Page 39 of Great Uncle Henry (Pride & Prejudice Vagary)
“B -but your L-ladyship, I cannot perform my own wedding ceremony,” William Collins insisted. He hated to refuse his new patroness anything, but even he knew enough about church law to know his marriage would not be valid.
She had called for him and instructed him to marry her daughter.
As much of an honour as it would be to have the beneficent Lady Catherine de Bourgh, peer of the realm, as his mother-in-law, if he attempted to do what she had ordered, he would be defrocked, and the marriage would be invalidated.
He had attempted to explain this to Lady Catherine, but she kept insisting it would be valid if she decreed it was.
“I am bestowing on you the great honour of marrying the granddaughter of an earl and you refuse me?” Lady Catherine screeched.
“It would be my supreme honour to marry Miss de Bourgh, the Rose of Kent, but unless the rites are performed by another clergyman, the marriage would be invalid, as if it never occurred,” Collins explained as he bowed low every word or two.
He did not even mention that no banns had been read, or no license issued.
Anne de Bourgh was used to being invisible.
It was something she was grateful for in this case.
Her mother and the buffoon of a clergyman who had been appointed by one who did not have the authority to do so, were arguing back and forth about selling her like a cow so Mother could retain control of Rosings Park.
Her mother would exercise her control by making sure the ridiculous man did what she desired at all times.
Even if this pusillanimous fool agreed to do what her mother was demanding, Anne would never say her vows, and she would not sign the register.
Regardless whether the simpleton bent to her mother’s will or not, the so-called marriage would never be valid.
Contrary to her mother’s assertions that Anne would be devastated if Rosings Park devolved to Cousin Albert, she could not wait for him to take over the estate and banish her despot of a mother.
Anne waited until in frustration her mother dismissed her minion and in a huff walked out of the room all the while muttering how seriously displeased she was.
There were some words about finding a clergyman to perform the ceremony.
When she heard the study door slam, it was Anne’s signal to stand and make her way up the stairs to her bedchamber where her watchdog, Mrs Jenkinson, was waiting.
“I require a rest; you know how quickly I tire. Please come back in an hour and we will go for a ride in my phaeton,” Anne commanded in her best imperious voice which sounded much like her mother.
As Mrs Jenkinson was one of the sycophants her mother employed, she did not question Miss de Bourgh.
She bobbed a curtsy and left the bedchamber.
Lady Catherine would be pleased Miss de Bourgh was to rest. She went to her room in the servants’ quarters and picked at the keys on the old, out of tune, pianoforte Lady Catherine had placed there.
Anne locked her door and sat and wrote four letters.
One each to Albert, Richard, Uncle Reggie, and William.
She knew that the first two were close enough to reach her quickly—if they were home—while the other two were at their estates in Derbyshire.
Albert lived in Canterbury where he practiced the law.
Once the letters were written, she summoned her maid, Lettie.
She had been with Anne for over ten years, and no matter how she behaved around Mrs Jenkinson, Lettie was loyal to Anne, and Anne only .
“Lettie, I need you to slip out of the servants’ entrance and take these letters to Hunsford. There are more than enough coins here to send them express. Please go now, my safety depends on you being able to get the letters posted,” Anne stated quietly so no one in the hall would be able to hear.
Her faithful maid nodded and took the missives from her mistress and hid them in the folds of her dress. She slipped out of the servants’ entrance from Miss de Bourgh’s suite and made her way down to the ground level. There was no one near the servants’ door, so she was able to leave unnoticed.
The two miles into Hunsford passed quickly.
She paid two express riders, one to deliver the letters to Surrey and Kent and the second rider, the two epistles bound for Derbyshire.
She purchased some ribbon in a colour Miss de Bourgh preferred, so if she were questioned about where she went, she had a perfectly believable reason for walking to Hunsford.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Thomas Bennet was not well pleased. His main source of entertainment, his wife, had become much calmer since the dratted Taylors had addressed all of her concerns and assured her she would never be destitute as he had intimated continually since early in the marriage.
