Lady Catherine, Pride and Prejudice Fanfiction
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Lady Catherine's Correspondence By Katharine Meg
Beginning,
Part 1
Posted on Friday, 20 July 2001
Rosings Park, Kent
6 October, 1812
To Lady Maria Bertram, Mansfield Park, Northamptonshire.
My dear Lady Bertram,
I offer my congratulations on the recent marriage of your eldest daughter, Maria, to Mr. Rushworth. Such a match of equality in situation, fortune, and merit should be a source of pride for all families concerned. The propriety and desirableness of the connection will only be matched by my daughter Anne's marriage to her cousin Darcy, which as you know will undoubtedly occur before long. Anne herself is looking remarkably well, and has greatly improved in health since she last stayed with your daughters two years ago, although she is still not as strong as she should be. Her accomplishments are also increasing, but due to the state of her health, they have not reached the level which she otherwise would have effortlessly attained.
I send my compliments to your husband, Sir Thomas. I am glad to hear that he has returned safely from Antigua, but I am quite put out that he did not sell that troublesome and worthless estate as I advised him to do last year. He would be much better off investing in the new enterprises in the Far East. My compliments also to your children. I hope your eldest son is becoming less of a wastrel, and is settling down to his duties as he should, as my dear nephew and future son Fitzwilliam Darcy does. I do not, however, send my compliments to your sister, Mrs. Norris, who presumed to question my housekeeping arrangements on the last visit of your family to Rosings Park. I hope Sir Thomas told her that that sort of behavior is not acceptable, as I asked him to. She would not listen to me.
Again, my best wishes for the happiness of the new Mrs. Rushworth.
Yours et cetera,
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
6 October, 1812
To Mrs. Louisa Rushworth, Milsom Street, Bath; formerly of Sotherton Court, Northamptonshire
My dear Louisa,
I extend to you my most sincere congratulations on the marriage of your son. His marriage to the former Miss Bertram is a respectable and desirable connection in every way. As I know your son is somewhat deficient in understanding and common sense, I know that the sophisticated manners and considerable accomplishments of the elegant Miss Bertram will certainly benefit him. He certainly would have been better off had you sent him to Cambridge, where the men of the noble Fitzwilliam family have always went, instead of Oxford, as I advised you, but there is no altering the past. His marriage will certainly do him good.
As one marriage usually brings on another, I expect to send you an invitation to the wedding of my dear nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, to my daughter Anne sometime next year. He will without question propose to dear Anne during his yearly visit to Rosings early in the spring. He is so excessively attached to her!
I am glad you are enjoying Bath, but I do warn you against a closer acquaintance with General Tilney, who I hear has taken lodgings near yours. His wife was a dear friend of mine, and she married him against my advice. Look where it has gotten her! (She is dead.)
I look forward to seeing you soon, dear Louisa. Until then, I remain
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
7 October, 1812
To Mrs. Felicity Churchill, Enscombe, Yorkshire
My dear Felicity,
It is with pleasure that I take up my pen to write. I have just received a letter from my niece, Georgiana Darcy, in which she says that she and her brother will certainly be coming to Rosings for their annual visit in the spring. I feel no doubt that this coming year will be the one in which dear Fitzwilliam will propose to my Anne and marry her, taking her off to Pemberley. It is a shame that Georgiana will be coming with Fitzwilliam, as she will certainly get in the way of Fitzwilliam's proposal, but I am certain that I will be able to keep her out of the way if necessary. If all else fails, I shall send her back to Pemberley, or to her other cousins at Matlock.
Perhaps, after I pay my wedding visit to dear Fitzwilliam and Anne at Pemberley next summer, I can bring Georgiana to visit you at Enscombe. She is such a dear girl, and so very accomplished. Your nephew Frank will be enchanted by her. It is a shame that his mother married that silly Weston man, but it all turned out well in the end. Frank Churchill is worthy of the name and of Enscombe, largely, I am sure, due to your own efforts. I know that your husband could not have raised such a charming young man without you. However, I am certain that our visit in the summer will be lovely. Perhaps you could throw a ball in Georgiana's honor. I will of course provide assistance in arranging everything.
