Master of Longbourn Chapter 10 - Curiosity and Curates, a pride and prejudice fanfic

~MoL~

Curiosity and Curates

Rosings Park 1805 – 1808

William Collins was ecstatic. He had finished his education at Oxford and returned to Hunsford where he was welcomed by Mr Parkhurst who was full of praise for his achievements.

William would have been even happier if Mrs Parkhurst had still been alive to see her ward achieve his dream, but much to everyone's sorrow, she had succumbed to a violent cold which had turned into pneumonia the previous winter. Still, William felt that she would have been proud of him. While he had not achieved top honours, he had finished creditably and was well on his way to be eligible for ordination when he reached his twenty-third birthday.

'What are your plans now?' Mr Parkhurst asked over dinner.

'If you will allow, I would like to remain here and assist you until I can gain my ordination as a deacon in a couple of years,' William suggested. He had always planned on this because he loved working with his guardian, caring for the parishioners. But seeing how frail the old man had become since the passing of his wife, gave him an additional incentive. He was rewarded with a relieved smile.

'I confess to feeling comforted as I am not as spry as I used to be, and it would ease my mind to have your assistance. Our parishioners know you and you can minister to the ones I cannot reach.'

~MoL~

Less than two years later, barely a week after his twenty-third birthday, William was ordained as a deacon and began his official term as curate of Hunsford.

A few days later, he was invited to tea with Lady Catherine.

'I am very pleased that my husband's faith in you was so very well justified. You are well on your way to becoming the man he hoped you would be,' the lady said graciously.

William coloured at the compliment. 'I am most grateful to have been provided with so many opportunities. How could I do anything but my best to repay your generosity.'

Lady Catherine remembered another boy who was given opportunities early in life, but she doubted that he would have repaid them with the same dedication. 'As I said, you have done us proud.' Lady Catherine took another sip of tea and changed the subject. 'Now, I have some information which may not be welcome. I was informed that your father has passed away recently.'

Collins was saddened to hear this news, and even more so because he could not feel any real sorrow for the man's passing. 'Do I need to arrange for the funeral?'

'That will not be necessary. He has already been buried. Sir Lewis had simply arranged for us to be notified, as his passing has a chance to affect your future. According to my information, you are now the heir presumptive of Longbourn, your cousin Bennet's estate in Hertfordshire.'

William gave the lady a startled look. 'I had almost forgotten about that. But surely after all this time, Mr Bennet has a son who will inherit the estate.'

'According to my sources, your cousin has five daughters, but no son.'

'Those poor girls. They must think it most unfair that they are not allowed to inherit, simply because of their sex.'

'Your attitude does you credit, but I suggest that whenever your duties permit, you spend some time with my steward to ensure you will be ready to take on your inheritance when the time comes.'

'I confess that I am reluctant to consider this. Especially as I will be well provided with the living which Sir Lewis so kindly recommended for me.'

'It is fortunate that you do not have high expectations for your inheritance. From what I have been told, Mr Bennet is not a good manager of his estate.'

William considered this information. 'Perhaps I should visit some time and introduce myself to the family. But it will have to wait a while. Mr Parkhurst cannot do without me as his health is deteriorating each month which passes.'

Lady Catherine agreed with the young man and did not voice her private opinion, that her parson was only holding on long enough for his protégé to become fully ordained, by sheer force of will.

She would be sorry to bid farewell to the gracious old man.

~MoL~

It was nearly summer when Fitzwilliam Darcy made his annual visit to Rosings.

William encountered his old acquaintance, he would not presume to call him friend, in the park at Rosings, the morning after Darcy's arrival.

After their greetings, Collins said, 'Please accept my most sincere condolences. I was greatly saddened to hear of your father's passing last year. He was an excellent man, and we are all poorer for his absence.'

Darcy managed a small smile. 'I thank you for your sentiments. I confess that even though he has been gone for nearly a year, I still miss him greatly. Even though I helped him with Pemberley over the years, I had not realised how much more there was to administering an estate. I never seem to have enough time for everything.'

