Chapter 15

S unday services at the Longbourn Church were very uplifting. Mr. Pierce, the longtime rector, delivered, as he always did, a poignant and relevant sermon. It was no great surprise Richard Fitzwilliam took a place in the pew next to Mary.

There was added enjoyment for him this day. Not only did he get to sit next to the woman he was rapidly losing his heart to, allowing their thighs and hands to touch accidently now and again, but he got to hear her soprano voice swell with song during the hymns.

From where she was seated, across the aisle from the Bennets and a row behind, Caroline Bingley asked herself how she had been so blind to the truth before her. She knew the answer, she had only seen that which she wanted to. The Bennets in behaviour and the manner of their dress were everything which was elegant. She did not miss the two young men seated next to Mrs. Bennet. She had thought the Bennets did not have sons, but either they did or the men were closely related to them based on the intimacy she had noted between them and the rest of the Bennets.

It was not only that she had been blind to the Bennets but also to the manipulation of her brother. He cared not for her happiness but only his own selfish desires. Miss Bingley was counting the days until she departed Netherfield Park with the Hursts on Saturday.

After the services, the Bennets and Mr. Fitzwilliam were standing outside of the church greeting some of the parishioners when the Hursts and Miss Bingley approached them. They greeted the Bennets and were introduced to the two young men, who much to their surprise were the Bennets' sons. So much for their brother's assumption the estate would be lost to the family via entail.

"Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth, thank you for suggesting we attend this church today," Mrs. Hurst said. "You were correct, it is a pleasure to listen to Mr. Pierce speak."

"Are you still planning to depart for London the day after the ball?" Priscilla enquired.

"We are. Our brother and Mr. Darcy also intend to leave the area, in fact my brother has no intention of returning," Mrs. Hurst averred.

Cilla looked to her husband questioningly as it was the first they had heard about the tenant wanting to leave the estate after being there for barely a month. She did not know the Hursts or Miss Bingley well enough to feel comfortable sharing her ownership of the estate with them. Luckily her question was answered without having to ask it.

"Bingley and I will visit the agent, Mr. Philips, on the morrow, unless he or the landlord objects, I will purchase the balance of the lease." Richard looked at Mary pointedly. "I have no intention of vacating the area for a while."

Mary blushed with pleasure at hearing the most welcome news. She had an inkling that Mr. Fitzwilliam returned her feelings. She had no choice but to wait for him to declare himself, if he ever chose to do so. How she hoped that would be the case.

Caroline Bingley did not miss the interplay between Mr. Fitzwilliam and the youngest Bennet daughter. ‘ He was lost to me before my brother made that ill-founded suggestion I pursue him, ' she thought. ‘ I need to reevaluate my criteria for finding a husband. How I would love to have a man look at me the way Mr. Fitzwilliam looks at Miss Mary. ' Without realising it, Miss Bingley sighed audibly .

"Would you all like to join us for the post-church meal?" Priscilla invited.

"Unfortunately we informed our brother we would see him for the meal at Netherfield Park," Mrs. Hurst demurred.

"I would be happy to join you, Mrs. Bennet," Richard responded keenly.

His acceptance produced another blush on Mary's cheeks. She shot her twin a stern look seeing that he was about to tease her. Henry understood her message and held his peace.

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

By the time the Bennet sons departed for their respective schools on Monday morning, they had come to like Richard Fitzwilliam greatly. Henry had been especially grateful Fitzwilliam, as he now addressed him, took him aside on Sunday and showed him respect as Mary's twin, insofar as Fitzwilliam informed him of his intention to offer Mary a courtship the day after the ball. Not that he needed it, however, Henry offered his unreserved blessing just the same.

For Cilla it had been a treat to have her boys home for the weekend. As always when they departed, she was saddened, but it was a little more than a month until they returned home for the Christmastide term break.

A little later that morning Hill announced Mr. Collins and Miss Lucas. He looked pleased and she looked serenely contented. "Cousins it is my distinct honour and pleasure to announce my engagement to Miss Charlotte Lucas of Lucas Lodge," Collins gushed.

Elizabeth was about to exclaim something regarding Charlotte losing all of her good sense when she looked at her mama who shook her head. A subdued round of wishing the couple happy was given.

"Charlotte would you like to join my sisters and me for a walk in the park?" Elizabeth requested as calmly as she could .

Allowing her fiancé to remain with Mr. I never was. I ask only for a comfortable home. Considering Mr. Collins's character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. As I never thought I would receive a proposal, I was not about to turn one down from an eligible man who I judge is not vicious. You know I have always wanted to be a wife and mother." Charlotte saw Eliza was about to interject when she mentioned Mr. Collins's prospects. "He told me all."

"All?" Jane questioned.

"Yes, all. His mistaken belief he was the heir, and his family's insistence the entail was in favour of males. He related how he had been unaware of the existence of Henry and Tommy and why. He was honest about whether or not he will retain the living at Hunsford. So yes, my friends, he told me everything as he did not want me to accept him knowing less than the full truth."

"But what if Mr. Fitzwilliam removes him?" Mary asked.

"He has a reasonable amount of money saved, and thanks to Papa investing my one thousand pound dowry with Mr. Gardiner, I have close to eight thousand pounds," Charlotte related. "If needs be he will seek a position as a curate and with the dividends from my dowry and what he has, we will be comfortable." Charlotte paused. She decided to tell them all, they had after all shared many facts with her to which few in the area were privy. "He has agreed to accept my help in correcting the things his patron and the congregants see as deficiencies. Even though he has some rather traditional views on the abilities of women, he will defer to me in this."

