Page 19 of The Fire at Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Lucas Lodge

The next morning

Charlotte had spent a significant portion of time in the kitchen this morning, helping to prepare breakfast. She had paid close attention to Mr. Collins’s favorite dishes over the past days, and as his return to Kent approached, she put more and more effort into attracting his admiration.

She straightened from where she was leaning over the table and brushed some hair back behind her ear.

The cooks could finish up preparation, she decided, and she hurried from the kitchen up towards her bedroom.

She would, once again, be donning one of her best dresses, and long-suffering Maria had agreed to style her hair.

It seemed that perhaps her efforts were to be rewarded, for after breakfast, Mr. Collins turned toward her parents.

“Sir William, Lady Lucas, may I hope, sir and madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Charlotte, when I solicit for the honor of a private audience with her in the course of this morning?”

Charlotte’s father blinked in surprise, but upon catching his wife’s meaningful look, hurried to reply, “But of course! How splendid!”

“Come, Maria, I need you upstairs,” Lady Lucas ordered, and swept from the room, ushering her hapless husband and younger daughter ahead of her.

“Perhaps we should retire to the sitting room, Mr. Collins?” Charlotte suggested delicately.

“Of course, of course,” Mr. Collins agreed pompously, and led the way down the hall to the sitting room. Charlotte followed behind, meek and demure and wildly hopeful.

She sat gracefully on the edge of a chair, hands folded neatly in her lap and knees and ankles together, and gave him her full attention. He paced back and forth for a moment before turning to face her, obviously full of his own importance.

“I have no doubt that you know why I wish to speak with you, indeed, you can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with my feelings on this subject, perhaps it is advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying – and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.”

Charlotte inclined her head graciously as he paused to take a breath, keeping her face serene with an effort. There could indeed be no doubt about the purport of his discourse, but she had no intentions of doing anything to cause him to change his mind – including interrupt him.

“My reasons for marrying are,” he continued, “first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances – like myself – to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly, which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion – and unasked too! – on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford, between our pools at quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss de Bourgh’s footstool, that she said, ‘Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman formysake, and for yourown; let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, andI will visit her.’ Allow me, by the way, to observe, my dear Miss Lucas, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to offer.

You will find her manners beyond anything I can describe, and your intelligence and character must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably excite.

Thus much for my general intention in favor of matrimony, it remains to be told why my views were directed to Hertfordshire instead of my own neighborhood, where I assure you there are many amiable young women.

But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit the Longbourn estate after the death of Mr. Bennet, I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible when the melancholy event takes place.

However, after my unfortunate cousin Lydia’s unseemly display of carelessness, I cannot in good conscience seek to marry any of them.

Furthermore, you have shown, in the last days, a remarkable combination of intelligence, diligence, godliness, cooking ability, and experience with managing a household.

And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection.

To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and I shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with.

On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent, and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.

Indeed, your industriousness, your economy, your skills in managing a household, can only be considered to compensate for your poor dowry. ”

He produced a toothy smile at these words and gazed at her benevolently.

He was entirely absurd, of course. Boorish even. But he was offering her what she had nearly despaired of ever having, a home of her own and the chance of a family. Charlotte smiled back.

“I would be most delighted to accept your proposal, Mr. Collins,” she said serenely.

His homely face beamed. “Why then, my dear, I do not consider it too forward of me to say you simply must call me William.”

“That is very kind of you,” she returned, “of course, I am to be Charlotte to you henceforth.”

“We must inform your parents,” he puffed proudly and held out his hand to her. “Come, my dear.”

Charlotte accepted the outstretched hand and stood. The trembling hope in her heart had turned, at last, to glowing satisfaction.

/

Longbourn

Lydia Bennet did not pretend to be a great reader, but she did enjoy Gothic novels.

She was currently reading the Mysteries of Udolpho , one of the books which had survived the fire in the trunk pulled from the library, as she sat in the sitting room.

It was truly a delight to be thoroughly warm, to drink tea with milk, to eat biscuits, to take time away from refurbishing dresses and working with Elizabeth to determine how best to divide blankets and pillows and the like among the family.

