Chapter 8
“Charlotte! Welcome home, my dearest girl.” Lady Lucas’s husky voice called to her daughter as an elegant carriage arrived at the sweep in front of Lucas Lodge. Her younger daughter, Maria, bounced up and down on her toes in clear anticipation of seeing her elder sister.
Charlotte fairly bounded into her mother’s waiting arms, then gave Maria a hug.
“It is so good to be back, Mother,” she said warmly. “Thank you for taking us in on such short notice.”
Mr. Collins, who had been directing the servants to unload the luggage, joined them.
“Indeed, we are quite beholden to you, Lady Lucas. Your beneficent ways will be much appreciated and never forgotten, I assure you. We hope we shall not be too much of an inconvenience to you. I expect to be settled in a new situation quite soon, be assured. Oh yes, quite soon. My previous employment under the patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh will no doubt have great influence for any future applications.”
“You are always quite welcome in our home, Mr. Collins,” Lady Lucas replied evenly. “Whether it be a few weeks or…longer. We have plenty of room and look forward to a happy visit with you. Come! Let us go inside. Please direct your coachmen to the stables. I assume they will spend the night?”
“Yes, although we can return them immediately if you like,” Mr. Collins said stiffly. “Although it is only her third-best carriage, Lady Catherine will surely wish it back promptly.”
“But the horses need a rest, my dear,” Charlotte said in a firm voice, then added with a pointed look, “Lady Catherine would be most displeased if they were returned to her in poor condition, would she not?”
Her tone knocked Mr. Collins out of his pique, and he nodded sullenly.
“Good!” Lady Lucas said brightly. She turned to the driver. “Our man will show you where you will stay tonight.” Then she took Charlotte’s arm and swept her into the house. “How are you feeling, dear? The first few months can be rocky for an expectant mother—as I well remember.”
***
Following refreshing cups of tea with freshly baked currant cake, Charlotte continued to sit with her mother, although Mr. Collins, upon learning that Sir William was in London and not expected back for another week, announced he would go up to their guest room to settle in.
His wife and mother-in-law nodded, barely pausing in their conversation to reply.
Lady Lucas’s other children were excused to go outside and play.
“Now, my dear,” Lady Lucas began, when everyone had left, “we are all alone, and you can unburden yourself to me with no one to overhear. This is such shocking news you share. We have all been so proud of your husband’s position at Hunsford.
How did your husband come to be in the basket and lose the patronage of Lady Catherine? ”
Charlotte gave a long exhalation before replying. “I fear my longtime association with Eliza is to blame.”
“How so? What can she have to do with it?”
“Lady Catherine still hopes that Mr. Darcy will end his marriage to her and marry Miss de Bourgh. It is absurd, of course. By all accounts, he and Eliza are quite happy and she is pregnant with their second child. He would never set her aside that I can see. But for some reason, Lady Catherine has turned her disappointment into anger towards my poor William.”
Lady Lucas shook her head. “But in most cases, only the bishop has the power to end a living. And there must be sufficient cause.”
“Indeed, and she wrote that his lack of attention to the parish roads was cause enough. Frankly, such motivation for dismissing him seems a trifling excuse at best. But we all know how much power Lady Catherine wields. Perhaps a timely donation to the bishopric was all she needed for her wishes to be fulfilled.”
“Well, no matter her motives, the result is the same. The most important thing now is for us to cut any malicious gossip firmly in the bud. Your husband’s reputation is sullied, but so is ours by association.
Therefore, we shall say that you are having a difficult pregnancy and that your husband brought you home so that you could be under my care.
We shan’t even speak of his dismissal but simply let people think he is taking a leave of absence.
Such things are not unheard of; many a rector has left things in the hands of a curate for lengthy periods.
With luck, word of Lady Catherine’s actions will not reach Meryton for many months.
And by then, he may well have a new position and you will be happily settled.
” She nodded and took a sip of her tea. “I know it is early days, but what are his prospects, do you think?”
“I have written to Eliza, asking her assistance in finding William a position. His new living might not come from such an illustrious patron, but that matters not. I also have suggested to my husband that he write to his former professors at Oxford. That university endows many livings, and perhaps one is vacant. A good word from a professor might secure it for him. Oh, Mama, I am so saddened to lose our home, but what counts most to me is that my husband put this disappointment behind him as soon as possible. William has a tendency towards a morose nature, you know.”
