Page 7 of Ever After End

CHAPTER 6

M eryton - July 1811

Elizabeth Bennet followed her three younger sisters into the village of Meryton to see the spectacle of the arriving regiment. Kitty and Lydia were in high spirits, squabbling over who would receive the greatest share of attention from the officers. Mary was discussing with Elizabeth the merits of a book the two of them had been reading together.

Elizabeth did not think her sister was doing it to toady up to her, but since the news of Elizabeth’s lottery win, Mary had begun to seek out her company a great deal more. Mary asked her opinion on clothes, ribbons, and new hairstyles after their shopping trip to St Albans, when Elizabeth prevailed, pressing her sister to accept an attractive pale yellow day gown instead of the dark grey frock she had planned for herself. With some light encouragement, Mary had been slowly coaxed to lessen the severity of her looks.

Elizabeth had asked Mary about her sudden willingness to open up to new things, and Mary had replied, “Well, it is not like I am any more likely to marry than before, not with only a few hundred more added to my portion, but now I have the opportunity to perhaps spend my spinsterhood differently than I expected. Before, I thought I would be obliged to live in ignominy in a tiny cottage in the country with my mother, possibly in not only penury, but perhaps even in squalor, considering my mother and younger sister’s inability to curb their spending habits. There seemed to be little reason to spend my pin money. Greys and browns are often less expensive, they wear longer, and they are infinitely more practical than wasting my funds on fripperies that will do me no good.

“And why waste time reading novels before, when I was better served by studying and improving myself? I am not likely to get a position as a governess, with my skills at the instrument, but perhaps I might serve as a companion to someone elderly, or perhaps a nurse. My funds are better saved for my future comfort, if I am to have any. But it has occurred to me that perhaps if I am to live with you in London, that is, if you are still amenable to having us when Papa dies, then I might exert a bit more effort to be open and pleasant, and to read something besides sermons and languages, so that perhaps I might be more interesting company for you.”

“I see no reason why I ought not still be amenable to all of you living with me when the time comes, unless Mama becomes troublesome, and still, that need have nothing to do with you , Mary,” Elizabeth replied to her sister as they stood behind the younger girls to watch the spectacle. “But you work so hard, it is rather wrong of Papa never to have offered you any masters. There are a few from St Albans who travel to Meryton on occasion. I will speak to him. There is no reason why you should not have a few lessons to polish your skills. That is all you are wanting. A bit of polish.”

Things had been difficult for Elizabeth since she won the lottery. Everyone treated her differently. Everyone. Mary and Jane were nearly the only ones who were entirely authentic to her, and never peevish or resentful. She almost wished she had never won. Lydia and Kitty attempted to wheedle funds or fripperies, which was nothing new. The funds Uncle Gardiner had dispensed to her had stretched to two gowns each, an evening gown and a day dress, as well as a pair of dancing slippers, a bonnet, and a quantity of lace, ribbons, and feathers, for all of the Bennet women, and even a fine copy of a book her father had been searching for in its first edition. The gratitude of her mother and two youngest sisters had waned quickly when the money was spent. Then to add insult to injury, Mrs Bennet had attempted to end Elizabeth’s pin money from her father.

“That is rich, considering nearly all of the funds you received from Uncle were spent on the rest of us!” Mary had declared in outrage.

Jane had also argued against such measures against her sister. “Lizzy has already given up her share of Mama’s dowry for us, and promised to keep us should we need it. It is unconscionable that her goodness should be so meanly rewarded!”

Mrs Bennet and her two youngest spent most of their time attempting to wheedle money or promises from Elizabeth, then getting angry and difficult when they were refused or evaded. Or, alternately, Mrs Bennet realised she still depended upon Elizabeth’s good will, and deferred to her decision on matters Elizabeth had no interest in interfering with. Elizabeth purposely did not give her opinions on anything, lest she be accused of using her fortune to bully the others.

Mr Bennet, on the other hand, seemed to have taken exception to Elizabeth now having the power to accomplish that which he had openly declined to do. He was not overly cruel, but it was clear that Elizabeth was his favourite no longer. Elizabeth learned quickly what it was like not to be protected from his sarcastic wit.

