Disclaimer – All original P&P characters belong to Jane Austen
Chapter 2 – Empty Vessels Make The Most Noise
The day before the wedding saw Lady Lucas and Charlotte busily packing away all of the remaining nick-knacks which Charlotte had selected to take with her to Hunsford. She would miss her childhood home, her family and all of the people that had become special to her, but a small nagging part of her was anxious to start her new life as Mrs. Collins.
The large trunks containing clothing, linens and bolts of cloth had been sent on a cart along with several crates filled with books and small pieces of furniture the previous week, so that they would be unpacked and ready for Charlotte's use upon her arrival in her new home.
The packing would normally have been the job of the housekeeper, Mrs. George, but she was currently preoccupied with keeping the rest of the staff on their toes. Her parents had complied with her wishes for simplicity in all points except for the wedding breakfast. Her mama had asked how she could hold her head up in public if she did not provide adequate fare for their friends and neighbours. Did Charlotte want them to think her family so beggarly in not providing the expected feast, she asked? Charlotte honestly couldn't give a fig, but understood that it was important to the social standing of her parents and reluctantly agreed.
Charlotte had insisted that as the soon-to-be wife of a simple country parson she would prefer as little fuss as possible and to that end her mama had provided her with a plain but serviceable trousseau. She had however sneaked in some pieces of the fine snowy white French lace from her own wardrobe which Charlotte had coveted in the past.
When Charlotte went to bed that night she lay awake for hours in her small childhood bed listening to the light snores of her younger sister Maria. She prayed to God that she had made the right decision in marrying Mr. Collins and she swore to herself that she would take every opportunity and wring every scrap of happiness she could from this day forward.
After a restless nights sleep she was awoken by Maria. "Wake up Lotty. Mary has already brought up the hot water and Mrs. George knocked a few minutes ago to say that breakfast is waiting for us!"
With a groan Charlotte rose from the bed and once a fully dressed Maria had left to wrestle some bread and tea from her greedy brothers she went over to the dresser and poured the still steaming water from the ewer into the basin. She stripped down and made short work of washing herself from top to toe and then brushing her teeth with the soda paste as, although the embers still glowed in the fire, the November wind rattled the windowpane and cold leached into the room. She didn't wish to dirty her new blue sprigged muslin frock, so she placed a long sleeved linen wrapper over the top of it, and walked down the stairs to the breakfast room.
Charlotte could have found her way to breakfast with her eyes closed, not only from 27 years of familiarity with Lucas Lodge, but from the sound of two adults and five children all talking at the tops of their voices.
"So we will have white soup enough for everyone Mrs. George? It just won't do if we haven't quite enough...although I suppose the children could do well without. And we have the beef and the fowl? And the jellies and set creams are done?" Lady Lucas called out to be heard over the children's bickering. "And please remind Mary to bank the fires when we're due back from the church."
Lady Lucas' worry of feeding her guests the right quantity and quality of sweetmeats was giving her palpitations which could rival those of even Mrs. Bennet. Thank goodness Charlotte wished for a small affair, she thought, anything larger would have put Sir William into the poorhouse and me into an early grave.
Mrs. George tried her best to placate her employer, reciting the menu from memory, to which pronouncements the younger children shrieked out as to which foods were their favourites, telling anyone who would listen that they would gorge themselves until they were sure that they would be quite sick. Sir William sat behind his newspaper and good naturedly chided them to be quiet for once.
"Ah Charlotte," cried Lady Lucas, "here you are at last – but you're not ready child! Why are you wearing that wrapper, it makes you look as though you're wearing an old sack!"
"She ought to wear it over her head lest her groom runs off in fright." Her brother Charles pronounced to the room.
The children laughed heartily and Charlotte flushed at his humiliating words and attempted to answer her mother but it seemed as though Lady Lucas was not expecting a response from her as she turned to push Charlotte gently back towards the door.
"Your hair will take some dressing to look presentable for once. I'll send up Jenkins with the hot iron. Hurry upstairs my dear and please try to pinch some colour into your cheeks, you look quite wan."
"Mama, it's early yet, so if you would be so kind as to stop pushing me I would quite like a cup of tea at least." Charlotte tried desperately not to roll her eyes at her mother's theatrics and incur the admittedly lukewarm wrath of her father.
"Nonsense, you awkward girl. Back up the stairs and I'll send someone with tea for you. Nothing to eat mind you, I know that every woman has butterflies on her wedding day, so an empty stomach would be best."
