Chapter 25
Dining Room
Longbourn
“If I am to understand the situation properly, Madame,” Mr. Collins continued, “your daughter Elizabeth is the current owner of your family’s second estate of Emerald Island?”
“Yes,” Lady Bennet replied and could not help the scowl that distorted her pretty features.
“It is obvious that you do not approve,” the rector said gravely, “and I must confess that I do not either. Miss Bennet, as the eldest of the family, should be the heiress of the estate.”
“You would think so,” Lady Bennet said with a huff, “but Jane herself says that she ought not to be mistress of Emerald Island because she has no head for figures.”
“But I assume a steward or a bailiff is managing such concerns?” Mr. Collins returned with obvious surprise. “Surely Miss Elizabeth is not actually maintaining the books?”
“She is,” Lady Bennet said and lifted her chin. “You must understand that three of my girls are remarkably gifted in maths. They inherited that from their father.”
“I see. Well, if I were to marry Miss Bennet, I daresay I could manage the books for both estates.”
Lady Bennet had been nibbling one of her biscuits, but this caused her to drop her food and turn a bewildered look on the parson. “Marry Jane? What are you speaking of, Mr. Collins?”
“Oh, my dear Lady Bennet, I do apologize for not explaining. You must know that my purpose in journeying here was to choose one of your daughters as my bride.”
His hostess’s eyes bulged in amazement, and momentarily, she could not speak. Her husband’s heir and future master of Longbourn wished to marry one of her daughters? How utterly glorious!
“Oh, Mr. Collins, how absolutely wonderful! Oh, how kind, how very gracious you are!”
Her guest’s plump face creased in a satisfied smile for a moment, and then his mouth flattened and he said, “It is, of course, my honor and duty to assist my poor cousins who are being so grievously affected by the entail. But you must see that it would make the most sense for your eldest daughter to be the owner of the other estate, and thus we would join Longbourn and Emerald Island together in one union!”
“Oh! Erm, um, well, as to that, I do apologize, sir, for any misunderstanding, but my Jane is already in a courtship with a gentleman who lives at Netherfield, and she is likely to be married very well soon.”
“I see,” Mr. Collins replied, his lips protruding thoughtfully. She thought she detected a look of disappointment in the man’s somewhat bovine brown eyes, and she could well understand it. Lizzy was pretty enough, but nothing compared to Jane, after all!
“Well, in that case,” the parson said after a moment of cogitation, “it is well that Miss Elizabeth is the owner of Emerald Island. We can marry and join the estates that way.”
Lady Bennet smiled broadly. This was a wonderful idea! Elizabeth would probably live most of the year on the island with Mary, who would never give up her telescopes, and that would leave Lady Bennet to continue managing Longbourn for her daughter and son-in-law.
“What an admirable idea!” she cried out. “You are so very wise, Mr. Collins.”
“Thank you,” he said, beaming again. “I quite agree it will result in great felicity, not only for myself and your esteemed second daughter, but for the entire family.”
The door opened at this moment, and Sally stepped in.
“Madame, sir,” she said, “my apologies for disturbing you, but members of the Netherfield party have come to call.”
***
Drawing Room
Longbourn
Elizabeth rose to her feet as Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and an unknown young lady entered the room.
Rather to her surprise, her eyes tracked first to the tallest member of the party, studying Mr. Darcy's handsome, impassive countenance.
She wondered how he was faring after Mr. Wickham's death.
After all, he and Wickham had been friends before they had been enemies.
Did affection linger from their boyhood friendship, perhaps?
Was it anguish he felt, or was relief the preeminent emotion in that inscrutable breast, a grim gladness that Darcy would be troubled no more by a reprobate?
Nothing could be gleaned from his expression, and Elizabeth glanced involuntarily towards Jane.
For the first time, she perceived a similarity between her beloved older sister and their reserved guest because both turned a serene face to the world.
Jane's habitual calm was a facade that Elizabeth was fully aware hid passionate emotions quite as strong as any other of their sex.
Perhaps Mr. Darcy, too, was not quite so stolid as he seemed.
Perhaps that stony reserve concealed passions like to those of any other man.
“Misses Bennet, Miss Fairchild,” Mr. Bingley said with a smile, “may I please introduce Darcy’s sister, Miss Darcy. Miss Darcy, Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Kitty, and Miss Lydia.”
