Chapter 22 #2
Holding up Miss Bingley’s letter, Maddie addressed her niece. “Jane, we must address this work of fiction which you received this morning. Did or did not Lizzy try to warn you that Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley did not look upon a connection between you and their brother with a friendly eye?”
“Yes, Aunt Maddie, she did, but I refused to see it. My desire for everything to be good in the world blinded me to how they acted.” Jane turned to Lizzy, still next to her on the settee. “I am so sorry, Lizzy. I left you to… What do you call them?”
“The supercilious sisters,” Elizabeth provided.
“When the supercilious sisters were flinging barbs at you, I should have stood by you in defence. There was no excuse for me to ignore the way they did the same to me. I know you were there to deflect them from me.” Jane hugged her younger sister.
“Now that my eyes are open, I can see they did everything they could to separate us. Based on what you told me; I am sure that Miss Bingley prevaricated about her brother and Miss Darcy.”
“Very much so,” Gardiner scoffed. “The biggest lie was about Darcy’s family’s approval.
I know for a certainty that Lord and Lady Matlock, and Lord and Lady Hilldale have refused to have the Bingley sisters introduced to them.
Jane, with your permission, when Maddie and I return to London, we would like to take this letter with us. ”
“You will hear no objections from me,” Jane stated decidedly. There was no thought of trying to excuse Miss Bingley like she would have only minutes earlier. “Is it possible Mr Bingley does not know of these machinations and will return on his own accord?”
“Although it is possible, it is highly improbable. Mr Bingley defers to his sisters and others in everything. Before you, he was in love with at least a half dozen angels who all had similar looks to you, Jane,” Maddie replied.
“The last one was a Miss Johnstone. As he acted with you, he acted with her. It was as if he was about to offer for her, also dancing three sets with her at a ball. Then one day, very soon after the ball, he stopped calling on her and never returned. From what we understand, the sisters did not think her high enough for them and were unimpressed with her dowry. Like with yours, the sisters cared not about the young lady’s reputation.
They are well aware that our society excuses men and lays the blame at the young lady’s door.
Miss Johnstone is heartbroken and back at her family’s estate, not able to show her face in London.
You should know what one of our footmen heard…
” Maddie related what the Bingley sisters had said the night of the ball.
“Those two are evil too. He would not go against them, and I thought he loved me, as I love him,” Jane lamented.
“He is too immature to know what true love is,” Gardiner opined. “I do not think that he does anything maliciously, which cannot be said for his sisters; he simply does not comprehend that he is hurting people.”
“What Edward said is true, but we do not know if Mr Bingley has been able to make some changes in his life. If he returns as he said he would, you will know,” Maddie stated.
“However, it is my opinion that until something occurs to shake him out of his immaturity, he will not begin to grow a spine and leave his capriciousness behind him.
“You do not believe he will come back to me, do you?” Jane questioned.
The other three in the parlour shook their heads.
“I would be happy for you if Mr Bingley has matured and become his own man, but I suspect it has not occurred,” Maddie opined. “This is one of those times I would love to be proved wrong.”
Although, even after everything she had learnt, Elizabeth had wanted to lay another ill at Mr Darcy’s door.
However, instead, she took time to think about the situation, applying everything she had been told, before she spoke.
When she did, it was without prejudice or accusation.
“Mr Darcy felt like he could not warn us about Mr Wickham because he was concerned that his sister would be exposed and be subjected to ruin, did he not?”
“That, Lizzy, is a very great part of it,” Maddie agreed.
“I am very pleased that you looked at all sides before you spoke. In this case, I believe that Mr Darcy could have taken steps to remove the miscreant from society while still protecting his sister. However, I, we, do understand why he was hesitant to do so. I am not sure that you know this, but Mr Darcy is one of Edward’s investors.
Hence, Edward and I will be speaking to Mr Darcy on this subject.
In all of the years he has been Adam’s friend, I have never met him. It is time.”
“That is why Uncle Adam is Mr Darcy’s friend, because unlike what I accused him of, he is a man of morals and honour,” Elizabeth owned.
“Lizzy, in that, you have the right of it,” Maddie said.
“I will tell you that you were not wrong in your estimation that Mr Darcy has improper pride, but he can be rather contradictory.” Maddie saw one of Lizzy’s eyebrows arch in question.
“He is very proud of his position, class, and lineage, but two of his best friends are the son of a country parson with no wealth, and the son of a tradesman. He also tolerates, and to a certain extent, enables the supercilious sisters’ behaviour. ”
“I have never known you two to take charge the way you have now,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “It is certainly not a bad thing.”
“We love all of you too much not to have done anything,” Gardiner stated.
