Chapter VI

C hurch services at Longbourn were much the same as they had been at Woodborough, though Elizabeth supposed it was no surprise there was little difference. The church was the same wherever one went, after all, regardless of the opinions espoused by individual parsons.

? Of interest to the Bennet sisters was how their father behaved during the service. They were pleased to note that he appeared attentive and calm, and if he mirrored the parson's words in the movement of his lips several times when Mr. Smith quoted notable scriptures, the general sense of approval he exuded spoke to the commonality of thought between them. After the service concluded, he was not hesitant about offering his compliments.

? "Thank you, Mr. Bennet," said Mr. Smith, his nod that of an equal. "That the praise comes from a fellow man of God is gratifying."

? "You are well worthy of it," replied Mr. Bennet. "I have not forgotten about your wish to retire, but I hope you will forgive me if I am reluctant, considering how you proved yourself worthy of the position."

? The parson laughed and thanked his new patron, and with a few more words, turned his attention to certain other parishioners waiting to speak to him. The Bennet family was, Elizabeth noted, the subject of some interest of those in attendance. Expected though it was, given their recent arrival in the neighborhood, Elizabeth found it more than a little disconcerting. Some few pressed their fathers or husbands for introductions, and Mr. Bennet obliged them by offering to introduce his family to them. There was not much time for anything other than an exchange of pleasantries, but what they saw of their neighbors heartened Elizabeth with the hope they would be amiable.

? The nearby gentlefolk were not the only members of the company, for there were many who were not so well dressed. This brought certain matters to Elizabeth's mind, items she canvassed with her sisters as they made their way back to Longbourn.

? "Perhaps we should take thought to visit Longbourn's tenants. They must be as eager as any of our neighbors to learn more of us, and particularly as they depend upon us for their livelihoods."

? "We should have done so as soon as we arrived," observed Mary; Elizabeth, who knew her sister well, was unsurprised by Mary's statement. Mary was the most pious of the sisters and seemed to believe from her response that they had been derelict in their duties.

? "Do not concern yourself, Mary," said Jane, throwing an arm around Mary's shoulders and embracing her as they walked. "We are new to this business of living on an estate, after all. But I dare say Lizzy is correct; we should attend to it at once."

? "As you know," said Mr. Bennet, "I have gone around and introduced myself to our tenants, so they know something of us already. Yet I agree it would be good for the ladies of the estate to introduce themselves as well."

? The sisters agreed with their father and began to make plans. The following day they started the first of their visits; to receive the welcome of those who would, after all, provide the means by which they may live as gentlefolk was as gratifying as the pleasure their civility provoked. As Longbourn had several tenants, they planned to go around, until they had visited them all by the end of the week. The morning of the party at Lucas Lodge, being the Tuesday of the week, Mr. Bennet informed them of a pressing matter of business that required his attention.

? "I must go to town for a few days, my dears," said he at the breakfast table that morning.

? "It is not a serious matter, I hope," replied Elizabeth.

? "That I will not know until I arrive. You all heard me speaking of the state of the ledgers at great length. I received a letter from the estate's banker, requesting I travel to London to consult with him on a matter of some importance. And before you ask, he was not explicit about his concerns."

? "You hope to learn something of our financial position while you are there," observed Elizabeth.

? Mr. Bennet smiled and nodded. "The ledgers are in such disarray that I cannot but suppose I must start a new record. Yet, I must know what our baseline is, and I can get that information from the banker. While I am there, I shall also confer with your uncle and decide whether to retain the bank's services or transfer to another institution."

? "Is there any reason to suppose another bank would be better?" asked Mary.

? "Not at the moment," said Mr. Bennet. "That will be part of my investigation. As you know, I shall not use Mr. Philips as a solicitor, not only for his character but also for his connection with the late Mr. Collins. The bank is distant from Longbourn and a large entity in its own right, but it would be only prudent to ensure they have our best interests as depositors in mind."

