Uncommonly Intelligent Chapter 25: The Cummings Cottage, a pride and prejudice fanfic

Author's Note: I won't bore you with excuses about my long hiatus; I'll just be honest and say that I was kidnapped by aliens and taken to their laboratory in the Andromeda galaxy for unspeakable experiments, and when they returned me to earth, although I had only experienced a day or two of subjective time, I found that several months had passed. So don't blame me, blame Einstein.

Actually, I was given an opportunity that I couldn't refuse that was very rewarding, but left me no time for writing. But I have some time now, and although I have a long chapter close to completion, I thought I'd try an experiment and instead of waiting till the whole thing is done, I'll post shorter fragments more often - hopefully four or five chapters in the next two weeks. Please let me know in a review whether you prefer shorter chapters more often, or longer chapters less often. My own preference when reading other authors is for longer chapters, but it's good to try new things. And I didn't want to wait any longer than necessary to show my lovely readers that I have not abandoned the story. In fact, I have all the future chapters plotted out in my head, though I needlessly warn you that I am still a very slow writer.

Special request to Brits: I'm not all that conversant with modern British English, let alone lower-class Regency-era English. I've read Dickens, of course, but he's a few decades later than our story. I've tried to have the Cummings family sound lower-class, but I fear that they may instead sound like an old American cowboy movie. Please feel free to set me straight via review or PM if my attempt is pathetic.

Chapter 25 - The Cummings Cottage

Cummings cottage, Netherfield Park, Hertfordshire, October 21, 1811

A boy who looked to be around 16 years of age lowered the axe he was using to split wood and called into the cottage, "Joe! Mum! Riders comin'!" as he observed three … no, four horsemen approaching, one well behind the rest. His mother stepped out of the house and peered at the riders with interest that tended toward concern, but not yet alarm. Though brigands were rare in these parts, the danger was not negligible, and it was unusual to see four horsemen here.

Jamie Cummings relaxed as the riders came nearer and he recognized one of them. "It's Miss Lizzy and three men!" he spoke loudly enough for his brother inside to hear.

His mother uttered a soft "Oh!" as she unconsciously patted her hair, frowned in thought for a second or two, then disappeared back inside.

Joseph Cummings, formerly Sergeant Cummings of His Majesty's regulars, laboriously clumped from inside the house and leaned on the railing in front of it with his good arm as he examined the riders with his good eye. "One of 'em is Major Fitz," he told his brother, whose eyes went wide. "An' I believe that's Freddie from Longbourn in the rear. Don't recognize t'other. Wonder why Miss Lizzy is here? H'aint been a fortnight since Miss Kitty brought a basket. And that Bingley bloke's sposed to be handlin' the tenant visits from now on."

As the three forward riders drew to a halt, Cummings said, "Welcome, Miss Lizzy, Colonel. Shall I ask me mum to make some tea?"

Darcy recalled that Elizabeth had described Sgt. Cummings as a strapping fellow, and he had to agree. He was a large man with a deep chest and a voice to match. He must have been quite formidable before he went to war, but now his left arm ended above the elbow, and his right leg ended in a peg rather than a boot. Darcy was also grateful that both Miss Elizabeth and Richard, separately, had found occasion to tell him about the man's ravaged face. He trusted that he would not have stared, but he appreciated their warnings.

"Perhaps later, after we talk some business with you," said Lizzy, which caused Cummings to look at her curiously. "And we brought a few things so we do not eat you out of house and home, for I am sure you were not expecting such a horde to descend upon you uninvited," she added, knowing that tea was a luxury in the Cummings household.

Cummings looked dubious. "No need for that, Miss Lizzy. Mr. Whitney* came round t'other day and said Mr. Bingley will be takin' over the tenant visits."

Lizzy smiled at him fondly. "I am very pleased that Mr. Bingley is taking his responsibilities seriously, but that will have no effect on our friendship."

Richard thought he saw that faraway look in Cummings' eye again, but the man quickly looked down and merely muttered in a husky voice, "No ma'am, I 'spect not."

For his part, Darcy was slightly heartened to see that the warm smiles he had seen Elizabeth direct at Richard did not necessarily indicate romantic interest. He had spent the last two days in turmoil, wondering whether he should offer for Elizabeth in spite of his earlier resolution to wait until Georgiana was married; wondering whether she would accept him if he did, for she seemed taken with Richard; wondering whether he could bear to be in their company if Elizabeth and Richard married; wondering whether it was true love or petty jealousy causing him to feel that way.

Freddie rode up and called, "Hello Joe, Jamie!"

The Cummings brothers nodded amiably at Freddie. Joe cleared his throat and said, "Hello Freddie, fancy a glass of water or summat?"

Freddie shook his head. "Thankee, no."

