Jest Chapter 10, a pride and prejudice fanfic

Sorry, I'm a bit slow with this story, but I am posting as fast as I write it.

Love your comments, thanks.

~~J~~

Sanctuary

The party returned to the parsonage in a leisurely fashion, where they were greeted by Mrs Collins.

'Miss de Bourgh, your mother has been worried about you. A footman came by earlier and enquired about your whereabouts.'

'Did you tell him where I had gone?' asked Anne. She would have expected someone to have intercepted them if Lady Catherine knew the direction in which they had headed.

'No I did not, since I was unavailable at the time, my husband spoke to the man, and Mr Collins was unaware of your outing.'

'Where is Mr Collins now?' Darcy wanted to know.

'He has gone to comfort Lady Catherine.'

'In that case, may we claim sanctuary?' Richard asked with a grin.

'Sanctuary?'

'We are playing hide and go seek with Lady Catherine, until my father arrives.'

Charlotte gave the Colonel a dubious look, but on seeing Elizabeth nod in agreement, suggested, 'if you move the phaeton and your horses behind the house, you should be safe from discovery.'

~~J~~

Once the horses and ponies were taken care of, the party assembled in Charlotte's small parlour, where she and Maria Lucas provided them with tea.

'Since I am providing sanctuary, I would appreciate it an explanation why it is necessary for me to do so.,' she enquired with some acerbity.

Everyone started speaking at once. After a moment they stilled, and Darcy suggested, 'much of this is your story, Anne. Perhaps you should relate it.

'I found out yesterday that Lady Catherine may have withheld information pertaining to the ownership of Rosings from me. My cousins have sent for the family solicitor and the Earl of Matlock to clear up the situation. Both should arrive this afternoon.'

'But why is it necessary for you to wait here, rather than at Rosings?' Maria asked innocently, baffled by the mention of sanctuary.

Elizabeth answered. 'Until we know exactly what the situation is, any information disclosed here must not go any further.'

'You may be assured of our discretion,' Charlotte replied, giving her sister a stern look, upon which Maria nodded.

Once she had received that assurance, Anne de Bourgh related the events leading up to their arrival at the parsonage.

Maria was horrified at the implications. 'Lady Catherine is a great lady. Surely she would not stoop to harming her own daughter.'

'Miss Lucas, at present we are not certain of anything Having spent time amongst the ton, has made us more suspicious of the length some people will go to, to retain their position. Our being here is merely a precaution, until we can be certain of the situation,' Darcy replied, trying to reassure the young girl.

Charlotte understood better than her sister. 'Maria, that is why we must not speak of anything that was said, as at the moment much of it is supposition. It would not do to besmirch the name of my husband's patroness.'

Maria Lucas subsided, and quietly listened to the subsequent conversation.

Anne, appreciative of Charlotte's support told her. 'Mrs Collins, you may not be aware that my reaching my majority preceded your husband's appointment to the living at Hunsford.' When Charlotte paled at the realisation that she could lose her home, so soon after having gained her independence from her family, Anne immediately reassured her. 'If my cousins are correct about my father's wishes, I see no reason to make any major changes, as long as Mr Collins is agreeable to ministering to his parishioners.'

~~J~~

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival, not of their eagerly awaited visitors, but of Mr Collins.

He bustled into the room, intent on relaying Lady Catherine's distress at the disappearance of her daughter. On seeing Anne, he exclaimed, 'Miss de Bourgh, thank heavens you are safe. I am just come from your mother, who is distracted with apprehension for your welfare. She discreetly informed me that due to your health, she was disquieted for your state of mind, you never having been absent for such a length of time. My gracious patroness is most disturbed that some accident might have befallen you. I hope that you are as well as can be, considering your delicate health. Although I know that my dear wife would have looked after you with every courtesy and kindness, since she is the most considerate lady, and always ready to minister to anyone needing her gentle assistance.'

As Mr Collins drew breath to continue his soliloquy, Anne managed to interject. 'As you can see, Mr Collins, I am perfectly well. I and my cousins were just having tea with your excellent wife.'

'That is excellent. I am most relieved to hear this. But I must return to Rosings this instance, to inform Lady Catherine, as she has charged me to report to her any news of your whereabouts, the moment I should be so fortunate as to be made aware of it.'

As Collins turned to rush out the door again, he found his exit blocked by Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'I am sorry, Mr Collins, but you will need to remain here.'

'But, Colonel, I must inform your revered aunt that Miss de Bourgh is safe and well, to relieve her excessive anxiety. After all, I am much beholden to my illustrious patroness.'

'There is some doubt about who your patroness is,' interjected Darcy, before Collins could wax lyrical about Lady Catherine. 'Until we are certain that it is indeed Lady Catherine and not Miss de Bourgh, which was what we have been told by the Earl of Matlock, you will have to remain here.'

Collins was perturbed and confused as he objected, 'I would be derelict in my duties, not to inform Lady Catherine.'

Charlotte, who had had months of learning how to manager her husband, intervened. 'Mr Collins, if Mr Darcy is correct, it was not in Lady Catherine's purview to award you the living. Do you truly wish to endanger the opinion of the new Mistress of Rosings, and risk her withdrawing her favour?'

'But…'

'Please consider, if you go to Lady Catherine to inform her of Miss de Bourgh's whereabouts, do you think that Miss de Bourgh will confirm the living?'

