Page 23 of Till Death Us Do Part: Book 2
“Yes, it was my idea, and Darcy said he would seriously consider it, which I believe he will. Iftheseare the manners he can expect, I would not be in the least surprised. It is expensive, but it would leave him free to choose—better.”
“I can assure you, my lord, that in any situation where my honour and integrity arenotbeing called into question in my own home, my manners arefar, far betterthan Mr Darcy’s on his best day. If he comes at me with accusations, he will get whathe deserves. If he comes at me from a position of honesty, he will find me far more accommodating.”
“It is not your place to decide your husband’s deportment,” Lady Matlock snapped.
Elizabeth just shook her head, seeing the utter futility of arguing with the lady, and instead she thought of another expression from the stables:strike while the iron is hot.
“Had you anyotherhelpful suggestions, my lord? Perhaps put me aside? Ship me off to some remote estate? Keep me in the country busy with babies? Have me committed?”
The man was staring at herhard. It was not in the least a friendly stare, but at least it did not seem to presage violence.
He finally growled menacingly, “All are perfectly within his rights, and I would not only support any or all of them, but I suggested most of them. He listened carefully. He was badly used.”
Losing a bit of her iron control, Elizabeth spat out, “Bah!You say that, but you know perfectly well that all Mr Darcy faced was a season of embarrassment. He would be right back to the marriage mart before the start of the next season, or as soon as another scandal came along.I, on the other hand, along with all my sisters, would have been ruined. I do not blame him for being angry about the compromise, but to pretend it wasmydoing, and soI should take all the punishment,is beyond the pale—even for you.”
Lady Matlock huffed but fortunately held her tongue.
Her husband asked, “What makes you think he leans towards annulment, if I might ask?”
He was obviously still an enemy, and Elizabeth wondered if he was gathering ammunition or genuinely curious.
“Nothing clear, save your admission. There are a few things he said after the wedding, some noticeable and hard-to-explain discrepancies in my marriage lines, some things Mr Knight said,that sort of thing. For example, my middle name is wrong on the marriage lines, which might be used for a claim of fraud. There are a few more things like that. As I understand it, an annulment is difficult and expensive, and the discarded woman is unlikely to ever marry again, but Mr Darcy would recover in a year or two. He would probably be better off, the way you people think.”
Matlock ignored the obvious bait ofyou people. “Why do you say he would be better off?”
“His reputation would be temporarily sullied, but based on what I have learned about theton, that would be forgotten in weeks; and he is such an unsocial and taciturn fellow, he would hardly be missed if he absented himself for a season. The expense of the annulment could easily be filled by finding a better-dowered wife. He would end up, a year or two hence, better connected and richer.”
Matlock said, “That is putting the cart before the horse. It sounds like you judgehimmercenary, when it seems far likelieryou are.”
“I am simply telling you where the evidence points, my lord. Your solicitor would agree.”
Lady Matlock gasped at that idea, but Elizabeth just ignored her.
Matlock said, “I do not appreciate being compared to tradesmen, Mrs Darcy, nor will your husband.”
Elizabeth shrugged resignedly. “That is a shame, my lord. There is about the same amount of goodness or vice in tradesmen as in the gentry or aristocracy, as far as I can tell.”
Lady Matlock looked about to go into spasms like Mrs Bennet, while her husband snapped, “I will not dignify that with an answer.”
Elizabeth shrugged. It was not very elegant, but she was beyond caring. “I suppose that is as expected. It was… ah…interesting to meet you, my lord… my lady. I bid you good day and wish you a pleasant journey.”
Matlock shook his head. “There will be no journey. As my wife informed you, we are here to try to teach you what you need to be an adequate Mrs Darcy.”
Elizabeth barely remembered the earlier assertion, but since she was so blisteringly angry that she wanted to hit something, she thought she could be excused.
“I apologise for any confusion, but I cannot entertain you.”
Lady Matlock gasped again, which was starting to get on the mistress’ nerves, while the Earl stamped his foot again, practically shouting, “Of course you can! Do not be absurd!”
Elizabeth’s head started pounding. “I apologise, my lord. I did not know you were a radical. That explains a great deal.”
“Radical!You make no sense, madam. What do you mean?” he shouted, with a rather unmanly squeak.
She stared the man down and was just about out of patience. “Only aradicalwould assert that anuncle’swishes overrule ahusband’swritten instructions in his own home. Mr Darcy did not tell me very much, but what hedidsay was clear, unambiguous, andin writing. He made no exceptions for relations.”
Matlock thundered, “He did not meanus!He meant the neighbours.”
“I see. So, I should just take your word for it? Tell me, my lord, if Lady Catherine visits, should I ignore my husband’s explicit instructions to follow hers?”