'I have heard Lady Catherine say exactly the same thing. But she is fortunate that Miss de Bourgh has started to take on some of the mistress' duties.'

Darcy glanced over his shoulder towards the manor. 'How is Anne, these days. I did not wish to raise that subject with my aunt.'

Collins gave him a broad smile. 'She is quite well. She will never run any footraces but other than that, she has recovered quite well.'

'Drat,' muttered Darcy, but immediately looked abashed. 'Please do not misunderstand, I am very happy that Anne is well these days…' He trailed off as he wondered if he should continue. Seeing the amused smile of his companion, he said, 'I suppose you have heard the hints my aunt has been dropping about me marrying Anne?' At Collins' nod he explained, 'While Lady Catherine might like this idea, neither Anne nor I are inclined to cooperate.'

'I have heard Miss de Bourgh mention that she thinks of you most fondly… as a cousin.'

'I am glad that she has no interest in me.' Darcy grimaced as he said, 'I confess that I look upon this visit almost as a holiday. My Aunt Matlock wanted me to spend some of the season in town, so I attended two balls and was relieved when I made it out alive. I thought that those predatory females would be the death of me.'

Collins could not help but chuckle at the woebegone expression of Darcy. 'I suppose that is a situation where you have to take the good with the bad. Since you are a man who has everything... wealth, station, handsome looks, and, as far as they are concerned, no inconvenient in-laws... you also get the predatory females.'

'I just wish I knew what to say to them. I am hopeless at social chitchat… especially with ladies. I have no idea and even less interest about what society considers important.'

'Perhaps you should ask the ladies about their interests. You might get a pleasant surprise and find common interests.'

'I am afraid that if I were to do that, they might get the idea that I am truly interested in them.'

'In that case, I suggest that you start a discussion about subjects which interest you. Instead of scowling at the ladies, which Fitzwilliam claims you do at social functions, you could always wax lyrical about…' Collins dropped his voice and leaned closer as he said in a conspiratorial way, 'four course crop rotation or seed-drills.'

He was rewarded by a shocked look followed by a guffaw of laughter.

'I suppose that strategy would make me appear eccentric rather than unpleasant.'

'It has the added advantage that if a lady is familiar with those subjects, you might have an interesting conversation. And you never know where that might lead.'

Darcy was thoughtful for a minute as he considered the advice. Eventually he chuckled. 'Thank you, my friend. I believe you have come up with an excellent solution. One day I might even find a woman who has the kind of accomplishments I consider important in a wife.'

Collins was pleased to have been of help to Darcy and returned the grin.

~MoL~

As always, when they were both at Rosings, Collins enjoyed Darcy's company. He still remembered the day when they had first met, and Darcy had given him his coat without a quibble. In retrospect it still astounded him that the grandson of an Earl had not hesitated to allow a wet ragamuffin to wear his fine coat.

Since then, despite their very different backgrounds Darcy had always treated Collins with courtesy and as a friend. William was therefore astounded by a conversation about a week into Darcy's visit.

During another early morning encounter, Collins noticed that Darcy was preoccupied. 'Something is troubling you. Can I help?'

Darcy shook his head and answered in an irritated manner, 'It is my cousin Henry. That boy has the worst taste in friends.'

'Young men often have friends of whom their elders disapprove. What is so bad about the latest high-born lout? Is he a gambler, liar, cheat, or womaniser?'

'Worse… he is a tradesman. Or more specifically the son of a tradesman.'

Collins was shocked to hear Darcy spout such arrogant nonsense. His reply was not what Darcy expected. 'The son of a tradesman. Oh dear, how can the scion of a family who probably gained their land and wealth from the slaughter of ordinary people, deign to become friends with the son of a man who made his living from honest trade?'

This comment, dripping with sarcasm, shook Darcy out of his mood. 'How dare you speak of my family in such a way,' he snapped.