Charlotte had no butterflies that she could detect as yet. Her mind was sure and steady but her belly was empty and rumbling. She darted past her mother and with a smirk she liberated a piece of madeira cake from Charles' plate before leaving the rest of her family to their meal.
Later, well fortified with tea, cake and bouncy curls, Charlotte went downstairs to the morning room.
Her father who was sat looking out of the window at the rapidly settling snow stood to greet her. "Well Charlotte my dear, you look...very smart. That dress is quite becoming."
At least her father didn't attempt a misguided falsehood about her looks she thought. "Thank you papa. Is it time to go to the church yet?"
Her father glanced at his watch. "Yes, Jacobs has brought the carriage around. We are just waiting for your mama to finish dressing and I thought it may be easier on your nerves if Maria and the rest of the children went ahead. Pop your coat on child, it's begun to snow and the church will be like a glacier no doubt."
Charlotte started to feel the aforementioned butterflies during the drive to the church, but this was not caused by the romantic fluttering of her heart on seeing Mr. Collins, but the thought of the great and good of Meryton staring at her as she walked down the aisle on her papa's arm. As the coach pulled up she took a deep breath and gave herself a stern talking to. None of these people would matter to her her after today. She would be moving far enough away that she would probably never see them except for maybe once or twice a year when she visited her parents, so they could whisper themselves hoarse about the old maid getting married at long last if they wished to.
She ignored the gawpers as best she could as she stumbled over her feet. Only one person caught her attention and if looks could kill Charlotte should be dead at Mrs. Bennet's feet.
The ceremony itself was not a long drawn out affair in deference to the bitterly cold weather. Charlotte remembered hearing her mama's sniffles, caused either by emotion or the temperature of the church, as she and Mr. Collins said their vows and finally Mr. Collins slipped a simple gold band adorned by a cluster of several small emeralds onto her finger. And that was it. For better or worse, she was now Mrs. William Collins!
The congregation returned to Lucas Lodge for the much vaunted wedding breakfast. Charlotte and her husband stood at the door to the dining room and accepted her neighbours kind-hearted congratulations and mild disbelief that she was at last married.
When Elizabeth Bennet reached them she hugged Charlotte and whispered in her ear, " I know that we have a difference of opinion about your choice Charlotte but I wish you joy in your married life and I do hope that we will see each other as often as possible."
Charlotte smiled with relief that their dispute appeared to have ended and thanked her friend for her best wishes. She looked to her new husband and said to him, "Elizabeth has wished us joy and has asked if we will be able to able to visit Meryton very soon husband?"
Mr. Collins smiled at the friends and replied, "Thank you for your kind words cousin. I am pleased that there are no hard feelings between us after our...misunderstanding. I'm afraid that a visit to Meryton is out of the question as my dearest wife and I will be busy settling into my parish but we hope that you would do us the honour of joining Sir William and Maria when they visit us at our humble home in Hunsford in the spring. I am sure that my patroness, the Lady Catherine de Bourgh will welcome you warmly as a member of my beloved family and the dearest friend of my wife."
Elizabeth smirked a little at Mr. Collins' overblown words, but curtsied nicely. "Thank you sir. I am delighted to be extended such a courtesy by my cousin and his bride."
"Then we shall be a happy group of friends," stated Mr. Collins. "My dear," he said looking over Charlotte's shoulder, "I do believe that your mama is beckoning us into the dining room. Please excuse us Miss Elizabeth."
With a bow to his cousin Mr. Collins took Charlotte's arm and guided her towards her mother. As they neared her Charlotte could see that her mother was swiping her eyes with her handkerchief. "Oh mama, whatever is the matter?" Charlotte asked.
"It's that dreadful Mrs. Bennet." She took a deep breath to calm herself and now that she was closer to the dining room Charlotte could hear Mrs. Bennet loudly pontificating to the room beyond.
"I do not know what wiles that artful Charlotte Lucas used to lure Mr. Collins away from my Lizzy," Mrs. Bennet stated to a group of friends and neighbours, "but to be sure I know that the Lucas' have always had their beady eyes on our ledger books as Sir William is not so well off now he gave up his trade to pretend to be a gentleman. Pshaw, a GENTLEMAN! A knighthood does not make one a gentleman and a gentleman would not make a bawd of his daughter to acquire a neighbour's estate." This pronouncement was met with gasps of disbelief from the assembled wedding guests.
