Chapter 11 #2
“I need to speak,” she said, continuing with growing anger.
“Imagine Mr Collins rushing away from that pleasant evening as though Rosings itself were on fire. At first, that was exactly what I imagined: the house was burning, and he had gone to help. He did not even attempt to excuse himself politely to our guests. He merely declared, in his pompous manner, that duty was calling him. Ah, his duty! I could have accepted any duty connected with his clerical office, but acting as Lady Catherine’s servant is too much.
And that is exactly what he is, even though she already has more than enough servants on that enormous estate occupied by only three women. ”
At that moment Charlotte remembered that Georgiana was Lady Catherine’s niece and turned towards her with an apologetic expression.
Elizabeth immediately spoke in a warm, reassuring voice.
“My dear Charlotte, I promise that everything said here remains between us. Please have complete confidence in Georgiana. Go on.”
It was a sad story, though not an unexpected one. Elizabeth had long feared that Mr Collins might one day become violent. There had always been something in his eyes that contradicted his constant professions of humility.
Having regained a measure of composure, Charlotte continued.
“Imagine my embarrassment, especially as they were his own relatives. Before I could say anything, and that evening I truly tried to preserve some dignity for our guests, he was gone. At ten o’clock, the same servant from Rosings returned and insisted on seeing me.
I was already preparing for bed and, for a moment, wanted to send him away.
But I mastered my anger and went downstairs.
The servant told me to prepare a small bag for Mr Collins because he would not be returning that night and, moreover, was expected to accompany her ladyship to London the following morning. ”
“To London?” Elizabeth cried. “How many days ago did you say Mr Collins went there with her?”
“More than a week ago,” Charlotte answered, astonished by Elizabeth’s reaction.
Elizabeth frowned as panic seized her. She looked from Georgiana to Charlotte in bewilderment, unable to understand.
No message had yet come from Rosings, even though Lady Catherine had had more than enough time to reply.
Was there some misunderstanding? Had her ladyship failed to realise how desperate they were?
She could at least have sent a brief account of Darcy’s visit or simply written that he had never arrived for the appointment.
“It is a most unusual situation,” Elizabeth said. “Could Lady Catherine truly be so cruel and indifferent as not to answer messages concerning her own nephew?”
“Forgive me,” Elizabeth said again, trying to calm herself. “Please continue your story, Charlotte. It may now have an entirely different significance for us. You said your husband hurried to Rosings without telling you why he had been summoned.”
“I am certain he did not know. When he left, I followed him to the door and heard him making all sorts of suppositions about the summons, for it was indeed a summons.
The servant did not tell him why he was needed, only that he was to come at once.
I was furious. After all, he is her clergyman, not her servant.
He ought to be treated with some consideration, if not as a man, then at least for the dignity of his office.
Lady Catherine’s party departed the following morning and remained in London for four days. Upon their return, it was once again the same servant who came to announce their arrival and demand a fresh change of clothes for Mr Collins, as he was to remain at Rosings.”
“So you did not see your husband at all, even after they returned?” Georgiana asked.
“No, it was most unusual. He was only a few minutes from our house, yet he did not even come to greet our guests. I tried to play the hostess as best I could throughout that time, but on the last day of their visit I still hoped Mr Collins would at least come home for the evening.”
“But he did not,” Elizabeth exclaimed angrily.
“No, he did not. Worse still…the same servant returned, asking for various personal belongings. I was so angry that I packed a few things myself and accompanied him to Rosings. My husband appeared before I had time to enter the house, red with fury at seeing me. He began shouting that I had no right to come unannounced to Rosings and that, if I wished to visit, I ought to have used the servants’ entrance.
That was too much for me. I poured out all the anger I had been carrying within me.
Because I was almost shouting, he put his hand over my mouth, probably afraid her ladyship would overhear our quarrel.
It was dreadful. When I refused to be silent, he struck me so violently that I fell upon the front steps.
I lay there, covered in blood, whilst he turned his back on me, went inside, and even slammed the front door behind him. ”
Charlotte lowered her eyes before continuing, whilst Elizabeth and Georgiana took her hands, shocked by her story and eager to offer what little comfort they could.
“A coachman waiting beside the carriage helped me to my feet. The poor man looked almost as horrified as I was. I climbed into the carriage and asked him to take me home, utterly mortified at the thought of how I must appear before our guests. But in the end, I realised it was my husband who ought to be ashamed. No gentleman behaves in such a manner towards his wife, nor towards his own relatives. They were indeed disgusted by their cousin’s conduct. ”
Charlotte fell silent for a moment and drank a glass of water before continuing.
“Our friends were due to leave the following day. Mr Collins did not even show them the courtesy of bidding them farewell in person. He merely sent a note. I watched them as they read it. They could not conceal their feelings.
It became more than I could bear. I decided to leave Hunsford and return to Hertfordshire to reflect upon my future and seek my parents’ advice.
Our friends kindly offered to accompany me, which seemed the most suitable arrangement.
One cannot endure such humiliation and then continue living as though nothing had happened.
And so here I am. As I knew the rumours had already spread, I wished to show everyone that I was otherwise well, with nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of.
I intended to walk through Meryton for a quarter of an hour before calling at Longbourn to see you.
Instead, I was fortunate enough to meet you here. ”
“It was not fortune, my dear,” Elizabeth said with a strange expression. “It was fate. I have the strongest feeling that we were meant to meet, both so that I might hear your terrible story and so that you might learn of our own.”
She paused. With each passing day, it became harder to speak of Darcy’s disappearance. Yet she continued, lowering her eyes to hide the tears gathering there.
“Mr Darcy disappeared in London a week ago, and no one knows what has become of him. Lady Catherine appears to have been the last person to see him. Yet she refuses to answer our letters and ignores Georgiana’s messages.”
“What are you saying? Can that truly be possible?” Charlotte asked in evident distress. “But how?”
“It is possible…sadly, it is,” Elizabeth whispered. “There is little more to tell. He travelled to London to meet her ladyship, and since then we have heard nothing. He simply disappeared. My father and Mr Bingley are searching London, but so far they have found no trace of him.”
“My God,” Charlotte said. “All morning I had hoped to find comfort in you, my dear friend, only to discover you and Miss Darcy in such dreadful circumstances. I am so very sorry. But I do not see how I can help.”
“You already have. Your dreadful story is strangely connected with ours. Now we must understand these extraordinary events that took place both in London and at Rosings. In light of everything you have told us, together with Lady Catherine’s silence, I am beginning to believe she is concealing something.
And I cannot help wondering whether it is connected with Darcy’s disappearance. ”
Elizabeth did not wish to make accusations, yet she was determined to discover the truth.
“We are going to Rosings,” she said. “Charlotte, I ask you, if you are willing, to come with us. We shall stay at an inn. I know it is a great sacrifice, but we need you. You are the only one who knows the country and the people around Hunsford and Rosings.”
“My dear Lizzy, of course I shall come. But can the three of us really compel Lady Catherine to reveal something she wishes to conceal?”
“We shall not go alone. We shall travel through London first and make our plans with Papa and Mr Bingley.”
“And, hopefully, with my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Georgiana added.
For the first time in many days, she felt hope stirring beneath the heavy weight of sorrow and despair.