by P. O. Dixon
His current attitude was eerily reminiscent of her late father’s. It bothered her more than a little, the proprietary nature with which he comported himself in her family’s home as though thoroughly insensitive to the fact that to all of them, he was no more than a guest.
Were they to be faulted for suffering such human frailties? Yes, he was now the owner of the estate because of the entail away from the female line, but why laud it over all of them by comporting himself with such a lack of empathy or even sympathy.
Elizabeth, wanting to get the gentleman’s attention, tapped on the door.
Mr. Collins turned. Grinning from ear to ear, the ridiculous man summoned Elizabeth inside the room.
“I knew you were far too kind to keep me in suspense for very long,” he began. “Have you come to give me your decision? Although there can hardly be any doubt, I suppose a woman likes to think that her wishes hold sway. I fancy myself nothing at all if not considerate of the ladies.” As though realizing how he must sound to a gently bred woman, he said, “Not that I shall ever give you cause to regret your decision, for faithfulness is akin to godliness. Once we are man and wife, I promise neither of us shall ever have cause to stray.”
“Actually, sir,” Elizabeth replied, “I appreciate the chance to consider your proposal with all the diligence that such a proposal warrants. In doing so, it dawned on me that such a weighty decision cannot possibly be made without the advice of one who is far more consequential than either of us. Thus, I came here to discuss a proposal of my own. That is if you will indulge me?”
“A proposal of your own? Do you mean a counter proposal?”
“If that is the way you choose to consider it, sir.”
He nodded. “I am certainly open to hearing what you have to say.”
“Sir, I want to make certain that,” she said. “What I mean to say is I know how highly you esteem your noble patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s good opinion. No doubt, you would want her to look favorably on your match.”
“If that is your concern, I can have no reason to believe Lady Catherine will not hold you in the highest esteem.”
“But what if she does not? Despite being your own master, I am sure you would not wish to risk the loss of her highest approbation simply because of your choice of a wife. Would you not rather have her ladyship meet your future bride and give her blessings to a possible union before you commit to such an irrevocable decision?
“Did her ladyship not insinuate as much when you two talked?” Elizabeth asked, harkening back to Mr. Collins’s proposal to her in which he had elaborated in great detail his reason for doing so. She was sure she would never forget one particular part of his speech:
“Upon the advice of the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I am to choose wisely for her own sake, especially, should there be a possibility of any future connection between us. She further stipulated that I must choose judiciously for my own sake as well. The Bennet daughter of my choosing must be an active, useful sort of person and one who knows and understands a woman’s place.
“Granted, the duration of our acquaintance is short, indeed. However, I can have no reason to suppose you, my fair cousin, will not suit my purposes perfectly well.”
* * *
Collins cupped his chin with his left hand and commenced tapping his index finger against his face. “Now that you mention it, I am certain Lady Catherine would appreciate such a gesture. She would be severely disappointed if she thought I chose poorly. But what do you propose? Surely you do not expect Lady Catherine de Bourgh to travel all the way to Hertfordshire.”
“Heaven forbid the great lady should be expected to do something as belittling as that. I posit you must write to the grand lady and prevail on her to invite the object of your affections to Kent. Were I you, I would further advise Lady Catherine that you have not, nor will you make your decision until you hear from her how you ought to act.”
The gentleman smirked. “Are you suggesting the two of us enter into a secret engagement?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Heavens, no! For what could be more scandalous and, dare I say, disrespectful toward the great lady? No, you and I must be totally above board. Lady Catherine must not only be persuaded that she is the final arbiter, but she must indeed be the final arbiter.”
Mr. Collins rubbed his chin. At length, he said, “You have made a very compelling argument, Cousin Elizabeth. Indeed, I am almost ashamed of myself for not thinking of your proposal sooner. Of course, it only makes sense that the object of my affections and possibly my future bride must first be presented to Lady Catherine for her approval and her blessings. As for your being a guest in her home, I am sure it is the only arrangement that will suit, for as a man of God, which I am sure I will always be on some level, I am not so naïve as to suppose you might stay at the Parsonage.
“Now, the only thing that must be done is for me to write the necessary letter to Lady Catherine, prevailing on her to entertain the idea of allowing you to be a guest at Rosings Park. I can have no reason to suppose she will not be amenable to such a fine scheme as this, for she has more than enough room. You will be in nobody’s way during your stay, I am sure.”
“Wonderful!” Elizabeth said, covering her mouth with both hands to mask her triumphant smile. “I was hoping you would be agreeable to my proposal. That said, it is incumbent upon me to remind you that no mention of your earlier proposal is to cross either of our lips. And as for my being a guest at Rosings Park, it is of utmost importance to me that my sister Mary is also invited.” To further bolster her stance, she added, “I do not believe that I would be comfortable being so far away from home without her. We are very close - as close as two sisters can be.”
Elizabeth left the room feeling quite proud of herself. The scheme of hers was not without risks. What if Mr. Collins is not able to persuade Lady Catherine de Bourgh to go along with the arrangement?
