Chapter One #2
“If only I should meet a man who deserved better!” Elizabeth laughed and shook her head. “It is a shame that the only handsome and intelligent gentleman I ever encountered was such a boorish cad.”
“Mr. Bingley is intelligent, too!”
Elizabeth cocked her head to one side and frowned at Jane. “If he had any sense at all, my dearest, he would not have left Hertfordshire without you. Another time, Jane, you ought to consider adopting a little of my spikiness, until your natural sweetness has been earned.”
“Perhaps I shall, if you will attempt a little of my kindness,” Jane said, twisting her lips in a bittersweet smile. “But who knows if there will ever be a next time.”
“We might both take Papa’s advice, and upon encountering Mr. Collins thank our lucky stars there are no gentlemen to plague us.”
But there was no gentleman to plague Charlotte Lucas that evening, either. She was greatly dismayed as she informed Elizabeth that her betrothed had failed to arrive as expected at Lucas Lodge that afternoon.
“Mamma fears some mischief may have befallen him on his journey from Kent, for we have received no explanation of his delay,” Charlotte said, wringing her hands together as she sought the reassurance of her friends.
“Perhaps he was detained by some obligation to his noble patroness,” Elizabeth suggested, truly concerned for her wretched friend despite the awkwardness of Charlotte accepting the man so soon after Elizabeth had refused him.
“He may have forgotten to write, or perhaps he got the day wrong,” Jane suggested. “He may arrive at the appointed hour tomorrow, unaware of his error, or the distress he has caused.”
Marianne and Elinor offered their own tepid assurances, though Elizabeth could see they were far from delighted by the acquaintance of the friend she had praised in her letters to them.
Charlotte remained disconsolate all evening, and Lady Lucas was sulking and glaring at Mrs. Bennet, as if that lady were personally responsible for the feckless vicar’s apparent defection.
The eldest Bennet and Dashwood sisters did their best to cheer Charlotte, who was on the constant brink of tears as she began to fear Mr. Collins had changed his mind about marrying her.
Marianne, Elinor, and Jane looked pained at the heartbreak that loomed over Charlotte; Elizabeth was only disappointed to be denied the delights of so many jests at her cousin’s expense.
Despite the strange pall cast over the evening, the rest of their relations seemed to enjoy themselves at the party.
There were officers enough for Kitty and Lydia to dance and flirt with, and there was no want of gossip.
Colonel Forster had just inherited an estate in Hampshire and was to leave the regiment, and he seemed to encourage the speculation of the Bennet ladies by making outlandish remarks about his replacement, who would arrive after the new year.
Though Mr. Wickham was not present, he was also much talked of that evening.
He had lately pursued Mary King to Liverpool, but there was news that her uncle had refused to grant his permission for the match.
Mr. Wickham was expected to return to the regiment before Christmas.
Lydia and Kitty carried on with such delight that Elizabeth was sure her own private smile at the news went unnoticed.
Elizabeth was very well-pleased by the new acquaintance of Mrs. Jennings.
The woman was portly but energetic, perhaps in her late forties rather than the octogenarian Marianne’s letters had taught Elizabeth to expect.
She was a tad vulgar at times, rather like Mrs. Bennet in her enthusiasm for detecting romantic attachments, and she had far more conversation than sense.
Elizabeth was vastly pleased with her as a new study in character, and yet she was appreciative of the genuine affection Mrs. Jennings had for the Dashwood ladies, which she was eager to bestow upon the Bennets.
Mrs. Jennings seemed the type to take with alacrity to any new acquaintance.
She was fashionable and genteel, and so sincere in her chatter that Elizabeth could imagine the woman as easy amongst the first circles of London as she was here in the country with such a parochial assortment.
Her behavior was often silly, but there was a twinkle of intelligence in her eye that sparked Elizabeth’s curiosity.
She came to tea with the Dashwood ladies the following day and promptly won over Mrs. Bennet with her warm praise of the manor.
Even Mr. Bennet seemed keen for her company, for he sat smirking at his sister’s side as he listened to Mrs. Jennings’s effusions about the charming parlor that their large party had crammed into.
Mary went into the adjoining room to practice at the pianoforte, and Margaret lured Julia Gardiner thither to examine a large atlas they had retrieved from Mr. Bennet’s study. The remainder of the party took refreshments and discussed the events of the night before.
