For Lady Catherine, the prospects were less propitious. The Darcys assisted her in making some improvements to the old dower cottage, and she was given her own apartment in their London house. It was ever unclear, but proceeding from either embarrassment or pride, why she would never consent to visit Pemberley, so no accommodation there was necessary; Elizabeth, in spite of years of insult from Lady Catherine, was as much a friend to her husband’s aunt as Lady Catherine would allow. However, whether from preferring the company of strangers to the society of her family, or because she had found someone who was yet gratified by her notice, Lady Catherine rapidly established an intimacy with Lady Brookstone. The former was necessarily content to follow Lady Brookstone whither she would lead, in spite of the latter’s gross inferiority of birth, of breeding, and even of beauty; but the cost incurred to under-write both their pleasures was high, indeed, necessitating not only Lady Catherine’s complete subordination of her own desires and views to those of her sponsor, but to receive, with an unfailing, cheerful submissiveness, the daily intercourse supplied by Lady Brookstone’s superior defects of civility, conversation, and intellect. Accordingly, Lady Catherine spent her time chiefly in Wiltshire or en route somewhere, following Lady Brookstone, supplying that constant servility demanded by persons of mean understanding and a proportionally great disregard for the feelings of others. How such a life of obsequiousness and deference—of living to suit the pleasure and convenience of such a one as Lady Brookstone—could be tolerable to someone of Lady Catherine’s disposition was a continual wonder. Any rational person must for-ever feel that flattery and servility to another is a very high price for the pleasures so purchased; no reasonable person would willingly choose to live in Lady Brookstone’s servitude, as there could be no earthly pleasure worth such sacrifice.

The iniquity of Sir William and Lady Elliot produced such a general disgrace, that neither was ever again noticed by any of the family, this most reasonable recourse leaving the Elliots to their own mutual comforts. Sir William did not, to his surprise, find his wife so silent as formerly. He had charge of only a small share of her fortune—due to the forethought of Sir Lewis—but was required to assume the burthen of Lady Anne, no matter how insubstantial the recompense for his side of the bargain. The Darcys heard that he spent only a few months at Rosings, and had returned again to his own house at Bath and the comforts of Mrs. Clay. Lady Anne was content to spend her time and her fortune travelling with Mrs. Jenkinson.