Page 42 of Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone
Tendrils of anger curled tight in her belly. The woman was beyond ridiculous, but she went too far.
“That is my personal business. You have no right to ask me these questions.”
While trading barbs with Mr. Darcy’s foreboding aunt, Lizzy couldn’t help but notice Mama had approached the carriage which held Lady Catherine’s daughter.
“I have every right as his nearest living relative−”
“But you are not mine, and have no say in how I feel, or in what I do.”
She caught a glimpse of Mama entering the carriage and taking hold of Miss de Bough’s hand, then the door slammed shut and the curtains closed. A strange glow seemed to radiate around the edges of the drawn curtain. Dimly, she realized Lady Catherine continued to rant.
“...You are a gentleman’s daughter, but who was your mother? Who are your aunts and uncles? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition.”
“Whatever my connections may be−”
She stopped mid sentence and her eyes widened as Mama exited the carriage and glanced around. When her gaze alighted on them, she approached with amazing speed. Was it her imagination, or did Mama seem to grow taller? Leaner? Translucently beautiful? Mama passed under the rose covered trellis and the flowers weaved and bobbed as though a great wind buffeted them.
“You!” Mama raised her arm and pointed her finger at Lady Catherine.
Lizzy cut a sideways glance at Lady Catherine and noted that she’d lost all color in her face. Eyes wide and lips trembling, she stood completely still - and silent. Not a sound permeated the garden, not even bird song. It was preternaturally silent, as though nature had curtailed its activities to see what was about to transpire. Mama had by now reached them and stood toe to toe with Lady Catherine.
“Catherine Meredith Agnes Fitzwilliam de Bough, what have you done?”
“How.... How do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you and am exceedingly disappointed. How could you do that to your own flesh and blood?”
“I know not of what you speak.”
“You dare lie? To me?” Mama stepped back and leaves on the ground began to swirl around her skirts. Her eyes became almost iridescent, with flecks of silver around the pupils. She raised her arm again and Lady Catherine whispered, “Ellucia.”
“I became afraid, Ellucia.” Lady Catherine cried out, her voice trembling and weak. A complete opposite of the harridan she’d been earlier with Elizabeth.
“You were given the gift of a beautiful daughter. The mixing of two souls is a difficult business and if my brother hadn’t been so callous, you wouldn’t have lost the first babe. It is the only reason I was allowed to aid you and Sir Lewis to conceive this child.”
Her uncle Gardiner caused Lady Catherine to lose a baby? How was that possible? He would have been but a young lad himself when Anne de Bourgh was born. Lizzy mentally gave her head a shake. What in the world was going on?
“I know and I’m truly grateful.” Lady Catherine bowed her head and kept her eyes trained on the ground.
“Are you? You have stripped that poor girl of all joy and life.”
“I needed her to be pliable. She does not want to marry my nephew.”
“That is not true.”
Lady Catherine’s head snapped up. “No, no. She’s told me more than once she will not marry Darcy.”
“Then you have pushed the wrong nephew forward.”
“Wrong nephew?” Confusion caused Lady Catherine’s brow to furrow.
“I can only help you so far, Catherine. The rest is up to you.” Mama turned her head slightly and looked toward the carriage. Lizzy followed her gaze and saw the pale face of Anne de Bourgh peeking out the window. Mama faced Lady Catherine again. “I removed the binding spell that dark wizard cast and gave your daughter what she needs to protect her body and soul. You have no more control over what she eats, drinks, or even what she thinks. The wards around Rosings Park are no more. She is her own free woman and will make her own decisions. I suggest you learn to listen to your daughter. She may not have magic, but she is a fearsome woman in her own right and she bears a soul mark.”
At that, Lady Catherine gasped. She stood completely still and then cast a mournful look at her daughter’s worried face.
“I understand.” Lady Catherine moved toward the carriage, stopping to look back as an after thought. “I bid you good day, Miss Elizabeth. I will be pleased to call you my niece.” With that she straightened, and head held high, walked to her carriage, entered and called for the driver to carry on.
Side by side, mother and daughter watched the heavy carriage lumber down the graveled drive of Longbourn. When it was no longer in sight, Mama heaved a sigh.
