Chapter 4

A t every turn, Miss Bingley used any excuse, and if she had none, she manufactured one, to denigrate the Bennets, and most especially Miss Eliza. Whenever she said the name, it was spat out in a way which showed her disdain for the woman.

It had become a somewhat frustrating exercise. Try as she may, even with Louisa's support, Mr Darcy would not agree with her or say anything to show he shared her antipathy for all things Bennet. As Charles was greatly enamoured with Miss Jane Bennet, meaning they were often in company together, which of course included the hated Miss Eliza, Miss Bingley decided that she needed to discourage her brother as that was another way which would lead to not seeing the Bennets.

"Mr Darcy, I am sure you have noted the same thing as I with regards to Miss Bennet," Miss Bingley purred. The residents of the house were seated in the primary drawing room after dinner one evening. As she knew he would, as soon as she mentioned his latest angel, Charles looked up and gave her his attention.

"Other than she is a demure lady who always observes propriety, I am sure I know not of what you speak," Darcy averred.

"Come now, Mr Darcy," Miss Bingley simpered, "a man as astute as you, must have seen that although Miss Bennet accepts my brother's attentions, she has no tender feelings for him. If he offers for her, that mercenary, vulgar mother of hers will not allow her to refuse even though she feels nothing for Charles. "

"Please excuse me if I do not take what you say about anyone named Bennet as fact," Bingley interjected. "You have made your feelings about them abundantly clear."

Miss Bingley had to school her features. Why was it she was no longer able to manipulate Charles? She shook the thought off, knowing her brother would not ignore Mr Darcy's opinion, which she was positive was not at variance with her own. "I have made no secret of my feelings about the Bennets, but surely you would not ignore Mr Darcy's wise counsel?"

"Well Darce, does Caroline have the right of it?" Bingley enquired.

"I will admit it is hard to see Miss Bennet's affections displayed for you…" Darcy paused when he saw the smug look from the shrew as if she was the cat who had been presented with all the cream.

"You see, it is not only Louisa and me," Mrs Hurst nodded her agreement, "who see that Miss Bennet cares nothing for you, but Mr Darcy as well," Miss Bingley crowed triumphantly.

"I thank you not to put your own words into my mouth," Darcy retorted. "That is neither what I said nor meant . Some ladies are aware propriety dictates they do not show their preferences for a man until said man speaks, or for instance, offers them his arm." Darcy looked at Miss Bingley coldly. The woman gasped. "I have been able to see that although she keeps her feelings to herself, as propriety dictates she should, Miss Bennet feels tenderly about Bingley. If she was like other women who do not behave with propriety…" Again, Darcy gave Miss Bingley a pointed look. "…and was overt in her feelings, then I am sure you would accuse her of being inappropriate, or a fortune hunter, or worse." He turned to his friend. "In this case, you and I are of one mind on the subject of Miss Bennet and her inviting your attentions for the right reasons."

If Miss Bingley had been sucking an actual lemon, her face could not have been more contorted and pinched than it was at that moment. "A woman knows how another woman feels," she stated to try and recover the situation.

"That is rather a ridiculous statement," Bingley asserted. "Caroline, save your breath to cool your porridge, because it is wasted on me. As I am the one who actually spends time with Miss Bennet, I would have told you that you were wrong before Darcy did in such an eloquent fashion. When I choose the woman I want to marry, it will be for my own pleasure, without reference to your feelings and opinions on the matter. Even had Darcy agreed with you, I would not have relented."

"Seeing as my advice, which was kindly meant, is to be rejected, I will retire," Miss Bingley spat out. "Come Louisa!" Mrs Hurst stood obediently and followed her sister out of the drawing room.

"Well, that is far more pleasant," Hurst observed once the virago had removed herself from the company of the three men.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

That evening, once the two eldest Bennet daughters had changed for bed, they took turns to brush one another's hair.