Collins gave Darcy a disbelieving look, before he tugged at his forelock theatrically as he bowed and said in a most servile manner, 'Pardon me, your lordship, I am but the son of a humble farm labourer. What would I know about the ways of the high and mighty.' When he finished speaking, Collins straightened and gave Darcy a challenging look.

The ridiculousness of that statement and the challenge stopped Darcy in his tracks, as he considered Collins' words. After a minute he sighed and said, 'I had forgotten your background. Are you saying that I should not judge this Bingley fellow on his background but his character?'

'It did seem rather curious that you have call me a friend, when my antecedents are even lower than Henry's new friend.'

'But I am not the son of an Earl and Bingley did not save the life of a family member.'

'Perhaps my profession influences my thinking, but I prefer to spend my time in the company of decent people without reference to their rank. As you know, at Oxford I have met too many young so-called noblemen who were anything but noble.'

Darcy grimaced and said, 'I wish you had not reminded me, but Cambridge was no better.' He also remembered the disdain with which some of those titled brats had treated him and reluctantly conceded Collins' point. 'Very well, Curate, I will suspend judgement until I meet Henry's friend.'

Collins was pleased to hear that Darcy was prepared to temper his prejudices, but he made a point of reinforcing the message for the rest of Darcy's visit.

~MoL~

The first duty of the newly ordained parson of Hunsford was the funeral service of Mr Parkhurst.

The old gentleman had achieved his dearest wish. He had lived long enough to see his ward installed at the parsonage where he had held the living for forty years.

The funeral was attended by virtually every man in the area as well as Lady Catherine. She and her new parson maintained a stoic demeanour until all the mourners had departed. Once in the privacy of the parsonage, both had given way to tears for the kindly old man.

When an embarrassed Collins tried to control his emotions, Lady Catherine chided him, 'There is no shame in mourning a good man and he was amongst the best I have known.'

'I just hope that I can do him proud,' Collins said some time later when the storm of grief eased somewhat.

'Never fear. He has trained you well and you have me to keep an eye on you,' the lady said in an attempt to lighten the mood and managed a small smile.

'I was afraid you would say that,' murmured Collins without clarifying his statement further.

~MoL~

The great drawing room at Rosings was delightfully cool on a sweltering day at the beginning of summer. 'I am thoroughly vexed with your cousin,' declared Lady Catherine when Collins arrived for tea.

The non-sequitur startled Collins as he was starting to enjoy the drop in temperature the thick stone walls provided. 'My cousin?' he asked with a frown and took the seat Lady Catherine indicated.

'Your cousin, Mr Thomas Bennet of Longbourn. That man must be the laziest estate owner under the sun.'

Anne de Bourgh, who was also present, smiled impishly and said, 'I am afraid that Lady Catherine is afflicted with enough curiosity which would kill a dozen cats.'

'It is not curiosity but concern for our good parson which prompted me to keep an eye on his family,' protested the lady. Turning back to Collins she said, 'I had considered that as a parson you should set a good example to your parishioners and consider marriage. Also, being concerned about your cousin's five daughters, I felt it would be suitable if you chose your wife from amongst them.'

Colins barely managed not to cry out to refute the suggestion. He did not feel ready to tie himself to any woman, especially as he had not met one with whom he felt he could stand spending the rest of his life.

Despite his silence, Lady Catherine had noted his reaction. 'Do not be concerned, it was only a passing thought. But I do think that you should visit the family, if only to see if your cousin has a reason for his lack of involvement with his estate, which is not public knowledge.'

'You think that illness might be keeping Mr Bennet from his duties?'

'It is the only legitimate reason of which I can think. Especially as his second oldest daughter appears to have taken up some of his duties.' Lady Catherine leaned forward in her chair to lend emphasis to her statement, 'I have no wish to lose you so soon after having taken on your new duties, but it may be that Longbourn needs you more.'

In light of this advice, Collins spent the next few weeks evaluating the curates in the area before arranging a visit to Longbourn.

Eventually he and Lady Catherine settled on Mr Hayes from Westerham to look after Hunsford while Collins was away.

~MoL~