Page 14 of The Next Mrs Bennet

“A unt Elaine, Uncle Reggie, and Rich, it is particularly good to see all of you. Welcome to Longbourn. You missed Mama and Papa by a few days,” Becca related as she ushered their family members into the house.

“Thank you, Goddaughter; it is always good to spend time with you, Thomas, and the children,” Lady Elaine replied. “We are aware Anna and William are already at Chatsworth. After a fortnight at Snowhaven, Reggie and I will join them for a month or so. Are you and your family not travelling north?”

“Not this year, as we are preparing for Mary’s coming out.” Becca turned to her young cousin. “Rich, how long do you have away from your regiment?”

“Given how little of my holiday time I have used since I have been in the army, I have a three month break now,” Richard informed his cousin. He did not mention that he had also taken the month of November so he would be available to attend Mary’s coming out ball and some of the fêtes following it.

It was a little past the middle of July, which meant that it was three weeks or less until the lady he was interested in would turn eighteen. He looked around and saw none of his cousins.

Understanding who he was looking for, Becca smiled. “Our six are out riding with some others from the neighbourhood. With their normal escorts, of course.”

When the friends in the neighbourhood were first acquainted with the two enormous guards, most had been intimidated. Over the months since Biggs, Johns, and the other footmen-guards had been at Longbourn, those who used to be intimidated, learnt that if they behaved in a nonthreatening way towards any of the Bennet siblings, the men were harmless.

“Mrs Hill will show you to your chambers. After you have washed and changed, Mother, Thomas, and I will be in the west drawing room. The children will return in the next hour or so,” Becca informed the Fitzwilliams. As soon as they had begun to climb the stairs, she made her way to the study to inform Thomas of their family’s arrival.

Bennet was staring at a letter in his hand, shaking his head when his beloved entered the study. “You will not believe who has had the temerity to write to me,” Bennet stated as he stood to welcome his wife, as a husband who is besotted with his wife is wont to do.

After they had kissed, Becca made a guess. “Given your level of frustration, it must be from your distant cousin, William Collins. Before we discuss him, our aunt, uncle, and cousin arrived.”

“I am pleased they are here safely. I assume no Andrew yet?”

“No Thomas. Andy has not reached England’s shores yet. Jane will not be too disappointed as she is aware he might not arrive before October or November.”

“As to your surmise, yes, this is from Collins. Should we wait until later to read it? I knew I would need you at my side before I was ready to read his pearls of wisdom .” Bennet held up the as yet sealed missive.

“There is no time like the present. His last letter was not too pleasant when he was informed the entail was no more, so I am interested as to why he would send this now. Surely his delusions cannot be so great as to ignore the facts?” Becca looked at the return address. “He is living at the Hunsford Parsonage! That means that Catherine de Bourgh awarded him a living. Uncle Reggie will be extremely interested to hear about the type of man his sister preferred to the living, especially as I believe Anne de Bourgh is the rightful owner of Rosings Park.”

The two sat on the settee they shared in the study. With Becca’s head leaning on his shoulder, Bennet broke the seal, and they began to read.

15 July 1811

Hunsford Parsonage

Across the lane from the great estate of Rosings Park

Dear Sir,

The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and ever since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.

Then your letter claiming you had broken the entail arrived, which also put me at variance with you. I now realise, with the help of my beneficent patroness, that you were only funning with me as she states that the documents purportedly from the Court of Chancery are forgeries.

I received ordination at Easter, and since then I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.

Her Ladyship is all knowing and wise, which is how she immediately determined that it was a ruse to jest with me. She is never wrong and even condescends to write my sermons for me. She is so wise that when I report to her what I have learnt from my parishioners, she immediately sets off to dispense her excellent counsel.

Due to the fact you have not stolen my birthright, my mind is now made up on the subject. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence, and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch. I am willing to overlook your attempt to insert changelings into your family and claim they are your sons. When I am master, as is my right by birth, I will allow them to be servants in my house.

Now that I know that my birthright will be mine, thanks to my wise patroness, I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends, but of this hereafter.

