Pride in Meryton, page 14
That thought had not occurred to him: “Yes, of course, that is excellent advice, thank you my Lady,” he said, trying to recall the effects that he had seen during his stay at Longbourn.
~~~
“Of course, there is the matter of your bride, Mr. Collins.” When he gazed at her with a confused countenance, Lady Catherine elaborated: “You have been married less than a month. Leaving your new bride behind will be quite distressing for her, I should imagine. But I shall be happy to look in on her while you are out of town, to make sure she is faring well in your absence,” she told him, feeling quite satisfied at being able to offer such guidance to those in her employ; of course, she realized she would soon be in need of a new parson to replace Mr. Collins.
“Then you would advise me to travel alone to Hertfordshire, my Lady?” he asked, seeking her clarification on this suggestion.
“Of course, a new bride should not be subjected to such grievous events so soon after her joyous wedding, in my opinion,” she replied.
“Oh yes, my Lady, I quite agree,” he replied, however, she detected an air of confusion about him.
“You shall merely inform Mrs. Collins that I am sending you on business out of town and that you will return quickly,” she instructed.
“Yes, yes, of course, that is excellent advice,” he replied, appearing relieved to have the advice and assistance of one possessing more knowledge in these affairs than his own.
She continued: “Of course, there is not to be a moment’s delay; you must exercise your legal rights at the earliest possible moment; of course, you must show the greatest sympathy and deference to the Bennet’s at their time of loss but you must avail yourself of your legal entitlement,” she instructed.
“Yes, certainly, I quite agree,” he said, nodding his head.
“Of course, now that you shall be leaving my employ, I shall immediately begin my search for a parson to replace you,” she advised the parson.
“Yes that is very wise, Lady Catherine. You must allow me to thank you for your support and wise counsel during the course of our acquaintance. I shall be eternally grateful for the guidance you have provided and shall do my best to honour you as I become master of Longbourn,” he said, extolling the praise she was so fond of hearing.
She then turned her thoughts inward as she considered the need to replace the parson. His performance had been dutiful but uninspired; she was now in need of an experienced parson, one who would serve the community and its parishioners to their best advantage. She decided to write to the Archbishop and ask for his guidance in obtaining a replacement within the next six months. That should be enough time to have the Bennet widow and her children comfortably situated elsewhere.
~~~
Lady Catherine rose and left the room, leaving Mr. Collins in mid-sentence. The parson took no offence at this behaviour as it was her usual custom; the Lady had so many responsibilities as head of the household and she was probably consumed with many estate issues, he reasoned. He returned to the parsonage and instructed his servants to pack his trunk for a short trip. “Charlotte, my sweet, I must inform you that Lady Catherine has asked me to take a short journey on estate business,” he told his wife.
“But why does she not send her steward, William? Is he not responsible for handling her business affairs?” she asked, appearing slightly irritated.
“Yes, of course, Mr. Mattingly is an excellent steward and more than capable of handling the affairs of Rosings, but she has requested my assistance and as her devoted employee I could hardly refuse, could I?” he replied, doing his best to reason with his inquisitive wife.
“No, I suppose not but how long will you be gone?” she asked.
“Only a day or two at the very most; I shall perform my assignment as quickly as possible and hasten my return to my lovely wife,” he told her, holding her hand and displaying his most convincing smile.
“Very well, William, I shall expect you home in a day or two,” she replied, accepting his explanation.
~~~
Four hours later, Mr. Collins arrived at Lucas Lodge, the home of his wife’s parents. Sir William Lucas welcomed his son-in-law warmly and after the formalities had been exchanged with each of the family members, the two gentlemen retreated to the study for a private discussion. Sir William advised Mr. Collins that Mr. Bennet’s condition continued to decline and that the end was imminent. “How did my daughter take the news?” Sir William inquired with the deepest concern.
“Oh my dear sweet Charlotte; I had not the heart to tell her the news knowing how devastated she would be upon hearing of the Bennet’s plight,” he told his father-in-law. “I hope you agree that she should be spared such sorrow so soon after our happy wedding day,” he said, trying his best to be convincing.
“Of course, Mr. Collins, I defer to your judgment as her husband; I know you have my daughter’s best interest at heart,” Sir William replied.
Mr. Collins dutifully nodded his head in agreement.
Chapter 2: Eviction
Miss Jane Bennet had been expecting to receive a call from her cousin, Mr. Collins, and he did not disappoint. He was admitted to the drawing room at Longbourn, where she and her sisters were engaged in various pursuits; reading, knitting and embroidering. “Is Mrs. Bennet not at home,” he asked, noticing the absence of the lady of the house.
“My mother has taken to her chambers, Mr. Collins. She regrets that she is unable to receive you,” she explained. Mr. Collins recognized and acknowledged her Aunt and Uncle Phillips from Meryton, whom he had met during his previous stay at Longbourn. Jane introduced him to her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner; she had been staying with them in London since Christmas but when they were notified of the accident, they all returned to be with their extended family during this difficult time.
“I have come to express my condolences to the Bennet ladies in the hour of their darkest despair,” he said, glancing around the room at the furnishings and fireplace.