The answer to the question, she dared not to contemplate.
I shall not worry about the possibility of failure just yet.
Her father’s dying wish that she should take care of her family came to mind. Worry, she must. Should my scheme to persuade Mr. Collins to set his cap on Mary fail, I shall have no other choice than to accept his hand in marriage.
The very thought was enough to disrupt Elizabeth’s equanimity. As she was not designed to dwell in misery, however, she soothed herself with another, more palatable option.
The best case scenario would be for me to commit to a long drawn out engagement period, during which time Mr. Collins will meet with some mishap ... amnesia, for instance, a total loss of memory, and he will wander off to parts unknown and never be heard from again.
Chapter 6
As a consequence of their journey, Elizabeth was well versed in almost everything there was to know about Lady Catherine de Bourgh as well as about her daughter Anne. If the gentleman was to be believed, the former was a saint and the latter was a goddess.
So eager was Mr. Collins to introduce her to his noble patroness that their trip from Hertfordshire to Kent did not afford the time to visit her relations in Cheapside, a Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.
The gentleman’s rationale had been that there would be time enough to visit the Gardiners after the engagement was in effect, but someone as consequential as Lady Catherine was not one to be kept waiting.
Thus, Elizabeth now found herself, along with her sister Mary and the tedious Mr. Collins, standing directly before the grand lady in the parlor at Rosings.
“Dear cousins, allow me to present you to my noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.”
She was a fine figure of a woman, one who no doubt had known her fair share of beauty. She was wearing a silk gown that spoke of great wealth, and her neckline was draped by emeralds.
“So, you are the eldest daughter, Miss Bennet,” the older woman said, her tone a mixture of curiosity and condescension. Peering over her spectacles, she eyed Elizabeth from head to toe a
s though expecting to find fault. If she meant to frighten Elizabeth by standing there in all her haughty air, she would have no such luck. The younger woman was not easily intimidated, preferring instead to laugh at pretension and ridiculousness.
“No, your ladyship,” Elizabeth replied. “That distinction belongs to my sister Jane. I am the second eldest.”
“Yes, begging your pardon, your ladyship. This is Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” said Mr. Collins, his tone annoyingly contrite.
Lady Catherine asked, directing her eyes to Mary. “And who is this one?”
“This is Miss Mary Bennet,” said Mr. Collins.
“And where do you fall in order of birth?”
“I am the third Bennet daughter, your ladyship,” Mary replied somewhat timidly.
Now it was Mary’s turn to be scrutinized from head to toe by Lady Catherine. The silent inspection completed, she said, “Well, well. Your sister is fairly tolerable, I suppose, but you are hardly anything to look at.”
Elizabeth tried not to wince on her sister’s behalf. If this is the sort of hospitality we ought to expect, I fear it will be a long miserable stay in this part of the country.
“You are both here as my guests, so I am obliged to do everything in my power to see to your comfort. I understand you traveled with only one servant. I suppose your mother could not spare any of the others. No doubt, your governess remains in Hertfordshire with your younger sisters. I was told there are two of them.”
“Your ladyship is correct as regards the number of younger sisters,” Elizabeth responded. “However, we never had a governess.”
Lady Catherine stared aghast. By her expression, Elizabeth might as well have said they were penniless or worse, homeless, which the Bennets very well might be if her plan failed.
“No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must have been quite a slave to your education.”
Elizabeth could hardly help smiling at Lady Catherine’s indignation as she assured her that such had not been the case.
“Then, who taught you? Who attended to you? Without a governess, you must have been neglected.”
“Compared with some families, I believe we were. But that is not to say that those of us who wished to learn never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read and had all the necessary masters,” Elizabeth explained.
Seizing the chance to promote Mary in the grand lady’s esteem, Elizabeth continued. “Mary’s musical acumen far exceeds that of all of us. She availed herself to the finest resources she could, and she practices most diligently.”
“That speaks highly of your character, young woman,” said Lady Catherine to Mary. “I shall be delighted to have you exhibit this evening. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learned, I should have been a great proficient. And so, as well, would Anne, if her health had allowed her to apply.
“The two of you shall have the pleasure of meeting my Anne later. For now, she is resting.” She looked at Elizabeth. “By the looks of you and your sister, you could also do with a rest before coming down for dinner.” Her eyes sought out the closest servant. “Please see the Bennet ladies to their rooms.”
Once Elizabeth and Mary quit the room, Mr. Collins, too, prepared to take his leave.
“I would have a word with you before you go, Mr. Collins.”
He immediately resumed his former attitude.
Lady Catherine began, “Were one to judge by appearances alone, Mr. Collins, one might say you have chosen wisely, but only time will tell. There is something to admire in the eldest Bennet daughter, I suppose.
“As I understand, based on your letter, nothing is set in stone, and to that, I say it is just as well. You were wise indeed to seek my counsel before anything is decided.” She scoffed and flipped open her fan. “No governess, indeed.”
Fanning herself, she appeared to be in deep contemplation. Collins shifted a little in his chair, drawing her attention.
