freedom of the grounds, perhaps, but you cannot venture too far on your own."
She paused when one of her shawls slipped, and she rearranged it carefully, making sure not to disturb the others.
65
MONICA FAIRVIEW
"Even if you were allowed complete freedom to go where you wish, whenever you wish, then you would still be restricted, for you would be open to attack any time by unscrupulous persons. We live in a world where the strong prey upon the vulnerable. If that were to change, then perhaps we would be completely free. But for now, we must live with what we have. We women have always had restrictions placed upon us, and we have dealt with them as best we could."
Clarissa did not ask Anne any private questions again. Instead, they found themselves discussing books they had read and exchanging opinions on poetry and art. Georgiana discovered an Anne she had never imagined existed, who not only had a breadth of knowledge, but also strong opinions on the things she read.
It was difficult to reconcile this opinionated young lady with the pale, quiet daughter who sat in the drawing room under her mother's eye. Georgiana rapidly concluded that, while Lady Catherine may not have locked her daughter in a dark tower, she had certainly driven Anne to hide her true self from the world.
Two days later, two ladies called on them, since Lady Catherine had graciously informed the gentlemen that they were welcome to do so. One was Mrs Gatley and the other Mrs Channing.
Mrs Channing was a tall, wiry lady whose clothes did not fit her. They rode up and appeared loose in all the wrong places.
Her hunched shoulders amplified this impression. She took a few cautious steps into the drawing room and set about to express her elation at Lady Catherine's generosity in inviting them to call.
While she spoke, she looked about her a great deal, as though she wanted to remember any changes to the room so that she could report them to her friends.
66
THE DARCY COUSINS
"One is very conscious of the privilege, Lady Catherine, especially when you already have a household of guests to entertain."
Lady Catherine inclined her head graciously and waited for Mrs Gatley to approach.
Mrs Gatley, like her sister, was a tall lady. Unlike her sister, however, she seemed to have employed a skillful modiste. She wore a striking purple walking dress with a white ruffled collar and gold braiding. She paused in the doorway, surveyed everyone present, then swept into the room with confident grace.
"Good morning, Lady Catherine," she said, her musical voice carrying across the room. "I have not seen you for some time. We shall have to arrange a vingt-et-un party one of these days at Ansdell."
"Certainly," said Lady Catherine haughtily. "But we would do better to have it here, since the drawing room at Ansdell tends to be draughty."
"Then I take it you do not wish to receive an invitation, when I send them out?" enquired Mrs Gatley politely.
Lady Catherine fixed a stony gaze on her. "Of course I wish to receive one. I can always decline if I do not wish to attend."
Mrs Gatley inclined her head politely and went to sit next to Elizabeth.
"The baby is doing well, I hope?" she asked.
Elizabeth's face brightened.
"He is doing more than well, thank you," said Elizabeth. "Only I feel I do not get enough time with him, for he is always with Nurse."
"I felt the same," said Mrs Gatley. "I used to creep up to the nursery at odd times to see my children, especially my eldest daughter. Nurse had quite an easy time of it, for I used to give her time off, just so I would have the excuse of spending time with them."
67
MONICA FAIRVIEW
"That is the worse thing you can do to a child, especially to a boy," said Lady Catherine. "You will spoil him, and then when it comes to sending him off to school, he will have a most difficult time, and be picked on by the other boys. They must learn to be independent from infancy."
"I am not even sure it is necessary to send them
She paused when one of her shawls slipped, and she rearranged it carefully, making sure not to disturb the others.
65
MONICA FAIRVIEW
"Even if you were allowed complete freedom to go where you wish, whenever you wish, then you would still be restricted, for you would be open to attack any time by unscrupulous persons. We live in a world where the strong prey upon the vulnerable. If that were to change, then perhaps we would be completely free. But for now, we must live with what we have. We women have always had restrictions placed upon us, and we have dealt with them as best we could."
Clarissa did not ask Anne any private questions again. Instead, they found themselves discussing books they had read and exchanging opinions on poetry and art. Georgiana discovered an Anne she had never imagined existed, who not only had a breadth of knowledge, but also strong opinions on the things she read.
It was difficult to reconcile this opinionated young lady with the pale, quiet daughter who sat in the drawing room under her mother's eye. Georgiana rapidly concluded that, while Lady Catherine may not have locked her daughter in a dark tower, she had certainly driven Anne to hide her true self from the world.
Two days later, two ladies called on them, since Lady Catherine had graciously informed the gentlemen that they were welcome to do so. One was Mrs Gatley and the other Mrs Channing.
Mrs Channing was a tall, wiry lady whose clothes did not fit her. They rode up and appeared loose in all the wrong places.
Her hunched shoulders amplified this impression. She took a few cautious steps into the drawing room and set about to express her elation at Lady Catherine's generosity in inviting them to call.
While she spoke, she looked about her a great deal, as though she wanted to remember any changes to the room so that she could report them to her friends.
66
THE DARCY COUSINS
"One is very conscious of the privilege, Lady Catherine, especially when you already have a household of guests to entertain."
Lady Catherine inclined her head graciously and waited for Mrs Gatley to approach.
Mrs Gatley, like her sister, was a tall lady. Unlike her sister, however, she seemed to have employed a skillful modiste. She wore a striking purple walking dress with a white ruffled collar and gold braiding. She paused in the doorway, surveyed everyone present, then swept into the room with confident grace.
"Good morning, Lady Catherine," she said, her musical voice carrying across the room. "I have not seen you for some time. We shall have to arrange a vingt-et-un party one of these days at Ansdell."
"Certainly," said Lady Catherine haughtily. "But we would do better to have it here, since the drawing room at Ansdell tends to be draughty."
"Then I take it you do not wish to receive an invitation, when I send them out?" enquired Mrs Gatley politely.
Lady Catherine fixed a stony gaze on her. "Of course I wish to receive one. I can always decline if I do not wish to attend."
Mrs Gatley inclined her head politely and went to sit next to Elizabeth.
"The baby is doing well, I hope?" she asked.
Elizabeth's face brightened.
"He is doing more than well, thank you," said Elizabeth. "Only I feel I do not get enough time with him, for he is always with Nurse."
"I felt the same," said Mrs Gatley. "I used to creep up to the nursery at odd times to see my children, especially my eldest daughter. Nurse had quite an easy time of it, for I used to give her time off, just so I would have the excuse of spending time with them."
67
MONICA FAIRVIEW
"That is the worse thing you can do to a child, especially to a boy," said Lady Catherine. "You will spoil him, and then when it comes to sending him off to school, he will have a most difficult time, and be picked on by the other boys. They must learn to be independent from infancy."
"I am not even sure it is necessary to send them
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