Elizabeth said nothing to anyone, not even Jane, but she had already decided to leave Longbourn and live with her aunt and uncle in London when she reached her majority. She would continue to let the house in London until her father died and it was needed. She would take a comfortable income, perhaps two hundred a year, from her interest, and she would stay with her relations until she married, or until she felt that it was time to live on her own. Her uncle had predicted that life would become difficult for her, and made the offer before he returned to London the day of his visit. There were still several months before her majority, so she got along as best as she could.

Every person in Meryton save her father, Uncle Phillips, and the residents of Netherfield had asked her to loan or give them money. Her neighbours had pitched everything from business endeavours, investments, to outright charity. Every unmarried man in town had now asked her to marry him, and her mother was not pleased that she had declined every one of them.

The only true matter she had been triumphant about was when, out of fear that one of her sisters might be used as a tool to take her fortune, Elizabeth demanded that her father agree that none of the young ladies of Longbourn was to go out alone, including herself, and that Kitty and Lydia only be allowed out with one of the older girls. She and Jane had already encountered a few persistent gentlemen waiting for Elizabeth out on her walks, and after a stern letter from Uncle Gardiner and a talking to from Uncle Phillips, Thomas Bennet had agreed to add his insistence to Elizabeth’s, and to enforce it.

What broke Elizabeth’s heart most had been the defection of her closest friend Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte, apparently eaten alive with jealousy and spite, ceased speaking to Elizabeth the very moment the news became known, and was only marginally civil to Jane and the other Bennets. The rest of the Lucas family was equally distant with Elizabeth after she had refused John Lucas. Then again when she instructed Sir William to write to her uncle when the man had requested three hundred and fifty pounds to send his youngest to university. Edward Gardiner’s response to Sir William held little warmth in it, and so her friendship with the Lucases crumbled. Mrs Bennet and Lady Lucas remained as thick as thieves because Mrs Bennet still complained about Elizabeth all of the time. Charlotte had taken up with the Long sisters and Mary King, and the ladies made one snide comment after another about Elizabeth in company.

Elizabeth, Mary, and the younger girls enjoyed the parade of handsome officers along with the rest of the little town, and spent a merry hour in the village after, allowing Kitty and Lydia to spend time speaking with the other young ladies who had come to the village for the same reason. Elizabeth and Mary strolled up and down the market street, browsing the wares in the shop windows.

The following afternoon, Elizabeth waited with her family for the arrival of her father’s distant cousin, Mr Collins. The ladies of the house had only heard of the visit this morning, which had made Mrs Bennet unbearable all afternoon while preparing the house and improving the evening meal.

Mr Collins’s letter was everything ridiculous, and Elizabeth dreaded the next s’ennight. It was obvious that the man was completely insensible, and he had also made it clear that he was in want of a wife and was coming to find one from amongst his cousins at the demand of his patroness. Mrs Bennet had latched onto this immediately, hoping that if Jane could catch the man’s eye, then perhaps their mother might remain at Longbourn always, and not be obliged to throw herself upon the mercy of that other “ungrateful daughter.”

Mr Collins was punctual to a fault, his hired carriage turning down their lane at precisely four o’clock. He was received with great politeness by the entire family. Mr Bennet said little enough to make his guest welcome, but Mrs Bennet was ready to converse, and the young ladies were prepared to hear whatever he had to say for himself. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of about five-and-twenty, with a grave air about him, and oddly formal manners. He had not been in the drawing room for very long before he complimented Mrs Bennet on her fine family.

“You are very kind, sir,” answered Mrs Bennet. “They are all fine girls, though none of them are as well favoured as Jane. I do hope to see them all well settled. It does seem rather impossible to accomplish, with everything arranged so oddly.”

“And their education?” asked Mr Collins. “My father always complained of my Cousin Bennet’s scholarly nature. I am certain that he must have ensured his daughters received the finest education. Has their governess left them?”

“We never had a governess,” said Kitty, unthinking. Mrs Bennet was beside herself. All of these years, she insisted her daughters did not need to be bothered with education. And the very first time a man actually entered their company with the express intention of finding a wife, she was instantly proven wrong.

