Page 106 of Shields and Roses

"Are you certain it is safe to visit her? I would not feel safe in her company after what she ordered done to Miss Elizabeth. In fact, after the last interview Richard and I had with her, I would not be surprised if she sent someone after us. Once she finds out what we have done to Wickham and Collins, it is almost a given."

"Ah, Collins. What have you done with the cringing clergyman?" Peter asked.

Darcy explained the steps he had taken. His uncle was highly amused.

"That is the kind of plan I would expect from Richard if he were a little more subtle in his methods. I am surprised and delighted you came up with it."

"I am rather pleased about it as well," Darcy told him.

"Richard did have a number of less subtle plans to offer, including hampering our navy by turning Collins over to a press gang. If he were not the heir to Longbourn I would have gone with one of those. I just could not have it look like I was deliberately doing away with an inconvenient heir. I still wonder when someone is going to ask about Wickham's horse."

"I hope no one does," Darcy said. "To the best of my knowledge he has no family living, and the horse did come from my father originally, so I may have the best claim to it."

Peter shook his head at his nephew's comment as Bennet said, "Those soldiers do a great deal of gambling in their abundant spare time. Trust me, if he is court-martialed and condemned, someone is certain to step forward and demand that horse as payment of some debt or other."

"Knowing Wickham, I suppose you are correct," Darcy agreed reluctantly.

"I was surprised to hear you have Sir Phillip as a visitor," Peter said to Bennet. "What do you think of him?"

"He is a pleasant young man and I like him. I can certainly tell he is a relative of Lewis de Bourgh. If I did not know better, I would guess Lewis was his father instead of just being a cousin."

"Yes, the older he gets, the more he resembles our old friend as we remember him from school."

"I have had to stop myself from calling him Lewis more than once. I was also impressed at how well-educated our young man is. He told me you offered to send him to Cambridge, but he did not like to leave his mother and Anne at the mercy of Lady Catherine, so instead you arranged for a tutor."

"You know Lewis would have looked after him, even if the boy had not been his heir. I was just carrying on his legacy, and the young man is very deserving of the help. Lewis also would have put a stop to this behavior of Catherine's long before it reached such depths. Ordering the kidnapping of a young woman with the intent to ruin her? Keeping her own daughter a prisoner? Spying, plotting and doing harm to others without any regard for decency or even the family honor and position she claims to hold in high regard? It is too much."

"But what can you do? Even now, as the Earl of Matlock, you have no control over her financial interests and those are what have given her the power to act as she has. I know Lewis intended to assure the well-being of his wife and daughter, but giving your sister the life interest in Rosings Park and access to such a high percentage of the profits was probably the biggest mistake he ever made. The power that comes from running such an estate and access to that money made her the threat she now is."

"Agreed," Peter said, "but that was his choice and, of course, he did not expect to die so early."

"Why did he make that arrangement?" Darcy asked. "I thought her settlement included a generous jointure and everything she would need to live out her days comfortably and to protect Anne as well."

"Well, Will, I think in part it was as Bennet says. Lewis was trying to leave his wife and child with the best he could give them. His bequest was well within the law. And even though he was married to her, I do not think he ever fully realized or accepted the extent of Catherine's vengeful nature. She played a part with him, although I suspect she also cared for him. At any rate, he would not have approved of how she has used his legacy and takes her amusements through the pain and misery of others."

"You said in part," Darcy asked, "what was the rest?"

Peter looked away, clearly uncomfortable about the answer. After a short pause, he said, "I think that was Lewis taking his own amusements when he arranged matters that way. I am not certain that will was ever meant to stand. Just as Lewis did not expect to die when he did, he also did not expect his cousin Clarence, the heir presumptive, to die just before him. Those two were always poking, prodding and trying to get the better of one another. Clarence had played a massive prank on Lewis just about the time he revised his will after Anne's birth, and I think the provisions reflect that. Had Lewis lived long enough to know Clarence's wife was with child, he would have changed his will and arranged matters differently, giving Catherine less power over everyone's destiny."

Bennet nodded agreement. "We are none of us perfect, Darcy, and I think we have all made mistakes of that type when we do not have the relevant facts in an important matter."

"Are you poking and prodding at me, sir?" Darcy asked teasingly. "We all know what I have done when I acted without learning the facts."

The other two laughed and Peter said, "Oh, Will, I cannot tell you how much I enjoy seeing you in such good humor."

Darcy winked at Bennet, who knew the reason for his ebullient mood and had not yet revealed it. "What can I say, Uncle? Longbourn is a magical place."

"It certainly seems to have a draw for bright young men," Bennet said. "We have Sir Barnaby on his way to marry Jane. Richard has already married his Charlotte. Darcy, here, has come chasing his Miss Rose" Darcy rolled his eyes at Bennet, who winked as he continued. "Mr. Bingley is visiting to court Mary, although Mrs. Bennet is not to know of that yet, and Sir Phillip has already formed an attraction to Kitty. We must just hope no one comes calling yet for Lydia or Miss Darcy."

"Definitely not!" exclaimed Darcy, chuckling as he did.

At the same time, his uncle said, "Sir Phillip and Kitty? Wait, did you say Mr. Bingley is courting Mary?"

"Yes, and yes," said Bennet. "Mr. Bingley, of course, is a settled thing. He has already asked for the official courtship, but Mary sent word that she would like us to wait until her arrival on Thursday to tell her mother so that Fanny does not overwhelm her young man without Mary being there to deflect some of the attention. Sir Phillip and I have spoken about his attention to Kitty and her response to it. I have told him that if, by the time his visit is over, he wishes to ask for a courtship I will grant it, but only a courtship. They are both too young to marry right away, so betrothal or marriage must wait at least a year and if he does anything that forces the issue, I will be most severe upon him. He assured me he would treat my daughter with respect."

"If Catherine hears word that a Bennet may one day become Mistress of Rosings Park, she will definitely have an apoplexy," Peter said. "Can you imagine her fury?"

"I can," Bennet said. "I also thought it amusing that although she would be called Lady de Bourgh instead of Lady Catherine, my daughter would still be Lady Katherine de Bourgh."