Page 4 of Shields and Roses

With a slight smile, Lady Catherine ordered, "Very well, then. Make the arrangements. I want to keep track of Mr. Collins and his son."

At her signal, Mr. Hayward rose from his seat. He bowed, thanked her and left the room. He still limped slightly from the cramp in his leg as he went, but Lady Catherine took no notice of that. She was deep in her thoughts of how best to use Mr. Collins and his son to her advantage. Once again, the room became silent save for the ticking of the clock and the tapping of a fingernail on a gilded chair arm.

~o~

Almost two years after the christening of Elizabeth Rose Bennet, Lady Catherine was pleased to receive an invitation to the christening of another Bennet daughter. Not pleased because she wished to accept the invitation, of course. Her interest in the matter was a sense of satisfaction that Mrs. Bennet had, once again, failed to produce a son to inherit Longbourn. The girl was of no significance and deserved none of Lady Catherine's notice or attention. Lady Catherine declined the invitation with more courtesy than she wished, but she was glad of the news, nonetheless.

Elizabeth was still too young to be worth any notice as well. Mr. Hayward reported that the child was alive and healthy. That was all that mattered for the moment. Lady Catherine had more important matters to take up her attention.

Her brother still viewed every action she took with suspicion. He remained civil, but civility was not the same as bowing to her wishes. She wanted the power, influence and consequence of the Earl of Matlock on her side. That was impossible with her father. In his opinion, both of his daughters were of no importance now that he had seen all the benefits he was likely to gain from their marriages. Since the death of their mother some five years previous, he had not communicated with either daughter. Lady Catherine saw little likelihood of gain or change when her brother took their father's place as Earl. Peter was more willing to acknowledge her, but he would not let her control him.

Her next, best hope was to gain power over her nephews. She had three, but one could be discounted immediately. Richard, her brother's younger son, was too much like his father, despite being only nine years of age. He thought for himself and openly defied her wishes. Currently, it appeared he would not be of any use to her, although she would continue to look for ways to bring him around.

His older brother, James, was a much better prospect, especially since he was in line to become the Earl after his grandfather and father passed on. At fourteen, he was ready to step away from his father's control and enjoy the advantages of rank and position. Some judiciously timed gifts of money earned his gratitude, giving her a vantage point from which to begin directing his life. She would keep him in extra funds while using servants she had placed at his school to keep an eye on both his needs and his actions.

That left her youngest nephew, Fitzwilliam Darcy. He could have been a stubborn one like Richard, who was his closest companion. However, Lady Anne Darcy was not nearly as suspicious of her older sister as their brother was. She eagerly accepted suggestions for her son's care and upbringing. Better yet, through her sister's compliance, Lady Catherine had managed what could be a major victory in gaining control of young Fitzwilliam's thoughts and actions.

George Darcy had, quite foolishly, rewarded his steward for merely doing his job by becoming godfather to the man's son. Lady Catherine had still not decided if it was a sign of proper gratitude or impertinence for the steward to name the boy George after his benefactor. On a recent visit to Pemberley, she had learned that young George Wickham could be very useful to her, indeed.

Although he hid it well from others, Lady Catherine could easily see the boy was a greedy, grasping schemer. He wanted the kind of material goods and attention he saw Fitzwilliam Darcy receive and he would do anything to get them. Quite typical of his station, of course, and exactly why Lady Catherine had not approved of George Darcy's actions in the first place. However, the boy's natural ability as a liar impressed her. After observing him and learning of his skills, she came up with a plan to both monitor her nephew and reduce Richard's influence over him.

It was not difficult to convince Lady Anne or her husband that Fitzwilliam was lonely and required more company than the gentry of the local neighborhood could provide. Despite his low origins, Lady Catherine assured them, George Wickham could make an acceptable playmate and, being more outgoing and gregarious, could help ease his way when he entered the larger society offered at school. Thus, young George would become Fitzwilliam's constant companion and even join him at Eton, gaining the benefit of an education at his godfather's expense.

For her part, Lady Catherine privately assured the boy of an additional allowance contingent on following her instructions, any instructions she gave, to the letter. When she also hinted at future benefits beyond what his godfather might be inclined to provide, young George became her devoted tool. Of course, Lady Catherine would keep an eye on him to verify his continued loyalty, but even at his current young age he was cunning enough to know where his true advantages lay.