“Never had a governess! Why my dear Mrs Bennet, you must have been quite a slave to their education,” exclaimed Mr Collins. “I never imagined that my cousin so neglected his family!”

Mr Bennet was turning rather purple at this, but Elizabeth intervened before her father’s sarcastic wit rose to the fore. “Compared with some families, we might have been neglected, but those of us who wished to learn have never wanted the means. We have always been encouraged to read,” she informed him.

Mary stifled a snort, because Mr Bennet and Elizabeth had disagreed only this morning that although Elizabeth had agreed to provide for his family after his death, it was not her responsibility to educate her sisters, and that Mr Bennet ought to acquire masters for the pianoforte and French for Mary. Elizabeth thought that she might not mind polishing her skills at the instrument and her accent either, but it seemed that she could not ask her parents for the slightest of favours any longer. She knew her uncle would send the funds to pay for it if she asked for them, but she did not wish to encourage her father to continue to shirk his responsibilities.

At dinner Mrs Bennet did everything she could to shove Jane at Mr Collins, but fortunately Mr Collins refused to be interested in her. Or indeed, any of them just yet. Though he had expressed interest in the young ladies in his letter, he made it clear that it was his first intent to learn something about the estate before any other consideration.

“Bennet, might I request to join you in your study tomorrow to learn something about Longbourn?” asked Collins. “I understand that the running and the management of the estate is not yet my business, but I hope you will understand that I was not raised to it as you are. A small explanation of the skills I might need, and your most pressing responsibilities would be very edifying, if it is no objection to you.”

The rest of the evening was spent listening to Mr Collins praise his patroness to the skies. Lady Catherine de Bourgh was the wisest, the most practical, the most sensible, the most knowledgeable, and the most noble woman who had ever lived. She advised him on everything, even wrote his sermons for him, and he made it obvious that he could not make a single decision without her counsel. It was clear to them all that their cousin was rather dim-witted, and it seemed as if he relied on his patroness for nearly everything. It was a sobering thought for all of the young ladies, the idea of being bartered off by their mother to a man who was run and dominated by his neighbour.

Over the following few days, Mr Collins followed Mr Bennet all over the estate. He watched with concern as Mr Bennet showed him some examples of correspondence from neighbours, attorneys, grain dealers, seed suppliers, and tradesmen, and with outright horror as his cousin attempted to explain the ledgers. Apparently Mr Collins had great difficulty with sums, and struggled with his parish ledgers.

Mr Collins also did not ride, had no talent for talking to the tenants in any sort of tactful manner, and was frightened of the farm animals, especially the pigs and horses for some odd reason. He spent the entire visit waiting for Mrs Bennet or one of the other ladies to instruct him on what was expected of him.

“The man is the perfect husband, Jane,” Mrs Bennet insisted. “I have never met such a perfect specimen in all my years. He is so simple he requires a woman to lead him in all things! If I were not stuck with Mr Bennet, I would marry him myself!”

Mrs Bennet was not wrong about the man needing to be led. Elizabeth had been watching him closely, and it was true. She could tell that when he wed, his wife would need to pick out his stockings for him, he was so uncertain of himself. He was not otherwise objectionable, other than being somewhat unattractive, and rather too heavy for a petite woman’s comfort. He also needed to bathe more, but it was obvious that he would do whatever his future bride required of him.

The man had made it clear that he would not consider Jane. “Though it is tempting to be guided solely by sentiment or appearance, I cannot but comprehend that a wife of practical sense and clear judgement would be my greatest asset,” he said to Mrs Bennet’s most recent attempts to guide him to Jane. “Lady Catherine has urged me that my lady must be of great intellect to assist me in the endeavour of managing Longbourn, which is no small responsibility.” Elizabeth did not know whether to be relieved for Jane, or offended that her elder sister’s intelligence had been insulted just because she was beautiful, particularly when her sister was better than even their father with arithmetic. Upon reflection, she decided on the former.

Mary was attempting to gain the man’s attention by discussing Fordyce and the most recent tenant issues with him. Her sums were sufficient for the mistress or even the owner of an estate, but Mr Collins seemed intent on not considering a particular wife until he had learned everything he needed to know.