The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow

Author:Shannon Winslow [Winslow, Shannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: pemberley, elizabeth, darcy, jane austen, sequel, austen sequel, prejudice, pride
Publisher: Shannon Winslow
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Showdown

The dinner was very fine indeed – the best food served on expensive china by an extravagant number of liveried servants. However, since the guests had all dined at Rosings before, the ostentatious display failed to impress them so much as it otherwise might have done.

Despite Colonel Fitzwilliam’s hint about some excitement in the offing, at first, nothing out of the ordinary appeared. The soup was consumed without incident, followed by the fish course, which also passed uneventfully. All parties steadfastly maintained polite conversation throughout. The only clue that the peace would not last could be found in Anne’s tense expression and lack of appetite.

Lady Catherine ate little herself, finding the food less tempting than the singular opportunity of talking to people who could not talk back by virtue of their mouths being otherwise engaged. When she did at last allow herself a brief intermission to sample the roasted pheasant, her daughter claimed the advantage.

Dr. Essex gave Anne a nod and a fortifying look across the table.

“Mama, I have something important to tell you,” she said with resolve.

It was not so much the rather ordinary words as the bold tenor of her voice that claimed her mother’s immediate interest. Her ladyship was unaccustomed to anybody speaking so firmly to her, least of all her daughter.

Lady Catherine matched her daughter’s strong tone and added a measure of practiced intimidation to it. “What did you say, Anne?”

Anne instinctively cringed at the voice of authority that had heretofore so thoroughly dominated her life. Then, to everyone’s astonishment, she set her jaw, stood, faced her mother, and repeated her declaration. “I said I have something important to tell you.”

“Anne, where are your manners? Sit down at once and hold your peace!” her ladyship insisted. “We have guests, and I will not have our dinner disrupted.”

“If I have your full attention now, Mama, I will sit down. But I am quite determined to have my say; I will not be put off. As for our guests, there is no reason they may not hear; it will be common knowledge soon enough anyway.”

“Good heavens, child! What are you about?” With unpleasantness clearly inescapable, her ladyship dismissed the servants with a wave of her hand.

Anne, head held high, slowly sat down. Never before had she betrayed the slightest resemblance to her mother in her person or style. Yet now, as she took full command of the room, it was clear that Anne had learnt more under that singular tutelage than her friends ever suspected.

A hushed anticipation stole over the company. Every eye focused on Miss de Bourgh.

Finally she spoke, more quietly this time but with unwavering assurance. “There has been a change of plans, Mama. I have broken off my engagement to Colonel Fitzwilliam and consented to marry Dr. Essex instead.” With this she smiled and reached across the table to take his offered hand.

Gasps of surprise rippled round the table amongst those previously unenlightened. They could hardly have been more shocked had the pheasant on the Dresden platter resurrected itself and flown out the window.

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