Mr. Darcy's Matchmaker: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (Pride & Prejudice Variations) by Summer Hanford

Author:Summer Hanford [Hanford, Summer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Hanford
Published: 2023-07-10T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Elizabeth looked up from her book as Lady Catherine’s butler came to stand in the drawing room doorway though Miss de Bourgh, who sat on the other end of the couch, didn’t appear to notice. Mrs. Jenkinson, as well, kept evenly stitching in her seat by the tall fireplace. Elizabeth envied their calm. She could not match it, for her mother and sister were to arrive at any moment.

Lady Catherine lowered the letter she read. “Well?”

“A Mrs. Fanny Bennet and a Miss Kitty Bennet have arrived, my lady.”

“Kitty?” Elizabeth repeated, surprised. “Not Lydia?”

The butler condescended to look at her. “No, miss.”

“It is deplorable to shorten the name Catherine to Kitty,” Lady Catherine stated to the room at large before addressing the butler again. “Send them to their rooms to freshen up.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Elizabeth stood, excited to see them despite her misgivings about their behavior.

“Where are you going, Miss Elizabeth?”

She turned to Lady Catherine. “To see my mother and sister.”

“They will join us when they are ready. You going to them will only slow them.”

“But I have not seen them in nearly two months, so I—”

“Miss Elizabeth, you seem very dedicated to arguing my every point. A poor quality in a guest, do you not believe?”

Elizabeth opened her mouth to point out that she wouldn’t have to argue if Lady Catherine weren’t so intent on controlling every detail of other people’s lives.

“Miss Elizabeth?” Miss de Bourgh said.

Elizabeth turned to her. “Yes?”

“Would you be so kind as to tell me again the names of your other two sisters, and your aunts and uncles? I do so want to make a proper impression on your relations.”

Elizabeth doubted Miss de Bourgh had forgotten, or that her possession of such knowledge would impress Mrs. Bennet in any way, but she recognized the plea in the other woman’s voice and sat back down.

Lady Catherine harrumphed and returned to reading her letter.

Elizabeth went through the list of names for Miss de Bourgh and then tried to return to reading. She longed not only to see her relations but to attempt to instill some decorum in their behavior before presenting them to Lady Catherine. She cast another look at Miss de Bourgh and received a pleading one in reply. Obviously, Miss de Bourgh felt that antagonizing her mother would only make the impending introduction go worse, but Miss de Bourgh couldn’t know how Mrs. Bennet might behave.

It was longer than Elizabeth expected but suddenly not long enough when her mother’s voice drifted down the hallway saying, “. . . believe Elizabeth is staying here, Kitty? With the relations of an Earl. Why, I never would myself, were it not for my own eyes.”

A maid stepped past the drawing room doorway and bowed, gesturing inward. Mrs. Bennet entered and halted, blocking Kitty from joining them. Elizabeth jumped to her feet and rushed to her mother to embrace her, and tug her out of the way.

She then turned to face their hostess. “Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Miss de Bourgh, Mrs.

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