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Authors: Shannon Winslow
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Bennet
moved forward to greet him, extending her hand and smiling, her demeanor quite
transformed from what it had been only moments earlier. “Ah, Mr. Collins, you
are very welcome indeed. Did your wife sail with you from America?”
“What? Oh, no,
Mrs. Bennet. I am not married.”
Mrs. Bennet’s
countenance brightened still more. “What a shame that is, sir, for it strikes
me that you are of a very good age for it.”
The most
pressing question already asked and answered, Mrs. Bennet proceeded to
undertake the other necessary civilities as well. Mary was herself too much
overcome to be of any assistance, for before her stood a most pleasingly
featured man, and not at all like the one she had imagined.
“This is my middle
daughter,” said Mrs. Bennet. “Mary, come meet your cousin Mr. Collins.”
They each took
a step toward the other. “How do you do, Miss Bennet?” he said, smiling. “I
cannot tell you how delighted I am to make your acquaintance.”
“I thank you,
sir,” she said, bobbing a slight curtsey.
Mrs. Bennet
continued. “I have four others, Mr. Collins, and they are the most agreeable
girls you would ever care to meet, though I say it myself. Do let us sit down.
Now, my eldest is Jane – Mrs. Bingley, that is… ”
With her mother
conducting the conversation all on her own, Mary had leisure to collect herself
and take stock of their visitor. He was above middling height, with a spare
frame – so unlike what his brother’s had been – and with fairer coloring too.
His features were not classically handsome, perhaps, but not very far off the
mark either. The considerable powers of his person to recommend him were
further augmented by a sincerity of expression and warmth of voice such as
seemed certain proof of his amiability. There was something else too, something
indefinable…
“Mary!” her
mother was saying. “Mary, do try and pay attention. Now, I have just been
telling Mr. Collins how sorry I am that more of the family was not here to
greet him.”
“Yes, you must
pardon the paltry size of the welcoming party,” said Mary. “You see, we had no
idea of your coming so soon.”
“Dear ladies,
you owe me no apology and no special honors either. I am only distressed to
learn that my letter should have gone astray, giving you no warning of my
arrival.”
“It is of no
importance, sir. We are always ready to receive guests to Longbourn.” Mary
colored and stammered, “Oh! I… forgive me. I certainly do not mean that you are
only a guest in this house, Mr. Collins. You are, of course, much more than that.
It is we who… What I mean to say is that… that we stay here only by your kindness.”
He laughed
easily. “My dear Miss Bennet, there is no need for us to stand on ceremony, I
trust. We are family, after all. If you had received my letter, you would know
that I have no intention of throwing my weight about and casting you out into
the cold. Your mother has endured enough hardship for one year, surely.”
“You are very
good, sir,” said Mrs. Bennet.
“Yes, and not
at all what I expected from your…” Mary left off clumsily, vexed with herself
for letting her thoughts about his letter pass her lips too freely.
“Not at all
like my brother? Is that what you were going to say, Miss Bennet?”
“No. Yes. I’m
sorry.”
“It is quite
all right. Poor William. Did you know him well?”
“Not so well as
we should have liked to,” offered Mrs. Bennet. “He was a fine, respectable
young man, with very noble intentions, I believe. Because of this awkward
business with the entail, he naturally felt some responsibility toward this
family. Did you know that he came to this house with the express purpose of
choosing a wife from amongst Mr. Bennet’s daughters? None of them was married
at the time, you understand. I thought it an exceedingly good plan. However, in
the end your brother went another way. And so… well, here we are.”
“I trust you do
not hold his
moved forward to greet him, extending her hand and smiling, her demeanor quite
transformed from what it had been only moments earlier. “Ah, Mr. Collins, you
are very welcome indeed. Did your wife sail with you from America?”
“What? Oh, no,
Mrs. Bennet. I am not married.”
Mrs. Bennet’s
countenance brightened still more. “What a shame that is, sir, for it strikes
me that you are of a very good age for it.”
The most
pressing question already asked and answered, Mrs. Bennet proceeded to
undertake the other necessary civilities as well. Mary was herself too much
overcome to be of any assistance, for before her stood a most pleasingly
featured man, and not at all like the one she had imagined.
“This is my middle
daughter,” said Mrs. Bennet. “Mary, come meet your cousin Mr. Collins.”
They each took
a step toward the other. “How do you do, Miss Bennet?” he said, smiling. “I
cannot tell you how delighted I am to make your acquaintance.”
“I thank you,
sir,” she said, bobbing a slight curtsey.
Mrs. Bennet
continued. “I have four others, Mr. Collins, and they are the most agreeable
girls you would ever care to meet, though I say it myself. Do let us sit down.
Now, my eldest is Jane – Mrs. Bingley, that is… ”
With her mother
conducting the conversation all on her own, Mary had leisure to collect herself
and take stock of their visitor. He was above middling height, with a spare
frame – so unlike what his brother’s had been – and with fairer coloring too.
His features were not classically handsome, perhaps, but not very far off the
mark either. The considerable powers of his person to recommend him were
further augmented by a sincerity of expression and warmth of voice such as
seemed certain proof of his amiability. There was something else too, something
indefinable…
“Mary!” her
mother was saying. “Mary, do try and pay attention. Now, I have just been
telling Mr. Collins how sorry I am that more of the family was not here to
greet him.”
“Yes, you must
pardon the paltry size of the welcoming party,” said Mary. “You see, we had no
idea of your coming so soon.”
“Dear ladies,
you owe me no apology and no special honors either. I am only distressed to
learn that my letter should have gone astray, giving you no warning of my
arrival.”
“It is of no
importance, sir. We are always ready to receive guests to Longbourn.” Mary
colored and stammered, “Oh! I… forgive me. I certainly do not mean that you are
only a guest in this house, Mr. Collins. You are, of course, much more than that.
It is we who… What I mean to say is that… that we stay here only by your kindness.”
He laughed
easily. “My dear Miss Bennet, there is no need for us to stand on ceremony, I
trust. We are family, after all. If you had received my letter, you would know
that I have no intention of throwing my weight about and casting you out into
the cold. Your mother has endured enough hardship for one year, surely.”
“You are very
good, sir,” said Mrs. Bennet.
“Yes, and not
at all what I expected from your…” Mary left off clumsily, vexed with herself
for letting her thoughts about his letter pass her lips too freely.
“Not at all
like my brother? Is that what you were going to say, Miss Bennet?”
“No. Yes. I’m
sorry.”
“It is quite
all right. Poor William. Did you know him well?”
“Not so well as
we should have liked to,” offered Mrs. Bennet. “He was a fine, respectable
young man, with very noble intentions, I believe. Because of this awkward
business with the entail, he naturally felt some responsibility toward this
family. Did you know that he came to this house with the express purpose of
choosing a wife from amongst Mr. Bennet’s daughters? None of them was married
at the time, you understand. I thought it an exceedingly good plan. However, in
the end your brother went another way. And so… well, here we are.”
“I trust you do
not hold his
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