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Post by LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH on Apr 26, 2011 10:19:19 GMT -5
Lady Catherine de Bourgh was most seriously pleased, for once. The recent weather had been absolutely glorious, so much so that she'd taken to having her afternoon tea outside in the garden rather than indoors. Not only this but her dear nephew Fitzwilliam was coming to visit Rosings today. Well, technically he wasn't coming of his own inclination (Her Ladyship had invited him), but in all honesty, even if one is family, one doesn't turn down Her Ladyship lightly.
Fitzwilliam was so busy with business as late that it was very rare Her Ladyship had the oppurtunity of seeing him. As consequence she had ensured her servants prepared an even more splendid high tea than usual, cucumber sandwiches and all (cucumber sandwiches were Her Ladyship's particular favourite, though as she was very fussy about the type of bread and other such trivialities she only had them on special occassions).
Having ensured that all was laid out and in order in the garden, Her Ladyship proceeded back through the house to the front door, pausing only momentarilly to pick a speck of fluff off of her new lilac Chanel suit. Little things like this, such finicky, trivial details gone wrong, simply would not do.
Lady Catherine reached the front door to the mansion (Rosings' grounds were quite formiable and she wasn't about to walk all the way through them) just as she heard a car drawing up in the driveway outside. As if on cue one of Her Ladyship's maids appeared to open the door and Lady Catherine stepped outside to meet her nephew.
ooc: Hope that works for you, Midge m'dear! (:
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Post by Fitzwilliam Darcy on Apr 27, 2011 3:51:27 GMT -5
It was days like today that Darcy missed being in England. For all that he had been brought up in New York, spending much of his childhood in the city and the surrounding islands, it would always be England that he felt more comfortable in. Perhaps it was something to do with the comfort it provided during those long months following the death of his mother, when an adolescent Master Darcy had been utterly unsure what to say or to think. Or perhaps it was simply that the sheltered environs of the boarding school he had attended had fitted so perfectly to his naturally almost reclusive nature. He'd never enjoyed extravagant social occasions - and likely never would - and at Eton, he'd never had to really worry about them.
It wasn't some elabourate party that Darcy found himself on the way to now, however. It wasn't from socialising with a group of people barely of his acquaintance that he was wishing he was back in England to avoid. No, the 'entertainments' for the afternoon would consist of little more than high tea for two with a person he'd known all his life. And therein lay the problem. His aunt, Lady Catherine, wasn't one of his favourite people in the world. Had it not been for the fact that, other than Georgiana, she was the closest family he had left, Darcy likely wouldn't see her nearly as much as he did now. But Catherine was his mother's sister - she had been very helpful following Anne Darcy's death - and as such the young student felt he owed it to her to attend tea when she invited. Just doing his moral duty.
Having met his academic advisor first thing that morning, Darcy had proceeded to make his way to the head offices of Darcy Software for a board meeting they seemingly couldn't have without his presence. For all that the dark haired man had little interest in computers or business, he did appear to be being rather successful within the company his parents had worked for so long to build up. As his father had - good naturedly - tried to do on so many occasions, perhaps he could be convinced to follow in their footsteps after all. Business concluded, he was free to make his way to Rosings.
Car stopped in front of the house both he and his sister had spent a considerable amount of time in growing up, Darcy straightened the tie he was wearing in the mirror, picked his jacket up from the passenger seat, and stepped from the car, just as the lady of the house was stepping through the front door. Slipping the dark blue jacket on, Darcy made his way towards his aunt, smiling as he did so. "Aunt Catherine...thank you for the invitation. It has been too long since I was last here." Though as always, not long enough He added to himself silently, bending to kiss Lady Catherine's cheek.
occ: It was great!
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Post by LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH on Apr 27, 2011 9:53:12 GMT -5
As Darcy emerged from the car Her Ladyship's smile grew wider, if possible. Just as handsome as ever; was it any wonder she was proud to have him as a nephew? Although, she had to admite even to herself, he really should do something about his hair.
"Aunt Catherine...thank you for the invitation. It has been too long since I was last here."
Lady Catherine allowed Fitzwilliam to kiss her before she made her reply.
"Indeed it has, my dear Fitzwilliam. I do wish I could see you more often. But I see you're as cordial and well mannered as ever you were and considering this day and age in which we live, retaining one's good manners is something of a triumph."
Once again Her Ladyship's desire to force her opinions on others, whether they wanted to hear them or not, made itself known.
"Now, Fitzwilliam, I thought, as it's such a pleasant day, we would take our tea in the garden. I trust you have no objections?"
Without waiting for a reply, Her Ladyship made her way back through Rosings' manor to the back patio, clearly expecting Darcy to follow without question or complaint. At Rosings Park, as with everywhere else where Her Ladyship was concerned, her word was law.