“Becoming a parent will shake him out of that, to be sure!” Lady Lucas said briskly. “Fatherhood is quite a life-altering event. It turned your father into much more of a homebody than I ever would have guessed possible.”
Charlotte nodded soberly. “I hope so. Although, we both know William is not very like Papa.” She drank the dregs of her cold tea and asked as casually as possible, “How is Mr. Bennet doing? Since the death of his poor wife, I mean.”
“Oh, I believe he misses her very much, much as he tries to hide it. At present, I hear he is much taken with renovations on the parsonage for the new rector, Mr. Yarby.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “A position poor William and I were both hoping was still vacant so he could assume it and we could return to Meryton permanently.”
“Poor timing—no doubt about it. But nothing to be done now.”
“I don’t suppose there is any chance of the congregants disliking Mr. Yarby enough to force Mr. Bennet to make a change?”
Lady Lucas laughed. “Put that thought away right now, my dear. Mr. Yarby is a gifted orator, and he has quite livened up services with his newfangled ideas.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you know how dear Mr. Dudley often spoke of hellfire and damnation.”
“As does William. He says it is important that people know a righteous and fearsome God awaits them when they stand before His throne.”
“Yes…well, Mr. Yarby’s sermons are much more…
positive in tone. That is, he speaks of salvation of all souls through the Christ, and that we are not doomed to inevitable, eternal damnation.
He often writes original sermons too instead of just reading the old familiar ones from books, and I must say they are quite compelling.
Mr. Yarby preaches that we can all find a closer relationship with our Lord and Savior and use him as an example of how to live and treat our fellow man.
It is quite refreshing to hear such things spoken from the pulpit.
Your father is already a great admirer of Mr. Yarby, and we have had him and his sister, Mrs. Withers—she keeps house for him, you know—to dinner twice. ”
Charlotte swallowed her disappointment. “I see. And Mr. Bennet approves as well?”
“It appears so. At least, I have no reason to think he regrets his choice.”
“Oh. And…Mr. Bennet’s health—it continues to be well?”
“Indeed, I have seen no sign of illness or infirmity in him at—oh, Charlotte! Do not tell me you are wishing such things for him? That your husband may inherit early and have no need of a new position?”
“No! Not…really. It is just that the thought did cross my mind that many a husband or wife has pined themselves into an early grave after losing their spouse. And with Mr. Bennet having no sons and William set to be the next owner of Longbourn, I just…” Charlotte shook her head in exasperation.
“No, you are quite right, Mama. I should not have such wicked thoughts. Forgive me.”
“All will come around in the right way eventually, my dear; do not fret. Who knows how long until that day, but Mr. Collins will be the gentleman of Longbourn eventually. In the meantime, let us think optimistically that your husband will be settled in a new living very soon. And if not, well—I am quite eager to meet my first grandchild, you know!”
“Well, you have months and months to wait, Mama. I pray we shall be settled in a new parish by the time the baby comes.”
Lady Lucas smiled. “A lot can happen in many months’ time. No doubt about it.”
***
Mary hesitated before gently knocking on the door of her father’s library. When he called to enter, she did so, but stood only a step or two inside the door.
“Papa, may I interrupt you for a moment?”
“What is it, my dear? More improvements for the parsonage that you and Mrs. Withers desire?”
Mary inexplicably felt herself blush. “No. I believe that is all well in hand. I did enjoy helping Amelia choose the fabric for the curtains, and I think you will approve of our choices when you see them.”
“‘Amelia’ is it now?” Mr. Bennet raised his eyebrows. “Are you on such familiar terms as to use first names?”
“She is…that is…we are becoming good friends, Papa.” Mary had just a hint of defensiveness in her voice. She watched her father study her a moment before smiling kindly.
“Well, I am glad to hear you are friends. It is important that Mrs. Withers feel at home here in Meryton. You are no doubt the first of many close acquaintances she will soon enjoy. And do not be too sad if, in time, her availability to you should diminish once her circle of acquaintances expands. She seems such lively company that one can hardly expect her to just stay friends with you or our family after all. I think she will be much in demand socially in due time.”