He had done so to see how much amusement it would bring.
It had been years’ worth until a few months past that is.
If that was not bad enough, his aunt and uncle had not minced words about his shortcomings as a master and father.
It was more than twenty years past when Uncle Henry pointed out that a Collins could never inherit Longbourn, his excuse for not troubling himself with the estate had been negated, yet he had not changed anything.
What smarted more than anything was when both Aunt Felicity and Uncle Henry told him that their late brother, his father, would have been ashamed by the way he behaved.
However, that was not enough to motivate him to leave his chair and take charge of his estate like a good master should.
Regardless of what had been said, he still sat in his study, a book in one hand and a glass of port in the other.
The problem of how to get Fanny to amuse him was one for another day. Nothing he had attempted so far had borne fruit.
At least, silly Lydia was still indulged by her mother and provided a certain level of entertainment. Unfortunately, other than being brash, vulgar, and at times, crude, his youngest daughter had done nothing too amusing of late. He was sure in time she would.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Richard Fitzwilliam was seated in his study inspecting his main ledger when his butler entered, and after a bow proffered him the salver which contained a missive.
He removed the item and thanked his butler.
Richard examined the seal. It was a de Bourgh crest, but the one Anne used.
Why would Anne be writing to him, unless it was his aunt having forced her daughter to seal the missive and write the direction.
That thought almost caused him to tear the epistle into pieces and toss them into the fireless grate in his Rumford fireplace.
He stayed his action and decided to read it, just in case it truly was from Anne herself. Richard broke the seal and opened the letter. He was pleased he had not given in to his first instinct. It was written in Anne’s hand.
26 July 1811
Rosings Park
Richard:
I need you to save me. Before I elaborate, I have sent expresses to your father, William, and Albert de Bourgh.
In a desperate attempt to retain Rosings Park, my dear mother is scheming to attempt to marry me to her idiot parson. To that, she has appointed, without the authority to do mind you, a man so obsequious that he would make her normal sycophants seem like they had a backbone.
She tried to demand that he marry me and conduct the ceremony as well.
As much as he is a buffoon, Mr Collins, that is his name, has told Mother that the wedding would not be valid unless performed by another clergyman.
He has apologised more than 100 times that he is unable to follow her orders.
I know not who is more upset he is unable to do as she demanded, her or him.
As you and Albert are closest (your estate is closer than any of the other family properties and Albert is in Canterbury), I ask you to come put an end to this madness as soon as may be.
It is urgent because I am sure my mother is seeking some clergyman of low morals who will marry us without my consent.
I also believe that with some more browbeating, Mr Collins will eventually agree to her demands, as I am certain she will be unable to find another dishonourable clergyman to perform the travesty of a ceremony.
With cousinly love,
Anne
As he stood, Richard pushed his chair back with such force it banged against the bookcase behind him. He walked over to the one wall and removed his sabre in its scabbard from the mounting on the wall. He also shoved a pistol into his belt.
His aunt’s greed had pushed her too far this time. She was fit for Bedlam, and Richard meant to defend Anne. His first stop would be the parsonage at Hunsford to run off the lackey, then he would confront his aunt. With any luck, de Bourgh would be on his way soon.
In case his aunt planned to order some of her footmen to stop him, Richard had several of his footmen, including the two largest, former sergeants in the army—John Biggs and Brian Johns—ride with him.
The two were mountains of men and would intimidate any of his aunt’s minions even without the additional men.
As he rode, he thanked his late uncle for giving him an estate seven miles from Rosings Park.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It took less than an hour to reach the parsonage attached to the Hunsford church.
His sabre prominently displayed, the two giant footmen behind him, while the other three men remained with the horses, Richard pounded on the parsonage’s door.
A woman, the cook and housekeeper in one person, identified herself after she nervously opened the door.
“I am here to see Mr Collins. Is he home?” Richard demanded.
“Aye sir, he be in his study preparing for his wedding,” the woman stated. Seeing the serious looks on the men’s miens, the servant began to sweat and shake.