Page 83 of May I Have the Pleasure
“Do not be ridiculous. You shall leave at a decent hour after you have a few days to pack and establish a new residence. I shall send you to your new home in the barouche box.”
“It shall be as you say. Before I go, may I say one last thing?”
“If you must.”
“My conscience demands to be heard.”
“Then have your say.”
“Lady Catherine, I want to thank you from my heart for your kindness to me this past year. I have done little to deserve it, I know it is time to leave your care, and you have ample reason to see the backside of me; but nevertheless, you have been everything a lady should be, an example to be followed, and kindness itself. I owe you my sincerest thanks. I would have been lost without you.”
“You are welcome. Retire now, and we shall start preparations in the morning.”
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“ANNE, wake up… wake up! I have done a terrible thing! Last night in a fit of pique I told Elizabeth she must leave.”
“Why did you do that mother?”
“She received andrejecteda proposal from Darcy.”
“Which part did you object to, the proposal or the rejection?”
“That is the exact question she asked.”
“How did you answer?”
“I… I… I did not answer properly. My mind failed me, and I told her she must leave.”
“That was badly done—very badly done!It is not her fault if Darcy is a lunkhead who could not tell she disliked him. Eliza was not exactly subtle about her feelings, and I believe my cousin is not especially astute. I imagine men who fancy themselves in love seldom are.”
“Yes, it was very badly done! I was entirely wrong!Come with me to help apologise and ask her to stay.”
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“It appears to be too late, Mama.”
“Too Late!What do you mean, Anne?”
“I looked in her room and talked to her maid. She left long before first light with nothing but the dress she appeared in a year ago and the trunks she brought from Longbourn. A servant saw her leave by the kitchen but thought nothing of it. She must have taken a post coach. She left this letter.”
“We must find her! I have done a terrible thing.”
“Yes, you have—but we shall not compound it by chasing her like a common criminal. You are not the only one in this house with a fiery temper—or at least you were not yesterday. She will calm down and write to us eventually. She will realise we are her family. We will give her the respect she deserves. She never abused our hospitality even once, and I would argue my improved health is almost entirely due to herinfluence. Let her return when she is ready. She will not forsake us.”
“Are you to be the wise one in the family now?”
“Only sometimes. Let Eliza settle herself. She will write to us, I assure you.”
“It seems we must.”
“We have one more problem, Mama.”
“Yes?”
“Darcy is going to kill us!”
“I had not thought of that.”
