North by Northanger by Mr.; Mrs. Darcy Mystery; Carrie Bebris

Author:Mr.; Mrs. Darcy Mystery; Carrie Bebris
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2007-03-31T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty

When the ladies returned to the drawing room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any intermission till coffee came in.

—Pride and Prejudice

Y ou have, of course, already engaged a monthly nurse to assist with your lying-in?”

Elizabeth sipped her tea and tried to appear appreciative of Lady Catherine’s latest probe into her arrangements for the baby. She had started to search for a recovery nurse who would assist her for the month following her child’s birth, but had not proceeded further than sending out enquiries.

“I have not yet settled upon one.”

“You should have secured a monthly nurse by now. The most competent ones are engaged months before their services are needed. Hmph. Well, I suppose your procrastination enables me to assist you in selecting her. Young mothers ought to seek the counsel of more experienced ones in such decisions.”

Elizabeth had sought such counsel—from her aunt Gardiner, whose good sense she trusted. In fact, her aunt had helped Jane locate her monthly nurse, a woman who had impressed Elizabeth favorably enough that she hoped to engage her.

“The ideal nurse is between thirty and fifty years of age,” her ladyship offered unasked. “Old enough to know what she is about, yet still vigorous enough to perform her duties. She must be quick to wake so that she can attend to your needs, or those of the babe, at any hour of the day or night. A mild temper is essential . . .”

Elizabeth half-listened, her mind less occupied with the present conversation than by the one she’d had with Mrs. Godwin yesterday. She wanted to ask Darcy’s aunt about the statuette, but Lady Catherine had given her no opportunity to introduce the matter.

“. . . moral character above question. A church-going woman. One cannot trust a person who does not regularly attend church. I was appalled by how few of the people who overran Pemberley yesterday appeared in church this morning. Did they overindulge to the extent that they could not rise from bed?”

“Many of them live in neighboring parishes. A few are Catholic, and attend a church in Lambton.”

“Catholics?” Her disdain was evident. “Good English folk adhere to the teachings of the Church of England, not those of Rome.”

Elizabeth, sensing the imminent eruption of a theological lecture, acted swiftly to contain it.

“Lady Catherine, I am most grateful for your advice on selecting a monthly nurse. As a new mother, I can indeed benefit from the wisdom of those more experienced. I imagine your own mother offered considerable guidance when you and Lady Anne were in my condition?”

Her ladyship’s eyes narrowed. “Why should you enquire about my mother?”

“The countess was my husband’s grandmother. I wish to learn more about his family.”

“She was a lady of high principle and impeccable reputation,” she declared defensively.

Elizabeth was uncertain how she had given offense. “I do not doubt her character. Did she take pleasure in her grandchildren?”

“She never knew them. She passed away shortly before your husband was born.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.