Perhaps you have not heard that Mr. Rushworth of Sotherton Court has recently married the former Miss Maria Bertram, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Bertram of Mansfield Park. It is an unexceptionable match; he is stupid and she is superficial. They will do very well together. Their noble upbringings will serve them well, and she does have a certain elegance of manner and of person which will bring fresh beauty to the shades of Sotherton.
I look forward to seeing you next summer. Until then, I remain
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
9 October, 1812
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
Dear Lady Catherine,
You have undoubtedly heard of the engagement of my friend Charles Bingley to the eldest Miss Bennet of Longbourn, Hertfordshire. I am very pleased to announce my engagement to her younger sister, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
I am well aware of your very strong opposition to Miss Bennet; indeed, you said more than enough on the topic when you visited me in London last week. However, I am convinced that she is necessary for my future happiness, and I have never met a woman who would more thoroughly grace the halls of Pemberley as its mistress. She has more real elegance and intelligence than any woman I have ever known, and she will, I am certain, fulfill all her duties admirably. She will be a valuable sister to Georgiana, and a worthy successor to my dear mother.
You will undoubtedly remind me of your wish that I marry your daughter, Anne. Anne is my cousin and my friend, but will not be my wife. I never planned to marry Anne, and I do not believe that she wanted to be my wife any more than I wanted to be her husband. I continue to hold Anne in the highest esteem, and hope that my wife and I will be able to continue a close relationship with her.
I do not expect your congratulations, and I do not expect you to join in my delight. I do ask for you to respect my decision. Miss Bennet will be my wife, and will be the next Mrs. Darcy of Pemberley. I shall continue to give you all the respect and deference due to my late mother's sister and my aunt, but I shall not tolerate any abuse of my future wife, and I also shall not accept any censure of my own character.
We will be married on the fifth of December at Longbourn Church, along with Mr. Bingley and the eldest Miss Bennet, and we would be honored if you and Anne would join us on that day.
I send my best wishes for your continued health, and greetings to my cousin Anne.
I beg to remain,
FITZWILLIAM DARCY
Part 2
Posted on Friday, 20 July 2001
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
You are determined, then, to act in this manner, and permanently bring ridicule on yourself, your connections, your home, and your descendants. I am ashamed of you. You have the temerity to disgrace the good name bequeathed to you by generations of Darcys and Fitzwilliams. I always believed that your mother let you have your own way too much in your youth, and now the proof comes in this reprehensible manner. You are not worthy of your name, your estate, or your noble ancestry.
When your Miss Bennet brings shame upon you, as I am certain she will, you shall not have your family to support you. Do not expect any further notice or help from any of us. Also, when you come to your senses and realize what a mistake you have made in your marriage, do not expect to come back to Rosings and marry Anne as you should have. I will no longer consent to a marriage between my Anne and yourself, as you have demonstrated an utter lack of integrity, morals, and ethics, not to mention a complete absence of familial loyalty and pride. My Anne shall never be given to such a worthless fool.
You have forfeited my good opinion, Fitzwilliam, and once my good opinion is lost, it is lost forever. You are free to come back and beseech my forgiveness when you realize what an error you are making, and if I am convinced of your sincerity, I shall consider absolving you and readmitting you into the family. Until then, as far as I am concerned, you do not exist.
So go. Disgrace yourself. Connect yourself with impropriety, shame, and dishonor. I shall take no more notice.
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Miss Georgiana Darcy, Pemberley, Derbyshire
Georgiana,
I am most ashamed of your brother, and I am ashamed of you as well. I always knew that you were weak and willful, but I had no idea that you are so pathetic as to not take a stand against this reprehensible alliance which your brother is proposing. You cannot be so stupid as to not see how much of a debasement this would be for him, for you, and for our whole family. Pemberley will be ruined, and the good name of your family will be lost forever. This shall not be endured.