? Elizabeth nodded with her sisters. "Then when do you mean to go?"

? "As I must go, there is no point in waiting," replied her father. "Tonight is the soiree at Lucas Lodge. I shall therefore go in the morning. This brings me to the next bit of news I must impart to you. I received a letter from Darcy informing me that he will not be able to come as planned."

? "That is unfortunate," said Jane. "We were all looking forward to becoming reacquainted with him."

? "As was I," replied Mr. Bennet. "He did not say what delayed him, but since I am for London anyway, I shall call on him.

? "While I am gone, you may rely on John and Theodore for protection."

? "I cannot imagine anything will go wrong, Papa," said Elizabeth. "Hertfordshire seems quite tranquil and safe."

? "Aye, it does at that. I hope you will forgive me, for any father must feel a little trepidation when faced with leaving his three beautiful daughters in an unfamiliar place."

? "Longbourn is now our home," said Jane. Elizabeth and Mary nodded their agreement with her. "Attend to your business in London. We shall have much to occupy ourselves, including the refreshing of the sitting-room on Wednesday."

? Mr. Bennet nodded and dropped the subject, and thereafter the three ladies discussed the coming changes on the morrow. In preparation, the maids were ready to cover the furniture they were keeping, and the two footmen had removed the old items they would not keep. Their father interjected a time or two, expressing his interest to see the fruits of their labors, but he sat in silence, watching them, his affection marked.

It was nothing less than human nature to gawk at something new, and Elizabeth and her family felt that truism that evening when they entered the house at Lucas Lodge.

? The manor house was not the most impressive edifice Elizabeth had ever seen, for it was small and built on a more modest scale than even Longbourn, which itself was no grand estate. Entering, however, improved Elizabeth's opinion, for it exuded a sort of warm homeyness, something that was growing at Longbourn, but had not existed in any sense when the family had first arrived to claim their birthright. It was the home of a man who had pride in his possessions, a man to whom family was of supreme consequence. Elizabeth found she liked it at once.

? The reception they received when they entered the house proved the above maxim, for their entrance forced a halt to all conversation, the eyes of everyone in attendance turning to the Bennets as if they were wild creatures on display at a menagerie. Given the Bennet family's recent history as a country parson and his daughters, they were not accustomed to provoking such interest upon stepping into a room. Then again, they were now among the most prominent citizens of the neighborhood; Elizabeth had heard that Longbourn was the largest estate in the vicinity, which said more of the other estates nearby than of Longbourn itself. The only one larger was the estate to the west, and that had been empty of residents for several years.

? A man of perhaps ten years her father's senior captured Elizabeth's attention, as he stepped forward, his arms spread wide as if in an expansive gesture of greeting. "Ah, Mr. Bennet!" said he, fixing them all with a wide and beatific smile. "How pleased I am to welcome you to my little soiree."

? "Sir William," said her father, confirming Elizabeth's conjecture about the identity of the man. "My daughters and I thank you for your hospitality."

? "Not at all!" boomed the man. "Now, if you will do the honors and introduce me to these lovely ladies, there are many in attendance who are waiting with bated breath to become known to them."

? Mr. Bennet agreed and soon the ladies exchanged curtseys to Sir William's bow, and thereafter with Lady Lucas, his wife, and the other members of the party. It was too much to ask to remember a veritable blizzard of names so soon after the introductions, though Elizabeth did her best. What stood out in her memory thereafter was the sense of welcome the company exuded, the pleasure of new acquaintances. While there were a few who were less friendly and perhaps one or two who appeared to feel all the importance of their position, no one made the Bennets feel inferior for Mr. Bennet's previous profession. In short, the ladies were welcoming, the gentlemen eager, and if they did not strike Elizabeth as the most scintillating acquaintances, still Elizabeth found them pleasing.