'But we only have Mr Darcy's word…'

'If we but wait a few hours, the solicitor will arrive and prove either Miss de Bourgh or Lady Catherine as the Mistress of Rosings. I am certain that if the solicitor finds for Lady Catherine, Miss de Bourgh will not give you away.' Charlotte smiled encouragingly. 'Why do you not have a seat and join us for tea.'

Collins looked at the occupants of the room, in particular Colonel Fitzwilliam, who still stood in front of the door, with his arms crossed, and decided that a cup of tea would be just the thing to help him settle his own agitation.

~~J~~

With the presence of Mr Collins looming over them, the conversation became stilted, despite the efforts of Colonel Fitzwilliam, Mrs Collins and Elizabeth.

Even Richard, with a great facility to spin a yarn, failed to lighten the atmosphere. Therefore, it was a considerable relief when the maid announced visitors.

The small parlour became very crowded with the entrance of the Earl of Matlock, Mr Thompson and Doctor Humphries.

Once the introductions had been completed, and the maid brought a new pot of tea, the Earl explained. 'Since I was coming here, I thought that I could give Mr Thompson a lift.' He turned to Anne. 'Since your health has always been delicate, I thought that I should bring Doctor Humphries, who has had some remarkable success with chronic illnesses. After all, we need you fit and healthy to manage your estate.'

'Uncle, are you saying that my cousins were correct about my father's wishes?'

'Indeed, Miss de Bourgh. Sir Lewis' Will is quite clear. On your twenty-fifth birthday, Rosings Park becomes your property,' Mr Thompson said, to the relief of all present.

Richard smiled wolfishly. 'You might find this document rather interesting.' He handed the Will he had in his possession to his father, who examined it closely.

'Where did you get this?' the Earl asked.

'Aunt Cat tried to tell us that this was Uncle Lewis' Will.'

'Unless Mr Thompson's clerks developed a very elegant, feminine hand, this document is obviously a forgery.'

'May I see this?' the solicitor requested. When the Earl handed him the document, Mr Thompson extracted a similar document from his case, and compared them carefully.

'I quite agree, My Lord, this document which you just handed to me is definitely a forgery. It is very well done, since most of it is a direct copy of the Will which has been in my possession for the past twenty years. The only difference of the forgery is that it leaves Lady Catherine in sole charge of Rosings Park for her lifetime. Whereas the genuine Will dictates that Rosings Park is to be the property of Miss de Bourgh's either upon the occasion of her twenty-fifth birthday or her marriage.'

'There is no doubt in your mind that Miss de Bourgh is the owner of Rosings, since she passed her twenty-fifth birthday is nearly one year ago.'

'No doubt, whatsoever, Colonel.'

'What about your health, my dear?' the Earl of Matlock asked. 'Managing an estate can be exhausting work, particularly if your health is still not fully recovered.'

'There is nothing wrong with my health, which avoidance of the doctor, which Mother insists on foisting off on me, will change.'

Doctor Humphries, who had observed his potential patient carefully, asked, 'you seem a little pale, do you spend much of your time indoors?'

'I do indeed, Doctor. My mother insists that the outdoors is unsuitable to someone as delicate as myself. She claims to be concerned that I might catch a chill.' Anne explained sarcastically.

'This doctor you mentioned. Does he prescribe any medicines for you?'

'He does indeed insist that I should take a draft of his herbal tonic twice a day. Since I stopped taking it three years ago, I cannot avow its current efficacy, but my pot-plants keep dying.'

Doctor Humphries looked decidedly uncomfortable at Anne's implied accusation. 'Miss de Bourgh, perhaps you could let me have a sample of this excellent weedkiller, since in your apparently excellent health you have no need for it.' That dry comment raised a chuckle from the assembled company, and lightened the atmosphere.

'Certainly, Doctor. I have a great quantity of it at Rosings. You are welcome to all of it.'

Since no more needed to be said, the Earl suggested, 'well, niece, I have had my tea and my bones have stopped rattling. I suppose we had better relocate to Rosings, and beard the dragon in her den.'

~~J~~

Once the visitors had left, Mr Collins looked at his wife in a disconsolate fashion. He had listened carefully to the discussion between the Earl and his relatives, as well as the professional opinions of the other gentlemen.

'My dear wife, have I been completely taken in by Lady Catherine? She always seemed the model of gentility and condescension and propriety. But if I understood correctly, she has usurped Miss de Bourgh's inheritance.' Collins was distraught at the thought.

Elizabeth exchanged glances with her friend, and thought it best to keep her opinions to herself, and let Charlotte handle her husband.

'I believe that Lady Catherine has hoodwinked a great number of people, but she did you a great favour to appoint you to the living here in Hunsford.'

'I am exceedingly grateful that Miss de Bourgh is inclined to ratify the appointment. Do you think I should have gone with them to lend her my support?'

'No, Mr Collins. I believe that The Earl would prefer to speak to his sister without outside witnesses. He did us a great condescension to allow us to be privy to the family troubles. It would not do to impose on his good will further. After all, no one likes to air family troubles in public.'

'Of course, my dear. How clever of you to realise that. I will be the soul of discretion, and not a single word of what happened today shall ever pass my lips.'

'I am certain that Miss de Bourgh will be most appreciative of your sensitivity.'

Elizabeth marvelled at the ease with which Charlotte handled this exceedingly delicate matter, and how fond Mr Collins appeared to be of his wife.

~~J~~