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Post by Fitzwilliam Darcy on Apr 28, 2011 8:21:34 GMT -5
When her Ladyship asked something of you, you obliged. It didn't matter who you were, didn't matter if you were the CEO of one of the most important and influential software companies on either side of the Atlantic - on top of working for a PhD at one of America's more important universities, it should be added - you didn't refuse Lady Catherine the pleasure of your company. At least not more than once, and unfortunately for Darcy, he'd already had to turn down a visit earlier that month due to a last minute meeting that simply couldn't be got out of. Which was a shame, considering that his cousin would have been there the last time, and the Colonel's company was always welcome. Always pleasantly enjoyable.
Still, these things are meant to try us.
"If only my business and education commitments would allow me the time to visit more often, but alas they don't" The comment about him retaining his manners, despite the age they lived in and the influences he would come under from those around him, was ignored. Anne and George Darcy had taken careful measures to ensure that both of their children were given the most stable of foundations in life, and manners were one of the most important of all. Web if everything else failed, knowing that you have impeccable manners to fall back upon will ensure that all goes somewhat smoothly. Even if you were in a situation that you would never want to find yourself in, manners would ensure that you got through it in the best light possible.
When her Ladyship suggests something, you oblige, and thus Darcy found himself following his aunt through the manor and out to the expansive grounds at the back. Had he had been less polite, he might have voiced a preference for remaining inside, hayfever being something that he'd suffered from from a young age. But one didn't contradict Lady Catherine on something so trifling as a running nose and itching eyes. "Tea in the grounds will be delightful I'm sure. They're looking very impressive this year Aunt Catherine." Pemberley looked better in his opinion, but it wouldn't do to state as much.
As they neared the table that had been so carefully laid out with all the trappings of high tea, Darcy moved slightly ahead of his aunt, pulling out the chair for her to sit upon before moving around the table to take his own seat. "I trust you are well?" He would have heard by now if she wasn't.
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Post by LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH on Apr 30, 2011 17:28:47 GMT -5
"Tea in the grounds will be delightful I'm sure. They're looking very impressive this year Aunt Catherine."
"Of course they are," Her Ladyship replied with an airy wave of one daintily manicured hand. "They always do."
As they neared the tea table Her Ladyship noted with pride that everything had been set exactly to her specifications. One would expect this to be normal but even with the most immaculate of affairs Her Ladyship was well adept at finding at least one flaw.
Satisfied Her Ladyship nodded her approval and, as Darcy moved slightly ahead of her and pulled out her chair, she graced him with one of her rare smiles before taking her seat with all her usual regal airs.
"I trust you are well?"
"Of course I am," Her Ladyship replied, motioning for one of the nearby servants who swiftly approached in order to pour Her Ladyship and her nephew a cup of tea. Her Ladyship took a delicate sip and pronounced the tea satisfactory before speaking again.
"Why would I not be? I'm certain you are well, Fitzwilliam; Darcy Software has been doing well as late, I'm told."
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Post by Fitzwilliam Darcy on May 9, 2011 6:29:37 GMT -5
There were few people in this world that could get away with making a statement such as the one his aunt had just made about her gardens and the Lady Catherine was one of them. To many other people, her comment would have come across as offhanded and arrogant - it was the polite thing to do to accept a compliment upon something with a demure smile and acknowledgment, without adding further input of your own - and had Darcy been with anyone else, he would have had trouble masking his displeasure at the words. But the young man had long since learned to mask almost all of his thoughts around his aunt, excepting those which she would find most pleasing. "Of course Aunt Catherine. It is simply that this is the first time this year I have seen them in all their glory."
As they walked, Darcy pulled a crisp white handkerchief from within the pocket of his trousers, using it to mask the first pollen-induced sneeze of what he was sure to be many before tucking the the item away once more. Though the apartment he occupied in Manhattan was far from being his most favourite of abodes, it was a place Darcy found himself almost enjoying at this time of year, when being surrounded by a forest of buildings rather than a forest of trees was most certainly advantageous. Of course, Central Park did somewhat complicate matters, but for the most part his allergies were far less troublesome in the city.
With seats being taken and tea declared to be up to Her Ladyship's highest standards, Darcy picked up the the cup that had been set in front of him, a small sip being taken as he listened to his aunt's answer to the question he had posed. Once again it was an answer that had it been given by anyone else would have undoubtedly annoyed him, but, as with the comment about the grounds of Rosings, from Catherine it was to be expected.
Setting the cup back down in it's saucer, Darcy offered his aunt a smile. "We've been doing very well recently, thank you for asking. The developers are busy producing some very exciting software." He might not have had the interest in the business that his parent's had had, but Darcy always made sure that he knew exactly what it was that was going on within the company.
