you can possibly imagine. Take my word for it. When everything is said and done, you’ll see.”
Darcy narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to?”
Mrs. Burroughs wore a very sly expression. “Never you mind.” She looked at her daughter. “You know, I wouldn’t need Whitehead’s help if you would just do your duty and marry Anne.”
“Mother!” “Cate!” The two cried together.
“I do not understand why you two are so opposed to marriage! You’re second cousins—surely there’s nothing unseemly about that! Besides, you would finally reunite Pemberley with the B&R.”
Anne hid her face in her hands. “Mother, please.”
Darcy gave Anne a sympathetic look before addressing his cousin by marriage. “Do we have to go through this again? I’vetold you—I love Anne like a sister, but I want no closer relationship with her, and she feels the same.”
“But the land! You would control all of Long Branch County!”
“Great-Grandfather Darcy split up the land for a reason— Pemberley for Grandfather George and Rosings for Great-Aunt Elizabeth—and I’ve no desire to undo what he did.”
“That has nothing to do with anything. That is not a reason to defy my wishes.”
“And Anne’s wishes? What about them?”
“Anne will do as she’s told,” Catherine demanded.
With a sob, Anne fled from the room. Darcy watched her go before rising to his feet, fury painted in broad strokes across his face.
“Why do you do that?” he demanded. “Why do you diminish her at every turn? She’s your daughter, madam!”
“How dare you speak to me that way? Indeed, she’s my daughter, and you’ve nothing to say about how things are done in my house! Until you marry Anne, she lives here, follows my rules, and you can keep your opinions to yourself!”
Darcy sat down, working to control his temper. He had no desire to wed Anne, but he did wish to broaden her rather limited horizons. He had to be at his convincing best. “Please pardon my outburst, Cate. You’re right—this is your house. Whatever our disagreements may be, I’d like it if Anne kept a close relationship with Gaby.”
“Her name is Gabrielle, William. I despise pet names.”
Darcy seethed. “Be that as it may, I’d like my sister and Anne to spend more time together.”
Catherine nodded. “That is a suitable activity.”
Her smile was not lost on Darcy. She’s thinking, no doubt, that any closer attachment between Anne and Gaby can do nothing but further her goal of a union of Pemberley and the B&R. Poor, deluded fool! How could my cousin have married such a woman?
“Thank you. Perhaps they can see each other after church some Sunday soon, if the weather moderates?”
February
The weather stayed cold and windy for most of January. It wasn’t until the second week of February that the temperature rose. So it was that the Bennet women walked from the church that Sunday in a relatively balmy forty-five degrees towards the Bingley household. They would have accompanied Jane and Charles after services, but Mary delayed their departure, speaking at length to Reverend Tilney about the musical selections. Mrs. Bennet and the others were impatient to leave—Mr. Bennet having already ridden home to see to chores—but Beth saw what her mother did not, thankfully for Mary.
She sidled up to her sister during their short journey. “The reverend was very accommodating today, wasn’t he?” she teased.
It was not the air that caused her sister to blush. “I… I don’t know what you mean,” Mary stammered.
“Don’t worry,” her sister whispered in her ear. “I won’t let Mother know.”
Mary pretended ignorance. “Know what?”
Beth gave Mary a condescending look. “Mary, you can’t fool me. I know you like… someone .” If anything, Mary blushed brighter. With amusement, Beth added, “And I think he might like you, too.”
“Yeah,” Kathy agreed, who had been listening in.
Mary began coughing, which turned Mrs.
Darcy narrowed his eyes. “What are you up to?”
Mrs. Burroughs wore a very sly expression. “Never you mind.” She looked at her daughter. “You know, I wouldn’t need Whitehead’s help if you would just do your duty and marry Anne.”
“Mother!” “Cate!” The two cried together.
“I do not understand why you two are so opposed to marriage! You’re second cousins—surely there’s nothing unseemly about that! Besides, you would finally reunite Pemberley with the B&R.”
Anne hid her face in her hands. “Mother, please.”
Darcy gave Anne a sympathetic look before addressing his cousin by marriage. “Do we have to go through this again? I’vetold you—I love Anne like a sister, but I want no closer relationship with her, and she feels the same.”
“But the land! You would control all of Long Branch County!”
“Great-Grandfather Darcy split up the land for a reason— Pemberley for Grandfather George and Rosings for Great-Aunt Elizabeth—and I’ve no desire to undo what he did.”
“That has nothing to do with anything. That is not a reason to defy my wishes.”
“And Anne’s wishes? What about them?”
“Anne will do as she’s told,” Catherine demanded.
With a sob, Anne fled from the room. Darcy watched her go before rising to his feet, fury painted in broad strokes across his face.
“Why do you do that?” he demanded. “Why do you diminish her at every turn? She’s your daughter, madam!”
“How dare you speak to me that way? Indeed, she’s my daughter, and you’ve nothing to say about how things are done in my house! Until you marry Anne, she lives here, follows my rules, and you can keep your opinions to yourself!”
Darcy sat down, working to control his temper. He had no desire to wed Anne, but he did wish to broaden her rather limited horizons. He had to be at his convincing best. “Please pardon my outburst, Cate. You’re right—this is your house. Whatever our disagreements may be, I’d like it if Anne kept a close relationship with Gaby.”
“Her name is Gabrielle, William. I despise pet names.”
Darcy seethed. “Be that as it may, I’d like my sister and Anne to spend more time together.”
Catherine nodded. “That is a suitable activity.”
Her smile was not lost on Darcy. She’s thinking, no doubt, that any closer attachment between Anne and Gaby can do nothing but further her goal of a union of Pemberley and the B&R. Poor, deluded fool! How could my cousin have married such a woman?
“Thank you. Perhaps they can see each other after church some Sunday soon, if the weather moderates?”
February
The weather stayed cold and windy for most of January. It wasn’t until the second week of February that the temperature rose. So it was that the Bennet women walked from the church that Sunday in a relatively balmy forty-five degrees towards the Bingley household. They would have accompanied Jane and Charles after services, but Mary delayed their departure, speaking at length to Reverend Tilney about the musical selections. Mrs. Bennet and the others were impatient to leave—Mr. Bennet having already ridden home to see to chores—but Beth saw what her mother did not, thankfully for Mary.
She sidled up to her sister during their short journey. “The reverend was very accommodating today, wasn’t he?” she teased.
It was not the air that caused her sister to blush. “I… I don’t know what you mean,” Mary stammered.
“Don’t worry,” her sister whispered in her ear. “I won’t let Mother know.”
Mary pretended ignorance. “Know what?”
Beth gave Mary a condescending look. “Mary, you can’t fool me. I know you like… someone .” If anything, Mary blushed brighter. With amusement, Beth added, “And I think he might like you, too.”
“Yeah,” Kathy agreed, who had been listening in.
Mary began coughing, which turned Mrs.
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