Chapter 12
Wilderness
Longbourn
Noon
The air was cool, but Mary’s wool pelisse and knitted shawl draped over her shoulders were keeping her warm enough for the time being.
She did not mind walking, and since the family had only one set of horses for pulling the carriage, the ladies often were required to walk hither and yon.
She was glad that at least there was no hint of a breeze blowing, as she did not enjoy being buffeted about by the wind.
Unlike Elizabeth, though, Mary did not walk for the sheer pleasure of it.
She had her own occupations and pursuits indoors, preferring to sew or read rather than stride briskly about out of doors.
Spending the majority of her time inside also facilitated Mary’s ability to supervise her father’s well-being.
However, he would keep for an hour or so today as she wandered through the wilderness on the arm of their visiting cousin.
She liked Mr. Collins, though she did not imagine that he returned anything more than cousinly affection.
Depending on their disposition, gentlemen were either enchanted by Jane, intrigued by Lizzy, or amused by Kitty and Lydia, but the plain third Bennet daughter was rarely given so much as a second glance by the few eligible gentlemen in Meryton.
Mary was curious as to why Mr. Collins had invited her out to walk among the shrubbery and tangled wilderness.
Mrs. Bennet had, oddly enough, concluded that Mr. Collins was focusing his attention on Mary as a possible bride and had eagerly pinched Mary’s cheeks to redden them before sending her outside.
Mary had escaped from her mother’s attentions with resigned embarrassment.
She did not share Mrs. Bennet’s hope of eliciting an offer.
To select a bride might indeed be Mr. Collins’s intention in visiting Longbourn, but experience had taught Mary that she would not be the chosen lady.
Perhaps her cousin wished to ask her opinion on the best way to woo one of her prettier sisters.
“Thank you for coming out here on a walk with me, Cousin Mary,” Mr. Collins said.
Mary turned a grave countenance on her companion, nodded, and lifted her free right hand to pull her scarf closer around her neck.
“It is my pleasure, of course,” she said.
Silence fell for another minute, and Mary found herself pulling in deep, pleasant draughts of autumn air. Most tree branches were now bare, but the silver birches still held some of their golden leaves.
“Miss Mary,” Mr. Collins said abruptly, “I have a proposal for you, but wish to explain the situation thoroughly before you respond.”
She turned a puzzled glance on her cousin. “Very well.”
“As you know, I have been blessed with a valuable living at Hunsford in Kent.”
“Yes.”
Mr. Collins heaved a sigh and said, “While I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to serve the people of Hunsford, I must admit that Lady Catherine de Bourgh can be a rather challenging patroness.”
Mary halted and turned an amazed look on her companion. She had gathered from her cousin’s careful speeches that Lady Catherine was difficult, but she was startled that he would say such a thing directly.
“How is she challenging?” she asked bluntly.
He wrinkled his brow and said, “She is incredibly arrogant, for one thing. She believes, since she is the daughter of an earl, that she is better than almost everyone else, in spite of the fact that all those who follow our Lord are equal in His sight. She is also a busybody. If she would stay in her mansion and live her own life, she would be far easier to manage, but she visits the parsonage and makes suggestions about topics ranging from the shelving in the closet to the appropriate size of meat that my kitchen maid prepares. She also makes rather a point of calling on the tenants to scold them for being poor and sick and the like. She is exasperating.”
Mary chuckled. “She sounds exasperating.”
“Yes. Now that I have been awarded the living, only a Bishop of the church can remove me, so I have no fear of losing my place, but I cannot safely ignore Lady Catherine or stand openly against her, because she would then use her considerable influence to make my ministry difficult. The tenants, of course, cannot afford to anger her.”
Mary nodded. The landowner had a great deal of power over the lives of the tenant farmers.
“So all of this brings me to my major point. I would like for you to become my wife, Cousin. I know that I offer a comfortable life as opposed to a lavish one, and it is not a love match, naturally, but I respect you and would do my best to…”
“You want me?” Mary interrupted inelegantly. “Me?”
He looked down on her with a surprisingly tender smile on his lips. “Yes, of course, you.”
She blinked and shook her head slowly. “But why? I am not beautiful like my sisters.”
He frowned. “I think you are pretty, Miss Mary.”
