Lady Catherine seemed resigned.“Mrs. Collins, you must send a servant with them.You know I always speak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by themselves.It is highly improper.You must contrive to send somebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing.Young women should always be properly guarded and attended, according to their situation in life.When my niece Georgiana went to Ramsgate last summer,I made a point of her having two men-servants go with her.Miss Darcy,the daughter of Mr.Darcy,of Pemberley,and Lady Anne,could not have appeared with propriety in a different manner.I am excessively attentive to all those things.You must send John with the young ladies,Mrs. Collins.I am glad it occurred to me to mention it;for it would really be discreditable to you to let them go alone.”
Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemed out of spirits, and immediately accounting for it by herself, by supposing that she did not like to go home again so soon,she added: