A/N – Chapter title is from Proverbs 15:1
Disclaimer – All original P&P characters belong to Jane Austen - I've also paraphrased some original dialogue in this chapter
Chapter 10 – A Soft Answer Turneth Away Wrath: But Grievous Words Stir Up Anger
The next few days were wonderful. Charlotte and Elizabeth kept to their word and not a mention was made of any contentious topic.
The group had several outings for picnics at the pond close by the parsonage. This setting was chosen as William had an abiding fear of deep water and as was unable to swim he selected the shallow pond over the larger and better stocked lake where a boat would have been necessary for their pleasure. Despite the scarcity of game Sir William and Mr. Collins spend a happy, but unproductive, hour or two fishing whilst the ladies sat on copious amounts of rugs and cushions where they read, sketched, chatted quietly or dozed off in the soporific early Spring sunshine.
The ladies took long walks in the woods and tree lined avenues of Rosings Park, happily talking of any manner of inconsequential things.
Charlotte was particularly interested to hear from Elizabeth of the changes made within the Bennet household. After Mrs. Bennet's distasteful outburst on her wedding day at Lucas Lodge, Mr. Bennet had instituted a rather different regime in his home.
He had first employed an experienced governess who was more than capable of keeping up with the antics of the three youngest Bennet sisters. Mrs. Knightly ruled over the girls with such an iron grip that there had already been a remarked difference in their wild ways.
They were required to learn both a language of their choosing and mathematics. They were given instruction in music and art and were required to read natural history, prose, biography and poetry from a selection made by Mr. Bennet and their comprehension of these works was tested each evening after dinner.
If they stepped foot out of the house they had to be accompanied by Mrs. Knightly whose chaperoning put a swift halt to any untoward behaviour in public.
Mary, who had always shown a fondness for the church was allowed to take further religious instruction from the Meryton curate. Although this gentleman was of middle years, he was as yet unmarried and it seemed as though there may be a blossoming tendresse between them of which Mr. Bennet appeared to approve.
As for Mrs. Bennet, it appeared that Mr. Bennet had at last managed to curb her tongue though this had not been easily accomplished.
Mr. Bennet had immediately taken away his wife's allowance and when this was not the deterrent he thought it may be, she was sequestered in her room with no form of entertainment except edifying religious tracts. She was allowed no company except for the usual assistance of her maid who helped her to dress and carried meals to her from the kitchen.
Each evening Mr. Bennet visited her in her room to ascertain whether or not she had learnt her lesson. When after three weeks she still refused to admit that her sharp tongue and general lack of good manners was blackening the family's reputation, Mr. Bennet confided in Elizabeth that if there was no improvement shown he was thinking of sending her away somewhere remote, probably to his Great Aunt in Carlisle, where she could do no further harm.
Elizabeth took advantage of her mother's bedroom door being left ajar the next morning and repeated this possible punishment out loud to Mary. Elizabeth was aware that her Mother had overheard this conversation as seconds later she was crying out for her smelling salts.
Miraculously, her mother decried her previous behaviour that very night and gradually Mr. Bennet allowed her a few freedoms, all with the understanding that any reversion to her old ways may well result in her rustication.
Mr. Bennet curtailed all of his wife's evening entertainment unless he saw fit to accompany her; although this was probably more of a punishment to him than her. If she misbehaved they left the party immediately and she was once again confined to her room.
Gatherings at Mrs. Phillips' home were banned absolutely for he soon discovered that this lady encouraged his wife's unseemly behaviour for her own sport. As Mr. Phillips' legal practice relied heavily on his brother-in-law's business, he too took his wife to task. Now that the local militia were no longer desirable visitors Mr. Phillips' home was his own again and his pocketbook expanded nicely.
Mrs. Bennet soon found that she was unable to influence her daughters to return to their flighty ways as the sensible Mrs. Knightly had shown by example how the daughter of a gentleman acted in public.
One happy outcome of these improvements was that the Bennet family were now in receipt of more invitations to dinners and dances then they could readily accept. Mr. Bennet was desolate in bringing this to pass!
Charlotte was pleased that Mr. Bennet appeared to have reined in his family and that more opportunities to socialise with a greater amount of society had put the Bennet sisters in the path of future husbands.
