Page 78 of New World Tea Company
Clearing his throat, Darcy declared, “Elizabeth Bennet, this winter, I thought of you many times and wished I were as brave as Charles Bingley last autumn. I understand that he is happily married this spring.”
“Jane and Charles give every indication of being happily married,” the young woman replied.
Swallowing nervously, the man continued, “When I visit Mr and Mrs Bingley this spring or summer, might I call on you?”
Her heart beating furiously, Elizabeth answered, “I should be glad to see you in my mother’s parlour Mr Darcy. And you must know, I call at Netherfield frequently to visit my sister and her husband.”
“At the first opportunity, I shall write to Bingley and beg an invitation to visit. Do you think Mrs Bingley will welcome a visitor so soon after their wedding?”
“My sister and her husband have rejoined society. They have been married for two months, and Mamma calls every third day now,” Elizabeth revealed. “I am certain when I return to Meryton at the end of the month, I shall see Jane and Charles frequently.”
They continued walking, and he said, “I should like to introduce you to my sister. And there is one cousin I should be pleased to introduce to you, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam.”
“I look forward to making their acquaintance, Mr Darcy,” Elizabeth replied. “This afternoon, I shall meet your aunt and cousin.”
Darcy frowned and explained, “Miss Bennet, Lady Catherine is a woman of strong but often unwarranted opinions. Do not take what she says to heart.”
“I believe you, sir. After hearing Mr Collins lecture about her grandness and position, I shall believe anything you say about the lady.
“This first meeting…” Darcy began to say, but words failed him.
“I shall be quiet and listen attentively,” Elizabeth assured the man.
They retraced their steps to the road between the parsonage and Rosings Park. As they drew close to where they must separate, Darcy ended their conversation saying, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet…Elizabeth, I look forward to seeing you at Rosings Park this afternoon.”
Reaching over, the gentleman lifted the young woman’s hand to his lips, brushing the skin on the back of her hand. The contact was for only a moment, but Elizabeth blushed wildly, and it took another moment for the couple to separate, turn and walk away from each other.
~~~
Chapter 34.An Eventful Tea at Rosings
Promptly at three of the clock, a footman dressed in the uniform of a footman at the royal court from twenty years earlier led Mr and Mrs Collins into the presence of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The cousin, Elizabeth Bennet, followed silently while she observed the other persons seated in Lady Catherine’s parlour. Not finding a certain gentleman present, her eyes glanced around the room, and she concluded that the excessive number of chairs and sofas distracted her from the lovely wallpaper. Heavy draperies covered each window, so candles burned around the room to provide light in the middle of the afternoon. The expense of lighted candles during the daylight hours struck Elizabeth as a pretentious display of wealth.
Lady Catherine was a woman in late middle-age and dressed in a gown more appropriate for a formal evening. Elizabeth immediately recognized Miss de Bourgh as the young woman she had seen walking with Mr Fredericks in the gardens around Rosings on two occasions. Miss de Bourgh’s lady’s companion was the quiet woman who had waited in the shadows when the young couple walked behind the shrubberies.
Standing quietly and observing everyone, Elizabeth listened to Mr Collins introduce Charlotte as an excellent wife who kept the parsonage clean and managed the kitchen well. The parson motioned toward Elizabeth and named her as his cousin, who was also a friend of Mrs Collins. Each woman curtseyed when called before their hostess.
The older woman examined Charlotte’s appearance and then turned her attention to Elizabeth. Careful not to smile, Elizabeth curtseyed again as a show of respect, though Lady Catherine didnot give any sign that she noticed. At that point, Lady Catherine greeted Mrs Collins and inquired after the contents of her pantry. The formidable woman stated, “I hear from my servants that the mercantile in Hunsford provided you with potatoes, peas, flour, and tea recently.”
“They did, your ladyship,” Charlotte replied to the surprise of Mr Collins.
“Charlotte, when did you make these purchases? Why did you not ask my permission to spend money?” asked Mr Collins, and Elizabeth was surprised that the man had forgotten the conversation over the dinner table two nights earlier.
Lady Catherine interrupted the parson. “Mr Collins! Your wife is performing the proper duties as your wife in your home. She does not need your permission to see to her duties! Do you expect her to ask you when to wash the clothing each week? Or when she needs to plump the cushions!”
“No. Of course not, Lady Catherine!” Mr Collins replied with his head bowed before his patroness.
“Then leave Mrs Collins to her duties with the allowance you give her. I admit she is a remarkable woman who has kept your household fed with the shortage of money in your purse,” the domineering woman declared. “Yes, leave her alone in the kitchen, and she will not instruct you which Bible verses to use for your next sermon.”
“Thank you for your direction, Lady Catherine,” Charlotte said. “I endeavour to understand the Lord’s commandments and be a good wife to my husband.”
“Yes,” Mr Collins agreed with his wife. “We must follow the Bible’s directions to obey our betters and follow the laws of God and man.”
Listening carefully to the discussion, Elizabeth remained silent. Her opinions would not be well-received if she arguedagainst one person being ‘better’ than another simply because of their birth into a noble family. She had often argued with her father about the circumstances of birth playing a role in determining a person’s place in English life.
Before the tea was served, Mr Darcy appeared, and Lady Catherine took immense pride in introducing her nephew to her visitors as if they had never met the man. Her ladyship’s description of the man included, “Fitzwilliam Darcy is a rich and powerful man from the north of England. He is from Derbyshire, where the Fitzwilliam family possesses a large estate. My father was an earl, and he was my nephew’s grandfather. Just as the earl was grandfather to my daughter.”
“Lady Catherine, the Fitzwilliam family is to be admired by everyone for their contributions to…,” Mr Collins attempted to praise the noble family, but Lady Catherine ignored her parson. Her following statement left Elizabeth confused and ignited Darcy’s anger.
