Anne by Meg Osborne

Author:Meg Osborne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Jane Austen Variations and Retellings, Pride and Prejudice Variations Vagaries and Sequels, Anne de Bourgh, Colonel Fitzwilliam
Publisher: Meg Osborne
Published: 2023-02-24T00:00:00+00:00

LADY CATHERINE HAD spent most of the day in bed and was confined to her room. After declaring herself too unwell to undertake any kind of outing, she had thought it wise to remain upstairs. It had occurred to her that Anne, if she had an ounce of feeling, might have come to read to her, or at least come and sit awhile with her. With the chime of the clock, Lady Catherine concluded she had remained alone and undisturbed for half the day and could bear it no longer.

Summoning her maid, she rose and dressed, albeit without her usual attention. A day spent at home as unwell as she had been - or pretended to be - was hardly cause for finery. She did feel better once dressed and stepped lightly downstairs and into the parlour, surprised to find it occupied.

“Good afternoon,” she said, when neither Richard nor Anne appeared to notice her.

“Good afternoon, Aunt.” Richard half-rose from his seat in polite acknowledgement, but soon returned his attention to his book.

Anne was bent over a page of sheet music, making annotations and looked up with a smile.

“Hello, Mama! Do you feel better?”

“A little.” Lady Catherine was a little put out. Had neither of them even missed her? Surely they had been concerned! She turned to Anne. “Did I hear voices earlier? I thought Richard said he was going out.” Richard had said a great many things and Lady Catherine certainly was not about to repeat them now. Her eyes narrowed as she swept them over her nephew but he did not seem to feel her ire. Chuckling at something in his book, he turned a page and offered a brief answer to her statement.

“I did.” Leaning back in his chair he nodded as if only just remembering something and spoke again. “Oh, but Mr Collins called. I believe he stopped in for a brief visit, did he not, Anne?”

“For about half an hour.” Anne hummed a little line of melody under her breath, frowned, and made a mark on the music she was working on. “He did wish to pay his respects, but Bessie said you were not to be disturbed. He sent his best wishes for your swift recovery.”

Lady Catherine’s smile stretched thin. Bessie! Of course, her maid was only following the instructions she had laid out, but that did not mean it wasn’t infuriating to feel oneself routed. She would not have cared to see Mr Collins but it might have been pleasant to have his sympathy when she was feeling so neglected and sorry for herself. Not to mention the fact that Lady Catherine despised anything going on in her house that she was not at the very centre of.

“Well, I see you have made good use of your time anyway. I am sure you would not have had half such a profitable day had we gone on our visit to...wherever it was.” Lady Catherine well remembered the name of the place but wished to diminish it.

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