Chapter Fourteen #3
“Your generosity of spirit will only make you more appealing to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who has selected you, from amongst your sisters, as the worthiest choice for the companion of my future life.”
A burble of astonished laughter escaped her lips. “I beg your pardon?”
“You may harbor some disappointment that I did not instantly single you out from the moment I entered the house. I required consideration, for my noble patroness has instructed me to take great care in selecting a wife from amongst my cousin’s daughters.
It was always my intention to do so, for I think it a right thing, not only for any clergyman to set the example of marriage, but that I should choose from the daughters of the estate I am to inherit, and thus make the loss a little less melancholy. ”
Elizabeth went rigid with indignation, “Sir!”
“You need not affect any surprise, though your natural modesty must compel you; your mother assures me that she understands my intentions, and only wishes me to select a daughter whose affections are not engaged elsewhere. However, I see now that I may aspire to do a better turn than this, and offer myself and all my future prosperity to one who has aspired where she should not, and thus prevent a terrible grievance against the esteemed lady to whom I am most humbly beholden.”
“I have not the pleasure of understanding you,” Elizabeth said drily; this was not an uncommon sentiment.
He took the letter he had received from his coat pocket.
“This post was sent in all urgency by Lady Catherine, who informs me that you have presumed to an alliance which can never take place. The consequences of a union between yourself and Mr. Darcy would be infamous, constituting an injury to Miss Anne de Bourgh which Lady Catherine would never allow. You may think it a fine prospect, for I am aware of what a life of luxury his future wife shall enjoy, and you are ignorant of the impossibility of such a match, though you were not born to it. You must allow me to counsel you against employing any arts and allurements as would tempt him from recollecting his duty to his family, and the expectations of all the world.”
Elizabeth finally stood from her chair and began to back away from him. “Sir, I will hear no more. Lady Catherine’s thoughts and wishes about her nephew can be nothing to me, least of all when my most beloved sister is unwell.”
“You cannot seriously mean to refuse me,” he sputtered. “I have explained to you that it is unlikely you shall ever receive any other offer. If I have offended you, I beg leave to now assure you in the most animated language of my admiration and affection.”
“I cannot,” Elizabeth cried. She took a few more steps toward the door and then stopped, suddenly struck by an interesting idea.
“I cannot accept your addresses, sir, when I know them to be desired elsewhere. It is true that Mr. Darcy is far above me in status, and that you shall someday have Longbourn, which must be inducements enough, but for the strength of my friendship. I know that Miss Lucas desires you pay her such addresses, and I would be a poor friend indeed to usurp the attentions you paid her at the ball, which I know have given rise to such expectations….”
Elizabeth cringed at every word that came out of her mouth, but Mr. Collins was far from objecting.
He wanted only a little more persuasion.
“You may assure your patroness that you have conveyed her warning to me and that I comprehend her feelings perfectly, but you need not carry out your duty any further, and forfeit such an affectionate attachment—though it was noble of you to think of it.”
It was no word of a lie, though Elizabeth had neglected to mention her intention of laughing heartily with her sister and friends at Netherfield when she told them what she thought of Lady Catherine’s warning.
She had flattered Mr. Collins just enough, and perhaps she had done her friend a good turn.
Mr. Collins nodded as he considered all that she told him, and swiftly convinced himself that it was all his own idea.
“Your intuition does you credit, Cousin Elizabeth. Yes, now that I have done my duty to Lady Catherine, and you have generously released me from my obligation to your father’s daughters, I must say that it is to Miss Lucas’s credit that she understands the circumstances which are highly in my favor, and desires my addresses.
She is a most amiable and sensible young woman, and from all that I have heard from her father of St. James’ I am sure that she will know how to demean herself most respectfully to Lady Catherine. ”
Elizabeth smiled her agreement and made her escape before the parson could change his mind.
A quarter of an hour later, she was walking to Netherfield to tend to her sister, and she knew that after she had sufficiently amused Jane with all that had transpired that morning, she would have to find a way to break the news of her courtship with Mr. Darcy to Caroline.