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Mr Bennet missed his second daughter as soon as the first morning after her departure from Longbourn.

In the weeks that followed, whenever the post rider delivered a letter from Elizabeth, he read it with interest. However, he dreaded the correspondence from his cousin that arrived at least once a fortnight.

In April, the man’s verbose letters continued to encourage Bennet to invest in the New World Tea Company.

Twice in the rambling text of one letter, Mr Collins suggested Mr Bennet mortgage Longbourn to purchase stock in Mr Wickham’s business.

Collins wrote that Wickham’s company was expanding with prospects for greater profits.

Taking a full day to consider how to respond to Mr Collins, Bennet put pen to paper and composed a stern but reasoned letter to his cousin.

When finished, Thomas placed his letter in the top drawer of his desk to dry.

Then, he joined his wife and other daughters for lunch and returned to his study to spend his afternoon reading.

But his thoughts kept focusing on the letter he prepared to post on the morrow.

Sighing, he opened the drawer, drew out the page, and proceeded to read it once again.

~~~

Mr Collins–Sir, I remain steadfast in my opinion that the New World Tea Company is not a safe investment.

Yes, I understand that every business investment offers risks, but I shall not take a mortgage on Longbourn to purchase stocks in this company.

Let me assure you that I have read your opinion and carefully considered your argument in favour of such an investment.

However, the promises by Mr Wickham of profits do not move me.

Upon my passing, you will be master of Longbourn and may do as you wish.

Have you written to Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy as I suggested?

Or made inquiries with Mr Charles Bingley?

I urge you to ask these gentlemen for their recommendations.

Collins, you are not a businessman, and I counsel you to listen to gentlemen with established, proven business experience.

Yes, you may disagree with them and continue in your belief that the New World Tea Company is a good business for future investment.

That is your right but listen to men of business–other men of business–before you make any investments.

And I urge you to speak with the steward at Rosings Park concerning matters of estate management.

In the years that I remain among the living; you must learn proper estate management from men who make that their life’s work today.

When you inherit Longbourn, it will be unencumbered by any debt.

The estate provides a comfortable living for me and my family.

The fields produce ample corn to feed us, our tenants, and the livestock.

The income is sufficient to pay the church’s tithes, taxes and purchase the luxuries desired by my lady wife and daughters.

This is the time to prepare yourself to be the master of this estate.

Faithfully, Thomas Bennet

~~~

The next morning, Bennet’s letter was posted to Hunsford.

When received two days later, the sheet of paper was read several times at the dining room table, during the walk from the parsonage to Rosings Park, and then again during the walk to the parsonage in the evening.

That night, Mr Collins penned a response that he posted the next morning.

With a spate of summer storms across southern England, it took three days for this reply to reach Longbourn. There, Thomas Bennett spent many minutes reading and attempting to parse out the ideas and meanings of the long sentences.

Mr Bennet muttered aloud, “Whoever taught this man composition should be horsewhipped.”

He sat alone in his library trying to understand this latest letter from Mr Collins.

~~~

Mr Bennet–Sir–I fail to see why you continue to deny the profits to be made by investing in Mr Wickham’s business–the New World Tea Company is an excellent investment that will secure the happiness of your family and our future at Longbourn after your death when I am master of the estate and responsible for your wife and unmarried daughters it will be from my hand that they are fed and clothed–not yours and I and only I shall dispose of the wealth of Longbourn after that day–long may it be in coming–although with the vagaries of life, anyone of us could be struck down by Providence at any moment–therefore let us live such a life as to be able to stand before our judgement without blemishes on our soul–without a doubt, a father who invested wisely in this life in the New World Tea Company would be welcomed into paradise by all the saints therefore you must consider with a more serious nature the wisdom of following my advice to take a mortgage on Longleaf and investing the funds in the New World Tea Company without delay or deflection.

My belief in the wisdom of such a move and the future benefits it offers to me–and your widow and orphaned daughters–the feeling is so strong that I entertain the idea of arranging a marriage between my cousin Elizabeth and Mr George Wickham during her visit in Hunsford this month–Mr Wickham has come to visit me and is housed in the nearby town but visits us almost every evening, and I shall take the gentleman to Rosings to visit Lady Catherine de Bourgh, my esteemed patroness–who is distraught by the careless actions by her nephew, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy–the nephew refuses to obey his aunt’s most sincere wish that Mr Darcy marries his cousin, Miss Anne de Bourgh, and save the de Bourgh estate for the Fitzwilliam family, rather than allowing it to revert to Sir Louis de Bourgh’s family if Miss de Bourgh dies without issue–Mr Darcy ignored the anticipated schedule that he should remain in Hunsford for the whole of the month of April and left two weeks early–and then Mr Wickham arrived just two days later after I wrote of Mr Darcy’s departure and the distress the man’s departure caused his aunt and cousin, Anne–who has been almost insensate with distress–Mr Wickham has been the perfect gentleman and will call on Lady Catherine with me…

~~~

The rambling letter from Mr Collins continued until it filled the entire page with his ramblings. Mr Bennet wondered briefly if the bishop or any other clergyman had ever heard Collins deliver a sermon.