If you should have no objection to receiving me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family on Wednesday, the 16th day of October of this year, at exactly four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality until the Saturday sennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.

I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

William Collins

“Thomas, the man is insane!” Becca exclaimed. “To take the word of an uneducated woman like Uncle Reggie’s sister as gospel displays an inordinate lack of judgement. This man cannot be trusted with the ministering to anyone, never mind of a flock.”

“Then it is good our uncle is present. If I remember correctly, he is a good friend of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is he not?” Bennet verified.

“Yes, that is so,” Becca confirmed. “What are you thinking?”

“We can both see this is not a man who should hold sway over the spiritual well-being of any single person, never mind a whole parish, can we not?” Becca nodded. “If Matlock makes the Archbishop aware of what is occurring in Hunsford, then it will be up to the church to determine what to do with him, and Lady Catherine as well.”

“What about replying to him regarding his inviting himself to our house?” Becca paused. “I have an idea based on his seeming reverence to those who are titled…”

“If the others who will need to be involved agree, your suggestion will work perfectly.” Bennet placed his hands on either side of his beloved wife’s cheeks and delivered a searing kiss. “You, my dearest wife, could not have been so very intelligent for no reason.”

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“Only Catherine would prefer a church living to a specimen like the one who wrote this letter. She surrounds herself with sycophantic, brainless men who will worship the very ground on which she walks.” Lady Elaine shook her head.

“Bennet, you do not object if I send this letter to His Grace, the Archbishop, do you?” Matlock requested. “My niece’s plan will work just as she thinks it will.”

“No, Matlock, you are free to take it; I have no need for it.” Bennet handed the letter to his uncle. “I will reply to him and inform him he may come and visit us. It will not be pleasant to have such a dullard in the house, nor will it be easy to school our features with such an example of stupidity before us.”

“But you will manage it, Thomas,” Beth insisted.

“What will Papa manage, Grandmama Beth?” Elizabeth asked as she and her siblings, all of whom had washed and changed after their nice long ride across the fields, entered the drawing room.

“Read the letter your Uncle Reggie is holding, and then we will explain,” Bennet responded.

After greeting their aunt, uncle, and Richard—a shy greeting with a blush of pleasure from Mary—the six Bennet siblings crowded around a settee, the four girls seated while their brothers stood behind as they all read the missive.

When they completed the reading, their parents and the Fitzwilliams explained what the Bennet siblings had missed, including their Mama’s plan.

“I agree with what you told us Aunt Elaine said about the writer of this drivel,” Jane stated firmly. As much as she preferred to see the good in people, she was not blind to the way things actually were and would not attempt to excuse the inexcusable to make things look positive. “As long as he does not attempt to importune any of us while he is being hosted here, we will welcome him.”

“Ha!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Brian, John, or any of the other guards will eject him if he attempts anything with us.”

“Lizzy is correct,” Bennet agreed. “Your mother and I will issue strict instructions to Biggs, Johns, and their men that Collins is to be watched at all times while he is here.” He looked at Becca, who nodded her approval. “The late Clem Collins passed away before he could enact his plans, but he was trying to employ men to harm Henry and Tommy some years ago. If the son has any wrongheaded ideas, the guards will be present to deter him.”

“We will make sure he understands that no matter what, he will never inherit Longbourn,” Becca insisted. “Hopefully he will not attempt anything, especially as based on what he wrote, he does not believe Henry and Tommy are legitimate.”

“Is the man who wrote such a letter truly an ordained clergyman?” Ellie asked as she shook her head.

“Surely he has more discernment than to think that Lady Catherine knows anything about the law and the validity of the documents he was sent regarding the breaking of the entail?” Elizabeth asked in wonder.

“Father, how did you and Mama find a changeling like myself who looks so much like you?” Henry mocked the writer of the ridiculous letter.

“And what about me, who not only has features from both Mama and Papa, but looks a lot like Uncle Will?” Tommy added.