~o~

Another two years passed during which Lady Catherine continued the management of both her estate and her plots. George Wickham proved an apt agent, giving Fitzwilliam company while keeping him isolated from the influence of anyone who might encourage him to rebellion. He had not yet managed to break the friendship between Fitzwilliam and Richard, but he had sown seeds of doubt, which was almost as good.

Lady Catherine's daughter was now of an age to truly begin her education as a lady of high status. Through her contacts, Lady Catherine found a gentlewoman of strained means and compliant nature to take on the position of governess. Anne de Bourgh's education would follow strict guidelines, laid down by her mother, to mold her into a perfectly docile young woman of impeccable manners.

To her satisfaction and amusement, Lady Catherine received yet another invitation to a christening in Meryton. Satisfaction, because the child was another girl, which fell in well with her plans. Mrs. Bennet's pathetic attempt to gain Lady Catherine's patronage for yet another daughter by announcing her intention to name the girl Katherine, presumably in her Ladyship's honor, afforded the amusement. With four daughters to provide for, Mrs. Bennet would need all the advantages she could manage. Little did she know that all the gifts Lady Catherine would bestow on her girls would work to their downfall in the end. In fact, remembering that the oldest girl was now nearly seven years of age, Lady Catherine thought it might be time to start the process.

She found another impoverished gentlewoman, this one older and with a bit more grit and backbone, who would prove grateful for respectable employment. She brought the woman, Miss Clementine Stanton, to Rosings Park to thoroughly brief her on her true assignment before making arranging to have her hired on as the new governess at Longbourn.

"Remember, Miss Stanton," she addressed the woman sitting on the uncomfortable, spindly chair in the sitting room, "although Mr. Bennet will pay your wages, you will owe your position to me. I expect absolute loyalty and obedience to my instructions. Is that clear?"

The petite, blonde-haired woman nodded slightly while maintaining a steady gaze upon her benefactor. "Of course, your Ladyship. I am very much aware of my position, and I am at your command."

"Very good. So long as you follow my instructions, no hint of possible indiscretions in your past will ever be made public. Now, you will, of course, be expected to teach all the girls. There is no getting around that, since it is your stated reason for being there. The mother is a vulgar creature with a background in trade." Lady Catherine's voice dripped with disdain as she spoke the final word. "I do not know what effect that will have on the nature of her daughters but do your best to teach them deportment. They should all learn at least the minimal accomplishments for young women of their station."

"I shall do my best, your Ladyship."

"Yes, you will," Lady Catherine said firmly. "Establish yourself with the oldest girl but concentrate your efforts on providing a superior education to the second girl, my goddaughter. She must be truly proficient in all the accomplishments. Insist on regular and consistent practice. Accept no excuses. If her father, as is not unlikely, wishes her to learn Latin or other unladylike subjects, encourage her to excellence in them. Encourage her and do not even whisper the pejorative 'bluestocking' in protest. Do you understand?"

Miss Stanton gazed steadily back at Lady Catherine. "I do not understand your reasons, your Ladyship, but I understand your instructions. It shall be done as you say."

"You do not need to know my reasons. Obedience is what I require. That, and regular reports on the girl's progress." Lady Catherine paused and then smiled nastily as she continued. "There is a possibility that the older two girls, in particular, may feel some special friendship towards each other. I want you to undermine any such feeling between them. Create tension if none exists. Make certain the older girl knows that it is her younger sister who receives all the benefits of the connection to me. Make her aware of all she has lost through the death of my husband, her godfather. Keep her envious of the extra teaching Elizabeth is to receive."

Miss Stanton looked questioningly at Lady Catherine, but receiving no hint of an explanation, she once again acknowledged her instructions. "As you wish, Lady Catherine."

Bennet gave less trouble than Lady Catherine expected when she insisted his daughters would need a proper governess and offered Miss Stanton for the place. Of course, writing to Mrs. Bennet and outlining all the benefits her daughters would gain from having a governess, did not hurt at all. Being loud and vulgar meant that Mrs. Bennet could often influence her husband to give in to her wishes just to get her to be silent again for a time.

Miss Stanton took her place, and the training of Jane and Elizabeth Bennet began. Through Miss Stanton's reports, Lady Catherine knew even before the invitation to the christening arrived that the child Mrs. Bennet bore only slightly more than a year later was yet another girl and that the event was difficult enough that there might be no more chances for a Bennet son to make an appearance.

All was going according to plan.

Chapter 4: Runaway