Page 123 of Shields and Roses

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"What do you mean you will not allow me inside?" Lady Catherine asked the butler incredulously. "I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's aunt! I have every right to be here!"

"I am aware of your ladyship's identity," the man said. "However, my instructions from Mr. Darcy are clear. When he is not at home, I am not to let anyone inside unless I have prior express orders from him to do so."

"But I am his closest relation! Of course, those instructions do not apply to me!" Lady Catherine's anger had only increased over the space of the long drive from Boxwell to London, and it was with difficulty she refrained from simply shoving the man aside and forcing her way in, especially after his next comment.

"I am sorry, Lady Catherine, but your name was not only specifically mentioned by Mr. Darcy, but I also have further instructions to send for the constable if you attempt to circumvent the orders I was given."

Lady Catherine glared at the man in silence, assessing his dedication to his instructions. The man stared impassively back at her, looking as solid as a statue carved of granite. Finally, with a huff of frustration, she turned on her heel and stormed down the steps back to her carriage.

"Take me to the Fitzwilliam townhouse!" she ordered the coachman.

~o~

Annoying though it was, having her entry denied at Darcy House could be understood. However, being denied entry to her father's townhouse was incomprehensible.

"I am sorry, Lady Catherine. Orders from the Earl of Matlock recently arrived specifically barring you from this house."

The man at the door was unknown to Lady Catherine, not one of those people she had long controlled or used as spies. In fact, he reminded her of the butler at Darcy House, both in his looks and in his very solid and unflinching stance. She tried again, although her patience was nearly at its breaking point.

"I am the daughter of the Earl of Matlock, not some stranger on the streets. You will let me in and allow me to stay the night here! It is too late for me to return to my home in Kent, and there is no reason for me to go anywhere else!" For once Lady Catherine regretted her choice not to maintain a house in London.

The servant at the door stood steadfast. "I understand this may place your ladyship in a difficult position. However, my instructions from the Earl are clear and allow for no exceptions. I cannot permit you to stay in this house or even to enter. May I suggest you visit one of London's finer hotels tonight?"

"Where is Danvers?" Lady Catherine asked sharply, naming the butler who had served at the Fitzwilliam townhouse for more than a decade and who was one of her paid agents.

"He was recently released from service along with several other members of the staff, your ladyship."

Lady Catherine was not certain what annoyed her more – the man's cool demeanor or the fact that Danvers, and probably several other people in her employ, had been released from service but had not notified her that they would no longer be able to carry out her instructions. She would have to direct her man of business to stop any payments to them. She could only guess that her brother must have gotten around their father somehow. There was no other explanation that made sense.

Another look at the impassive servant convinced her she would have no more luck here than she had received at Darcy House. She hated the idea of going to a hotel, although there were several that catered specifically to the upper classes in London. There did not seem to be any other alternative for this evening. Without another word, she turned and headed to the carriage.

This would not be the end of the matter, however. She might not have spoken with either Darcy or Richard, but there remained one more local target of her ire. The Bennets might not have had anything to do with Anne's recent marriage, but in Lady Catherine's mind, Thomas Bennet was at the root of most of her problems right alongside her own brother. Tomorrow she would visit Meryton and give the entire Bennet family a scolding to remember.

Chapter 56: Returned

Darcy managed to arrive at Longbourn in time for another sunrise in the garden with Lizzy on Friday. This visit, nothing spoiled their quiet time together as they sipped at their coffee while enjoying the sights and sounds of the awakening day.

So much had happened in the previous fortnight. Both knew they had changed a great deal in that time, not just in their attitudes towards each other, but also in how they viewed the world. They also knew they would continue to change as their lives further entwined. That change was on both their minds, although neither was ready to speak of it, preferring to sit in silence until it was nearly time to go inside.

"There will be quite the crowd here this evening and you have not really met any of my neighbors aside from the Lucas family yet," Lizzy said as they heard the distant sounds of her sisters talking through the open windows of the house. "Will you have a problem with that?"

"But I have met the Lucas family," Will said with a grin. "If I become too overwhelmed, I can go stand by Sir William for a time."

"That could be a dangerous plan. He will insist on taking you around and introducing you to everyone in attendance, possibly more than once."

"Yes, and he will carry the entirety of the conversation as he does. So long as I say nothing offensive and appear interested, he will make my good impression for me."

Lizzy smiled while shaking her head. "Sneaky, but true," she agreed. They heard more distant sounds of people talking inside the house. "I suppose we should go in and break our fast before all the food is gone."

"Mrs. Hill would never allow us to go hungry," Darcy said as he stood and offered his hand.

She chuckled as she accepted his help to stand. "That is also true."

They picked up their empty cups from the bench to take them inside. As they turned to head back to the house, a familiar voice rang out from the far side of the garden.

"You look like you could use a chaperone."