Chapter 15
Elizabeth was tired of the corpulent parson’s attentions.
Her mother was doing everything she could to push them together.
It was so bad that on this morning, the day after she posted her long letter to the Gardiners, she slipped out of the house, not even going through the kitchens as was her wont.
As she approached the kitchen garden gate, she heard the last voice she wanted to. Mr Collins!
“Cousin Elizabeth, your dear mother was concerned for your safety and suggested I escort you on your short walk…” he began before he was cut off.
“Mr Collins, my father permits me to walk out on my own on his land. I have been doing so for years now, and I have never needed protection,” Elizabeth interjected. “I neither desire nor do I need your company. Good morning, Sir.”
“But Lady Catherine says…” Collins tried again.
“I care not what inanities your dearest patroness spews. I am at Longbourn, where, as long as he is alive, my father is master. Until he tells me otherwise, I will enjoy my walks as I always have. In solitude!” Elizabeth interpolated again.
This time she did not wait for him to respond.
She closed the gate and took off at the greatest speed she could walk without breaking into a run.
Until he saw the pace his intended bride set, Collins had thought to go after her. He understood he had no chance of catching up to Cousin Elizabeth. He stood there fuming. How dare a woman like his cousin gainsay him? He would teach her to respect him once they were married.
He lumbered back into the house, and after having the butler assist with removing his outerwear, Collins made for the study.
Bennet enjoyed the mornings because, other than Lizzy, no one in the household was usually up and about. Hence, he was rather perturbed when, after a half a knock, his door was pushed open, and his overweight cousin strode into his sanctuary.
“Cousin, you need to discipline your daughter!” Collins demanded.
“I do have five of them, so I am afraid, Mr Collins, you will need to be more specific,” Bennet drawled.
“Cousin Elizabeth is who I mean. She disrespected me when I instructed her to walk out with me, and worse, she made an impudent statement about the great Lady Catherine de Bourgh!” Collins blustered.
“Elizabeth has my permission to walk about the estate; who are you to countermand my orders?” Bennet barked.
“B-but she is my i-intended,” Collins squeaked. “She must respect me!”
Bennet knew he should put paid to his cousin’s inept courting of Lizzy; however, he was having too much entertainment watching the bumbling fool. “Mr Collins, have you proposed to Lizzy yet?” he enquired instead.
“No, but no woman will refuse me. I am the respected parson who was preferred to his living by none other than Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and I will be the master of this estate one day,” Collins recited as he puffed up his large chest. “Your daughter should appreciate that one of my rank should be willing to offer for her.”
“Until she has accepted you, we have nothing to speak of. And Collins, when Elizabeth returns from her walk, you will not importune her about walking on her own.” Bennet looked at Collins until the fool gave a nod.
“I will see you when we break our fasts.” Bennet waved the buffoon away.
He almost felt bad that Lizzy was suffering the dunderhead’s attentions for his own amusement.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After they had broken their fasts, the Bennet sisters decided to walk into Meryton.
During the meal, Elizabeth was pleased Mr Collins had said not a word about their confrontation that morning, other than shooting her disapproving looks, about which she cared not, as she did not give a whit about his opinion.
As they were preparing to walk, including Kitty and Lydia, who were both admonished to remain with one of their sisters at all times, Fanny suggested that Mr Collins accompany her daughters.
The man accepted with alacrity. Soon the six were on their way to Meryton.
Mr Collins was about to offer Miss Elizabeth his arm when she sped up to walk with her younger sisters.
Rather than be insulted, Collins was impressed that his intended was responsible enough to supervise her sisters who were not out yet.
When they turned onto the town’s main street, which was teeming with scarlet-coated officers, Lydia wanted nothing more than to run to where she saw one of the officers, Mr Denny, who had been at the soiree at Lucas Lodge.
He was one she had managed to flirt with for a few minutes.
At that time, he was standing with another officer and a very handsome man dressed in the clothes of a gentleman.
She was sure that Lizzy would not allow her to approach the men, and if she ignored her older sisters, then Papa would be told.
As hard as it was, she did not run but remained silent.
Thankfully for Lydia, the group of men were close to the haberdashery, the store to which they were heading.
