Chapter 39 #2
Collins missed the sarcasm entirely. “Yes, yes, a temporary measure, of course! I knew you would understand the brilliance of my plan.”
Suppressing a groan, Mr. Bennet pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mr. Collins, managing an estate requires more than grand ideas. It requires a thorough understanding of the land, the tenants, and, dare I say it, reality. It is not so easy to do as you suggest.”
“But Lady Catherine praised my aptitude in this area!” Collins protested. “She said every great estate should have an orchard to sustain it.”
“So we do, Mr. Collins, but we do not need to add to it since it is enough for our needs. Nor is Lady Catherine here to marvel at your talents. Given what I heard of that lady from my daughter and new son, she was not one to be admired.”
Since his bishop had taken him to task for this very thing, Collins did not know how to respond.
That evening, the two gentlemen sat in heavy silence after the meal.
Mr. Collins appeared deep in thought, grappling with the revelations about Lady Catherine’s flawed ideas and understanding.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bennet silently lamented the choices that had left him alone in the company of such a tiresome guest.
When Mrs. Bennet, Jane, and Mary boarded the carriage Darcy had sent to convey them to Pemberley, they were accompanied by a maid, two footmen, and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, who had been granted six weeks of leave from the military after assisting with the militia in Hertfordshire.
The colonel had requested this leave, to which he was entitled but rarely used, for he had discovered some interesting information that he wished to share with his cousin.
He also appreciated that it allowed him to remain close to Miss Jane Bennet longer than he might have done otherwise.
Since meeting the lady, he had often wished that things could be different, for he rather liked her, but could not pursue her because he could not afford to marry her and support her in the manner he felt she deserved.
Although it was January, the weather was pleasant enough for the first part of the journey that Fitzwilliam chose to ride alongside the carriage.
As he rode, he turned over in his mind the unsettling news he needed to share with Darcy.
He had discovered that his father was not only behind Lady Catherine’s escape from the gaol in Gravesend but also, somehow, behind her death.
While Fitzwilliam was still unsure of exactly how his father had managed it, the motive was clear.
Something in Sir Lewis de Bourgh’s will specified that the remainder of Lady Catherine’s jointure would revert to the Matlock family upon her death.
Lord Matlock, it seemed, was determined to secure whatever funds remained, ensuring they found their way into his coffers.
Fitzwilliam had uncovered more troubling details in his investigation: his elder brother, Andrew Fitzwilliam, Viscount Ashburn, had fallen deeply into debt with a gambling den in Dartford, located alarmingly close to where Lady Catherine had met her death.
This den’s proximity to the site of her murder—a coach standing where she was shot while attempting to commandeer a carriage—felt more than coincidental, particularly since the carriage owner and coachman had vanished without a trace.
Curiously, the London newspapers reported her death as the result of an attack by highwaymen, a convenient distortion that, to Fitzwilliam, only underscored his suspicion that Lord Matlock was somehow involved.
Another source of concern was the state of Lady Catherine’s jointure, which was far smaller than Matlock had hoped.
His brother’s debts were said to exceed twenty thousand pounds, yet the funds remaining to Lady Catherine amounted to less than five thousand—nowhere near enough to settle the debts.
As a result, the creditors were threatening both the viscount and the earl with retribution.
Though his brother was unmarried, the potential impact of his reckless debt on the rest of the Matlock family was troubling.
Gratefully, Lady Julia had taken refuge with her father.
Despite receiving reports of threats against the countess, Fitzwilliam was confident that his brother’s adversaries would not pursue her beyond the city.
Meanwhile, the viscount had disappeared; despite all Fitzwilliam’s efforts, he could not determine his brother’s whereabouts.
This left Lord Matlock, for he still attended Parliament and could be found in London.
There was an element of risk in taking action against a member of the peerage, but debts of honour must always be repaid.
With six weeks of leave ahead, Fitzwilliam was relieved to be able to address the matter directly. He was not close to his brother , having been raised almost completely apart from each other, and his father had given little thought to his younger son’s future.
That thought troubled him nearly as much as the difficulties surrounding his father.
Over the course of the four-day journey with the Bennet ladies, Fitzwilliam found his thoughts drifting often to the eldest Miss Bennet.
She was unlike any woman of his acquaintance, distinct not only from her sisters but especially from her mother.
Her warmth, quiet strength, and unassuming grace set her apart, leaving him unexpectedly drawn to her steady presence.
Though he did not yet know Elizabeth well, it was clear that she and Jane shared a depth and sincerity their younger sisters did not possess.
Jane’s gentle composure and thoughtful nature mirrored Elizabeth’s, yet Jane had a softness where Elizabeth’s spirit shone in her lively wit and perceptiveness.
Fitzwilliam had gravitated towards Miss Bennet during his stay in Hertfordshire, and he found he enjoyed speaking to her in a way he rarely did with other women.
She was sympathetic and kind, and while he knew Bingley had admired her, she had seemed to prefer his company.
It struck Fitzwilliam as odd, for Bingley certainly had more to offer her financially.
Miss Bennet—Jane—deserved more than a soldier like him could offer, and for the first time in his life, Fitzwilliam regretted that he had been born a second son and that his father had done nothing to ensure his future security.
He had invested as much of his income as he was able, having listened to Darcy’s suggestions and even Mr. Gardiner’s on the rare occasions they had been in company with each other in London over the years, but it was nowhere near enough for the life he believed Miss Bennet would need.
After he delivered the ladies to Pemberley, he was determined to put Miss Bennet from his mind. Perhaps if circumstances had been different, he would have tried to pursue something more with the lady, but given that they were not, it would be best to put some distance between them.