Chapter 31 #2
“Do join us in the carriage soon, Cousin,” Anne ordered, turning toward the door and gesturing for Georgiana and Richard to precede her outside.
“I will miss you,” Elizabeth murmured as the others departed, allowing them a moment of comparative privacy.
“I will miss you too, so very much. I do not suppose there is any chance the Gardiners will return to London before Friday?”
Elizabeth laughed. “I think not, but it is only four days away.”
“I will be counting the hours.”
Elizabeth rose up on her toes, planted a quick kiss on Darcy’s lips, and said, “You must go, or your sister and cousins will get cold.”
“Goodbye, my darling Elizabeth.”
“Goodbye, Fitzwilliam.”
He departed, reluctantly, and Elizabeth walked into the drawing room, to the front windows so she could watch as he entered the carriage and shut the door behind him. A moment later, the horses were in motion and trotting toward the main road which would carry her beloved to London.
“You have found a very fine man, Lizzy,” a voice came from beside her.
Elizabeth turned toward her aunt Gardiner and said, “Yes, I know that I am enormously blessed.”
“I do hope you will not allow your concerns about Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh to keep you from marrying Mr. Darcy soon.”
“I will not,” Elizabeth returned with a satisfied smile. “We had a council of war yesterday, and Anne de Bourgh is confident she knows how best to manage both her mother and Mr. Collins.”
***
London
Two weeks later
William Collins stepped down from his hired carriage and gazed with admiration at the brick edifice rising before him. It was truly magnificent, which was entirely befitting the master of Pemberley and nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
The sound of his carriage pulling away stirred him from his awed contemplation.
It was cold on this January day, and he had been summoned by Mr. Darcy himself; he had best find out what his patroness’s nephew required of him!
Whatever it was, he would do it; Lady Catherine, when shown the letter that Mr. Darcy had sent him, had ordered him to be helpful to the master of Pemberley, and Collins would not dream of letting her ladyship down!
He puffed his way up the long flight of steps and was pleased when the door opened before he arrived. The butler waiting within nodded courteously and inquired, “Mr. Collins?”
William Collins bobbed his head. “Yes, I am indeed Mr. Collins, rector of Hunsford, which is adjacent to the grand estate of Rosings in Kent!”
Darcy’s butler waited patiently until he was certain the man was done speaking and then said, “This way, Mr. Collins. Mr. Darcy is awaiting you in the east sitting room.”
Collins obediently followed the man, though the rector’s eyes kept flitting back and forth. He had never been invited into Mr. Darcy’s house in London, of course, and was eager to compare it to the glory of Rosings.
All in all, he was disappointed. While the outward edifice of Darcy House was most impressive, the inside vestibule and hall were quite dull.
The blue and green mosaic floor in the foyer was interesting, but the furniture was plain and the only decorations in the alcoves along the main corridor were small tables with vases of flowers on them.
At this time of year such flowers were expensive, but compared to the gilt framed paintings and plush furniture of Rosings, the house was drab indeed.
Not that the lack of style was Mr. Darcy’s fault; his mother, Lady Anne, had passed on to her eternal reward many years previously, and the master of Pemberley obviously lacked the skills to decorate his London house properly.
That was just one of the reasons why it was necessary that Mr. Darcy wed Miss de Bourgh as soon as possible.
Miss de Bourgh might not have much experience with purchasing fine furniture and paintings and the like, but Lady Catherine, in all her munificence, would doubtless give her daughter and son-in-law wonderful advice.
The butler opened a door and gestured for Collins to enter. He did so, took a few steps inward, bowed deeply, and said, “Mr. Darcy, it is such an honor to be here. Thank you for your kind invitation...”
He trailed off, befuddled, as he recognized the other individuals in the room.
“Oh, Miss de Bourgh, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Cousin Elizabeth! Good morning! I did not realize ... erm, yes, good morning!”
“Good morning, Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth said sedately from her place on the couch. A moment later, to the rector’s confusion and disapproval, Mr. Darcy sat down next to Miss Bennet; it would be far more seemly for the gentleman to sit next to his betrothed, the heiress of Rosings.
“We are most grateful for your visit today, Mr. Collins,” Anne de Bourgh said from her place by the fire. “Please, do sit down. We have a most important matter to discuss.”
Mr. Collins’s homely face brightened. “Oh, Miss de Bourgh. I am overjoyed to hear that. I can only assume that at last you and Mr. Darcy will be uniting the estates of Pemberley and Rosings through the glory of holy matrimony!”