Marianne teased Elizabeth about the news of Mr. Wickham’s return just a little bit before presenting her with a novel, Rosa Matilda’s The Passions, and she launched into a lengthy recommendation of the sordid tale.
Elinor and Jane shared a knowing look, for neither could match their sisters’ enthusiasm for novels.
Elizabeth presented Marianne with a volume of poetry in return, but it was not long before the four young ladies were drawn into the conversation that dominated the room.
“Lizzy, Jane! Did you hear? Mrs. Jennings says that her maid heard that the new colonel is only thirty, and single! But surely he must be handsome, Mrs. Jennings.” Mrs. Bennet fanned herself with excitement.
“And I believe his name may start with an F,” Mrs. Jennings said, grinning at Elinor.
“Surely a plain man – or God forbid, an ugly one – could never hope to command a whole regiment,” Elizabeth observed with a wink for her father.
“That is quite right, my dear,” he quipped. “No soldier worth his salt would take orders from an ill-featured colonel.”
Mrs. Bennet waved her handkerchief and emphatically agreed.
“And this time, I shall make haste in putting my own daughters forward! Mrs. Goulding may have bested me, putting her daughter Harriet into Colonel Forster’s path – well, we shall not tarry in welcoming the young colonel to the neighborhood, and then Mr. Bingley shall be sorry indeed, when he falls in love with my Jane. ”
On the sofa across from Elizabeth, Jane turned pink and shrank back a little, as Kitty and Lydia boldly declared their intentions of catching the newcomer’s eye.
“If I could but be in two places at once,” Mrs. Jennings cried.
“A camp full of officers may be an amusing thing for your girls, but they cannot form any serious designs on such lads. But a young colonel! And this dreadful Mr. Bingley, well! I am sure I shall hunt him down in London and tell him he ought to give up the lease of Netherfield so some other eligible fellow might come into the neighborhood. I think it is very selfish of him to let the place only for it to sit empty! It reminds me of Allenham, Miss Marianne. If only old Lady Allen would retreat to the seaside for her health and let Willoughby start a family there, eh? I daresay you found it a pleasing house!”
Beside Jane, Marianne blushed and reclined against the sofa with a grimace at her friend’s indiscretion. Elizabeth attempted to turn the subject, but she was prevented; a footman entered and announced Sir William Lucas.
Their generally jovial neighbor entered, clad in black and frowning as they had never seen before.
His gaze landed on Jane and his brows furrowed for a moment before he asked for a private audience with Mr. Bennet.
The two gentlemen were but a quarter hour in the study before they rejoined the ladies, their faces still somber.
“Miss Elizabeth, my daughter has asked if I could bring you back to Lucas Lodge – your father has already consented to your staying for dinner, though it shall be a dreary occasion,” Sir William said as he extended his hand to help her to her feet.
“What has happened? Is she unwell?”
“She is beside herself with grief, I fear. We received word an hour ago that William Collins perished yesterday morning in a carriage accident near Bromley. His patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, sent an express that she is managing everything for… for his funeral. It is to be in Kent; your father and I will depart the day after Christmas to pay our respects.”
The room was at once in uproar. “Good God!” Elizabeth staggered, and Sir William steadied her, tears welling in his eyes. “My poor friend! She was to be married the day after tomorrow! What a horrible thing to happen, and at Christmas too.”
Though she had never thought highly of her cousin, Elizabeth had learned a modicum of acceptance of her friend’s prudent choice, for the sake of maintaining their friendship, and she was heartily sorry at the loss her friend must be suffering. “Yes, take me to her at once!”
She cast an apologetic glance over her shoulder at the Dashwoods, who began to say that they would take their leave.
Jane, Mary, and even Marianne and Elinor asked Elizabeth to convey their condolences to Charlotte.
But Elizabeth and Sir William were not yet out of hearing when Mrs. Bennet began to demand to know what this meant for the entail.
She was loudly congratulating Jane when Sir William winced as he helped Elizabeth into his carriage.
***
Elizabeth passed an agonizing night at Lucas Lodge.
She sat with Charlotte, occasionally joined by Lady Lucas and Maria, the entire afternoon and evening.
Sir William did his part to ease Charlotte’s dismay by removing the younger children from the house, taking them into the village to purchase a few extra Christmas gifts for his bereaved daughter.