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Chapter 31
While all the commotion unfolded between Netherfield and Longbourn, Charlotte Lucas was busy finalizing the details for her upcoming wedding to Mr Livesay and packing her belongings for her journey to distant Lancashire. Mr Livesay conscientiously kept Charlotte informed of the developments concerning the Bennet family and matters at Netherfield, and she, in turn, discreetly shared the necessary information with her parents. They were cautious not to engage in gossip about the family, although some speculation was unavoidable. Nevertheless, most of Meryton's residents were relieved to hear that Mr Bennet was taking his wife and eldest daughter away "for their health," leaving the care of the three youngest to others.
The tenants at Longbourn, in particular, welcomed this news with enthusiasm. It was common knowledge that Mary had followed, at least to some extent, in the footsteps of Elizabeth, but with neither girl at home, the tenants at Longbourn had wondered about their future. The announcement that Mr Collins would assume responsibility for the estate and that Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy had confidence in his character greatly relieved many. The fact that their beloved "Miss Lizzy" would offer guidance to the new master pleased them even more, and they hoped that Mr Collins would soon find an equally kind young lady to marry and make the mistress of the estate.
For the time being, however, the town of Meryton was abuzz with excitement over Charlotte Lucas's impending wedding. Mr Livesay had already been well-liked during his previous visits, and his performance at the assembly had only reinforced that view.
"Welcome, welcome," Sir William loudly proclaimed the morning before the wedding when Mr Livesay arrived to visit his bride-to-be.
"Good morning, sir," Livesay responded to the genial man. "How is your family this morning?"
They exchanged pleasantries for several minutes before Sir William shuffled him into the small family sitting room where the family worked on wedding preparations. Charlotte stood, rushed to greet her intended, and gratefully accepted his request to accompany him on a walk.
When they were outside, they began to speak of what had transpired. "Well, my dear," Livesay began, "Mr Collins arrives today, and Darcy and his wife will take him to view Longbourn. The Bennets are all prepared to depart, and immediately after our wedding breakfast, the major will escort them to London to board the ship to Scotland. Mr Bennet and Miss Bennet seem resigned to this; however, Mrs Bennet has not ceased her complaints. She alternatively blames her husband, the Darcys, particularly Mrs Darcy, and occasionally blames Mr Wickham. I fear that her meeting with Mr Collins will not be pleasant, although Mr Bennet intends to confine her to her room for his visit this afternoon. We will see if he remains strong enough to do so."
Charlotte could not help but laugh at the thought. "I cannot fathom Mr Bennet ever compelling his wife to do something against her will, and I can well imagine her subjecting Mr Collins to quite the tongue lashing for having the audacity to be born the heir. She is precisely the sort of woman who would assign blame to anyone for anything she does not care for." She sighed. "How are the younger girls adjusting?"
It was Livesay's turn to chuckle. "Miss Fairchild has her work cut out for her with Miss Lydia. She has been quite the challenge, but Lady Anne has taken her in hand. The girl has never been disciplined before, and Lady Anne is taking advantage of her love for ribbons and other 'pretties' to keep her under control," he replied. "She is convinced that within a week or two of arriving at Pemberley, she will have Miss Lydia fully under control."
"I think Lydia has always desired attention and praise. She had it from her mother, though it was for all the wrong reasons; she will seek that same praise and learn to act appropriately to gain it," Charlotte said.
"Miss Darcy and Miss Kitty have become friends rather quickly, and Miss Lydia's behaviour leaves her on the outside," Livesay told her. "Miss Lydia does not like it, which also forces her to change her behaviour to fit in with them."
"Well, that is good," Charlotte commented. "It is unfortunate they will not remain in the area; they would be good for Maria. She will need a friend with me and all the Bennet girls gone away."
The conversation drifted to the wedding and the wedding trip that would follow. Both Charlotte and Mr Livesay were looking forward to leaving Hertfordshire, especially with all the drama that ensued over the last few days. They were looking forward to leaving all of this behind for the peace of Blackburn.
Mr Collins arrived at Netherfield Park shortly after noon. He was of average height, neither tall nor short, and his appearance was similarly middling, not particularly striking but not unattractive either. He was—in a word—average. Nevertheless, after a brief conversation, Elizabeth swiftly understood why her husband held a favourable opinion of the gentleman.
"Mr Collins, although it is not our estate, we are pleased to welcome you to Netherfield. My parents will depart from Longbourn tomorrow, so we invite you to stay here tonight," Elizabeth welcomed the gentleman after her husband had greeted him and performed the introductions.
"Thank you, Mrs Darcy, and I am genuinely delighted to make your acquaintance. I happened to cross paths with your husband several times after he first met you, and I was regaled with tales of 'Miss Elizabeth' on each of those occasions," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eye and a wink directed at her husband. Fitzwilliam's face turned a vivid shade of crimson at his words, and he shot an indignant glare at Mr. Collins.
"To think I recommended you to take over Longbourn before you were entitled to do so," Fitzwilliam retorted. "Mr Bennet is not gone, and I could encourage my father-in-law to remain. I doubt he would mind."