A week after their arrival in Hunsford, William arrived home with a dinner invitation from Lady Catherine for the next day. Charlotte thought it abominably rude to have been given such short notice, but said nothing as she knew that her husband had been anxious to show his relatives the wealth and power of his patroness.
Sir. William and Maria seemed agog at the thought of meeting the great lady herself, but Elizabeth was unperturbed at the prospect and only enquired as to which of her dresses Charlotte thought would be most suitable for this occasion.
As usual they passed a very enjoyable evening at home. Indeed William was delighted to have found willing chess partners in Maria and Elizabeth as Charlotte found the game a fag and refused to play more than once a week.
Other than the occupants of Rosings Park, the Collins' has very few close neighbours of their own social standing with whom they could associate, so all of their entertaining so far had been as a family party.
William had followed Charlotte's suggestion and curtailed his usual nervous obsequiousness and now, except for a few pointed or sly jibes from Elizabeth, all members of Charlotte's family appeared to get along famously, but spending so much time together was beginning to become tedious. An evening away from the parsonage, even in Lady Catherine's company, would be a welcome diversion.
Lady Catherine sent a carriage to convey her guests to Rosings Park. Once they were seated Charlotte laid a firm hand on Maria's knee which was bouncing up and down wildly.
"Maria, stop fidgeting." Charlotte chastised.
"I'm sorry sister, but I don't believe that I have ever felt so nervous before."
"There is no need to be nervous. Politely answer any questions Lady Catherine or Miss Anne may direct to you, otherwise be still and quiet."
"Yes, Charlotte."
The carriage rattled down the long driveway and under the thick canopy of oaks until at long last they came in sight of Rosings Park itself. Their visitors looked eagerly out of the windows for their first close view of Rosings Park and Charlotte smiled fondly at William who looked extraordinarily pleased at their enthusiasm for the great house.
They were received by the butler Evans and were shown into the drawing room.
Introduction were made and once all of her guests were seated Lady Catherine began to avidly question her guests.
Sir. William stammered and stuttered through any questions aimed at him, Maria was completely silent until Lady Catherine asked Charlotte if her sister was mute and she then managed to whisper responses to her hostess.
Lady Catherine became quite irate that she couldn't seem to cow Elizabeth as she had the others and her questions became more personal as they went through to dinner.
"So Miss Elizabeth do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"Yes ma'am, I have four sisters still at home."
"And are any of them out?"
"Yes Lady Catherine, all of them."
"All of them," she cried, "the younger sisters are out before the older girls are married?"
"Well it wouldn't be fair to the younger girls to deprive them of company just because there are few eligible local men."
"And your parents allow this?"
"Yes ma'am."
"And how old are your sisters?"
"The eldest is twenty two years and the youngest is not yet sixteen."
"And what is your age Miss Elizabeth?"
"I am twenty ma'am."
Lady Catherine tutted, "Not yet twenty one and no prospect of marriage, your father's house is entailed away to Mr. Collins – which I am glad about for for his sake – and all of your sister's are out. I must say that your parents seemed to have shown little sense in this matter."
"I am sure that my father does the best for us that he can Lady Catherine. And you can hardly blame him for the entailment madam. I am quite sure that he would rather the estate stay within the immediate family."
Charlotte clenched her lips together as the topic of the entailment was discussed. She knew that William had begun to make legal steps to ensure that Mrs. Bennet and any of her unmarried daughters would be taken care of on Mr. Bennet's demise, but Elizabeth was not, and her heated glares at William was making Charlotte's blood boil.
"You have quite decided views Miss Bennet." Lady Catherine stated. "I am not sure that it is seemly for one so young."
"My father has ensured that I am well educated in the ways of the world madam and he has told me that I should have the sense to always trust my own judgement in matters."
"Has he indeed." Lady Catherine said with a small snort. "Well who am I to tell a country farmer's daughter what is proper."
Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond to this retort but Charlotte interjected. "Miss Elizabeth was just recently acquainted with your nephew Mr. Darcy whilst he was staying in Hertfordshire Lady Catherine."
As her nephew was one of her favourite subjects of conversation Lady Catherine was happy to carry on with this opening.
"Ah yes, I believe that he was staying with a friend, Mr. Bingley," she queried looking towards Elizabeth.
"Yes Lady Catherine, at Netherfield which is but two miles from my father's estate."
"And what did you make of my nephew Miss Bennet?"
Charlotte caught her eye and silently gave her a warning to be careful in giving her true opinion. "I thought he was a ...fine and proud sort of gentleman."
