Chapter Twenty-Two
Jane was glad that Elizabeth was such a good correspondent. She was certain that her sister was keeping her informed of everything that was important.
Dearest Jane,
Our Cousin Collins is not a bad sort at all.
Not the slightest bit handsome, sadly, but he is well-spoken and well-mannered.
He has been paying quite a bit of attention to Mary.
I have not yet asked Mary how she feels about him, as I think it best that they get to know each other rather better first, but it all seems quite promising.
I need not tell you that Mama would be in alt for Longbourn to be kept in the family.
Kitty seems to think that Mary should marry Mr. Collins so that she might take Mama’s bedroom upon becoming mistress of Longbourn; happily, Mama was not in the room when that silly remark was made!
Mr. Collins seems to have heard of Mr. Darcy, the man you met at the Stanford’s home, but he was rather vague about it, so I learned nothing more.
Your loving sister,
Lizzy
Jane’s brows were raised by the time she finished reading her sister’s letter.
“Is all well at Longbourn?” her keen-eyed aunt asked.
“Read this, Aunt, and tell me what you think.”
Mrs. Gardiner did so, her brows raised in surprise by the time she reached the end. “You did mention last night that one of the dinner guests was a friend to the Bennet’s new neighbours, which is quite an odd coincidence. But you did not mention the man’s name.”
“Why, do you know Mr. Darcy, Aunt?”
“You recall that I was born and raised in Derbyshire, do you not?’
“Of course.”
“Well, the Darcys own Pemberley, which is the manor house at Lambton, the little town in which I was raised. We knew the Darcys to look at, of course, as they shopped in Lambton and attended church there, but we were certainly not of a high enough social circle to actually know them. Pemberley is a very large estate, perhaps one of the largest in all of England; I have never been inside, though I have always longed to see it.”
“I had no idea,” Jane whispered.
“You said he stared at you a good deal, Jane.”
“He did, yes; but I have no idea of ever seeing him again.”
“No, I suppose not. That is unfortunate, as he is everything eligible.”