The three sisters were quite stunned at what Charlotte had told them. It was obvious to them that Mr. Collins was indeed facing reality and not thinking things were as he wanted them to be. If anyone could assist him in repairing his limitations in his position as vicar, it was Charlotte with her good sense, intelligence, and logic.

The upshot was all three sisters were genuine in their congratulations to Charlotte and their wishes for her future felicity. All four hugged once they stood up. Charlotte placed a restraining hand on Elizabeth's arm as Jane and Mary made their way back to the house.

"Eliza, Maria and my father will come visit me at the parsonage towards the end of March next year. Will you join them and come be my guest until after Easter?" Charlotte requested.

"As long as Mama and Papa bestow their permission, I would be happy to do so," Elizabeth agreed. "When do you intend to marry?"

"Mr. Collins will return to Hunsford the day after the ball. He intends to request some time from his patron to return to Meryton on the first Wednesday in December and then we will marry on the Saturday following, the eighth day of the month," Charlotte revealed. She took both of her friends hands in her own and looked her right in her eyes. "Eliza, I will be well. I know who I am marrying and doing it with my eyes open," Charlotte assured her friend.

Elizabeth pulled Charlotte into a hug and then the two walked, arm in arm, back to the house.

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

"You are fortunate Charlotte did not take offence at your words," Cilla admonished her middle daughter once Mr. Collins and Charlotte departed and she had been told what had passed between the younger ladies outside.

Elizabeth hung her head. As she spoke the words, she knew she should not have said what she did. Mama had the right of it. Had Charlotte not known her propensity for being quick to anger coupled with them being such close friends, she may have lost her best friend outside of her two sisters.

"I know it, Mama," Elizabeth intoned softly. "At times I forget not everyone has a temperament like my own and my preferences are not those of others. I spoke without thinking."

"You mean like Mr. Darcy did at the assembly?" Cilla smiled.

"Yes, exactly like that, just without the personal insults," Elizabeth owned.

Anything further they may have said on the subject was lost as Mr. Hill showed Richard Fitzwilliam into the drawing room. He bowed to the Bennets seated within. "I have come from Mr. Philips's offices. Evidently the landlord notified him of my acceptability," he shot a grin at Mrs. Bennet. "Hence, as of Saturday when Bingley decamps, the lease is mine."

One would have had to be singularly unobservant to see the glow of pleasure which lit up Mary's whole being. "I am well pleased Mama approves of you," Mary stated. She knew there was a double meaning, but she cared not.

"You missed your parson," Priscilla told her soon to be tenant. "He had rather big news to impart."

"He is to marry Charlotte Lucas…" Bennet related what they had been told. "Our daughters spoke to Charlotte, and it seems that Collins was honest about his prospects."

Jane, Elizabeth, and Mary related the conversation they had with their friend. Richard cogitated for some moments. "If Miss Lucas can succeed in correcting his flaws, I see no reason to insist the bishop remove him. As long as the changes are genuine and permanent, I will allow him to remain in his post. In that case, we will find a good living for the curate; Mr. Travis deserves nothing less."

Soon enough a chess set had been set up and Mary and Richard were intently playing against one another.

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

"Should we correct any of Charles's misconceptions regarding the Bennets?" Louisa Hurst asked her younger sister on Monday afternoon. "Come to think of it, we would be doing the Bennets no favours if we do so. He has disdained them up until now and we should not inflict him on them just because they are better off than he believed."

"It seems you have answered your own question, Lulu," Miss Bingley smiled. "I do however, happen to agree with you. As it is, we know Miss Bennet has no interest in him and if he knew they were far wealthier than he thinks—I would wager there is no truth to the rumours of their almost non-existent dowries, he would be like a dog on the hunt. By the by, you remember when Charles told me I was imagining seeing an expensive coach?" Mrs. Hurst nodded. "I asked the Miss Bennets if someone has such a coach in the neighbourhood. They admitted it is one of their father's conveyances. I think they are far better off than even you and I suspect at this point."

"I am looking forward to seeing Miss Bennet in London after Christmas," Mrs. Hurst owned.

"As am I," Caroline agreed. "Not that it makes a difference, but did you hear Miss Bennet say her tradesman uncle resides on Portman Square?" Mrs. Hurst shook her head. "Also I learnt Mrs. Bennet is the second wife of Mr. Bennet. Miss Bennet was the only one born of the first one, the one who was a solicitor's daughter. The current Mrs. Bennet is the daughter of a baronet."

"What was it that Mr. Fitzwilliam said about not taking rumours and gossip as fact?" Mrs. Hurst enquired.

Remembering how she used to latch onto any negative gossip about others without bothering to verify the veracity, Miss Bingley had the decency to look ashamed. She acknowledged the rectitude of Mr. Fitzwilliam's admonition.

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

For Darcy the ball could not come fast enough. His dreams were filled with visions of Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and many of them none too gentlemanly. He needed to put distance between them so he could cease thinking about her. Anytime his mind was not occupied during the day, Miss Elizabeth would dominate his thoughts. Enough! It had to stop.

Of one thing he was certain, he would not raise her expectations by dancing with her at the ball.

While his cousin was wrestling with his undesired emotions, Richard was at Longbourn. He had solicited, and been granted, Miss Mary's first, supper, and final sets. After he had the pleasure of her approval, he requested a set from her mother and each of her sisters.

Both Fitzwilliam and Darcy were in anticipation of the ball for very different reasons.

Jane was hoping her cousin Lydia's more subdued behaviour would be evident at the ball and there would not be a return of the rude, brash, and flirtatious persona she had shown since a very young age.