Chapter 1
Lady Catherine DeBourgh scowled as she looked around the room.
Why had Lady Margaret insisted upon coming to a public tearoom. Why could they not have tea at her house as they had for all these years whenever Lady Debourgh came to town.
"I suppose it is best, she thought, at least here she and her sister in law Lady Matlock must make some effort to be civil to one another."
Lady Matlock seemed to go out of her way to make things uncomfortable whenever they were together. she seemed always to take sides against her own husband's sister. The acceptance of the marriage of Miss Elizabeth to the man she had planned all her daughters life to marry her Anne was the greatest blow to her family pride and her own shattered dreams of at last being mistress of Pemberley; even though it would have been only through her daughter, still she would have had command.
As the ladies talked Lady Catherine let her eyes roam about the room.
A group of young people were entering, laughing and chatting as they went to their table.
It was the Darcy's and the Bingley's, and when the tall young woman turned her head she saw that it was her favorite niece, at one time, Georgiana.
"Georgiana, she thought, you have done well, Lady Bentley, Countess of Foxworth. Your dear mother would be so very proud of you."
Her mind ran back over the past ten years. So much had happened.
Less than a year after the marriage of Fitzwilliam Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet she had allowed Anne to visit her Aunt and Uncle Matlock for two months. She thought it might lift her spirits and besides the future Earl of Matlock had still been unmarried.
She had so hoped that they might come to an agreement.
Instead Anne came home to inform her that her uncle had informed her that she was now mistress of Rosings Park and she no longer had to do as her mother dictated.
She had further told her that she had accepted the marriage proposal of Sir James Blake, who had been her neighbor, playmate and friend all her life.
"I never wanted to marry my cousin Mama, she said, that was your wish. I have loved James all my life and I shall marry him no matter what you say."
What battles had raged for three days, with Mr. Collins adding his advise and pleading with Anne to obey her mother.
Anne had been adamant and finally put an end to all arguments by telling her mother that if she did not like it she could leave Rosings Park and move to the Dower House at Matlock Manor.
Lady Catherine was so shocked and upset by the thought of being sent from her beloved Rosings Park that she agreed to the wedding.
"What a fool I was all those years, she thought, trying to impose my will on both Anne and Darcy."
Anne had been so very happy in her marriage and the birth of a son and a daughter had made her life full and complete.
Though they had lived at Markham Hall she saw her family weekly and loved them all so very dearly.
Anne and James spent a great deal of time with the Darcy's both at Pemberley and in London during the season, and Elizabeth Darcy soon became the best friend Anne had ever had except for Charlotte Collins.
She herself just could not settle her Fitzwilliam pride and make amends with the Darcys, even though Anne and her family all begged her to do so. She just could not forgive Elizabeth Bennet for stealing all her dreams.
Even after the deaths of Anne, James, Louis, and little Catherine Anne in that dreadful carriage rollover could not melt her heart.
She had been shocked to find that since James was the last of his line and there was no one to inherit Markham they had left all to Darcy's second son, George. She had never dreamed that their friendship was that deep.
Watching the young people enjoying themselves so much she sighed and turned to look at the ladies at her own table. She had been too inattentive for too long and she could not get the gist of their conversation so she turned her mind back to the table across the room.
Closing her eyes she said to herself, "Catherine why must you remain such a fool, it is time to make amends and apologize for all these lost years. Even if they do not accept you, you must make an effort. Life is too short Catherine, it would be pleasant indeed to hear the laughter of children at Rosings again."
Pushing herself up with her cane she made her way across the room and to astonishment of all those at the table she said, "Would you permit me to join you, I wish to speak to you Mrs. Darcy, and you too nephew. I have apologies to make and I must do it now while I still have my courage up."
"I must ask your forgiveness for my behavior they past ten years, I have been a proud and arrogant fool. I know now that life is too short to carry grudges, nothing would please me more than to have all of you visit Rosings Park. I would so enjoy the children too, if you would permit them to come."
Darcy and Elizabeth stared at each other and then at their aunt before he rose and offered her a chair and welcomed her to their circle.