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Everything was going splendidly. Since the officers had arrived, not a day had gone by without at least one, and usually several, of them calling at Longbourn.

Mr. Fordyce was a particularly frequent visitor, and he spent many hours deep in serious conversation with Mary.

Colonel Forster did not call quite so often, but it was natural not to see as much of him as the junior officers, and his name always came up in Kitty’s accounts of her visits to Meryton with Lydia and Emily Lucas.

And now Mr. Madison was also becoming a regular visitor.

He had brought his daughters to visit, and Mrs. Bennet had witnessed a charming scene between them and Jane.

Such affection on both sides, with all the appearance of them being mother and daughters.

Mr. Madison could not be oblivious to the implications.

Or could he? For a man who knew all about complicated things like committees and legislation, he was surprisingly dim-witted in other ways. On one morning Mrs. Bennet tried to encourage him to take Jane for a drive, but he completely misunderstood.

“It is an excellent day for it. Don’t let me delay you,” he replied, evidently thinking that they were intending to go out.

“I was just going to have a word with Mr. Bennet about some parish business with which the vicar has asked for my assistance, and then I must rush away and attend to my correspondence.”

There wasn’t much point to dropping such hints if he could not understand them. But at least he seemed to be enjoying his conversations with Jane and Elizabeth even though he never stayed long. Hopefully he would not remain oblivious.

And in the meantime, Mr. Bingley was expected in the next day or two, so Mrs. Bennet was able to look forward to Lydia succeeding with him. And that would leave only Lizzy without a suitor. If one could be found for her, then everything would be perfect.

When Mr. Bennet said at dinner that evening that he had some news to share, his wife immediately thought this must be yet another gentleman coming to the neighbourhood. But then he squashed her excitement by recommending that she should steel herself since his news was of a distressing nature.

“Mr. Bingley isn’t coming to Netherfield!” she cried in dismay.

“Nothing so drastic as that. To the best of my knowledge, he still intends to take possession any day now.”

“Thank goodness. But what has happened? Don’t say that Mr. Madison has taken a dislike to Purvis Lodge and returned to London.”

“As far as I know, he is very happy with his new home. Nor has anyone lost any laundry lately, and Bessie found her way home.”

“Who is Bessie?”

“Mr. Crane’s cow. And I hear that Mrs. Partridge’s hens are laying again.”

“I don’t care about cows and hens! What is this distressing news?”

“I have learned that three of the officers are as poor as I feared they might be.”

“Which three? Not Mr. Fordyce, I hope.”

“I have no information about him. But Mr. Denny, Mr. Pratt, and Mr. Chamberlayne all lack the means to keep a wife in any semblance of comfort.”

“That is unfortunate. But only for Lizzy, and she refuses to make any effort anyway.”

“Is that so?” Mr. Bennet asked Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet looked on hopefully. Perhaps he could make Lizzy understand the matter properly. But to her disappointment he said, “Good for you, my dear. Let the gentlemen be the ones to make the effort.”

“You do not understand how important it is for a lady to do everything in her power to get herself married,” Mrs. Bennet protested.

“I believe I have some understanding of that subject,” Mr. Bennet said. “But it may interest you to know that I have recently learned of a man who is eager to marry.”

“Why didn’t you just say so in the first place. This is exactly the sort of news I like to hear. Is he wealthy?”

“Alas, no. But he is the heir to Longbourn.”

“I do not want to hear about that man.” Crossing her arms, Mrs. Bennet slumped back in her chair.

“As you wish, my dear. I shall say nothing more of the letter I received from him, in which he expressed the desire of offering an olive branch.”

“I might be interested in hearing about that.”

“I rather thought you would. Especially as it appears that Mr. Collins intends to accomplish this feat by marrying one of our daughters.”

Uncrossing her arms, Mrs. Bennet leaned forward eagerly. “That changes things. He sounds like an excellent man indeed. But is he currently in a position to support a wife? I hope it will be many years before he has Longbourn.”

“We are of the same mind. A rare occurrence. And Mr. Collins appears to have a similar expectation, for he has chosen to take up a profession instead of waiting about for his inheritance. He was recently ordained and has had the good fortune to be given a valuable living.”

“A man of the cloth. Very respectable. And a valuable living. I believe Mr. Collins will make an excellent husband.”

“You will soon be able to determine if that is so. He proposes to pay us a visit. Or perhaps I should say that our daughters will be able to consider whether they find him to their taste.”

“Taste is irrelevant. Lizzy is the only one available. Jane is to marry Mr. Madison, Kitty wants Colonel Forster, and Mary is set upon Mr. Fordyce. Lydia will have Mr. Bingley if he is handsome, and I am sure he cannot be otherwise. And now there is Mr. Collins for Lizzy. We shall soon have five daughters engaged.”

“I thank you for my share of this plan,” Elizabeth said. “But I would prefer to choose my own husband.”

“I am confident that Mr. Collins will be an excellent choice.”

“I cannot think it likely that he will suit me.”

“Don’t be so difficult. You haven’t even met him yet.”

“All the more reason not to be thinking of him as a potential husband.”