George Wickham needed to hide from some of his creditors, so when he had met Denny in London, he had jumped at the chance to join the militia for free.
It got him away from Town, and that was what he needed.
He saw the group of five very pretty chits with a fat man dressed as a clergyman walking in their direction.
“I say, Denny, who are those beauties, and do they have dowries?” Wickham asked.
“The Bennet sisters. I know not who the man is, and no, they have nothing,” Denny replied. “The two youngest are not out, even though the youngest is somewhat of a flirt, and from what I have seen, the sisters and family are protective of them.”
“Here they come; will you not make an introduction?” Wickham requested.
“Miss Bennets, well met.” Denny bowed to the ladies. “I believe you have met Lieutenant Sanderson before. May I introduce this gentleman to you?” Denny cocked his head towards Wickham.
“As soldiering is an honourable profession, you may make the introductions,” Collins answered for his cousins, forgetting he had never been introduced to any of the men.
“Lieutenants, this is Mr William Collins, a distant cousin. Mr Collins, Lieutenants Denny and Sanderson,” Jane stated.
“This fine fellow, Mr George Wickham from Derbyshire, is our newest recruit. Wickham,” Denny responded, “Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, Miss Kitty, and Miss Lydia, and as you heard, Mr Collins.”
“You will look so fine in a scarlet coat…” Lydia blurted out before Mary gripped her arm. Lydia dropped her head demurely as if it had been an error.
Wickham liked the looks of the youngest Bennet. She had no dowry, and Denny had mentioned flirting, so she would be good for a tumble. She looked perfect; by the others, he guessed she was not fifteen yet, but she was fully formed with very abundant womanly assets.
The sounds of hooves on the street were heard. The Bennet sisters looked up and noted that Messrs Bingley and Darcy were approaching on their horses.
Elizabeth was watching as Mr Bingley dismounted and approached Jane.
She saw Mr Darcy staring at one in their group; he was turning red with anger, while the soon to be lieutenant, Mr Wickham, turned white with fear.
The latter seemed to recover and gave an insolent doff of his hat.
Mr Darcy wheeled his horse and rode back the way he came.
“I was on my way to check on your health,” Mr Bingley managed. Then he saw his friend riding away. He wished the Bennets farewell, remounted and rode off.
Seeing Darcy almost stopped Wickham’s heart; that was until he realised Darcy would not move against him because his nemesis knew that he held little Georgiana’s reputation in his hands.
If only Darcy had arrived two days later.
His early arrival had cost Wickham thirty thousand pounds as well as the sweetest of revenges.
It was then that he noticed that the one who had been introduced as Miss Elizabeth had been watching the interaction between himself and Darcy carefully.
Knowing he had been scared, Wickham knew he needed to spin a yarn for her so she would not suspect he was not as he presented himself.
Just then, an older lady approached the group. Mr Collins, the two officers, and one soon-to-be officer were introduced to Mrs Phillips.
“Nieces, please inform my sister I am having a card party on the morrow in the evening, and all of you are invited,” Hattie relayed to her sister’s daughters. She turned to the man she knew was the heir. “Of course, you are invited, Mr Collins.”
“I thank you for your condescension, Madam,” Collins responded.
“Mr Collins, are you sure that your patroness would approve of you attending a card party where money is staked?” Elizabeth asked hopefully.
“Your concern is natural, Cousin Elizabeth,” Collins fawned. “However, Lady Catherine herself plays cards for entertainment, and she does play for coins, so you see I have my patroness’s implicit permission to partake.”
“You must invite the officers, Aunt Hattie,” Lydia insisted.
“Lydia, you know, you and I will not be allowed to attend, as it will be more than a gathering of family,” Kitty reminded her younger sister.
“Kitty is fifteen, and Lydia is only thirteen, so they are not out yet,” Jane explained.
‘A perfect age for me,’ Wickham thought. Aloud he said, “We would not want to impose on your aunt, Miss Lydia.”
“Of course, you three must attend,” Hattie enthused.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As would be expected, Lydia was not sanguine about being left at home with Kitty. Fanny tried to advocate for her favourite, but a quelling look from her husband silenced her complaints.
Lydia was aware Papa would be home, so this was not a night to test her ability to sneak out of the house.