Eliza and Will

Chapter 21

"You know my nephew?" Questions the old woman, breaking the silence between us. Her blazing stare makes me shiver.

"Yes," I plainly reply, not wanting to spare any details on our obvious, amicable acquaintance.

"How well?" She probes.

"We've met a few times."

"Ah," she says, eyeing me up and down with a disapproved look on her face. "Well, you must have tea with us privately while your here, I'd like to get to know you," she proposes coldly.

"Follow me," she adds before turning around, giving me little choice in the matter without humiliation.

Charlotte and I share dramatic facial expressions behind their backs as we follow them, due to the bizarre situation that we're in. I am on the verge of laughter as she continually points in Lady Catherine's direction, as an acknowledgement of the fact that she is the owner of the house.

After a minutes walk, we enter into a large, old fashioned dining parlour that I've only ever seen on television. I try to control my shocked expression as I reluctantly take a seat on a no doubt expensive armchair upon Lady Catherine's instruction. Her seating arrangements have placed me seated opposite herself and William, with Charlotte awkwardly abandoned on a large sofa to my far left.

"Oh, Sir Robert, I wasn't expecting you," she addresses a friendly looking young man who enters the room, while pouring me a cup of tea.

"Hello, how are you," he immediately directs to Charlotte and I and we politely return pleasantries.

"My other nephew, I don't suppose you know him too," Lady Catherine wearily asks.

"No," I remark, taking a sip of tea and almost wincing at how weak she has made it.

"Now don't just sit there quietly, Miss...?"

"Bennett."

"Bennett," she repeats. "You haven't come all this way for nothing, speak."

"That depends on what you'd like me to say," I answer.

"I hope your not being clever with me," she warns. "Where are you from, where do you study?"

"Hertfordshire. I study at university there," I answer confidently, unfazed by the discontent rising in her features.

"And what about your family?"

"I live with my parents and have an older sister and three younger ones."

"Is this one?" She gestures towards Charlotte as though she is nothing more than a piece of dirt stuck to the bottom of her ugly shoes.

"No, that's my best friend actually," I respond, annoyance rising in my voice.

"I presume that you are members of the working class?" She rudely remarks.

"Middle class actually," I announce defiantly, gaining a stunned expression from her.

"And what gives you the right to associate yourself with someone of my nephews rank-" she begins her tirade but is shockingly rebuked by William himself.

"Aunt, please stop," He interrupts firmly. I am shocked that he didn't side with her and further that he pointed her out for it, causing me to feel a small amount of gratitude towards him.

"I'm just saying what needs to be said when YOU associate yourself with the most low level-"

"Thank you!" I exclaim suddenly, having endured enough of her tirade, "But we must be going."

Charlotte and I briskly make our way towards the door but not before we escape her final insult,

"And don't think about ever coming back."