She was grateful for Mr. Bingley who had, as usual, come to call this morning.

She was even more grateful that her father had asked Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth to discuss some esoteric issue regarding sheep.

Or was it goats? Cows perhaps? She did not particularly care.

She had been asked to take on the role of chaperone in the sitting room while Jane and her suitor talked, and she was enjoying the rest from her labors.

She took a sip of hot, sweet tea, turned the page in her book, and continued reading.

The soft moonlight of an autumnal evening, and the distant music, which now sounded a plaintive strain, aided the melancholy of her mind. The old man continued to talk of his family, and St. Aubert remained silent.

“I have only one daughter living,” said La Voisin, “but she is happily married, and is everything to me. When I lost my wife,” he added with a sigh, “I came to live with Agnes, and her family; she has several children, who are all dancing on the green yonder, as merry as grasshoppers – and long may they be so! I hope to die among them, monsieur. I am old now, and cannot expect to live long, but there is some comfort in dying surrounded by one’s children. ”

“Miss Lydia?”

Lydia looked up to see both her eldest sister and Mr. Bingley regarding her intently.

“Yes, Mr. Bingley?” Lydia asked.

The gentleman cleared his throat and said, “I realize this is a rather forward request, but might I have the honor of speaking with your sister alone?”

Lydia blinked stupidly for a moment and then, observing Jane’s blushing cheeks, realized what was happening, and her eyes grew large.

“Of course, sir, of course!” Lydia said, rising to her feet with alacrity. “Yes, I will just ... I need to ... it was pleasant to see you, Mr. Bingley!”

She bustled out the door, pulling it closed behind her, grinning happily.

There could be but one explanation for such a request; Mr. Bingley was about to ask for Jane’s hand in marriage.

And when Jane accepted, as she surely would, well – Mrs. Bennet would be happy, and Lydia’s stupidity in burning down the east wing would be forgotten.

/

“Miss Bennet.”

“Mr. Bingley.”

“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. I confess that I was first attracted to your remarkable beauty and graceful form, but Miss Bennet, while you are handsome on the outside, you are equally lovely on the inside. You are generous, kind, godly, and cheerful in the face of difficulty. Above all things, I desire to make you my wife. Miss Bennet, will you accept my hand in marriage?”

Jane, who had been listening with growing exultation, stepped forward to boldly grasp Bingley’s hands in her own.

“Mr. Bingley, I too admired you the day we met at the Meryton assembly, and my good opinion then has grown to love and respect now. Yes, sir, I am honored to accept your offer of marriage.”

Bingley had been quite hopeful that Miss Bennet would accept his offer, but he was a diffident man, and therefore had not been entirely certain. These words from the lady he loved brought joy to his countenance and a sparkle to his eyes.

“Miss Bennet ... Jane,” he said, and lifted his lady’s hands to his lips, in order to shower them with kisses. “Thank you.”

/

The Parlor - Mr. Bennet’s New Office

“Well, I am thankful that Principia survived the flames, Mr. Bennet,” Darcy commented, greedily eying the old book lying on the table near the window. It was a second edition of the English version of Principia , and Darcy was aware that he was breaking the tenth commandment by coveting it.

“I am as well,” Bennet agreed. “I do not suppose I will understand a great deal of the book, but it will provide an enjoyable distraction from discussing which animals to keep and which to sell.”

The door flung open at this juncture, and Bingley, his face bright with joy, entered the room with Jane at his side, her hand tucked securely in his arm. “Mr. Bennet!” the gentleman exclaimed.

Bennet looked upon Bingley, then at his blushing daughter, and said, “Do you wish to speak to me in private, young man?”

“Indeed I do, sir!” Bingley returned happily.

“Well, Lizzy, given that my library is not available for such matters, perhaps you and Jane would be willing to escort Mr. Darcy to the sitting room?”

“Of course,” Elizabeth said joyfully, sweeping forward to grasp her sister’s remaining arm. “Come along, Mr. Darcy!”

Darcy, who had been gaping incredulously at Bingley, found himself meekly departing in the wake of the two eldest Bennet daughters, even as his mind whirled.

What had just happened?