Lady Lucas wailed aloud at this and placed her head in her hands to cover her weeping. Mrs. Bennet appeared to realise her misstep as her fellow guests pointedly moved away from her and whispered to each other behind their hands.
Charlotte had been disparaged before, even to her face, but never in company and never before had her good conduct and reputation been brought into question. She could feel the heat rise in her face and just as she was about to step forward to upbraid Mrs. Bennet herself she was interrupted by her husband's hand restraining her.
"My dear, no one who knows of your father's kind heart or your virtuous nature would ever believe these foul untruths. Mrs. Bennet has partaken of one too many glasses of punch I am afraid to say and this and the disappointment of losing me as a son-in-law has caused her to become overly vitriolic towards you and your father. Do not lower yourself to her level. As St. James stated..."
"Mrs. Bennet," thundered Mr. Bennet, who had been alerted to his wife's outburst by Jane. "Have you lost your mind woman?" He stood before his wife, his face livid with anger, and as Sir William joined him he stated, "I demand that you apologise to Sir William and his family immediately for your reprehensible attack on their conduct."
"But..." Mrs. Bennet began.
"Enough," he cried. "I have been lenient with you and the youngest children regarding your behaviour in public because it amused me to do so, but I now believe that I have done my family a great injustice. There will be changes afoot Mrs. Bennet, but we will discuss this further at home. Now, I believe you have apologies to make..."
Mrs. Bennet appeared cowed and gave a hushed apology to the Lucas family. Sir William declared, "I have never been so insulted Mrs. Bennet. In my own home, in front of my friends and family...and on my daughter's wedding day. I know that you had unfulfilled wishes of your own in regards to Mr. Collins but he has chosen my Charlotte, who is as good a girl as the day is long and whilst I feel obliged to accept your apology on my behalf, I decline on the behalf of my daughter who is blameless. Mrs. Bennet, I hold no hard feelings towards the rest of your family but you are no longer welcome here."
Mrs. Bennet gasped at this as except for Netherfield Hall it was generally acknowledged that Lucas Lodge held the best private dances and dinners for miles and if she were not allowed to attend this would impact on her and her daughter's social lives greatly. As she looked to her husband for support he took her arm none too gently and stated in a low voice, "You have no-one to blame but yourself for this. I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't snubbed by half the county because of your petty actions."
He pulled her towards the door where the Bennet daughters were huddled together in shame. "Let us leave immediately so this good family can celebrate the happy occasion." He stopped at Charlotte and took her free hand. "Charlotte my child, please excuse Mrs. Bennet's rudeness and know that I do not share her sentiments or thoughts in the slightest and know that she will be reprimanded severely once we arrive home."
Charlotte had always believed that Mr. Bennet should keep a tighter rein on certain members of his family. Although it was unfortunate that today was the day events came to a head, she did feel sorry for him and his two eldest daughters. She inclined her head towards him and told him softly, "You and the Miss Bennets will always be welcome guests in my home sir."
At this final slight Mrs. Bennet cried out and clasping her hands to her chest was half dragged from sight by her husband. The Bennet sisters blushingly curtsied to the assembled guests and left hurriedly after their parents.
The atmosphere was understandably subdued after these antics and although the guests willingly partook of the refreshments offered the party did not last above two hours.
Lady Lucas had gone to bed earlier with a migraine, so the rest of the family enjoyed a lively supper with Charles and Maria acting out what they believed would have happened between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet when they arrived home. This included Mrs. Bennet being dismissed from the house to work in the fields, being sent to a silent order nunnery and finally being walled up in the attic with only Lydia for company, which all of the assembled family agreed would be too cruel a punishment even for the detestable Mrs. Bennet.
It had been an exhausting day and eventually the children were sent yawning off to bed. Charlotte sat contentedly on the sofa in front of the fire with Mr. Collins beside her chatting to her father about what lay in her immediate future, that is until the mantle clock struck ten and her father stood from his chair and bade them both a goodnight. Charlotte had not thought previously about this being her wedding night and what that would entail. She was alternatively anxious and excited about the prospect but as usual her expectations were for naught.
Mr. and Mrs. Collins were leaving for Hunsford early the next morning in Sir William's coach and for the sake of propriety Mr. Collins had decided that they would keep to separate rooms whilst under her father's roof. With some great relief that their joining would be delayed by another 24 hours Charlotte agreed to his reasoning and they walked hand in hand up the stairs and parted on the landing with a chaste kiss.