As the riders were tying their horses to the railing, Mrs. Cummings stepped out of the doorway, now wearing her Sunday dress. "Hello, Miss Lizzy!" she said cheerfully. "I see you have plenty of bodyguards today."

Lizzy laughed. "You have no idea, Mrs. Cummings. They mounted quite a ferocious defense of me not half an hour ago!"

Richard muttered, "How much would it cost me for you to never mention that again?"

Lizzy did not deign to answer, instead saying, "Mrs. Cummings, gentlemen, may I introduce my friends, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, who are currently Mr. Bingley's guests at Netherfield? Colonel, Mr. Darcy, this is Mrs. Henry Cummings, her elder son Joseph, whom the colonel knows well, and her younger son James."

"Colonel Fitzwilliam is Major Fitz, mum," said Joe.

Mrs. Cummings, in the midst of a curtsy, suddenly straightened, and she looked at Richard in shock. "Oh! Gracious! I've heard so much about you! Come in, come in, let me make some tea!"

Joe said, "Already asked, mum. They said not just now."

"Well, come and sit, anyway! Jamie, go fetch your da! He's probably still over to the Andersons." Turning back to Richard, she repeated, "Oh my, I've heard so much about you!"

Mrs. Cummings had endured much in her life and was not easily flustered, but meeting Joe's former commander was not something that happened every day. The son of an earl, in my cottage! Thank goodness I changed my dress!

At first, Richard thought it strange that Cummings had not told his family about meeting him in Meryton the previous week, but then realized that Cummings had not wanted to get his mother's hopes up, in case Richard had only been being polite when he said they would meet again.

Jamie looked disheartened at having to leave Major Fitz after just meeting him, but Lizzy said, "Mrs. Cummings, Freddie can find your husband much faster on horseback than Jamie can afoot. May I send him?"

"Oh! If you don't mind, Freddie?" said Mrs. Cummings.

"Not at all, ma'am," Freddie smiled.

Jamie's face went from dejected into a broad grin in the blink of an eye. "Thanks, Freddie, I won't forget this."

Elizabeth said, "You ride Loki, Freddie, and take Dancer for Mr. Cummings."

The groom switched horses and galloped off with Dancer in tow, and the visitors were escorted into the cottage. Darcy looked around as he entered, partly out of curiosity, but also to avoid appearing to watch Sgt. Cummings as he maneuvered himself across the room and into a chair. There was more furniture than usual in a house of this size and income, obviously homemade but looking very sturdy. He realized that the stout tables and chairs had been arranged at strategic locations so that Cummings could lean on them and not have to use a crutch to get around the house, and that the railing in front of the house, unusual for a tenant's cottage, served the same purpose.

"I don't know, Miss Lizzy," Sgt. Cummings said after hearing Elizabeth's idea. "I talked Jamie through making some of the furniture, but guns are a whole 'nother thing."

Lizzy asked, "But it is possible?"

He hesitated, then said, "Might be. Guess we could try."

"Wonderful! The colonel tells me that most of the tools are still there, and I can have my uncle send me whatever is missing within the week!"

Cummings shook his head. "I can't afford to be buyin' tools, Miss Lizzy."

Lizzy waved her hand dismissively - the same way, Darcy noted, as she had when discussing the costs of the plan at Longbourn two days earlier. "My father will stake you. You shall be partners. Here is the proposal: He will pay your rent and expenses for the first year. After that, he will get ten percent of your profits. How does that sound?"

Darcy and Richard exchanged glances. If Bennet paid for his tools, startup costs, and rent for a year, Cummings should consider himself fortunate to pay Bennet fifty percent of his gross after that. Ten percent of his profits was extremely generous. Darcy was fairly sure that Miss Elizabeth knew this, and that Sgt. Cummings did not. He was only slightly less sure that Mr. Bennet had little or nothing to do with this scheme.

"Sounds like we might be gettin' ahead of ourselves", said Cummings. "Let's try it here at home and see whether Jamie takes to it afore we talk about rentin' a shop."

Jamie somehow looked apprehensive and eager at the same time. He had never touched a firearm in his life, but he knew that if anyone could teach him how to repair guns, it was his big brother.

Lizzy was pleased that Cummings was willing to try at all. "Very well, Sgt. Cummings, I shall collect the tools from the shop and bring them here as soon as may be. You can look them over and tell me what else you need to get started. Oh! And I shall bring my father's pistol for your first commission, as it has not worked correctly for some time."

Cummings looked at her for a very long moment, long enough for Lizzy to realize that she was not fooling him after all, but he finally said, "Be sure and tell your da I thank him, Miss Lizzy."

*Since it has been a while, I'll remind you that Mr. Whitney is Netherfield's steward.

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