“Before we go to see that evil man.” Maddie did not miss the way her nieces’ eyebrows shot up.
“On this day, we are in the roles of the avenging angels.” Both of her eldest nieces nodded their understanding.
“We have one thing to do, and it relates to Mr Collins. I promise you he will never ask for your hand in marriage, Lizzy.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Collins was not happy his proposal to Cousin Elizabeth had been delayed.
It was not to be borne! At least while he waited in the drawing room, a plate of the shortbread biscuits he enjoyed so much had been delivered.
Seeing that he was alone and forced to wait to honour his intended with his hand, by the time the door opened, all that remained on the plate were a few crumbs.
“By whose authority did you interrupt me this morning? I was about to propose to Cousin Elizabeth,” Collins whinged. “Especially as you, Sir, are a mere tradesman and you, Madam, the wife of one.”
“I am the owner of Netherfield Park, an estate far larger than this one. My income combined with what the estate earns makes your patroness’s annual amount look paltry,” Gardiner informed the gaping man. “As a clergyman, surely you are aware that we are all equal in God’s eyes?”
“To your initial question, Mr Collins, are you so unaware that you could not see that you repulse Lizzy? Furthermore, had you paid your addresses to her she would have roundly refused you, leaving you humiliated,” Maddie shot back.
“Mrs Bennet would not have allowed…” Collins closed his mouth when the man who looked much stronger than himself raised his hand.
“As a clergyman, surely you know the mother has no rights to make a match. That power rests with the father. Also, are you aware that Lizzy is my brother-in-law’s favourite daughter?
Do you think he would have supported you and forced her to accept you against her will?
And why, pray tell, would you want to marry a woman who does not want to be your wife? ” Maddie returned.
“But Lady Catherine ordered me to marry one of my cousins,” Collins responded.
“And no matter how much you worship her, she has no more right to sanction a match than my sister does,” Gardiner barked. He did not give the corpulent parson time to reply. “Mr Collins, I assume you are familiar with church law, are you not?”
“Of course, I am,” Collins said as he puffed up his chest with self-importance.
“Then please elucidate for me who it is you share the confidential things your parishioners tell you? Is it with Lady de Bourgh? Also, you boasted how she corrects, and even writes your sermons for you. What do you think the archbishop would say about your tenure as a clergyman if he discovered your worship of one who is not our Lord God?” Gardiner challenged.
“B-but d-due t-to h-her r-r-rank…” Collins began to stammer.
“Nonsense,” Gardiner barked. “The King is the only one, and that would be in conjunction with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who can adjust church law. Is Lady de Bourgh a king?” He paused as he allowed his words to sink in.
“You should know that I know Lord Matlock, and his wife is a close cousin of the Archbishop’s. ”
By now, sweat was pouring off Collins in rivulets and his handkerchief was already soaked.
He knew that what he was doing was not sanctioned by the church, and he also knew that if the information reached his own bishop, he would at best be removed from the parish.
The worst would be that he could be defrocked and possibly excommunicated.
The problem was that he did not know how to stand up to Lady Catherine. When he had begun, it had just taken one strike from her walking stick to comply with anything she desired.
“What must I do to not lose my profession?” Collins asked.
“As you well know, your patroness’s pronouncements notwithstanding, you know nothing of estate management, is that correct?” Gardiner verified.
Collins allowed it was so.
“Mr Collins, I will speak plainly. I can see that you are not the healthiest of men.
Although Bennet is older, there is a better than good chance he will outlive you.
In that case, you will never inherit this estate.
If you marry and beget a son, he may inherit one day, but as you can see from my sister, there is no guarantee you will ever father a son.
“If you sign this document to break the entail, I will pay you ten thousand pounds. If you are wise and invest it with me, you will receive an income of around one thousand pounds per annum,” Gardiner proposed.
“If you want to remain a clergyman, you need to resign the Hunsford living, and return to a school of divinity. There you will study to make sure you are completely familiar with all church law. Once you have accomplished that, you can then seek a living or a position as a curate. With income from your investment, the wages and amount you earn from the glebe would be immaterial. Also, in this case, no word will be mentioned of your infractions to any other. The Hunsford living will not be Lady de Bourgh’s to prefer, Lord Matlock will make it so. ”
“Before you make a decision, I also suggest, and I do not mean to offend, that if you want to live a long life you must adjust how much you eat and begin walking each day,” Maddie added.
It did not take Collins long to agree. He could see that what he had been told was true, and the chances were he would not be alive to inherit.
If he accepted Gardiner’s offer, he would have a good income for life.
He had to admit it would be a relief not living under Lady Catherine’s dictates.
He then decided to tell them what Lady Catherine had done which had caused him to follow her commands.
He signed the document.