She observed him admiring her Mama’s silver tea service and felt an uncomfortable sensation overcome her: “I thank you for coming so far to call on us, Mr. Collins. My father is quite ill and we are all quite unprepared to lose him,” Jane quietly told him as her sisters huddled together, comforting each other. Mrs. Hill, the Longbourn housekeeper appeared and notified Jane that she was needed in the mistress’ chambers. “If you will excuse me, Sir, my mother needs me,” Jane told him as she took her leave and left the room.
~~~
Elizabeth Bennet sent a silent plea to her uncles, hoping one of them would escort the unwelcomed visitor out. Uncle Gardiner wasted no time with his response. He rose to shake the parson’s hand and show him to the door: “Mr. Collins, we appreciate your call on the family and humbly ask you to say a prayer for us, when you are able,” he said gravely while opening the front door.
“Yes, indeed, you may depend on me to do so,” Mr. Collins replied, bowing deeply, completely oblivious to the abrupt dismissal. Uncle Gardiner closed the front door soundly, returned to the drawing room and nodded to Elizabeth.
“Thank you for taking care of that, Edward,” Aunt Gardiner told him with an air of relief. “Mr. Collins is quite mercenary for a man of the cloth,” she observed. “Did you notice how he inspected the furniture?” she asked her nieces.
“Indeed Aunt Madeline; however, I fear he is not far from his true calling as owner of this estate and all of its furnishings,” Elizabeth replied with contempt.
==VIA EXPRESS==
Dear Lady Catherine,
Mr. Bennet’s death is imminent. I shall return home immediately after the funeral.
Thank you for kind attentions to my bride.
Your servant,
William Collins
==VIA EXPRESS==
Dearest Charlotte,
Rosings business requires my continued attention. I am loathed to be parted from you, however I shall return as soon as humanly possible.
Affectionately,
William
==o==
The sad day came when Mr. Bennet passed from this earth and went on to his heavenly reward; his family was devastated by the loss of their loving husband, father and brother. In observation of mourning customs, the ladies gowns, coats and gloves were dyed black and the gentlemen wore black armbands. Mrs. Bennet remained in her chamber and would not agree to see anyone except her immediate family. News of Mr. Bennet’s tragic passing spread quickly throughout the community; friends, neighbours and tenants streamed mournfully into Longbourn to pay their respects.
When Mr. Collins heard the news, he advised his father-in-law that that he would break the terrible news to Charlotte himself; it was of vital importance to him that the message be delivered correctly, with as much delicacy as possible.
==VIA EXPRESS==
Dearest Charlotte,
My return to Hunsford had been delayed a few more days.
I am desolate without your company.
Affectionately,
William
==o==
The funeral was held two days later; family, friends, and neighbours attended the service at the local chapel which was conducted by the vicar. Per common custom, the Bennet ladies were expected to go into seclusion and were not permitted to go to the grave site due to their ‘delicate sensibilities’; only the men accompanied the body of the deceased to the cemetery; Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Phillips and Sir William attended the internment to ensure safe burial of the remains. After the funeral service, the bereaved family and fellow mourners returned to Longbourn. It had been decided that the Gardiners would take Jane back to London for a short visit immediately following the funeral and they made their tearful goodbyes and set out for Town.
After all the mourners except Mr. Collins had left, he addressed the five remaining Bennet ladies. “My dear cousins, it can come as no surprise to you that ownership of Longbourn has now passed to me, as the sole surviving male heir. It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of my intention to take ownership of Longbourn immediately. You have four and twenty hours to pack your clothing and personal effects and leave the premises. I would caution you not to entertain any thoughts of taking any of my property with you,” he told them pointedly. “Of course Longbourn is much larger than Hunsford. I believe Charlotte and I shall be very comfortable here!”
The sisters gasped in disbelief upon hearing this announcement. Mrs. Bennet had no time to call for her smelling salts; she instantly fainted and slumped over in her chair. Commotion and confusion ensued as the younger sisters burst into tears while Elizabeth called for Mrs. Hill to assist her Mama. “Certainly Sir, you cannot seriously be thinking of evicting us on the same day that our beloved father was laid to rest. Can you be that heartless?” she angrily asked.
“Dearest Cousin Elizabeth, had you accepted my offer, this never would have happened. You would be comfortably ensconced in the mistress’s chamber at this very moment and your family would have been spared this eventuality,” he sneered. “I shall instruct the staff to assist you with packing your personal effects and to watch you most carefully to ensure that nothing that belongs to the estate is touched,” he told them as he took his leave and repeated his instructions to Mr. Hill on the way out.
After he left, the girls cried inconsolably; where were they to go? When Mrs. Bennet regained her voice, she cried mournfully: “Oh my dear Mr. Bennet, I always knew that Mr. Collins would cast us out before you were cold in your grave!” she wailed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “What is to become of us?” she cried.
Never in her wildest imaginings did Elizabeth consider that her Mama’s exaggerated claims and cryptic premonitions would ever come true! They were being cast out of their beloved home! She needed to devise a plan to ensure the safety and comfort of her family; what was to be done? The family set about packing their belongings into trunks in preparation for their departure on the morrow.