"It is pleasing that you have forgiven Mr Darcy for his intemperate words at the assembly," Jane opined as she ran the brush through her sister's wild hair. "Had you not, you would not have danced with him at Lucas Lodge or sat and spoken with him at the two events we attended in common since then."

"You know me too well," Elizabeth responded. "Had I not, I would have unleashed my acerbic wit against him." She never felt more relaxed than she did when Janey brushed her hair.

"Has he apologised yet?" Jane enquired as she placed the brush back on the dresser and the sisters switched places.

"Not in so many words, but I get the idea when we have some relative privacy, he will. There are occasions we have been in company that I have been able to see past the forbidding, and I dare say, sad mask he wears at times, and beneath is a man, who like your Mr Bingley is everything a man should be." Elizabeth's task was much easier than Jane's as her older sister had straight blonde hair without the waves and tangles her own hair had.

"It does not hurt that Mr Darcy is rather handsome…" Jane coughed two or three times as Elizabeth completed brushing her hair.

"Jane Lydia Bennet, do you have another cold?" Elizabeth demanded concernedly as soon as she placed Jane's brush on the dresser next to her own. "You know your colds begin with you coughing as you are now. You know how much I worry…"

Jane shook her head and reached for the glass of water near her side of the bed. She drained the glass. "Not a cold, Lizzy dear; it is but a dry throat."

Elizabeth accepted what Jane claimed knowing Janey did in fact suffer from dry throats and was not one to prevaricate. Ever since Mr Jones had shared his fears regarding Jane's lungs, any cough Jane had, frightened her greatly. However, she accepted Jane's word seeing that after she drank the water the coughing ceased.

"What of your Mr Bingley?" Elizabeth asked. "Whenever he sees you in a room he is at your side."

"He is not my Mr Bingley," Jane protested weakly.

"I beg to differ sister dearest; he is very much yours. If he does not declare himself in the next month, then my name will no longer be Elizabeth Rose Bennet."

"Nothing in this life is certain. That being said, I hope you are right, Lizzy. I think I am falling in love with him," Jane admitted. She blushed a deep scarlet at her admission.

"It had not escaped my notice that you have tender feelings for him," Elizabeth owned. "With the marked attention he pays you, I am sure my name is safe."

"Until he speaks, I will keep hoping," Jane insisted. "What of you and Mr Darcy? I am not the only Bennet sister receiving attention from a man. And do not think I have missed how Miss Bingley shoots daggers at you whenever Mr Darcy speaks with you or is in your company, even when others are present."

"It seems everyone knows Mr Darcy has no interest in her except, of course, for Miss Bingley herself. I am sure Mrs Hurst knows, but she will do nothing to contradict her sister." Elizabeth pointedly ignored Jane's assertions about Mr Darcy. She was developing tender feelings for the man, but given his social status and wealth, she did not believe he would offer for an impecunious country girl. She needed to guard her heart.

The sisters shrugged out of their dressing gowns and climbed beneath the covers of their shared bed. After wishing one another a good night's sleep, each one blew the candle on her side of the bed out.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

One afternoon, Mr Bennet sat in his study marvelling at the fact the letter he was reading was from a man who had an education. The writer had taken Orders and been preferred to a living, however, the manner of his expressing himself convinced Bennet his distant cousin must be one of the most entertaining characters ever.

To make sure he had not imagined the words, Bennet read the missive a second time.

8 October 1810

Hunsford Parsonage, bordering on the great estate of Rosings Park

Near Westerham, Kent

Dear Sir,

The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him 2 years previously, I have frequently wished to heal the breach in our family. However, for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.

My mind, however, is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.

As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence, and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of the Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch.

I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends, but of this hereafter.

If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family on Wednesday, the 24th day of October of this year, at precisely 4 o'clock. My patroness demands punctuality, which is why I will be neither early nor late. I shall probably trespass on your hospitality until the Thursday following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that an acceptable curate is engaged to do the duty of the day .