? There were a few among their number that Elizabeth found especially compelling, such that she thought it likely they would become good friends. The Long sisters, nieces of the widow of Meryton's parson, were lively and interesting, while the Robinsons, Gouldings, and Harringtons all had daughters of about the Bennet sisters' age. Before long, however, Elizabeth found herself drawn to the eldest of Sir William's children, a daughter named Charlotte.

? Charlotte Lucas was not a handsome woman. Most would have called her features pleasant or even plain, but what she lacked in physical beauty she more than made up for in good humor, intelligence, and the practical nature Elizabeth detected within moments of making her acquaintance. Charlotte was a few years Elizabeth's elder, perhaps five years though Elizabeth did not ask, and before long, she was speaking to the other woman with animation, as if they had known each other all their lives.

? "It is fortunate you have come to Longbourn, Elizabeth," said Charlotte, having agreed to dispense with formality within moments of making each other's acquaintance.

? "Oh?" asked Elizabeth, though knowing to what her new friend referred. "Was the residence of my father's distant cousin such a cause for consternation as this?"

? "It was when you consider the neighborhood only boasts four and twenty families," replied Charlotte with good humor. "If one is reclusive—and the one at Netherfield Park is nonexistent—it lessens the consequence of our gatherings greatly!"

? Elizabeth felt all the mirth of the situation. "Yes, I suppose you must be correct."

? "In one way, your coming is also unwelcome," continued Charlotte.

? Certain Charlotte was about to make some witticism, Elizabeth asked: "In what way?"

? "Why, because you are all young ladies!" exclaimed Charlotte, drawing a laugh from Elizabeth. "You must already have noted the vast disparity between the relative number of young ladies versus the men."

? "Then had my father had three sons instead, our welcome would have been all that much greater?"

? "Perhaps only the eldest," jested Charlotte. "For younger sons cannot marry where they like."

? "I suppose you must be correct," said Elizabeth. "Then again, my father is without a companion at present, so perhaps your friends will fix their attention on him as a widower."

? Charlotte smiled and nodded. "Perhaps. I apologize, Elizabeth, for I would not have brought up the subject myself. Your mother's passing was not a recent event?"

? Elizabeth shook her head, feeling the wistful sense of longing she often felt for her absent mother these days. "More than two years ago."

? "Then I offer my condolences," replied Charlotte. "If your father requires comfort and perhaps wishes for an heir, there are several ladies present who would receive his addresses with pleasure."

? "Even though he is yet unknown to them?" asked Elizabeth, finding the conversation no less than absurd.

? "Even then," said Charlotte. "For beggars, you know, cannot be choosers. For example, I am of an age that if I do not marry soon, I cannot expect to marry at all."

? Elizabeth regarded her friend with skepticism. "You cannot be above five and twenty, I am sure."

? "Four and twenty, actually," replied Charlotte. "Perhaps I should make myself agreeable to him. It might be best to do so with alacrity, given your position as new to the neighborhood, for it is best to know little of the defects of one's future partner in advance, is it not?"

? Elizabeth laughed, and Charlotte joined her. "I declare that this is the silliest conversation in which I engaged in many a day!"

? "Perhaps it is, Elizabeth," said Charlotte. "But there is an element of truth in it. Fortunately for your father, I doubt anyone in this neighborhood will act to throw themselves at him hoping to provoke a proposal." Charlotte winked at Elizabeth and added: "Or they will not for the moment. After you all become better known, that may change."

? "I do not believe my father is looking for a wife, Charlotte," said Elizabeth, shaking her head with amusement. "At present, he will have much with which to occupy himself in learning to manage the property."

? "That is true," said Charlotte. "It is also fortunate that you are all so well-mannered and unassuming, for otherwise, I think our excellent ladies might hate you. You are, after all, the prettiest ladies in the district, and you only just arrived!"

? Elizabeth shook her head and changed the subject. "Has Longbourn been absent from the neighborhood for so very long?"

? Charlotte sobered at once. "Since I lived at Lucas Lodge. My father was once the mayor of Meryton, and after he was knighted, he moved us to this estate. Since long before that, Mr. Collins was a recluse, having little to do with the neighborhood."