“Trust you to look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“You are thinking of Mr. Collins as a horse?” Mr. Bennet queried.

“Of course I’m not,” Mrs. Bennet snapped. “But a man with a good income and excellent prospects is a gift. And I have no doubt that he will also be excessively handsome and charming.”

“I cannot speculate as to Mr. Collins being handsome,” Mr. Bennet said, “but I do not think any amount of hoping could make him charming.”

“How can you be so certain of that?” Mrs. Bennet said crossly.

“I have read his letter. You should take a look at it, Lizzy. I believe you will be vastly diverted.”

“She might be, but I am not,” Mrs. Bennet irritably declared.

***

“Drat our cousin and his olive branch,” Elizabeth said to Jane. “I was doing very well with there not being enough men to go around. But now I can anticipate being thrown at Mr. Collins when he comes to visit.”

“If you talk to him a great deal, then Mama won’t think it necessary to intervene,” Jane helpfully suggested.

“You are forgetting that, unlike Mr. Madison, Mr. Collins is on the hunt for a wife. If I talk to him a great deal, then he may think I am desirous of accepting his olive branch.”

“Perhaps the two of you will simply have much to say to each other.”

“I don’t think that likely. If Mr. Collins really intends to choose his wife from among a group of unknown ladies, he cannot be a sensible man.”

“Papa might have been exaggerating about that. You know how he likes to joke.”

“You seem quite keen for me to have this latest prospect. Almost like Mama.” Elizabeth looked at her sister with amusement.

“I could never be that determined,” Jane protested. “And I only want you to be happy. It would be nice if Mr. Collins turns out to be exactly right for you.”

“No, it wouldn’t. Mama would be too gleeful if I married him.”

“You cannot be averse to a match just because she desires it.”

“Yes, I can.”

Jane laughed. “Sometimes I sympathize with Mama. You really can be difficult.”

“I know. Sometimes I sympathize with her too. But that would be a great deal easier if she wasn’t so intent upon finding me a husband.

And without the slightest concern for what I want.

I don’t want to irritate her, but it is hard not to speak my mind when she comes up with another marriage scheme for me. I wish I had your patience.”

“I wish I had your ability to speak bluntly.”

“It is a good thing you don’t. My unruly tongue is enough for poor Mama.

It would be better for both of us if I did marry Mr. Collins.

I would like to have an establishment of my own, and she would be more comfortable without her most difficult daughter getting on her nerves.

I daresay we would part on the best of terms, and she would send her love in your letters, which I would return in mine. ”

“You wouldn’t marry him just for a home, would you?”

“A moment ago you were hoping for me to marry him.”

“Only if you happen to fall in love with him. Not just for convenience.”

“Well, you needn’t worry about that. I abhor marriages of convenience. And I very much doubt the chances of Mr. Collins engaging my affections, so you might temper your hopefulness, my dear sister.”

Jane blushed. “I was only a little bit hopeful. I know it probably won’t come to anything, but do give Mr. Collins a chance, Lizzy. Don’t be set against him from the start just because Mama wants you to marry him.”

“It is difficult not to be. But I will try very hard to keep an open mind as to any merits he may have.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

“Don’t be too pleased. I am also contemplating ways of discouraging him from wanting to marry me. One cannot be too wary of men who come in search of wives.”

***

“Have a good journey,” Mr. Darcy said. “And be wary of young ladies.”

Mr. Bingley laughed. “This is your advice? If you are worried about dangers, why not highwaymen or wild animals?”

“Because you are taking a well-travelled road in daylight, and Hertfordshire isn’t known for packs of wild animals roaming the countryside.”

“Just packs of young ladies looking for an opportunity to rob me?”

“No, the opportunity to marry you. Country towns are always full of unmarried ladies who would like nothing more than to get themselves a handsome husband. And parents who are eager for wealthy men to take their daughters off their hands.”

“I do not think they pose any danger to me.”

“Your innocence is charming, Bingley, but I am certain that every family in the neighbourhood is already aware that you are single and have five thousand a year. And they have already assumed that you are in want of a wife, which they are more than willing to supply.”

“With so much danger lurking in the countryside, I wonder that you dare to come and visit me.”

“There is nothing for me to fear because I am always on my guard. I advise you to do the same.”

“I shall take armed men with me into every drawing room,” Mr. Bingley promised with a smile.

Mr. Darcy smiled as well, and that amusement lingered after his visitor had left.

He enjoyed this joking, which was new to his life, and very different from the ways to which he was accustomed.

A staid family and a sober upbringing had shaped him into an earnest man who had always looked at the world through serious eyes.

But with the recent addition of Mr. Bingley to his circle of friends, he had discovered that he also had a sense of humour.

Although still very much a man of duty and responsibility, he appreciated these light-hearted moments.

But he had also learned to worry a little about Mr. Bingley.

Although he was no fool, his easy-going disposition had the potential to get him into scrapes.

Mr. Darcy had developed a tendency to keep an eye upon him, and since his friend enjoyed the company of young ladies a great deal, he had thought a little word of advice warranted today.

Not that he feared there was any grave danger, but one should always take care not to fall victim to any shrewd mamas or artful misses.