You are to talk your brother out of marrying that grasping, deceitful woman. If you are unsuccessful, I shall take no more notice of you either. You are too practical not to understand the implications of these events. The Darcy name will be treated with utter contempt by all the world, your future will be ruined, and you shall stand no chance of making an equal alliance with Frank Churchill or anyone else. You shall be relegated to walking the streets of London, living from hand to mouth, as that horrible Miss Bennet's sister almost did before her marriage to that worthless Wickham was patched together. Unlike Mrs. Wickham, however, you shall have no relatives left to save you.
I ask also that you refrain from writing to Anne, as I know you have been accustomed to do. I shall not allow her to become corrupted by your disgrace.
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Mr. Thomas Bennet, Longbourn, Hertfordshire
Mr. Bennet,
You cannot be at a loss to understand my reason for addressing you. I hereby demand that you revoke your consent to Miss Elizabeth Bennet's upcoming marriage. I understand that you and all your family are rejoicing in the success of your daughter's conquest, and are congratulating her for her skill in drawing him in. I also understand your dismal financial circumstances, and I believe that all of you are most likely counting on using my nephew's fortune to allow you to live far beyond your means and social condition. It would be much better for all of you to stay in your proper place in society. I attempted to dissuade Miss Elizabeth Bennet from this disgraceful course of action, and the ungrateful, selfish girl refused to honor my requests. Such a wretched girl will undoubtedly bring dishonor to all of Mr. Darcy's connections, and shall bring nothing but contempt upon his reputation.
Your daughter will never be welcomed by any member of the Darcy or Fitzwilliam families. Her alliance will shame us all, and even Mr. Darcy will someday understand that. Arts and allurements are not enough to keep a husband of such wealth, nobility of ancestry, and good reputation. Your daughter will soon be cast off and left in disgrace.
I shall not sit by and allow such a scandal to occur. I insist on being satisfied.
I send no greetings or respect to your family.
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Mr. Charles Bingley, Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
Mr. Bingley,
I have previously refrained from commenting on my nephew's disgraceful friendship with you and your sisters, as I did not see any immediate harm coming from the association. Considering recent events, however, I insist on your removing yourselves immediately from Mr. Darcy's presence.
I refer, of course, to the upcoming marriages of both yourself and my nephew. It is fitting for you, with such low connections and origins in trade, to marry a Miss Bennet, a girl without breeding, refinement, elegance, or information. It is not, however, appropriate for Mr. Darcy of Pemberley to do the same.
I have long been aware of your upstart youngest sister's disgraceful attempt to attach my nephew, and have always been very proud of his resistance to such blatant attempts to attach his person and fortune to such an ignominious connection. Although Miss Bennet is a gentleman's daughter, and not descended from trade as are you and your sisters, her alliance is no more acceptable than Miss Bingley's would have been. Mr. Darcy would never have acted in such a reprehensible manner had he not been influenced by you and your low connections.
Again, I demand that you cease all contact with my nephew.
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
To Mrs. Charlotte Collins, Hunsford Parsonage, Hunsford, Kent
Mrs. Collins,
I have always thought you to be good for Mr. Collins. You know better than to aspire to ways of life beyond your reach, and you know better than to live in a grander manner than you can afford.
However, your Hertfordshire acquaintances are a serious blight upon your respectability. You have no doubt already received word that your impertinent friend Miss Elizabeth Bennet has drawn in my nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and has imposed herself upon him in such a way as to cause him to issue her a proposal of marriage.
This engagement cannot be allowed to continue. You are to write a letter to Miss Bennet, impressing upon her the certain evil and disgrace which will surely accompany any alliance between herself and my nephew. Then, you are to cease all contact with any member of the Bennet or Bingley families. If you do not act on this matter immediately, I shall have to rethink my patronage of your husband.