"My nephew has much to be proud of. He took over the running of his father's estate at a young age and has made so many improvements that the estate living has almost doubled. He is a handsome and educated fellow and has many friends within the finest families in the country, so why he adopts lame ducks like that Bingley boy I have no idea, but he has always had a kind heart and no doubt he just wants to bring him on in society. He is to arrive here tomorrow as he cannot bear to be away from his family at Easter-time.
"That will be very pleasant for you I am sure." William told his patroness. "A young single gentleman does well to keep his family close until such time he marries and has a family of his own."
I am sure that he will make a good match in the fullness of time." Lady Catherine murmured.
As she said this she looked over at her daughter who was idly poking at the food on her plate. Charlotte couldn't remember a morsel passing over Miss de Bourgh's lips whilst she had been sat to dinner. No wonder the girl was as thin as a reed.
"I believe that he is also the guardian of a younger sister is he not?" Sir. William queried.
"Yes indeed, and a splendid job he is making of it too." She gave a sharp look at Elizabeth. "At fifteen she is, of course, much too young to come out, but once she is of age he will ensure that she makes a match with a gentleman from one of the leading families."
"And your other nephew is co-guardian to Miss Darcy?" Charlotte went on to ask.
"That ne'er do well," she scoffed. "What my poor brother-in-law was thinking when he made that stipulation in his will I cannot comprehend. He is always gallivanting off somewhere around the globe. Richard had nothing but war on his mind when he was a child and now he is a grown man he is no better."
"Lady Catherine, you have told me yourself that Colonel Fitzwilliam had recently been been promoted in rank and was working directly with Lord Wellington at Torres Vedras when he was injured. Surely he must have proven himself worthy of such distinction?" Charlotte asked.
Hoisted by her own prideful petard, Lady Catherine had to acknowledge that this was the case with a grudging nod of her head, but went on. "Arthur Wellesley is nothing but a failed politician who has had some luck in leading his rabble against that Frenchman. I knew their family a little from court you know. They're Irish you understand." She said this with such an air of disdain and finality that no one dare continue with any related subject.
"Mrs. Collins has told me that you made another friend in Hertfordshire that I am acquainted with Miss Elizabeth. Mr. George Wickham?" Lady Catherine asked slyly.
"Yes Lady Catherine, he had recently joined the local militia who were billeting nearby for the winter. They are leaving shortly for the camps in Brighton I believe."
"You know that he is the son of my late brother-in-law's steward?"
Elizabeth's eyes flashed in annoyance. "He informed me of all of his dealings with the Darcy family Lady Catherine."
"I hope that your village was forewarned against him Miss Bennet. I understand that he ran up large debts whilst at Cambridge which Darcy felt obligated to settle due to his connection to his family and I have no doubt that he is still as dissolute as he ever was."
Elizabeth looked puzzled at this comment. "Mr. Wickham was at Cambridge?"
"Yes. When he decided not to take up the promised living at the Pemberley parsonage, Darcy gave him a very generous settlement running into the thousands which allowed him to take up law. Unfortunately his wild ways caught up with him before he had completed even his first year of study and he was sent down." Lady Catherine appeared pleased that Elizabeth was unaware of his conduct. "It seems you didn't know your friend as well as you thought Miss Elizabeth."
"No ma'am." Elizabeth looked to Charlotte who merely raised an eyebrow at her suddenly silent friend.
"He has applied to Darcy several times to get him out of scrapes. The last time was a little over ten months ago whilst he was living in Ramsgate where he was unsuccessful in wooing yet another silly, rich heiress. Darcy finally came to his senses and realised that if he carried on giving him funds he would never be free of the scoundrel and he washed his hands of him there and then."
Elizabeth pushed her chair back suddenly. "I'm sorry Lady Catherine but I suddenly feel unwell, I wonder if you would excuse me...?" With this, she took to her feet and then fainted heavily in a heap on the floor closely avoiding colliding with the heavy table edge.
Sir William and Mr. Collins rushed to her aid and with the help of a footman carried her over to a chaise where she was brought round with the aid of Lady Catherine's sal volatile.
The party broke up shortly after and once the carriage had been brought around they took their leave from the hostess.
Lady Catherine thought to herself that the evening had ended quite well from her perspective. She had definitely brought that chit to her knees!