Anne shot a warning glance at Darcy, who was grimacing, and said calmly, “No, Mr. Collins. Darcy and I have concluded quite definitively that we will not suit. Furthermore, Darcy is engaged to your cousin, Miss Bennet.”
Mr. Collins stared at his patroness’s daughter for a horrified moment before turning an outraged look on Elizabeth.
“Cousin Elizabeth, this is entirely unacceptable. By the very laws of God and...”
“Silence, Mr. Collins,” Darcy interrupted, his aristocratic features rigid with disapproval. “You are not permitted to speak in such a way to my fiancée. I am in love with Elizabeth, and she is in love with me. We will marry tomorrow and there is nothing you can do about it.”
“Sir,” Collins pleaded passionately, “by honor you are committed to your esteemed cousin, Miss de Bourgh.”
“But I do not wish to marry Darcy,” Anne stated airily.
Collins turned back to her, his pupils dilating in horror. “But ... but, Lady Catherine said...”
“I am well aware what my mother has said all these years. Yes, she wishes me to marry my cousin, primarily because he is wealthy and well born. Well, I am equally rich and well connected, and I have no desire to wed Darcy. He is a fine, upstanding gentleman, but far too dour for my tastes. Elizabeth is welcome to him.”
Poor Mr. Collins turned purple at these insouciant words, but Elizabeth merely laughed aloud and said, “Thank you, Anne.”
“Miss de Bourgh,” Collins managed to say, “much as I hesitate to take such a step, I must depart immediately for Rosings to inform Lady Catherine of this rebellion within the very heart of her family. I am certain that once she speaks to you and Mr. Darcy, you will bow to the authority of the mistress of Rosings and wed expeditiously.”
Darcy rolled his eyes heavenward and Elizabeth sighed, but Anne merely said calmly, “Ah, but you see, Mr. Collins, you will not be permitted to leave Darcy House.”
The man gaped and then said, “I do not understand.”
“It is simple enough. In Darcy’s letter to you, he requested that you spend the night here.
You will indeed spend the night here, whether you like it or not.
I assure you that Darcy has plenty of servants who will prevent you from leaving.
Tomorrow, we will all go to St. George’s in Hanover Square at the unfashionably early hour of nine o’clock in the morning, and Darcy will marry Elizabeth by common license.
After that, you are free to return to Hunsford or, if you like, proceed on to Hertfordshire.
I am certain that the Bennets would be pleased to host you until your wedding with Miss Mary. ”
Collins opened his mouth in protest but Anne, leaning forward, waved an admonishing finger at the rector.
“Now Mr. Collins, I do wish to make something else entirely clear to you. In a little more than two months, I will be five and twenty years of age. During these last few days in London, I have, with the assistance of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy, consulted our family solicitor, who informs me that on my birthday I will, according to the will of my father, Sir Lewis de Bourgh, become the rightful mistress of Rosings in place of my mother. Once I have turned five and twenty, I will be taking control of the estate. I warn you, Mr. Collins, that if you continue to harass and harangue Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennet, if you fail to treat Miss Mary Bennet, soon to be your bride, in a kind and respectful manner, you will regret it. Do I make myself entirely understood?”
Mr. Collins was not an intelligent man, but he knew the voice of authority when he heard it.
“Yes, Miss de Bourgh. I understand completely,” he assured her meekly. “Indeed, I apologize for my uncivil and reprehensible remarks regarding Mr. Darcy’s betrothal to my fair cousin. It was not well done of me.”
“I am confident that both of them will gladly forgive you,” Anne said in a minatory voice.
“Of course, Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth said immediately.
“I forgive you as well,” Darcy said coldly, “but I warn you that I, along with Miss de Bourgh, will find ways to make your life unpleasant if you are unkind to Miss Mary because of my marriage to her sister.”
“Oh, I would never dream of such a thing,” Collins asserted stoutly, and then his face lit up joyfully. “Indeed, why, Mr. Darcy, we will soon be brothers by marriage! How wonderful!”
Elizabeth, who was struggling to control herself, was greatly relieved when Anne said, kindly but firmly, “Well, I am certainly pleased that we have had this discussion. Now, Mr. Collins, I suggest you retire to your room to refresh and relax before dinner.”
The clergyman rose obediently to his feet, bowed dramatically, and wandered out of the room in a daze.
Once the door had closed behind him, Elizabeth collapsed into a fit of giggles, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had been a silent, appreciative observer of the entire scene, bent a respectful look on his female cousin.
“Anne, you should be a general. That was masterfully done.”
“Thank you, Richard,” Anne returned complacently.