screeched and clenched her fists at her side. Throwing herself upright, she rushed to the door and slammed it shut! A habit becoming too familiar in her life, Catherine Bennet, the surrogate for Elizabeth, cried herself to sleep.
NEW RELEASE
For the Love of a Bennet
What if Elizabeth Bennet traveled with Lydia to Brighton?
A reimagining of Jane Austen’s most beloved tale, Pride & Prejudice, join author Elizabeth Ann West as she writes the romantic adventure story she always wanted! When Lizzy and Lydia arrive in Brighton, it’s very clear that the younger Bennet sister came with very serious plans towards Mr. Wickham. Thankfully, an old ally is also in town, with problems of his own to solve. After Mr. Darcy, himself, is summoned to Brighton to hopefully solve two dilemmas with one wealthy member of the gentry, the whole militia is thrown into an uproar by Wickham’s most dastardly deed, yet. Together, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have to save Lydia from her own undoing, or it will mean more than just mere reputations are ruined.
For the Love of a Bennet is a novel length story, currently being posted chapter by chapter on Elizabeth’s author site. This story was originally conceptualized in 2019 as a part of the All Go to Brighton challenge.
Chapter 27 - A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Lady Matlock reclined in her parlor nursing a most dreadful headache with her Cook’s famous tea blend. A splash or two of brandy in the cup made the warm beverage a balm to sooth the Countess of Matlock’s throbbing veins. Before her lay a complicated arrangement of invitations as the height of the London Season came into full swing. Many families would arrive from the country as Easter was the following weekend, but given the scandals of Georgiana and now Fitzwilliam and the girl from the theatre, the Matlocks had elected to remain in town to help parry whispers.
Sipping a long draft from her fine china, the sound of a carriage rolling up to the house outside piqued her interest. While dressed impeccably for the day and able to accept callers, truly Margaret Fitzwilliam had no interest in playing social games as she still suffered from the late hours of the previous evening’s ball at Lady Sefton’s town home.
Relief washed over her as her dear husband strolled into the parlor, until she viewed his expression.
“Henry, sit down. You look as if you are to suffer an apoplexy.” His wife beckoned for him to find a chair. Instead, the Earl of Matlock paced the parlor floor in front of the grand windows looking out upon the busy street.
“That son of yours, Margaret, shall be the death of us.”
“Which son is that pray tell? We do have two.”
“Richard! I had business with our solicitor and I notice papers with his name written upon them. Now, I ask you, what business does Richard have with our lawyers that I am not aware of? I know he confides in you.”
Margaret Fitzwilliam mulled for a moment, then continued sipping her tea.
The Earl halted in his tracks at his wife’s playacting and stormed over to her table in a deliberate double-quick march. Placing both hands on the edge, he peered closely until his nose was directly in front of his wife’s teacup that she held so delicately. “Margaret, tell me what you know.”
Lady Matlock leaned back in her chair and fluttered away her husband’s face with a slight wave of her hand. Henry returned to a standing position and folded his arms across his chest. The position was a similar stance he shared with both of his sons, a similarity Margaret always found highly amusing.
“I have not spoken to Richard in weeks. Why not visit him at his barracks and seek your answers directly from him?”
“I did just as you say and he’s not there! He’s gone! I was told by some bloke in a red coat the Colonel has leave and is visiting his relations in Kent!”
Lady Matlock gasped.
“Margaret, I’m going to ask you this once more. What is our son planning and where is he?”
“He wouldn’t . . . they wouldn’t . . .” Margaret Fitzwilliam’s furrowed her brows and placed her teacup down. She flattened her palms against her temples and pushed as she tried to find any evidence her supposition was wrong. Surely those two boys did not think they could take on their Aunt Catherine, alone, without reinforcements?
“We must ready the carriage. We must leave for Rosings at once!”
“Whatever for?” The Earl of Matlock called after his wife as she hastily stood up from the table and began pulling on cords to summon the housekeeper. There was much to plan and little time to accomplish it all.
“Richard’s going to marry Anne, and your negotiations with the Duke of Northumberland will fall to shambles.”
“What!” The earl roared, much in a similar fashion as his son. The earl’s lip glistened with perspiration and his wife approached him to place her hand on his arms.
“I’m certain we shall be there in time. If Darcy and Richard had pulled off this coup, we both know Catherine would be standing and shouting in our parlor at this very moment.”
Still the earl said nothing and only breathed huskily, in and out. Finally, he listened to his wife’s good sense.
“We shall leave tomorrow, I cannot miss the dinner tonight at the Burrells. If they have not accomplished it as yet, ’tis better I shore up any loose ends now.”
You’ve been reading A Virtue of Marriage
Book 2 of The Moralities of Marriage, continuation of the saga from By Consequence of Marriage.
With Fitzwilliam Darcy hopelessly tangled in his family’s lies and deceit in Kent, reinforcements are on the way in the form of his cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, and his secret fiancee, Elizabeth Bennet. Two generations of the Fitzwilliam family clash at Rosings and the matrimonial futures of both Darcy and Richard hang in the balance. When Lady Catherine goes on a rampage, and the Bennets become swayed by the vicious gossip swirling the Darcy family, both Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam learn you inherit each other’s family drama by virtue of marriage.
A full-length novel, A Virtue of Marriage continues the three-part Moralities of Marriage series.
A Virtue of Marriage, Book 2 of the Moralities of Marriage
a Pride and Prejudice novel variation series
Release Date: March 31, 2015
308 pages in print.
+ 23 additional Pride & Prejudice variations are available at these fine retailers . . .
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Poor Kitty. Thankfully in Book 3 she gets a sort of rescue as well. 🙂
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
A Jane-of-all-trades, mistress to none! Elizabeth Ann West is the author of 8 novels and 11 novellas, 18 of which are story variations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
What a predicament for Elizabeth as Lady Catherine descends on the Collins home to abuse her and she is lucky to have a friend in Charlotte to defend her. Hope she was able to placate Lady Catherine so the plan for the wedding can succeed Do hope Lady Matlock can assist her and a solution is found for Catherine Bennett