‘If his sermons are as disjointed as his correspondence, he could make it seem that Pontius Pilate was present at the Sermon on the Mount,’ Mr Bennet mused.

Then he frowned as he once again read the letter and worried, ‘Collins writes of arranging a marriage for Lizzy with Mr Wickham. Legally, Collins cannot do such, but maidens have been forced into matrimony by unscrupulous men many times.’

Noon was still an hour away, but Thomas ordered Mr Hill to saddle his horse.

On his way out the door, he told his wife that urgent business called him from the house.

Only ten minutes later, Bennet rode from the stable and crossed the fields to Netherfield, his horse jumping the fences and scattering sheep in the pastures.

He tied the reins of his horse to the post himself and knocked on the front door, asking the footman to take him to his daughter and son-in-law.

Young Mr Hill led Mr Bennet into the office where Bingley and Jane examined the journals from Netherfield’s past stewards and leaseholders about sowing the fields in late April.

When Mr Bennet was admitted to the room, Jane rose and greeted her father happily. Charles was equally welcoming, “Mr Bennet, come in! We are discussing the journals about planting the fields.”

Thomas immediately kissed his daughter’s cheek and shook Bingley’s hand before he explained his reason for interrupting their morning.

Bennet offered a folded paper to Bingley and said, “I have a most disturbing ramble from Mr Collins this morning. The man insists I mortgage Longbourn and invest in the New World Tea Company.”

“Papa, no!” insisted Jane.

“Of course, I shall not take such steps,” Bennet assured his daughter. “But Collins is in company with George Wickham now. It seems that Mr Darcy departed Rosings, and Mr Wickham has appeared. And for some unfathomable reason, Collins thinks of arranging a marriage between Lizzy and Wickham.

“Lizzy and Wickham? But Lizzy…” Jane began to reply but fell silent. Mr Bennet nodded his head to acknowledge his daughter’s unspoken statement.

Mr Bingley did not finish reading the strange letter before handing it to his wife, who seemed to parse her way through it quickly. Jane frowned and said, “I cannot believe that Charlotte has not spoken to her husband about improving his grammar and composition of sentences!”

Mr Bennet said, “I think the man is addled and poorly educated.”

“What will you do, sir?” asked Charles.

“This afternoon, I shall take the carriage and go to London. Tomorrow, I shall appear at Hunsford and bring my daughter home, where she will be safe from Collins and Wickham.”

Charles appeared lost in thought for a moment before he took his wife’s hand and said, “Mr Bennet, perhaps my wife and I can be of service.”

Then Bingley shared his idea to remove Elizabeth from the parsonage in Hunsford. “We shall say that Jane and I were sent to fetch Elizabeth because Kitty and Lydia have fallen ill, and their mother wishes Lizzy’s aid to nurse them back to health.”

Immediately agreeing to her husband’s idea, Jane did not hesitate to suggest a change.

“Yes, an illness at Longbourn is the perfect foil to bring Lizzy out of Hunsford unexpectedly. But rather than saying that Kitty and Lydia have fallen ill, we shall say that Mamma is ill. We shall assure Mr Collins that you are not ill, but you want Lizzy at Longbourn to care for Mamma.”

When Mr Bennet was not quick to endorse this plan, Charles added, “The plan will prevent any hint of scandal attaching itself to Elizabeth, Mr Bennet. If you appeared, Wickham and Collins could spread rumours of inappropriate meetings with Mr Wickham or a compromised young lady.”

Mr Bennet frowned, imagining a letter from Mr Collins to Sir William Lucas, and gossip spreading through Meryton as Lady Lucas visited and exchanged remarks with their common neighbours.

Charles added, “And we can leave today as well.”

“Where will you stay in London?” Mr Bennet asked, accepting Bingley’s proposal.

“With the Gardiners in Cheapside,” Charles replied. “An unexpected visit to Olive Street would only excite gossip, and I prefer not to deal with my younger sister until Louisa and Geoffrey are present.”

Without any fuss, Mr Bennet departed for Longbourn while Charles and Jane prepared for an immediate departure for London.

Only an hour after Mr Bennet knocked on the door, the Bingley carriage departed Netherfield with Bingley’s coachman and young Mr Hill in the box, while Bingley and his bride were the only passengers.

A single trunk was tied to the roof, and few persons in Meryton gave the coach more than a glance as it passed.

Mr Bennet said nothing to his family when they gathered for tea in the afternoon. Mary inquired about the business he had ridden to attend to, and her father replied, “It will require a few days to resolve. I shall tell you all once it is settled.”

~~~