You know your husband, Mrs. Collins. Very few people would be willing to provide employment or society to such a tiresome, sycophantic toad. His only advantage is that he does exactly as he is bid, an advantage in which you would be well advised to share at this time. If you do not act as I advise you to, the prosperity and respectability of yourself, your husband, and the child you are carrying shall all be called into question. You and Mr. Collins are to come to Rosings for dinner this evening. We shall discuss this matter more thoroughly.
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, H. M. Army Encampment, Brighton
Richard,
I am most seriously displeased with both you and your foolish cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy. I know that both of you spent an inordinate amount of time with that presumptuous, opportunistic creature, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, while you were at Rosings this past spring. You have probably already heard from Fitzwilliam that she has finally succeeded in her object, and has extracted from him an offer of his hand, his home, and his fortune. I did not believe Fitzwilliam to be so imprudent and blind, or to be so vulnerable to such an obvious ploy.
You, Richard, are also at fault. You did nothing to dissuade Fitzwilliam from such a disgraceful course of action, when it must have been obvious last spring that Miss Bennet had the audacity to aspire to such an alliance.
I command you to talk some sense into the foolish man. After successfully talking Darcy out of this appalling farce of an engagement, you are to come to Rosings immediately to attend Anne. She is excessively distressed at today's events, and needs her family to be present during this difficult time.
I remain
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Rosings Park, Kent
9 October, 1812
EXPRESS to Lord Henry Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock, Matlock Hall, Derbyshire
My dear brother,
A problem of an extremely shocking nature has recently arisen within our own family. I do not imagine that Fitzwilliam Darcy would have had the temerity to address you himself with this news, so I feel obliged to break it to you. He has been taken in by a fortune hunter, and has disregarded the combined calls of family, duty, and honor. Callously disregarding his tacit engagement with my Anne, which has existed since they were in their cradles, he has been duped by a Miss Elizabeth Bennet into offering her his hand in marriage. This Miss Bennet is an impertinent girl from Hertfordshire, barely a gentleman's daughter, with very low connections and practically no personal fortune. Worse still, her sister recently eloped with Darcy's former steward's son, of all people, and their marriage was only brought about by her relations some time after the elopement. Despite these serious considerations, despite these appalling flaws of person and of family, she was still successful in drawing our nephew in!
I have told him that if he does not reconsider this deplorable engagement, his entire family shall throw him off. He shall exist to none of us, and his sister and his Miss Bennet will be included in his disgrace.
I would appreciate it if you would write to him, dear brother, and demand that he refrain from taking this disgusting course of action. He cannot be permitted to bring shame and disgrace onto us all. I also suggest that you reconsider allowing your own children to be in Darcy's company. He must have some serious deficiencies of intelligence and character; else he would certainly not have been taken in this easily.
With fondest regards to you and all your family,
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
Mansfield Park, Northamptonshire
10 October, 1814
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
My dear Lady Catherine,
Thank you for your very kind letter noticing the marriage of my dear Maria and Mr. Rushworth. It was so lovely of you to offer them such pleasant wishes for their future happiness. Sir Thomas and I are simply thrilled at the arrangements. It was such a lovely wedding. Maria wore a stunning dress of ivory silk and Venetian lace, rush-ordered from London expressly for the occasion. Dear Julia and dear Fanny were the bridesmaids, and Sir Thomas was so kind as to buy them both new gowns for the occasion, and I was able to purchase an elegant dress in a very light pink. My maid, Chapman, was able to dress my hair, as well as that of Julia, in the morning, and I daresay she did a very good job indeed. Dear Fanny undertook to arrange the flowers in the church; it looked very elegant indeed, although my dear sister Mrs. Norris did not agree. Thomas and Edmund were also both there, of course, and they were so happy to see their sister so eligibly settled. Of course, we all are so happy to see them settled so well. Unfortunately, due to the shortness of the engagement, Mr. Rushworth was unable to order a new carriage in time, but I am certain that they will have one by the spring.
I have heard through one of the wives of Sir Thomas's parliamentary friends that your own nephew is to marry soon, to a Miss Bennet of Hertfordshire. I thought he was to marry your daughter, but I must have been mistaken. I shall have to ask Sir Thomas later if I was incorrect. I do not know Miss Bennet personally, but the family has quite a reputation for their beautiful and elegant daughters, and I daresay that Miss Bennet is very agreeable indeed. You must be very pleased.