“Unfortunately, my sister believes that she has supreme knowledge in everything when the truth is she knows nothing,” Matlock stated sadly. “I have often lamented the fact that we are unable to choose family.”

“I have heard Uncle Edward say the same thing,” Jane remarked.

“I believe we have much more pleasant things to speak about rather than a delusional Collins,” Beth pointed out. No one disagreed.

Richard found Mary seated on her own, reading a book. “Mary, I hope I do not disturb your solitary reverie,” he stated. “May I sit down next to you here?” Richard indicated the armchair next to hers.

“You do disturb me, but that is not to say said disturbance is not welcomed,” Mary replied with an arched eyebrow. “Please sit.”

“I should hope it is; you and I have always been good friends in addition to cousins,” Richard declared as he seated himself. “Mary, I have a request of you.” She inclined her head for him to carry on. “At your coming out in November, I know you will dance the first with your father. May I be so bold, even months before the event, to reserve the supper and final sets?”

Mary felt a thrill at his request, but she fought hard to school her features, failing to stop a blush of joy. “Yes, Richard, I would be more than happy to grant you those sets,” she replied with pleasure.

Her response gave Richard a satisfied feeling of happiness. A month or so ago he had spoken to Becca and Bennet, who were aware of his attraction to Mary. His cousins had told him that if Mary agreed, they would be happy with Richard as her suitor; however, they had asked that Richard not make a formal declaration until after Twelfth Night. They had added that they would prefer Mary reach her nineteenth birthday before he made a proposal.

The family enjoyed time together until it was time to change for dinner.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

“Why have you leased an estate in some backwater of Hertfordshire and not near Pemberley like you should have?” Miss Bingley whinged when her brother broke the news that he had found an estate to begin his journey to join the landed gentry.

“Caroline, you can hardly call a place that is no more than twenty miles from London a backwater ,” Bingley defended. “Was it not you who told me I needed to find an estate close to the entertainments you enjoy in Town?”

Caroline Bingley looked away. She hated it when her own words were used against her. “Did you inspect this Netherland Place on your own?” she sniffed.

“It is Netherfield Park, and no, I did not. Darcy joined me and he also approved of the place. Of course, if you want to tell him he is wrong, I can invite him to dinner soon…” Bingley grinned slyly.

“If Mr Darcy approved then of course it will do,” Miss Bingley backtracked. “Did you learn anything about the locals? Will we find any people of fashion and sophistication in the area? If not, it will be rather tedious.” She placed her arms akimbo. “No chasing some lowborn angel as you are wont to do. When you marry, you need to marry someone like dear Georgiana who has both fortune and connections. She must be a member of the first circles, so she will assist us…you in rising in society.”

“Other than the man who met us at the estate, Darcy and I did not meet any others, so I have nothing to report about the locals.” Darcy had told him there was no more of a chance he would be an acceptable husband for Darcy’s sister than Caroline was for himself. It was something Bingley knew deep down, but it was not anything he dared to tell Caroline. He did not need the ensuing tantrum. Especially as he would bear the brunt of her displeasure. He knew that it was a confrontation which would occur one day, but the longer he could defer the inevitable, the happier he was.

“Just remember what I said. I do not want to have to separate you from another inappropriate woman,” Miss Bingley commanded.

Bingley did not respond. It was so much easier for his younger sister to think he agreed with her.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

When he received the reply from his cousin, who he prayed would not be the master of Longbourn for much longer, William Collins was not surprised none of what his beneficent patroness had told him was contradicted by Mr Bennet.

It was only natural that Lady Catherine, who was an authority in all things, had had the right of it. He would make the visit to the small estate. Well, compared to the magnificent Rosings Park, it was small, but then all were. Collins was extremely excited to go report the results of her orders being followed to the great lady.

Before he rushed out of the door of his parsonage, Collins remembered to take his cousin’s deferential letter with him. Lady Catherine would, of course, as was her right, want to read his words for herself.

Collins could not wait to see his inheritance. He would increase the frequency of his prayers for God to take his cousin from the mortal world as soon as possible.