? Absorbing this and reflecting it was much as she had already heard, Elizabeth nodded, intending to leave the subject alone. She did not wish for others to perceive her as critical or dwelling on Mr. Collins or the Bennets' long absence from Longbourn. Then Charlotte spoke up with another observation.

? "I believe my father is the only one who had dealings with Mr. Collins in the later years of his life, and only when Papa insisted upon it."

? Curiosity piqued, Elizabeth regarded her friend, wondering how she might ask for more details. It proved unnecessary, as Charlotte anticipated her question with a gentle smile.

? "I see some of your reticence about Mr. Collins, Elizabeth, and while I do not know the whole of the history, my understanding is that you have some right to feel offense. My father, as the former mayor, has some influence in the town, and he is usually foremost among the gentlemen because of his eagerness to be of use. As such, on the few occasions that Mr. Collins admitted visitors to Longbourn, my father was the emissary, though he does not speak of it much."

? Elizabeth considered this. "Do you know what they discussed or his impression of Mr. Collins?"

? "Little of either," replied Charlotte. "When Papa went, they spoke of fences and drainage and other such subjects of interest to gentlemen. From the few comments he made of the man himself, it was my understanding that Mr. Collins possessed a keen intellect until near the very end."

? The only response Elizabeth could muster was a distracted nod. Reports of Mr. Collins's soundness of mind appeared to match what they knew of him, though it shed no light on why the estate returned to Bennet control. Then again, as he had engaged a solicitor other than Mr. Philips to see to the arrangements, he could have done it years earlier, long before any infirmity of the mind afflicted him. Thus, Charlotte's account was new information, though Elizabeth could not say it was of any use in understanding what had occurred.

? Thereafter, Charlotte's mother called her away to assist with some matter of the guests' comfort, leaving Elizabeth to mingle more among the other ladies. Mary and Jane, she noted, being more reticent than Elizabeth, had not found a particular friend among those in attendance, as Elizabeth thought she had with Charlotte. A brief conversation with her sisters, however, revealed they were not displeased with the evening's events.

? "Is it not what we experienced at one of Mr. Tate's parties in Woodborough?" asked Mary with a laugh when Elizabeth commented on the evening. "I am not so fond of company as you, Lizzy, but meeting our new neighbors is agreeable."

? "Would that extend to the possibility of an assembly?" asked Elizabeth slyly, much to Jane's mirth.

? "I have no liking for a dance," replied Mary, trying to show how unconcerned she was. "But I am also not opposed to one."

? "No, you always acquit yourself well," teased Jane. "Before we go, however, you always treat us to a litany of complaints about how much better you could use your time in other pursuits."

? "That is no less than the truth," replied Mary.

? "I suppose it is, Mary," said Elizabeth, throwing her arm around her sister.

? So the evening progressed. While the ladies outnumbered the gentleman as Charlotte had averred, still there were many in attendance, and after a time, Elizabeth thought she and her sisters had garnered some interest. While she would not presume to declare her sisters more beautiful than the ladies who had long lived in the neighborhood, Elizabeth was certain that their physical attributes were at least part of the reason, no doubt added to the novelty of their presence. Soon, however, it became clear there was another cause for the attention they garnered.

? "It is good to have neighbors that will associate with us," said Samuel Lucas to Elizabeth later that evening, echoing a refrain Elizabeth had heard more times than she cared to count. Mr. Lucas was Charlotte's younger brother, perhaps three years Elizabeth's elder. While he appeared a pleasant sort, there was a supercilious cast to his manners that Elizabeth did not quite appreciate.

? "I believe there is no reason for concern on that score," replied Elizabeth. "My family and I are eager to move among you and become part of this community."

? The man regarded her. "We appreciate that. Tell me: where did you live before returning to Longbourn? My father said something about Nottingham?"

? "Woodborough is close to Nottingham," replied Elizabeth. "My father was the parson there before word came of his inheritance."

