Introducing Mrs. Collins
Dear Mrs Collins,
Forgive my belated reply to your last letter.
I have had a great deal to occupy me of late.
Anne is to marry soon, and I have had various issues to contend with.
When two great estates unite, it is both a blessing and a curse – there is much to consider.
I have great hopes Lord Chartwell will eventually agree they should settle at Rosings.
His home, though sizable, and of a good lineage, is in Wiltshire, which, as I am sure you will agree, is not suitable.
I do hope he will be sensible – I trust that Anne will be able to work on him, if she has learnt anything from her mother.
To the main purpose of my writing: I enclose some items that ought to belong to you.
They were sent to Hunsford parsonage, but because that house sits empty, they were redirected to Rosings.
I have kept them here. I have not opened them, but I recognised the handwriting on the address.
I do not doubt that you will understand my reasons for keeping them from you but I hope you will understand why I now feel it is time for you to have them.
I judged it all as best I could, and I hope it is for the best – or that it may be, in the future.
I hear that you are now mistress of Longbourn. I am very glad of it. If you ever need advice about the estate, I am willing to bestow it. But I do not think you require it.
Yours sincerely,
Lady Catherine de Bourgh