“That will be all,” she said, setting aside her fan. He stood, bowed, and headed toward the door only to be stopped by the sound of her ladyship’s voice.
“I should expect you to join us for dinner this evening.”
“It is my honor.”
“Very well. Prepare yourself to be quite diverted, for there are to be additions to our party. My nephews are visiting Rosings Park as well.”
Once Elizabeth was alone, she collapsed on her bed. After spending less than a quarter of an hour with Lady Catherine, she was entirely persuaded that she had just met one of the most opinionated, most officious people in the world. She sighed. If this is what staying at Rosings Park entails, it is going to be quite a challenge.
Her apartment was everything a room in such a manor house ought to be, even if it was a bit too ostentatious for Elizabeth’s liking. Mary was settling in just across the hallway.
Shutting her eyes, Elizabeth tried willing herself to sleep. But sleep would not come. How could it when most of the trip to Kent had been spent either sleeping or pretending to sleep in order to avoid conversing with Mr. Collins? The advantage of such a stratagem was that time had allowed ample opportunity for Mary to engage with the gentleman.
The two of them had had so much in common–all the makings of felicity in marriage so far as Elizabeth was concerned.
Indeed, it seems my plan is working.
And just in case her scheme did not bear fruit, no one would know, for Elizabeth had not confided in anyone her intention to unite Mary and Mr. Collins. How unfair it would be for Mary if she knew. Even if she believed Mary would willingly go along with such a scheme, Elizabeth did not mean to risk injuring her sister whose expectations might be raised only to be disappointed.
After a half-hour in that same restless attitude, Elizabeth arose from the bed and drifted toward the window. Not only was she restless, but she was teeming with curiosity. Curiosity about the manor house, its inhabitants, and mostly the park itself.
She determined to get away, if only for an hour or so. She had admired the beauty of Rosings Park, and she did not wish to wait until the next day to begin exploring its many lanes. She made her way out of doors without being detected, and she walked and walked and admired everything she saw.
Before she knew what she was about, a village loomed just up ahead. Thus compelled, she walked on. Soon enough, she came upon a shop, and she peered inside the window. It was a quaint little establishment much like the shops in Meryton, the small town near her home in Hertfordshire.
Elizabeth decided to go inside, hoping that she might find one of the books that had long topped her list of desired reading materials which she had been unable to procure in Meryton.
What is the harm in checking to see if it is available in this particular shop?
Elizabeth recognized that the odds of the shopkeeper having the book were minuscule, but she would not forgive herself if she did not at least ask. She risked nothing in doing so and thus made her way to the counter.
The shopkeeper welcomed her with a broad smile. “How may I be of service to you, madam?”
“Sir, I am hoping that you are in possession of the book, St. Irvyne. It was recently published, albeit anonymously as ‘by a Gentleman of the University of Oxford’, I believe.”
He frowned. “I am sorry to disappoint you; however, I do not have that particular book in stock at this time. I will be happy to order it for you.”
“Oh, no! That will not be necessary. You see, I am merely visiting this part of the country, and I do not plan to remain very long. I thank you for your consideration.” With that, Elizabeth decided she would peruse some other merchandise on display available in the shop.
Surely there must be something here of interest to me.
Moments later, a tall, handsome gentleman entered the establishment and proceeded directly to the counter. The shopkeeper, u
pon seeing the gentleman, stopped everything that he was doing and rushed to the counter.
“Mr. Darcy, how delighted I am by your presence. Indeed, I was hoping that you would patronize my humble establishment during your visit. Indeed, I have the first edition of St. Irvyne which I suspected might be of some interest to you. I went so far as to set it aside expressly for you.”
“Indeed, that is precisely the reason for my visit this afternoon. You are a good man. Thank you for anticipating my needs yet again. I can think of no better companion during my visit.”
“Capital,” said the shopkeeper. “If you will pardon me, I shall retrieve it directly.”
“Take your time,” said the tall gentleman, removing his leather gloves. “I am in no particular rush this afternoon.”
As she was standing nearby the counter, Elizabeth could not help but hear the entire exchange between the shopkeeper and the other gentleman. Suffice it to say, she was not pleased. No one liked being lied to, and she was persuaded that is precisely what the shopkeeper had done. He lied to her about not having the book in stock and added insult to injury by offering to order a copy for her.
Seeing that the tall gentleman had stepped away from the counter, Elizabeth seized the chance to question the shopkeeper and call him out for his duplicity.
She approached the counter and cleared her throat, hoping to capture the merchant’s attention. But to no avail. She cleared her throat again and still was unable to summon his attention. Elizabeth had hoped to avoid drawing attention to herself, but as her attempts to be discreet had proven futile, she rang the bell on the countertop. Elizabeth had not expected it to resound throughout the establishment as loudly as it did. Now, she had everyone’s attention.
“May I help you?” The shopkeeper inquired upon turning around to face Elizabeth.
“Yes, you may, sir. You might begin by clearing up a bit of confusion on my part.”
