Chapter Twenty-Two

Elizabeth found it difficult to sleep after her encounter with Mr. Darcy. It puzzled her that he had been so pleasant and she could only wonder whether he was sincere or trying in some way to upset her. She was relieved to find that she saw nothing of him the following day and on Thursday he decided to take Georgiana away for the day to visit an old retainer of theirs who had moved back after their retirement and was living about thirty miles away from Rosings. Georgiana had not appeared very happy about the plan. But Elizabeth was secretly delighted as it meant she was free to go and visit Charlotte.

The parsonage at Hunsford was only a twenty-minute walk from Rosings and it was another lovely day. Elizabeth enjoyed the walk, glad to be once more away from the depressing atmosphere of Lady Catherine's home.

"Oh Lizzy, it is good to see you," greeted Charlotte as she walked up the path to the Parsonage.

"And you, Charlotte," said Elizabeth.

"My dear cousin." Mr. Collins held open the front door. "You are most welcome to our humble home."

"It is kind of you to invite me." Elizabeth did not know what she had been expecting but the parsonage had a very pleasing aspect, was simply decorated, and was a lot more cheerful than Rosings.

"I must give you a tour," said Mr. Collins. "Lady Catherine has been most helpful in giving her opinion on how it should be decorated. It was so kind of her to give us so much of her time, wasn't it, Mrs. Collins?"

"It was indeed," agreed Charlotte. "She is a very attentive neighbour."

"You see the staircase, Miss Bennet, naturally it is nothing like the one at Rosings, or at least like any of the ones at Rosings, of which I believe there are at least seven. However, do you not think this one is suitable for a man in my position? When I walk down it, I think that I walk well and I…"

Elizabeth stopped listening. She had hoped that marriage might have improved Mr. Collins and in his own home he would behave differently from when he was at Rosings but it was not the case. He really was as silly as ever. Her visit was going to be spoilt if he was going to be so tiresome.

"You see up here, my dear cousin… we have six bedrooms," said Mr. Collins as he led them up the stairs. "I am so glad that is six, because as Lady Catherine informs me, three or five is an unlucky number. Of course Mrs. Collins and myself do not require all six, but as Lady Catherine has told us, in time the Lord might bless us with a child."

Elizabeth stared at Charlotte, who merely raised her eyebrows and gave every indication that she was listening carefully to her husband.

"My dear, I think we should talk about this another time. Have you seen the time? Are you not due at the vicarage?"

Mr. Collins' face was a study of horror. "My dear Mrs. Collins, why did you not speak before. Oh, I cannot offend Lady Catherine. I can only hope that she will forgive my tardiness. Cousin, I should be gone. My dear Charlotte I am sure will see to your every need. Mrs. Jennings, are you there?" Mr. Collins bounded back down the stairs. "Mrs. Jennings!"

"I am here, sir." The housekeeper was waiting in the hallway with Mr. Collins' coat, hat, stick and some papers.

There was a little fuss as he tried to get into his coat, barking out instructions.

"Charlotte, I will send your felicitations to Lady Catherine for her kindness in having us to dinner the other night."

"I sent my thanks already, my dear," said Charlotte patiently as if she was talking to a small child. "Now go, Mr. Collins. You would not want to keep her ladyship waiting."

"Indeed I must not," shouted Mr. Collins as he shot through the front door.

Mrs. Jennings shut the door behind him and then disappeared. Charlotte led Elizabeth into a back room which was very simply furnished and a little dark.

"Now we can talk, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth looked around her. "Charlotte, would you not want to have a room with more light?" she enquired, not wanting to offend her friend.

"I know what you are thinking, Elizabeth, but this room suits me well. It is at the back of the house whereas Mr. Collins' room is at the front. He likes to study there, because it allows him to keep sight of the road should Lady Catherine's coach stop outside. He also goes up to Lady Catherine's house at least once each day. He was bereft when he was recently ill and unable to call."

Elizabeth smiled. "I have no doubt she missed him. There are few people who could bear to sit and listen to that voice."

"Lizzy!" Charlotte took the sting out of her sharp reply by smiling.

"Oh, I know that is not polite, but I really do not know how you manage to spend so much time in her ladyship's company."

"Lady Catherine is used to getting her own way and she can be very demanding, but Lizzy, she has been very kind to Mr. Collins and myself and the furniture you see here is all down to her."

"Well, I am glad you have such a good neighbour," said Elizabeth.

"But Lizzy, enough about me. I was so concerned when I heard you had decided to become a companion. It was most unexpected."

"Perhaps you will no longer wish to be friends," teased Elizabeth.

"You know that would never happen. We will always be friends. I am sorry though we will find it even more difficult to see each other."

"We will be gone by the end of next week to return to Derbyshire, but it is only until the end of the summer. I will then be back at Longbourn and I shall come to stay with you again just as we planned. That is, of course, if you still want to see me."

