Chapter 19
“I need to write to my Uncle Edward to send his carriage and a maid to come collect me as soon as may be,” Elizabeth told a still-dazed Charlotte. “With first Miss de Bourgh’s passing and now Mr Collins’s, it is the right thing to do.”
Charlotte Collins was not in the state she was because she missed her husband’s company.
To the contrary, she felt free for the first time since she had married the man.
She would never admit this to Eliza, but her friend had been correct when she had admonished her about marrying one whose intellect was so inferior to her own.
No, her ennui was caused by the suddenness of the changes in her life.
Even though being married to Mr Collins had been a chore, she had gained her own home, and the burden on her family had been relieved.
What was she supposed to do now? Was she to return to Lucas Lodge and be a burden on her family again?
She was no longer the spinster to be felt sorry for; now she was a widow who would be looked upon with pity.
Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Darcy had arrived a half hour previously to condole and inform Mrs Collins of the arrangements for her husband’s funeral service and interment.
“Miss Bennet,” Darcy stated. “There is no need to trouble your uncle. We will all be travelling into London. That is, aside from Lord Hilldale, who will remain here to administer the estate until the heir is informed and claims the property. Between the Fitzwilliam coaches and mine, there is more than enough room so there is no need to inconvenience your uncle.” He mentioned both families’ vehicles because he did not want to make it seem like he was forcing her to ride with him.
Elizabeth appreciated the offer. She still wanted to convey her apology to Mr Darcy for the impolitic and rude words she had unleashed when she had allowed her vitriol to rule her.
Given the recent events, she had not walked out like she normally did.
She also felt somewhat confused. The Mr Darcy who had returned to Kent was nothing like the man she had believed him to be based on her admittedly erroneous sketch of his character.
It seemed she needed to make a new sketch, and this time without any prejudices or preconceived notions.
“Charlotte, what do you plan to do?” Elizabeth turned to her friend. “Colonel Fitzwilliam did say that as the new rector will be preferred to the living by the heir, you have as much time as you need before you must vacate the parsonage.”
“Eliza, I have not thought that far ahead yet,” Charlotte responded. “I suppose that Maria and I should travel with you when you depart.” She looked at Colonel Fitzwilliam. “That is, if there is room for us in the conveyances?”
“There is more than enough space, Mrs Collins,” Fitzwilliam insisted. “In addition to my father’s equipage, we are taking the de Bourgh travelling coach with us to deliver to the heir for when said heir is ready to travel to see their new estate.”
As inquisitive as she was about the identity of the new heir, Elizabeth did not think it was her place to ask.
“In that case, I will see to the packing so Maria and I will be ready to travel with you when it is time to depart. Then, we only need to get from London to Meryton,” Charlotte decided.
“That will not be a problem, Charlotte. Maria was to remain with the Gardiners for some days before we travelled home; now it will be one more. You know my aunt and uncle will welcome you with open arms. To make sure they are not caught unawares, I will send them an express regarding our travel plans,” Elizabeth said.
“I will help you with whatever you need.”
“Thank you, Eliza,” Charlotte replied warmly.
“Mrs Collins, do you know if your late husband had a will?” Darcy enquired. “Do you happen to know if he used a solicitor locally?”
“As to a Last Will and Testament, I know not. He used the services of Mr Jacoby in Hunsford because he was who Lady Catherine recommended. I am sorry I know no more than that.”
“Mrs Collins, you have suffered a great shock so please do not apologise,” Darcy returned as he and his cousin stood to take their leave.
“Are you sanguine with the arrangements for Mr Collins’s funeral?” Fitzwilliam asked.
“I am. However, do not expect many in the church. Thanks to his allegiance to Lady Catherine, my late husband was not popular among the parishioners in Hunsford,” Charlotte revealed. “But yes, being interred in the graveyard of the church he oversaw would have pleased him.”
Based on comments from some of the members of the parish they had spoken to, the cousins were aware that Mrs Collins’s words were nothing but the truth.