The following morning, Mr. Collins permitted the Bennet ladies the loan of their former driver and buggy to bring them to the Phillips’ home in Meryton. On the short ride, the younger girls complained about how heartless Mr. Collins was and how this never would have happened if Lizzy had married him. “You would wish me to be married to a heartless man, just so that you could have a roof over your heads?” Elizabeth angrily chided her sisters.
“Charlotte Collins will now wear your grand-mama’s jewellery,” her Mama lamented, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
Just then a wheel on the buggy broke, leaving them with no alternative other than to dismount and unload the buggy. The trunks were lined up along the side of the road while Elizabeth did her best to comfort her sisters and their distraught Mama. The driver placed the broken wheel in the back of the buggy and walked the horse and buggy back to Longbourn, with a promise to repair the wheel and come back for them as quickly as possible.
Mama then instructed Kitty and Lydia to walk ahead to the Phillips house to request their uncle’s assistance. While they waited, Elizabeth and Mary moved the trunks away from the road and found a sheltered area to sit and wait for the driver to return. A light rain began to fall, however they stayed quite dry in their sheltered nook. Kitty and Lydia soon returned, informing them that no one was at home at the Phillips house; they had inquired with a neighbour and learned that they had left for London earlier that morning. In their grief and despair, no one had thought to send a note to the Phillips’ house to notify them of their pending arrival. They slowly came to the same realization but dared not to speak it aloud: they had nowhere to go. Kitty and Lydia explored the area and found an apple tree nearby; they sat quietly and ate apples, each one unsure of what was to become of them.
Suddenly, a small voice called out to them: “Who are you?” They turned to behold a young child, no older than five or six, wearing a tattered dress and boy’s shoes, her unkempt hair held askew with a rag.
~~~
Collins instructed the returning driver to leave the disabled buggy in the stable and prepare his own horse and buggy for immediate departure. He made the four hour journey to Hunsford and upon his arrival, notified Charlotte of the tragic news. Charlotte cried bitterly, knowing that the Bennets must be devastated: “Yes, it is quite sad indeed,” he replied as he looked away, daring not to encounter her eyes.
“We must travel to Hertfordshire tomorrow!” she announced and began instructing the servants to pack their trunks for a short visit. Collins ran up the path to Rosings to report the latest events to his former patroness.
“Lady Catherine, it is with great pride that I report that I have followed your instructions precisely and took ownership of my inheritance earlier this morning!” he announced with his chest puffed out, filled with pride.
The grand Lady was horrified by this pronouncement: “This morning, Mr. Collins? But what has become of Mr. Bennet’s family?” she asked.
“I evicted them as you instructed me, your Ladyship,” he declared.
“I did no such thing!” she bellowed. “I would never consider throwing a widow and her five daughters out of their home so soon after the passing of her beloved husband!” she exclaimed, shaking her finger at him.
Collins was confused by her reproach: “But I distinctly recall you instructing me to take ownership of my inheritance, my Lady,” he insisted.
“Of course, you should have announced your intentions to take ownership but you should have given them at least six months to find suitable accommodations! Oh my dear, a defenceless widow cast out of her house; what have you done?” she cried, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “I am extremely grateful that you are leaving my employ, Mr. Collins! I could not in good conscience continue to employ such a heartless, cold-blooded individual to lead the souls in my community. Thank heavens my dear Anne was not here to hear of this devastating story,” she said, fanning herself furiously with an ornate fan. “I will thank you to take your leave immediately,” she demanded.
He bowed reverently and left the house, confused and conflicted about his sudden fall from grace. Upon his return to the parsonage, he made no mention of his conversation with the Lady or his plans to permanently leave Hunsford in the morning.
Prior to their departure the next morning, Collins privately instructed the servants to pack their remaining possessions and send them on to Longbourn as soon as possible. Charlotte was silent as he drove toward Hertfordshire, frequently dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. He told her how proud he was of the Bennet ladies and how they had conducted themselves with the utmost decorum during their darkest hours. She nodded and wept silently as she listened attentively as he relayed a comforting tale of the strength and honour of her lifelong friends. When they arrived, he drove the buggy directly to Longbourn and as he assisted Charlotte to the ground, he proudly addressed her as the ‘Mistress of Longbourn’.
“What do you mean, William?” she asked him with suspicious eyes.
He smiled proudly. “I have taken possession of my legal inheritance,” he announced with a grand flair.
Charlotte was immediately horrified: “Where are the Bennets?” she asked him. He averted his eyes and appeared quite guilty. “Where are they, Mr. Collins?” she angrily demanded.
“I am certain that they are being well cared for by their relations,” he replied as he walked to the front door of his new abode. She steamed silently, glaring at him. Taking notice of her silent rebellion, he addressed her: “May I remind you that I am now the legal owner of this estate and that you are expected to be my obedient wife? I will not brook any discontent from you,” he said sternly.
~~~
Charlotte observed Mr. Hill open the front door to welcome them into the house. Her husband offered his arm, intending to escort her; however she stood rooted to the same spot, refusing to move. Fury overtook her, although she spoke not a word. She turned on her heel and immediately set out walking toward the road to Meryton.