"You will always be most welcome here, Elizabeth, you know that."

Elizabeth did. Nothing could come between her and Charlotte's friendship, not even Mr. Collins.

"I shall be glad to leave Rosings. It is not a very cheerful home, but nor am I looking forward to going into Derbyshire."

"Why not?" asked Charlotte curiously. "I hear Pemberley is a great estate."

"It is not the house… it is Mr. Darcy…"

"Agh…" Charlotte said no more, as Mrs. Jennings appeared with some tea for them both. Charlotte thanked her and poured them both a cup before resuming their conversation. "Mr. Darcy is rather forbidding just as he was in Hertfordshire, but I noticed he is much more gentle with Miss Darcy."

"Yes he is, but I felt his disapproving eyes on me. It made me feel most uncomfortable."

Charlotte smiled. "I am not sure that you are right in your assessment," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"I too noticed Mr. Darcy's eyes on you, but I think it is because he is interested in you."

Elizabeth was shocked. "Charlotte, that cannot be."

"Why not, Lizzy? Although you always insist you are not, you are very attractive. Your singing was exquisite. It was enough to make any man fall in love with you instantly."

Elizabeth's cheeks were bright red. "Charlotte, you are talking nonsense."

"No, I am not," said Charlotte firmly. "And I am never wrong in these things. Mr. Darcy I promise is fascinated by you, and yet he is fighting it."

Elizabeth fell silent. She was absolutely certain Charlotte was mistaken. Mr. Darcy had shown a more pleasant side to his character when he had been thanking her for looking after Georgiana, but it meant nothing more than that. How could it? She could not forget his cutting remarks from the Assembly Rooms in Meryton when he had said she was not pretty enough to tempt him. That could not have changed so quickly. It was far more likely he was staring because he was disappointed in her.

Elizabeth spent several pleasant hours with Charlotte, though she was concerned her friend looked so pale and wondered if she was going to come down with the chest infection Mr. Collins had so recently recovered from. Charlotte quickly reassured her that she was quite well, though finding it tiring visiting the poor in and around Hunsford.

Mr. Collins returned shortly before lunch and they had a pleasant meal in the dining room. Mr. Collins once again dominated the conversation as he regaled them with his morning with Lady Catherine. It seemed Lady Catherine had praised him for his choice of sermon the previous Sunday which was amusing when it had been her choice in the first place. "It is so good of her to take such an interest in my work."

Elizabeth merely nodded. Just as with Lady Catherine, she was not required to say anything much because Mr. Collins only liked the sound of his own voice. The last chance of any private talk with Charlotte was gone and she was rather relived when it was time to return to Rosings. Mr. Collins insisted on accompany her on the short walk.

"I can really go alone," insisted Lizzy as she put on her bonnet.

"I know that you have been used to a more relaxed regime at Longbourn but it is not something that Lady Catherine approves of," said Mr. Collins firmly.

Elizabeth could think of no suitable reply, so said goodbye to Charlotte, promising to see her before they left for Pemberley.

Elizabeth said little as they walked along the road back to Rosings. It was only as they were approaching that Mr. Collins suddenly stopped and turned to her. The round face was red and shining and not attractive in any way. Mr. Collins dabbed at his face with a handkerchief. "I hope that you can see how well Mrs. Collins and I are appointed," he said.

"Indeed sir."

"And perhaps you are now regretting that you did not want to make an alliance with me… "

Elizabeth gritted her teeth, but managed a weak smile.

"I thought we had agreed, sir, we would not talk about it."

"We did. But I was hoping now you have seen the Parsonage you will realise what you have missed due to your unfortunate affliction. I hope that you are well and it is not troubling you, Miss Bennet."

"I have had no reoccurrence of the confusion or loss of memory, if that's what you mean, Mr. Collins."

"It was, but I am glad to hear you are well. You can be assured that I have not relayed the facts to anyone, least of all Lady Catherine. I would not want her to be worried about her niece."

"And why would anyone be worried?" asked Elizabeth pointedly.

Mr. Collins wilted under her intense gaze. "It is just that her ladyship cares greatly for Miss Darcy and would not want her to be in danger at any point."

Elizabeth found it difficult not to lose her temper. "I assure you that I am more than capable of looking after Miss Darcy."

Mr. Collins started to walk again. "I am sure you are, cousin. I would not wish to offend. I just want to relay Lady Catherine's concern about Miss Darcy."

Elizabeth did not believe him. She was quite sure he did mean to offend. "If Mr. Darcy has any concerns, I am sure he will inform me."

"Of course. We will not speak of it any longer. I can only hope that being a companion will offer you as much pleasure as Mrs. Collins and I have found in our marriage."

"I will hope so too," said Elizabeth."