future,” Mr. Bennet said as Darcy took his hand.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Well, well, then you had best be on your way, young man, before my wife learns of your visit. I shall endeavour to keep your news until Lizzy returns, but she will be curious.”
Darcy gave a quick nod, thanked him again, and departed, closing the door behind him.
Mr. Bennet collapsed into his chair, staring at the door in bewilderment.
“How did all this happen?” he asked himself aloud.
“I shall have to ask Lizzy when she returns,” he said, answering his own question.
As he remembered the way he had given his blessing to the marriage, Mr. Bennet thought, I do not believe I have ever been so shocked in my life. Mr. Darcy! That he might love my darling Lizzy is one thing and is at least possible, though difficult to comprehend. But that she might agree to marry him, which goes against everything she has ever said, is quite another and is nigh impossible to grasp. She is going to need every blessing that can be directed her way if she marries this man!
Then, giving a shrug at the way events were passing quickly out of his control and in a manner impossible to retard, he poured himself a large glass of port and opened his book.
Chapter 4
“Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.”
— Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French author
Friday, April 10, 1812: Rosings, Kent
“ Y ou sent for me, your ladyship?” Mr. Collins asked after being admitted to Lady Catherine’s office, which was the usual locale of the many conversations in which she made her desires known. He dreaded those dialogues in which she dictated and he had no choice but to listen attentively and nod in agreement. He might wish it were otherwise, but it was not, and he had no choice but to do as he was ordered. He was all too aware of his good fortune in securing such a well-founded living and could not chance a disagreement or confrontation with the person responsible for that fortuity.
But he was disturbed at the moment: she left him standing in front of her desk and seemed to stare right through him rather than invite him to take a seat.
“Yes, yes I did,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion. Not cold or hostile, really. Just…devoid.
“You can be at no loss, Mr. Collins, to understand the reason for my demand that you attend me. It concerns, to be perfectly frank, the machinations of your wife’s guest and the manner in which she has ensnared my nephew Mr. Darcy. Imagine the presumption of such a completely unknown girl to…to think herself deserving of membership in this family! It shall not be tolerated, Mr. Collins! It will not be tolerated!”
Since Mr. Collins had brought the news of her nephew’s engagement the previous evening, he was, of course, aware of the reason for her displeasure. But what did she mean, the engagement would not be tolerated? After what his wife related of Mr. Darcy’s attachment to cousin Eliza, he was convinced Mr. Darcy would not be dissuaded, though he was completely mystified by such a violent attraction. Given her family’s situation, he would have thought his assertion of the previous autumn — that Miss Eliza might never receive another offer of marriage — would likely prove true. But any further reverie was cut short as her ladyship resumed her harangue.
“…shall not suffer the insult of her further presence in my parsonage. I want her sent on her way forthwith — this afternoon, if at all possible, but no later than early in the morning!”
“But…but…your ladyship.” Collins was horrified at the request being made and the deplorable position it put him in. “My cousin is ill, quite ill. According to Mr. Darcy’s physician — ”
“That charlatan Douglas? Why, Dr. Palmer says he is the laughingstock of the whole profession! No one — I repeat, no one — of any prominence goes to that man!”
“But Miss Elizabeth is
“Thank you, sir.”
“Well, well, then you had best be on your way, young man, before my wife learns of your visit. I shall endeavour to keep your news until Lizzy returns, but she will be curious.”
Darcy gave a quick nod, thanked him again, and departed, closing the door behind him.
Mr. Bennet collapsed into his chair, staring at the door in bewilderment.
“How did all this happen?” he asked himself aloud.
“I shall have to ask Lizzy when she returns,” he said, answering his own question.
As he remembered the way he had given his blessing to the marriage, Mr. Bennet thought, I do not believe I have ever been so shocked in my life. Mr. Darcy! That he might love my darling Lizzy is one thing and is at least possible, though difficult to comprehend. But that she might agree to marry him, which goes against everything she has ever said, is quite another and is nigh impossible to grasp. She is going to need every blessing that can be directed her way if she marries this man!
Then, giving a shrug at the way events were passing quickly out of his control and in a manner impossible to retard, he poured himself a large glass of port and opened his book.
Chapter 4
“Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.”
— Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French author
Friday, April 10, 1812: Rosings, Kent
“ Y ou sent for me, your ladyship?” Mr. Collins asked after being admitted to Lady Catherine’s office, which was the usual locale of the many conversations in which she made her desires known. He dreaded those dialogues in which she dictated and he had no choice but to listen attentively and nod in agreement. He might wish it were otherwise, but it was not, and he had no choice but to do as he was ordered. He was all too aware of his good fortune in securing such a well-founded living and could not chance a disagreement or confrontation with the person responsible for that fortuity.
But he was disturbed at the moment: she left him standing in front of her desk and seemed to stare right through him rather than invite him to take a seat.
“Yes, yes I did,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion. Not cold or hostile, really. Just…devoid.
“You can be at no loss, Mr. Collins, to understand the reason for my demand that you attend me. It concerns, to be perfectly frank, the machinations of your wife’s guest and the manner in which she has ensnared my nephew Mr. Darcy. Imagine the presumption of such a completely unknown girl to…to think herself deserving of membership in this family! It shall not be tolerated, Mr. Collins! It will not be tolerated!”
Since Mr. Collins had brought the news of her nephew’s engagement the previous evening, he was, of course, aware of the reason for her displeasure. But what did she mean, the engagement would not be tolerated? After what his wife related of Mr. Darcy’s attachment to cousin Eliza, he was convinced Mr. Darcy would not be dissuaded, though he was completely mystified by such a violent attraction. Given her family’s situation, he would have thought his assertion of the previous autumn — that Miss Eliza might never receive another offer of marriage — would likely prove true. But any further reverie was cut short as her ladyship resumed her harangue.
“…shall not suffer the insult of her further presence in my parsonage. I want her sent on her way forthwith — this afternoon, if at all possible, but no later than early in the morning!”
“But…but…your ladyship.” Collins was horrified at the request being made and the deplorable position it put him in. “My cousin is ill, quite ill. According to Mr. Darcy’s physician — ”
“That charlatan Douglas? Why, Dr. Palmer says he is the laughingstock of the whole profession! No one — I repeat, no one — of any prominence goes to that man!”
“But Miss Elizabeth is
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