I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

William Collins

A second reading had not changed any of the words. It seemed his distant cousin used ten words when one would do. Never had Bennet read a letter so full of pomposity and servility all at the same time. It seemed his cousin believed being a clergyman elevated him above almost all in society, other than his most praised patroness.

As much as his wife would initially balk at his coming, if Bennet was correct that his amends were to marry one of his cousins, Mrs Bennet would soon welcome the heir presumptive to Longbourn. As much as the man would entertain Bennet, he was resolved that none of his daughters would be forced to accept the clergyman if he offered for one of them and they refused him.

When considering the timing of the disclosure to his wife, Bennet decided he would inform her at least a sennight before the olive branch bearing man was to arrive. He liked to be entertained, but not at the cost of being cruel to his wife.

Bennet pulled a sheet of paper from the pages on his desk. He sharpened his pen, dipped it into the bottle of ink, allowed the excess drops to fall back into the bottle and began to scribe.

10 October 1810

Longbourn, Hertfordshire

He paused as he rejected his idea to poke fun at the man by listing the towns and estates Longbourn was near. Rather than realising he was being made fun of, Bennet was sure his cousin, with his limited capacity for independent thought, would not understand the jest.

Mr Collins ,

I thank you for your most enlightening missive dated 8 October.

It is an admirable sentiment to want to make peace and offer amends. Please know I hold no animus towards you for your being the heir presumptive of this estate. It was neither you nor I who chose to create the entail, therefore, you have no more guilt than I on this subject.

As far as I am aware, there is no reason you will not be able to be received at this estate on the date you mentioned. If you are a few minutes early or late, I vow not to write to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and report such to her.

If, for some unforeseen reason, something occurs which causes me to rescind my permission for you to visit, I will send you an express with suggested dates for a future visit.

Sincerely, your cousin,

Thomas Bennet

Happy his letter poked a little fun at his cousin, while not overtly or with a heavy hand, Bennet was satisfied and sealed the missive, wrote the direction, and then summoned Hill to collect it and any other correspondence waiting to be posted.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Once Colonel Forster and his three officers had secured the land needed for the encampment and quarters for the officers' accommodations for the regiment of militia which was to arrive on the sixteenth of the month, the colonel had sent for more officers and soldiers to make sure all was prepared.

As a way to become known to the men of the neighbourhood, Forster decided to take one of Miss Elizabeth's suggestions to heart, and hold a dinner at the Red Lion Inn for all of the gentlemen of the area, to both engender goodwill, and meet as many of them as possible. The dinner was to be held on Monday, the day before the rest of his regiment was to arrive. He had his officers ride to all local estates to invite the men of the house to join them. Bennet agreed to attend, as did all three men residing at Netherfield Park.

The same day the invitation was accepted by the men of Netherfield Park, Miss Bingley decided she would invite Miss Jane Bennet to dinner to be held while the men were from the house. She was desperate to discover any negative information about the Bennets—so far, much to her chagrin, she had discovered nothing of note, and this was an ideal opportunity for her to do so.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

When the invitation, written on pink pressed and scented paper, arrived addressed to her eldest daughter, Fanny grabbed it and read it before Jane was able to do so.

"You will attend, of course," Fanny enthused before she handed the letter over to Jane. "I am sure this is a compliment to you from Mr Bingley. He must have instructed his sister to invite you to Netherfield Park so you can view your future home, and begin to decide how to redecorate it." Fanny paused to take a breath. "Do not make decisions without my advice, I know the best warehouses to use."

"Mama, I am sure it is only for me to get to know Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley. Did you miss how she said they do not like to be left alone? I may not even see Mr Bingley as he will be at the same dinner as Papa," Jane replied.

The last thing Jane said set Fanny about thinking how she could make sure her eldest, and most beautiful daughter would be able to remain at the leased estate and spend time with Mr Bingley.

Nothing immediately came to her, but Fanny was sure it would.