Taking another sip of his tea, Darcy settled back into his chair, glancing around before turning his gaze back on the older woman. "How is my cousin fairing?"
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Post by LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH on May 9, 2011 14:43:47 GMT -5
"We've been doing very well recently, thank you for asking. The developers are busy producing some very exciting software."
"Mmhmm," Her Ladyship replied. "I see."
She did not persue the matter for a number of reasons; she only asked to be polite and she didn't actually see at all. What her nephew did with his life was a bit beyond her; Her Ladyship understood technology to the extent she could use her mobile, send e-mail and order things off the internet but otherwise she was pretty much clueless.
In order to avert what Her Ladyship deemed to be a somewhat embarrassing pause (she liked to be seen as knowing what she was talking about), she procured a cucumber sandwich and took a dainty bite.
"How is my cousin fairing?"
At this query Her Ladyship set the sandwich down on her plate in order to make the most of an over-dramatic sigh.
"I'm afraid my dear Anne has not been well, recently," Lady Catherine replied, her expression surprisingly sombre (then again she was one for overdoing things). "The current climate does little to better her already delicate constitution."
Of course, Her Ladyship was unaware of just how the weather affected Darcy's constituation. Ignorance for Her Ladyship truly was bliss.
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Post by Fitzwilliam Darcy on May 12, 2011 3:18:48 GMT -5
It was a question that he hadn't really wanted to ask. It wasn't that Darcy didn't care for his younger cousin - far from it in fact, she was family, and thus would always be held in high regard - but it was the way the question was met with theatrics that always managed to grate somewhat upon the young man's nerves. It was, at the end of the day, a simple question that had been asked, and the long pause, the pointed lowering of the sandwich and the ever present sigh weren't, in his opinion at least, necessary. Had the roles been reversed and his aunt asked him about Georgiana - even if she had been in anything but the best of health - Darcy was quite sure that he wouldn't have responded to the question in such an unnatural way. This wasn't a play upon the broadway stage, this was two people enjoying tea.
However, the eventual response to the question would have been the same no matter how it was voiced, and it was an answer that most certainly wasn't satisfactory or pleasant to hear. To know that a member of your family is ill, no matter how close the relation, is never a good thing, and thus the answer was met with a small sigh and the shaking of dark curls - it was as close as Darcy would ever get to Lady Catherine's theatrics but something he had found was an appropriate response while in her presence, especially when the subject at hand was Anne. "I'm sorry to hear that Aunt. I must endeavour to see her soon, if she is well enough." A smile was offered before he moved to pick up a sandwich of his own.
It was only as he bit into it that Darcy realised just how hungry he actually was. The early morning meeting with his advisor hadn't left a great deal of time for breakfast beforehand, and the meeting at the company offices that he had attended directly on the back of that hadn't been especially conducive to ensuring that he got something proper to eat. The three ginger biscuits he'd managed to procure for himself during the meeting hadn't exactly been substantial after all. Perhaps he would see if Georgiana was available to dine with him once he had left Rosings.
Finishing the first triangle of cucumber sandwich, Darcy picked up another, taking a large bite from it before looking over to the house for a moment. Eventually his gaze returned to rest on his aunt. "Which room are you working on this summer, Aunt Catherine?" It seemed like not a year would go past without some form of redecoration or modification being made to the old house.
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Post by LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH on May 12, 2011 7:32:16 GMT -5
"I'm sorry to hear that Aunt. I must endeavour to see her soon, if she is well enough."
Her Ladyship's sombre look practically vanished at these words and the smile she had worn earlier returned.
"I am sure she would be delighted to see you, Fitzwilliam," she replied. The necessity of the query being answered done with, Her Ladyship returned her attention to her cucumber sandwich. She would have asked how Georgiana was but she noticed that her nephew was now concentrated on the cucumber sandwiches himself, and talking with one's mouth ful was never an option.
In fact, it was he who changed the topic, so Her Ladyship couldn't be blamed for rudeness, really.
"Which room are you working on this summer, Aunt Catherine?"
At this query Her Ladyship appeared a great deal more animated; she loved talking about her summer re-decorating to anyone who would listen, mostly as her ability to continually redecorate indicated just how much she had to spend on Rosings Manor.
"I'm refurbishing the dining room this summer, Fitzwilliam," she explained. "The dining room furniture is positively medieval, for a start. And I'm planning to commission some new artwork for the walls as well; the place is looking a little bare."
The fact that Rosings Manor was practically stuffed to the gills with expensive paintings, sculptures and other such things would have rendered Her Ladyship's words ridiculous under normal circumstances. But Her Ladyship wasn't someone to think of herself as being ridiculous in any shape or form.
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