Chapter Forty-Nine

E lizabeth left the house before anyone was awake. She had to move, or she would crawl right out of her skin. She set a rapid pace, heading down the path that led from Longbourn's back door, through the back garden, and out onto the road.

Her emotions were in a turmoil, and she had not slept at all well. Elizabeth had sent Mr. Darcy away. At the time, she thought she had been right to do so; now she was certain she had made a terrible, terrible mistake. She loved him, she knew that she did, but likely she would see him only one last time – at Jane's wedding – and then never again.

"Eliza!"

She whipped about. "I can scarce believe my eyes, Charlotte. What are you doing awake at this hour?"

"I could not sleep. Eliza, I must tell you. Mr. Collins proposed to me last night after dinner."

Elizabeth stared at her friend for a moment. "You are the future mistress of Longbourn?"

"Yes. Eliza, please tell me that you are not unhappy at that prospect. We discussed it, you will recall, and you said none of your sisters wanted him. You are not angry, are you?"

"Angry? No, and I could not imagine a better choice of a mistress for the estate. It is just –"

"Yes?"

"Charlotte, can you truly be happy with him? He is not –"

"I know. But I will have my own house! I will be married! I might have children! I would endure a far worse prospect than Mr. Collins for such blessings."

"Then I am happy for you, Charlotte. When will you be wed?"

"As soon as the banns can be called. Your mother will hate me, you know."

"She will, yes, but you will have to bear that only as long as it takes for you to be married and then whisked off to – Kent, is it?"

"Yes, Kent. A small town called Hunsford."

"Do you want me to tell Mama for you, or shall we let her hear the happy news from your father?"

Charlotte shivered. "No, you tell her."

"A wise choice. I cannot vouch for her temper should she first hear your news in company."

***

"He is marrying Charlotte?"

"He is, Mama."

"This is your fault, Lizzy."

"I do not see how it can be, Mama; I was never given the choice to marry him." Not that she would have agreed to it; heavens!

"Very well; Jane's fault."

"It cannot be Jane's fault, either; you know Papa refused to consent to the very idea of it."

"Then it is your father's fault."

"Mama, must it be someone's fault?" Elizabeth finally asked, exasperated. "Mr. Collins met Charlotte, she suited him, he proposed, she accepted."

"But Charlotte is so plain!"

"Mama, I know you think that men are only interested in beauty. But that is obviously false, as is seen by our current topic of conversation."

"The man must be blind; there is no other possible explanation."

Elizabeth seized on this. "Very well; let us blame Mr. Collin's poor eyesight for his choice. For myself, I am grateful to know that Longbourn will be in such capable hands after Papa passes." Though while Charlotte was the most sensible young lady of her acquaintance, she was by no means certain that Mr. Collins would be a good master for the estate. He knew nothing of estate management.

"Will she let me live here, do you think, Lizzy?" Suddenly, the imperious Longbourn matriarch was gone; in her place was a frightened woman.

Elizabeth gentled her voice. "Mama, you have always liked Charlotte. May I suggest that you do your very best to make her feel welcome? Show her how you do things here at Longbourn. Tell her that you know she will be a worthy successor. I believe – I feel in my heart! – that you will never starve in the hedgerows, as you fear; but having Charlotte as an ally, not as an enemy, can only serve you well."

Mrs. Bennet whispered, "I will think on what you say, Lizzy."

Thus it was that not an hour later, when Sir Lucas arrived to exclaim joyfully about his eldest daughter's fortuitous match, Mrs. Bennet was able to congratulate him cordially and offer him a cup of her very best Imperial.

Later that day, Mrs. Bennet had taken Charlotte all around Longbourn, showing her how things were done. Never one to do anything halfway, she had even provided writing paper and a quill so that her protégé might take notes. "For," as she repeated quite often, "there is no knowing when you will be called upon to take my place here."

Charlotte, just as often, reassured Mrs. Bennet, telling her that the dark day of Mr. Bennet's demise was far, far off, and that Mrs. Bennet would be very welcome to remain at Longbourn after said dark day, in order to make certain that everything was being done properly.