Chapter 16
In Hertfordshire
Mr Bennet read an unexpected letter to his family.
It was from a Colonel Fitzwilliam, on behalf of his cousin's wife Mrs Collins, informing him that the heir to Longbourn was no more.
Furthermore it related that Mr William Collins having passed away under unusual circumstances, an inquest was under way to discover more details.
The letter was very short and left the family with more questions than answers.
“Oh Mama,” cried Lydia, “Maria Lucas will know more for Charlotte will have written to her family with more details.”
“Yes my dear that is true.”
“May Kitty and I visit Lucas Lodge to see if we can find out more?”
“What a good idea Lydia.” Mrs Bennet said enthusiastically, “by all means go and learn all you can before Mrs Long does, for if she hears the news first only God knows what else she will add to the story, making it impossible to separate truth from fiction.”
“Oh yes my dear,” Mr Bennet said sarcastically, “for Mrs Long is the only lady in the neighbourhood who embellishes stories.”
Mrs Bennet ignored her husband, “Now if only Charlotte has the decency to give birth to a baby girl, all will be well. That will be justice at last.”
“Not quite my dear,” Mr Bennet responded shattering his wife’s daydreaming, “If Mrs Collins delivers a baby girl we will have to look for another male relative to inherit the estate. I do not know where, but the law is clear about those things, Mrs Bennet. So please do not celebrate yet, for Longbourn may yet end up with somebody far worse than Mr Collins.”
Mrs Bennet looked at her husband, devastated, “Oh Mr Bennet, are we never to have peace? I am sure the law will find a horrid man who will turn us all out of the house before you are cold in your grave.” She cried dismally.
“Oh, let us not dwell on such gloomy thoughts Mrs Bennet; let us hope that I will outlive you all.” Mr Bennet said leaving the room to hide a chuckle.
As sad as the news was about Mr Collins’ passing, Mr Bennet could not bring himself to feel neither regret nor sorrow about it.
The ridiculous little man had not made too many friends at Longbourn, when he left in high dudgeon at being denied the hand of Elizabeth in marriage.
Soon afterwards, to prove he did not care he had proposed to Charlotte Lucas only two days after being rejected.
No, Mr Bennet did not feel a thing, so as soon as he entered his book room he returned to the novel he had been reading, which he had been enjoying immensely before he had been rudely interrupted.
***
Indeed Charlotte, as Lydia suspected had written a far longer letter to her own family.
.. for according to Maria she had divulged that Lady Catherine had murdered her husband with poisoned cake.
Maria also breathlessly elaborated that her ladyship would most likely hang.
But until that wondrous day her ladyship was being kept prisoner in her own bedchamber while Charlotte, Lizzy and Jane enjoyed the luxuries of Rosing's Park.
Lydia and Kitty, now armed with the latest, most delicious gossip quickly made their way into Meryton to relate the shocking news to their Aunt Phillips.
When they arrived in the little town, there was a group of officers milling around.
The moment they spied the two young ladies they approached them and bowed charmingly.
“Miss Kitty, Miss Lydia,” Wickham said with an overly sweet smile, “We were just now talking about going to Longbourn in search of you.”
“La what a good joke, for we came into town in search of you,” said Lydia laughing loudly.
“Well, since nothing interesting ever happens in Meryton we were hoping the two of you would entertain us.” Wickham said and winked at the two young ladies suggestively. The two teens laughed and did not even blush.
“We would be delighted,” Kitty answered enthusiastically, unaware of the man’s lewd suggestions and intentions.
“But we have wonderful gossip to share first.” Lydia stated grabbing the attention back to herself.
“Oh yes please, for we are starved of news.” Capitan Denny also winked, not wanting to leave Wickham to do all the seducing alone.
Kitty nodded at Lydia to start the tale, and she would fill in the gaps when needed.
“Well,” Lydia started, “We have just come from Lucas Lodge where Maria informed us that Charlotte is now a widow.” And she launched into the long story about how Mr Collins had died, with intrigues, seductions, poison cakes, witchcraft, mad ladies and revengeful servants, culminating with Lady Catherine being tarred and feathered and then hanged in the public square.
While the other officers laughed and made thinly-veiled ribald jokes about the tale, Wickham scratched his chin and remained thoughtful.
He asked several questions but since the answers became increasingly more ridiculous he assumed the girls knew very little.
When they decided to finally go to Mrs Phillips' to share the news, Wickham excused himself under the pretext of urgent business and left in a hurry.