? This seemed to startle Mr. Lucas, such that he blurted: "Your father was a parson."

? "Come, Mr. Lucas," said Elizabeth, reverting to humor. "You do not suppose we lived at a grand estate, only to put it to the side to live at Longbourn, do you?"

? "No, I do not suppose you had," replied he. "Then I suppose this is a step up for you in society."

? "Though parsons are considered gentry themselves," said Elizabeth, "I shall not say you are incorrect."

? Mr. Lucas nodded with an absence of mind, his gaze roving over the room. Elizabeth followed his line of sight, and noted when his eyes stopped, fixed upon Jane.

? "You and your sisters are your father's only children?"

? Elizabeth stifled a laugh, certain she understood the tendency of his thoughts. "We are, Mr. Lucas. I apologize if you wish to gain a shooting companion, but my poor sisters and I are all the company we can offer. I often wished for a brother, but sadly, I have naught but two sisters."

? The gentleman offered a faint smile but made no response. It did not escape Elizabeth's attention that he soon went away, his next destination was Jane, with whom he soon struck up a conversation. Jane, the calm and rational creature that she was, accepted his overtures and was soon speaking amiably with him. Yet Elizabeth, who knew her sister, could see nothing other than polite interest, and certainly not anything close to what Mr. Lucas likely wished to provoke. It was inevitable, she supposed, that the gentlemen of the neighborhood of a certain age and situation would look on her with interest, supposing she was their father's heir. They may even be correct, though Mr. Bennet had said nothing on the subject.

? "I see you did not captivate Samuel with your witty repartee."

? The sound of Charlotte's voice provoked Elizabeth to laughter, and she fixed her friend with a playful smile. "I suppose you reported everything you learned of me to your brother?"

? Charlotte chuckled and denied it at once. "Samuel does not listen much to me, Elizabeth. He is emblematic of a certain commonality of thought among the younger gentlemen of the neighborhood, unfortunately. There is not much fortune to be had among the ladies, though we are plentiful."

? "My sisters and I possess no more than any of you," said Elizabeth.

? "Except for Jane," said Charlotte. "Unless, of course, you or Mary are your father's heir?'

? Elizabeth shook her head. "That is something I cannot tell you."

? "I promise I shall not betray it if you do."

? "Yes, I suspect I could trust in your secrecy!" laughed Elizabeth. "That is not why I cannot tell you, for I do not know myself. When Papa was a parson, everything he had was to be divided equally between us. Now that he has an estate to consider, I suspect it will change, but I do not know if he has even considered such things yet."

? "That is understandable. It must be a consequential transformation in your lives."

? "That is an understatement, my friend," murmured Elizabeth.

? "It was not for this reason I approached you," said Charlotte, drawing Elizabeth's attention to her once again. "Rather, I am eager to learn if you play the pianoforte. Or perhaps your sisters might oblige me?"

? "I play," replied Elizabeth, "though I would not count myself as a true proficient. Jane plays a little, but she will not be comfortable playing for the company, while Mary is an enthusiast to be certain. Mary and I, long having had only each other, have practiced together for many years, sharing whatever assistance we can render. I think it has benefited us both, for our strengths and weaknesses were not aligned. Whether our poor talents will satisfy you, I cannot say."

? "Then come, let us discover it," said Charlotte. "There are several ladies who play to an extent, but no one who excels and few who wish to display whatever talents they possess. I dare say my neighbors and I are eager to insist upon you entertaining us."

? With a laugh, Elizabeth followed her hostess, not at all opposed to obliging her for a song or two. Elizabeth sat at the pianoforte and played three songs and thereafter she gave the instrument to her sister, who played for a time. The sincerity of the praise Elizabeth received convinced her that Charlotte's description of the talents the neighborhood ladies boasted was not at all inaccurate. She thought their position entertaining the company also sealed their welcome, and for that, Elizabeth could not but be grateful.