Fitzwilliam and Darcy bowed to the three ladies and began to take their leave when the latter noticed that Miss Bennet was about to follow them out.
Elizabeth stopped just outside the open front door in full view of the maid in the hallway. “I wanted to thank you, on Charlotte’s behalf, for all the help you have given her. It is a time of great uncertainty for my friend, and the stability you offer is most welcome,” she declared.
“It is the least we could do,” Fitzwilliam stated and then stepped away from Miss Bennet and Darcy.
“Miss Bennet, please do not hesitate to inform me if you are not comfortable with my presence,” Darcy said softly. “The last thing I want to do is upset you any more than I did some weeks ago.”
“No, Mr Darcy, I do not object to your company. Although I would not have accepted your proposal when you made it, I should never have allowed my temper to rule me. After all the unjust things I flung at you, I am surprised you want to be near me. I should have never…” Elizabeth stopped when Mr Darcy raised his hand.
“Miss Bennet, I am the one who is mortified, not only by the words I used in my proposal, but my behaviour since my arrival in Hertfordshire,” Darcy said so only she could hear.
“At least, your older sister has been generous enough to forgive my interference which caused a separation between her and Bingley. Even the subsequent events do not justify my actions. I am very pleased that she and Hadlock have found one another.” He gave a half smile. “I do have one question if I may?”
“Ever since I unleashed my anger at you, I have been chastising myself. It seems we need to forgive one another,” Elizabeth responded. “You may ask what you will, but I may choose not to reply.”
Darcy inclined his head to acknowledge her words. “I do not believe that my question is intrusive. Mrs Collins calls you ‘Eliza’, is that correct?” he enquired.
“Yes, that is so. She and her family have used that version of my name since we met.”
“I could not help but notice that when a certain red-headed shrew, who has been excised from society, used that version of your name, you were not sanguine with it. Why was that?” Darcy queried.
“That is easy to answer,” Elizabeth claimed.
“The Lucases are the only ones I allow to use that appellation, and when they use it, it is a term of endearment based in friendship. Miss Bingley used it as an insult. Hence my reaction was very different than it is when that name is used by any of the Lucases. Speaking of that harpy, I always wondered what changed that night we were all at Lucas Lodge. Before then she was merely disdainful of me like she was of all except Jane; but after that night, she seemed to hate the very sight of me.”
“I am afraid that is one more thing for which I must beg your pardon.” Darcy saw the way Miss Bennet arched her eyebrow in question.
He loved it when she did that. “It was when you were playing the pianoforte at Lucas Lodge that Miss Bingley importuned me. When she asked me what held my attention, I told her, ‘I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow’. When she tried to intimate that I was referring to her, I had to disabuse her of that notion and inform her that it was you who had captured my attention.”
As much as she did not want to blush, there was nothing Elizabeth could do to stop her cheeks heating up.
This was further proof that he found her the handsomest woman he knew.
That being correct meant that Mr Darcy did not think her not tolerable enough to tempt him.
“It is just as well I never sought that woman’s good opinion, so you have nothing to make amends for in that case.
Thank you for explaining why she changed in the way she related to me. ”
“Fitzwilliam will not be patient for too much longer,” Darcy opined as he inclined his head towards his cousin.
He took Miss Bennet’s hand and bowed over it.
It was good news that she had not pulled her hand back as if it had been scalded by boiling oil.
He joined his cousin, and the two headed back towards the mansion.
It was not until the two men were out of sight before Elizabeth made her way back into the parsonage.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It had taken a few days for the depth of her ruin to pierce the delusions which kept Caroline Bingley from hearing or seeing that which she did not wish to hear or see.
The fact that Hurst House would be closed within a sennight and the Hursts were for Surrey had forced Miss Bingley to look at the reality of her situation.
Once she was able to accept that her ruin was irrevocable, which was of course, the fault of those nobody Bennets, Miss Bingley realised that she did need to leave the realm and go somewhere where she was unknown.