This was ridiculous, but she could not help but feel a warmth bloom in her chest at these kind words.
“Thank you … but Jane and Elizabeth are far more beautiful, without a doubt,” she protested.
He shrugged and then turned and tugged her forward gently, and they fell back into a slow walk.
“Cousin Jane is indeed very handsome,” he said.
“She is also kind and gentle. I do not pretend to know your eldest sister well, but I fear she would eventually quail under the endless criticism of Lady Catherine. As for your sister Elizabeth, she is far too incandescent and bright a lady to survive more than a fortnight under Lady Catherine’s less than benevolent patronage.
She would go mad, and the last thing I need is a mad wife. ”
This was said with such humor that Mary laughed aloud, but her smile gave way to solemnity when her companion looked down on her with a tender expression on his face.
“Why me, then?” she asked.
“I have been watching you carefully since we met, and I am confident that you have the perfect disposition to serve as mistress of the Hunsford parsonage. Do not think that I have not noticed how you care for your father, who is, I believe, not entirely well?”
She gasped at this and then nodded. “He has been weakening for two years, yes, though my mother and sisters do not seem to be aware of it.”
“My own father had similar symptoms,” Mr. Collins said sadly. “He was deteriorating before my very eyes, but I really did not notice until I was away for a few months and then returned. When an individual is slowly growing feeble, it is common for family and neighbors to miss it.”
“That makes sense. May I ask how long your father lived?”
“Perhaps a full three years after I noted his original frailty. That is another matter of concern. My impression is that you are the one member of the family who is not only aware of Mr. Bennet’s growing infirmity but able to manage it.
Perhaps you feel it your duty to stay here and care for your father? ”
Mr. Collins’s question was made in an entirely even tone, which was helpful.
Her suitor … and yes, she had a suitor! Incredible!
… obviously thought she should marry him, and leave her home, and journey to Kent to become the mistress of the Hunsford parsonage, but was willing to accept her refusal with good humor.
But even if Mr. Bennet did not know it, he did depend on her to manage his moods. Was it right for her to leave her sire?
On the other hand, did she not owe it to her mother and sisters to accept Mr. Collins’ offer? If she did, she would one day be mistress of Longbourn, which would provide a home for her mother and any unwed sisters.
She looked up into Mr. Collins’s face and said, truthfully, “I do not know. My father is not well, and I do not think any of my sisters are well suited to care for him as I do. So yes, it is a difficult question to know where my duty lies.”
“I understand. I do not pretend to know you particularly well, but I am confident that you are a godly and loyal daughter. I will certainly not pressure you either way, but I suggest, with respect, that part of your assessment should be to consider your own desires. Would you rather remain in the bosom of your family, or marry and leave? The latter would be difficult in some ways, no doubt…”
“I would like to marry you above all things,” Mary blurted out and was rewarded by a pleased smile.
“Would you?” the clergyman asked.
“I would. You are quite right that I feel as if I ought to help care for my father, but I have always wanted to marry and have children and to be mistress of my own home. Moreover, Longbourn has sufficient income that we could hire another servant or two to assist with my father if necessary. The only reason we have not is that my mother is a spendthrift and my father does not care to rein her in.”
She thought for another minute and then nodded decisively. “I accept your proposal. I wish to marry you, Mr. Collins.”
He, rather to her surprise, looked totally delighted at these words. “You are certain?”
“Very certain, yes.”
He lifted her gloved hand to his mouth, kissed it, and said, “Shall we speak to your father?”
“Yes.”
He frowned now and said uneasily, “You are not yet of age, I know. Might your father refuse his blessing?”
She shook her head firmly. “He will not, because truthfully, he has no idea how much I do.”
“I can well imagine that. It is my observation that many ladies are the quiet foundation of a happy home, but that many gentlemen are not aware of it.”
She was aware, rather to her surprise, of a surge of exasperation, not at Mr. Collins, but at her father. Mr. Bennet had indeed been living comfortably partly because of his third daughter’s sacrifice but without any gratitude or even awareness.
***
Drawing Room
A Few Minutes Later
“Oh Mary!” Mrs. Bennet shrieked. “Oh, my dear girl! I knew you could not be so intelligent and sensible for nothing. Oh, I am so happy! Mrs. Collins! Oh, how well it sounds!”