Greetings to your dear Anne. I hope to see both of you in the course of the winter in London, or possibly next summer here in Northamptonshire.
Yours et cetera,
LADY MARIA BERTRAM
Part 3
Posted on Friday, 20 July 2001
9 October, 1812
Hunsford Parsonage
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park
Dear Lady Catherine,
We shall be happy to accept your kind invitation to dinner this evening, and we look forward to yet another wonderful evening spent at Rosings.
I also respectfully ask you to refrain from directing any criticisms of my husband to me. He may not be a brilliant man, but he is sincere, and he is devoted to making a good vicar of the parish you entrusted to his care. If you have any other problems with my husband, I politely request that you bring them directly to him.
I shall gladly bring your ladyship's disapproval of Miss Bennet's engagement to her attention, but I do not believe my influence will have any effect on her actions.
Again, we look forward to seeing you tonight.
Respectfully yours,
MRS. CHARLOTTE COLLINS
11 October, 1812
Rosings Park, Kent
To Lady Maria Bertram, Mansfield Park, Northamptonshire
My dear Lady Bertram,
Pleased? You think me pleased by these recent events? Lady Bertram, I do not know how you have managed to be a baronet's wife these many years if you truly possess as little wit as you displayed in your last letter to me. If you truly think me pleased to have learned that my nephew, who I have treated with the consideration due to a son, has shown me unimaginable disrespect, spurned my daughter, rejected his family, and is instead to marry an impertinent, opportunistic conniver, then you must in truth be no wiser than your new son-in-law.
This wedding, an event on which you are irrational enough to congratulate me, shall not take place. I shall see to it that Darcy regains his senses.
Please convey my regards to your family, especially your eldest son. When he inherits Mansfield Park, I imagine he will be in want of a wife and an heir. I do not know if he has seen Anne in the past several years; as I believe he was in Weymouth during our last visit to Northamptonshire. Perhaps he could come and pay the poor distressed girl a visit, once she has regained her health and her looks.
I remain, etc.,
LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH
11 October, 1812
Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
Dear Lady Catherine,
I must say that I was quite surprised when I received your express yesterday. I am not accustomed to having to defend myself and my family against attacks on our character and situation, especially when they come from a woman to whom I have never even been introduced.
Regarding my sister, who also has never had the honor of your acquaintance, she is a grown woman. I cannot control the objects of her fancy any more than I can control her wardrobe. While I believe that it is unfortunate that, against the advice of her family, she tried repeatedly to gain the affections of a man who has always made his indifference plain, I cannot see any negative consequence from the affair other than her own damaged pride. She may be ambitious, but she is not immoral, and is simply trying to secure her own happiness in the manner of any other reasonable woman.
I also feel obliged to defend the honor of my fiancée and her sister. While it is true that the rest of their family occasionally behave in a somewhat improper manner, both Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth Bennet are of unimpeachable character, elegant manners, good information, and decided beauty. I see nothing objectionable in either of them which could cause any respectable gentleman of any situation to question their propriety as prospective brides.
As for Mr. Darcy, he is absolutely his own man. I could not control his actions even if I so desired. He is one of the most honorable and well-informed men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and, most of the time, I would not even think of questioning his decisions. Since in this case, I completely agree with him in Miss Elizabeth's suitability to be his wife and the mistress of Pemberley, I have no desire to attempt to convince him otherwise.
With all due respect, Lady Catherine, I shall also not "remove myself from his company," as you so desired, since Mr. Darcy is in fact staying at my estate. If he wishes to leave, I shall not prevent him, but I personally hope that he will stay as long as possible, as he is my valued friend and shall soon become my brother.
