Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
E lizabeth furrowed her brow as she delicately pulled her needle upwards through her fabric. She sat comfortably in an armchair as she worked on her embroidery, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows of the parsonage’s small back parlour. Charlotte, sitting nearby, provided pleasant accompaniment with her quiet humming as she worked on her own embroidery design. With each stitch, Elizabeth felt more and more content as her floral design gradually began to take shape.
This satisfaction was likely due, in no small part, to Mr Collins having excused himself an hour earlier to indulge in his bee-keeping. Elizabeth was thankful for it. Having already endured the sight of him shovelling in his breakfast in a most unappealing manner and hearing his repetitive prattle about the splendours of Kent, Elizabeth had reached her fill of his antics for the day. While she greatly enjoyed Charlotte’s company, she found that she had little tolerance for her cousin’s.
Elizabeth paused in her needlework, allowing her fingers to rest for a moment. Memories of Mr Collins’s behaviour the previous night flooded her mind and interrupted her ease. I cannot fathom how he acted at Rosings last night . Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Between his sycophantic treatment of Lady Catherine and his complete misunderstanding of social cues, it was almost painful to be around him. It is one thing to tolerate his antics in private, but to witness them in the company of others is truly mortifying. My connexion to him is an embarrassment in itself.
She almost shook her head as she picked up her needle again.
Beside her, Charlotte let out a contented sigh as she worked diligently on her own embroidery. Elizabeth smiled. At least Charlotte seems happy with her lot in life . Even if I am becoming less and less equal to the task of staying in the same room as her husband.
They continued their work in comfortable silence and Elizabeth found herself thinking of her family. It was the longest she had been away from home without any close family members. She was enjoying the independence and peace that it gave her, but the tedium of life in Kent had begun to wear on her. There were no sisterly fights to squash, no mother’s nerves to calm, and no father with whom to exchange knowing glances whenever the liveliness in their home worsened too quickly. She felt a slight ache for that familiar environment.
Ah well, the visit will pass quickly enough and then I shall be back at Longbourn, likely desiring I could escape to the peace of Kent again! Why wish away this lovely sojourn when I have no notion of when or if I shall enjoy it again?
There was much to enjoy in Kent. Rosings Park was lovely, and becoming lovelier by the day as the spring progressed.
But I doubt very much that I should ever like to dine again with Lady Catherine. Her behaviour was abysmal. I would be just as embarrassed to be connected to her as to Mr Collins.
“Charlotte?” Elizabeth asked as she held up her fabric and tilted it to examine her handiwork.
“Yes?”
“Does Lady Catherine often behave as she did last night?”
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked absently as she snipped a red thread.
“Did you not notice? She seemed displeased that we attended the dinner to which she had invited us.”
“Perhaps a little. But she has every right to treat us as she wishes.”
Placing her embroidery in her lap, Elizabeth looked at her friend. “I hardly think her wealth justifies such behaviour.”
“Lady Catherine has been very good to us, Lizzy,” Charlotte said firmly, ensuring Elizabeth would drop the subject.
Elizabeth took the hint and fell silent as Charlotte unsuccessfully tried to rethread her needle. After a few moments, Charlotte peered up with a knowing glance. “Her nephews seemed to take a fancy to you.”
Elizabeth let out a laugh. “I can assure you, one of them did not.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Charlotte asked as she finally pulled the red thread through the eye of the needle.
Rather surprised that her usually observant friend had not noticed, Elizabeth replied, “Mr Darcy was so quiet the entire dinner. At times I even wondered whether he disapproved of me.”
“You cannot be certain he felt that way.”
“Why else would he remain silent or look intently at me throughout the dinner?”
“Perhaps he is just a little shy.”
“Well, I suppose that is fair. I do not really know him after all.” Elizabeth picked up her needlework and inserted her needle back into the fabric. “What do you know about him?” She had hoped to sound more off-handed about it, but she worried her slightly elevated pitch betrayed her. She regulated her tone before continuing, “Do you take his character to be proud or shy?”
“Probably a little of both,” Charlotte said with a chuckle. “I must confess, I do not know much about him, but from what I do know, he has ample reason to be more than a little proud. His estate is said to be magnificent, even bigger than Rosings.”
“No,” Elizabeth said in shock. “How is that possible?”
Charlotte looked up at her. “Mr Collins says his father has ten thousand a year.”
Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. “Are you in earnest? That is an astonishing figure.”
“Indeed, such a match would surely bring happiness to any woman,” Charlotte responded with raised eyebrows.
Elizabeth began laughing. “You are so desperate to see me married that you are now imagining things.”
Charlotte shrugged. “Very well. What then can you say to dissuade me from believing that her other nephew fancied you? ”
“That leap of imagination is at least more believable than Mr Darcy.”
“Well, what do you think?”
“I do not know him at all! My goodness, Charlotte, we had one animated conversation, and you are already picturing me married.”
“You are not married, Elizabeth and that is the trouble,” Charlotte said, her voice as serious as her gaze. “It would be wise to continue with your charming banter and secure his interest while the chance is still present. Even if you are not completely certain of your own feelings, opportunities such as this are rare.”
“Charlotte! You are quite amusing. While I appreciate the colourful advice, I highly doubt we shall even see him again. It is doubtful Lady Catherine will want our company again while her nephews are still at Rosings.”
She began to say something else when she heard the sound of a door opening and closing down the corridor. A feeling of dread overcame her as she heard Mr Collins’s heavy footsteps approaching from the vestibule; he was far earlier than expected. She hurriedly placed her embroidery aside on the mahogany table next to her.
“Charlotte, if you do not need me, I think I shall go for a walk in the grove.”
“Of course, but pray do not tarry long—it looks like rain.”
Elizabeth nodded and stood quickly. She briskly walked out the back door just as Mr Collins opened the door into the parlour.
After making her narrow escape, she used all her self-control to avoid throwing her arms up in victory. As she walked, she felt her heart rate slow and return to a regular pace after her energetic escape, and took in the lovely landscape around her. She walked along the leaf-covered path for a few minutes, and stopped when she saw a hawk soaring above. It sailed above the trees as it weaved around the sky. Elizabeth closed her eyes, and drew in a deep breath. The fresh scent of the outdoors filled her lungs and enveloped her with tranquillity. As she exhaled, all the tension in her shoulders dissipated, leaving her feeling completely serene.
She opened her eyes and began walking again. She was enjoying the sound of last autumn’s leaves rustling beneath her feet when she recognised Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Darcy coming towards her. As the two parties drew abreast of one another, Mr Darcy stood back in his stoic manner, seeming aloof, while Colonel Fitzwilliam beamed happily in the same agreeable manner she had noticed the night prior.
“How pleasant it is to run into you here,” she greeted them.
“The pleasure is ours, Miss Bennet. And what brings you to this side of the park this afternoon?” Colonel Fitzwilliam said in a cheerful tone.
“I am enjoying a bit of a ramble. The peacefulness of nature always calls to me.”
“A respite from the more bustling energy of the parsonage?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked with a quirk of his brow, and Elizabeth laughed.
“I am not averse to conversation, but there is sometimes a surfeit of it at the parsonage house,” she admitted.
“Much as we hate to further cut up your peace, would you do us the honour of allowing us to accompany you? As some means of enticement, we will show you some of the favourite spots of our childhood summers past, eh Darcy?” The colonel nudged his cousin who had, as yet, scarcely uttered a syllable.
Elizabeth wondered whether the scheme was agreeable to him or whether he had hoped they would be soon on their way. “The pleasure would be all mine.”
Mr Darcy only nodded at her.