Elizabeth's regard switched from Mr. Darcy to his sister, even as she dipped into a graceful curtsey. In face and feature, Miss Darcy appeared about Lydia’s age, in spite of the fact that she was tall like her brother and with a womanly figure that would excite admiration in assembly rooms and ballrooms. Her features were good, and she was pretty enough in a sweet way, although it was doubtful that she would ever be an acclaimed beauty.
Her attire was by far the most surprising aspect of her appearance.
Her simple blue dress, though flattering, was adorned with only a little lace at neck and cuffs, and made of wool.
It had been Elizabeth's understanding, through her interactions with various wealthy friends and acquaintances, that young ladies of wealthy families wore expensive silks and satins regardless of the weather.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Darcy,” Jane said. “Will you not all sit down?”
Mr. Darcy made his deliberate way to a small settee near Elizabeth, and Miss Darcy followed him. Elizabeth waited until the pair had seated themselves and then sat down on her chair. Mr. Bingley, of course, took a seat near Jane, and the rest of the ladies also sat.
“Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth said, turning a smiling look on her new acquaintance. “I am very pleased to meet you.”
“It is good to meet you as well,” the girl replied, her cheeks blooming pink even as her eyes shifted downwards.
“Georgiana was most impressed with my description of your family of astronomers,” Mr. Darcy said, drawing her attention.
She chuckled and said, “Well, Mary and Sir Thomas are astronomers, anyway.”
“But did you not show the Earl and Countess of Keaton the comet?” Mr. Darcy asked.
“I did, yes!” Elizabeth replied. “I can use a telescope with reasonable skill, but my father and sister are the ones who measure distances and angles and perform all sorts of interesting mathematical equations.”
“I think it would be magnificent to see an actual comet,” Miss Darcy breathed, her eyes still fixed on the floor.
Elizabeth came to the sudden realization that her new guest was exceptionally shy.
“Well, the comet is still in the night sky, so if you would care to come visit some evening after sunset, Mary or I would be pleased to show it to you,” she said.
“Oh, Miss Elizabeth, that would be marvelous!” the girl replied, and Elizabeth smiled just as the door to the drawing room opened to reveal Lady Bennet and Mr. Collins.
She winced internally at the sight of her mother, whom she had not laid eyes on since the previous night’s dinner. She did hope and pray that Lady Bennet would not make a fuss in company over the current family tempest.
“Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley,” Jane said, having risen to her feet along with their guests, “may I please introduce Lady Bennet and Mr. Collins, our cousin. Mamma, Mr. Collins, Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Bingley.”
The ladies curtsied and the gentlemen bowed, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley shallowly, and Mr. Collins very deeply. When the latter gentleman had straightened to his full height, his brown eyes fixed on Mr. Darcy and he said, “Mr. Darcy? Not Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire?”
Elizabeth turned a startled look on their tallest guest, whose face was now set in stone.
“Yes, I am Darcy of Pemberley.”
“Oh!” Mr. Collins cried out. “Oh! Sir, it is such an honor to meet you! You must know that I have the very great honor of serving as the parson at Hunsford under the great and munificent guidance of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, your esteemed aunt!”
Darcy’s face relaxed fractionally, and he said, “I see. It is pleasant to meet you, Mr. Collins.”
“I am pleased to inform you both that Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh were in excellent health when I last saw them only three days ago!” the parson continued.
“That is excellent news,” Darcy replied in a reserved tone, and Lady Bennet said, “Shall we sit down?”
Everyone did so, with Mr. Collins choosing a chair near the Darcys and Lady Bennet taking her place near Jane.
A few minutes later, the maids entered with tea and scones.
Elizabeth was relieved to observe that Lady Bennet seemed in good spirits, but such relief quickly gave way to embarrassment at her cousin’s behavior.
He was obviously greatly impressed by the Darcys and was determined to intersperse fawning comments with declarations of Lady Catherine’s greatness.
She was satisfied when the Netherfield party rose to leave and made a point of escorting them outside so that they could discuss arrangements to observe the comet away from Mr. Collins.
She doubted that the parson was at all interested in astronomy, but he was obviously eager to ingratiate himself with the Darcys, and thus he would not be a welcome member of the search for the comet.