I remain (smudge),
CHARLES BINGLEY
12 October, 1812
Brighton
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
Dear Aunt Catherine,
While I am quite sorry for any distress that you and Anne might be suffering at the moment, I must disagree with your assessment of Darcy's situation. I know you will probably not believe me when I write this, but I am convinced that Miss Bennet is everything that is charming and elegant. I did spend quite a lot of time with her while she was at Hunsford, and I flatter myself in my belief that she and I became very good friends. I never detected anything improper in her address, in her opinions, or in her bearing.
I do not wish to displease you, Aunt Catherine, but I have no intentions of trying to talk Darcy out of anything. I have not seen him this happy since we were children together, playing in the grounds of Pemberley. Miss Bennet is good for him - she makes him smile, she makes him laugh, and she can dispel the gloominess which has tended to overtake him since dear Aunt Anne and Uncle George passed away.
I am sorry for your disapproval, but I accept none of the blame you placed on me. If I were to try to talk him out of the greatest happiness he has ever known, then I would truly be at fault.
I would be happy to come to Rosings to offer Anne friendship and advice, but right now I am unable to leave my regiment. Perhaps it would do her good if she went away and stayed with some other relations or friends for a while. A change of scenery, in my opinion, is always a good thing.
Yours, etc. etc.,
COL. RICHARD FITZWILLIAM
Matlock Hall, Derbyshire
13 October, 1812
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
Dearest Sister,
I do not wish to disappoint you, but I have no intentions of dissuading our nephew from the engagement he has recently formed. Dear Isabella and I took the liberty of stopping in Hertfordshire on our way home from London last week, in order to congratulate Fitzwilliam and make the acquaintance of his fiancée. As far as I could determine from such a short time, Miss Bennet will make Fitzwilliam a perfect wife. She seemed elegant and well informed. If there are any tendencies towards impertinence in her character, I am sure Fitzwilliam will guide her, with the refined sense of propriety he has always demonstrated in all his actions. Her family was, I confess, a bit unusual, but I believe them harmless. At any rate, their considerable distance from Derbyshire and London makes their little improprieties a very slight evil indeed.
I have the highest respect for our nephew's intelligence and character, and do not believe that he would make such a serious mistake as to attach himself to a fortune hunter
Dear sister, I suggest that you take the time to really consider the consequences of your actions. You run the risk of alienating all your family with your unwarranted anger. Also, your fits of rage can hardly be good for your daughter's constitution, or for that matter, your own. We are all worried about you, and wish to help you in any way we can.
In other news, the extension of the stables here at Matlock is going quite well, and should be completed by Christmastime. Are you and Anne still planning to join us for the season's festivities? Dear Isabella chose some lovely new furnishings, draperies, and wallpaper for the drawing room, and they should also be there by that time. We look forward to seeing you then.
I send greetings from Isabella along with my own best wishes to you and Anne.
With fondest regards,
LORD HENRY FITZWILLIAM
15 October, 1812
Enscombe, Yorkshire
To Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Rosings Park, Kent
Dearest Catherine,
I have heard the most shocking news! I understand your nephew, Mr. Darcy, is to marry some country girl from Hertfordshire! If this is true, dear Catherine, you must be devastated! And dear Anne as well.. how is she taking it?
He deserves to be disgraced for abandoning Anne in such a callous way! If there is anything I can do to help you through this difficult time, please do not hesitate to ask. We are fine here; although I confess I am feeling a little unwell, but I never complain. Mr. Churchill and Frank are here with me, though, so I am comforted somewhat by their presence. Frank returned from Weymouth last week. He says that he had a pleasant trip there, although I somehow doubt that it was as enjoyable as he says it was. He seems somewhat out of sorts; somewhat distracted. I am sure he will be fine, though... he is such an obliging boy, and can never be unhappy for long.
Your plan for next summer sounds lovely. Bring Georgiana up here to Enscombe, and we shall remove any negative qualities imposed by her disgraceful brother. I am sure Frank will be charmed by her.
Again, please let me know if I can do anything to alleviate this dreadful situation.
I remain, etc.,
MRS. FELICITY CHURCHILL
27 October, 1812
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