Elizabeth shot a look at her husband. "It is best for all concerned that Mr Collins begin now, Fitzwilliam, regardless of him teasing you." She turned toward Mr Collins and said lightly, "Although, I would very much like to discuss with you later what all you heard about me before we wed. I know not much time passed between our meeting and our marriage, but I would like to know what my dear Fitzwilliam was thinking during that time."
Mr Collins laughed. "He was besotted," he replied. "And very distracted. I had never before seen Darcy so anxious to complete his tasks so quickly and depart."
Fitzwilliam shot a stern look at the laughing pair. "Could we please return to the matter we are here to discuss?" he inquired, his tone tinged with impatience.
"I apologize for teasing you, darling," she said, leaning over to lightly kiss his cheek, causing them both to blush slightly at their forwardness. They clasped hands and did not hide their affectionate gesture from their company.
Mr. Collins felt a mixture of embarrassment and contentment at the evident affection between the couple. It gave him hope that he, too, might one day experience such warmth with his future wife. After a brief pause, he discreetly cleared his throat to regain their focus on him.
"Tell me about Longbourn," he requested, prompting an hour-long discussion between the three regarding the estate and their shared concerns. Shortly after, they climbed into a carriage to transport them to Longbourn.
As Elizabeth neared Longbourn, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The last time she had been there, she had primarily remained silent but had keenly sensed the burden of her parents' shortcomings. She was worried about what her mother might do and say, as, by all accounts, she remained bitter about her banishment. While there was no reason for her to encounter either Mrs Bennet or Jane on this visit, she could not help but worry about it.
It turned out she should not have worried. Mr Bennet had done as he promised and kept not only Mrs Bennet but also Miss Bennet in their rooms. Mr Collins was shown the estate books and had given Mr Bennet approval to take what books he liked, so long as he left all the books about running an estate there. He was an educated man but not one to read for pleasure. He preferred to read books that would help him learn to manage the estate better. Mr Bennet was pleased by this, which prompted a reminder of what he was allowed to pack. He scowled at the reminder, but then he also encouraged Elizabeth to choose a few books she might like as reminders of Longbourn. She spent a few minutes looking around the room and chose several, and then Fitzwilliam prompted her to take a few others as well. The couple grinned at each other as it reminded them of a conversation in their library at Oakridge.
Several hours passed as they delved into discussions about the estate, with the steward summoned to join them after approximately an hour. While Elizabeth was able to address numerous inquiries, there were some for which she lacked answers, and that's where the steward's expertise came into play. On the other hand, Fitzwilliam could engage in intelligent discourse regarding estate matters in a broader sense but found himself less involved in the specific discussions about Longbourn. Instead, he leaned back, admiring his wife's intellect and once again appreciating how well they would collaborate as they embarked on the journey of managing their estate together.
He could not help feeling profoundly fortunate to have found her, and he recognized his grandfather's wisdom in leaving an estate for a second son of one of his children. He had been blessed with his choice of wife, and now they would be parents sometime in the new year. He had never felt so content.
Charlotte's wedding day dawned bright and clear. Elizabeth left Netherfield early to make her way to Lucas Lodge, where she would assist her friend in the preparations. The evening prior, during a dinner party hosted by Lady Anne to celebrate the impending wedding, Charlotte made a special request. She asked Elizabeth to be with her as she got ready, given that tradition dictated the bride's attendant must be unmarried, and that role was to be fulfilled by Maria, who was quite young for the task. Consequently, Elizabeth dedicated herself to assisting Charlotte as much as possible before the wedding festivities commenced.
Before long, it was time for the family to make their way to the church. Elizabeth shared the carriage with Charlotte, Maria, and Sir William, while Lady Lucas and the rest of the Lucas family had already travelled to the church in a hired carriage. Fitzwilliam waited at the church to meet the carriage containing Elizabeth and gallantly assisted her as she disembarked, taking her arm to escort her into the church. They found their seats in the pew just behind the bride's family. Lady Anne and George Darcy had chosen to sit on the groom's side, as they had developed a close friendship with Mr Livesay, and only a few of his own family had been able to journey to Hertfordshire for the wedding. While some other friends also attended the ceremony, the bride's side of the church clearly outnumbered the groom's.
Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth clasped hands while they listened to their friends exchange their vows, evoking memories of their wedding day. It had been a little over four months since they had become husband and wife, and in that short span, they had already shared numerous significant experiences. Attending the wedding of another heightened their desire to go home and to finally have the chance to make this new estate theirs.
AN: Charlotte has her happy-ever-after, Collins has arrived in Meryton, and the Darcys are ready to depart for home. The next chapter will go back to the Bennets and their journey to Scotland and what happens there. Then we'll go back to the Darcys and settle in at Oakridge Manor. George Darcy will still need his ending - I have thoughts about what I want to do with him, but feel free to make some suggestions.
As far as Collins, I had thought about Mary for him, but she's still fairly young to even consider marriage. It would be a few years before she would even consider marriage, so perhaps he'll find a woman there in Meryton. What do you think?