Courtships & Corruption

by Cinnamon Worth

  Mr. Darcy should have immediately understood what was being said. He had watched Mr. Collins at Bingley’s ball. In fact, the man had the audacity to come over and introduce himself. But that evening his thoughts had been entirely focused on Elizabeth Bennet who, ironically, was the very same cousin under discussion. “Dear God. That odious little man has a cousin. How very tragic. We will need to take extra care to avoid the Parsonage.”

  Fitzwilliam smiled. “You may avoid it if you like, but I for one am very curious to meet his houseguest. She is apparently very close to Mrs. Collins.”

  Just then, Bingley remembered who Mr. Collins was. He had been the awkward little man that had come to the ball. Why, he was Jane Bennet’s cousin! “Jane is visiting Mr. Collins?” he asked looking pale.

  The gears in Darcy’s head began to turn as he suddenly remembered why the man was at the ball. He remembered the man dancing repeatedly with Elizabeth. Could it be that Elizabeth was now Mrs. Collins? Was that why Bingley thought Miss Bennet would be going to Hunsford for a visit? “Richard, who is Mrs. Collins?”

  “I cannot say. I have yet to meet her. But I understand she is the daughter of a knight in Hertfordshire.”

  “Yes,” Bingley offered, “Caroline received word that Charlotte Lucas married the man shortly after we left Hertfordshire. She was a childhood friend of Miss Bennet, hence the visit.”

  “Oh yes, it is one of the Bennets that is visiting, but it is not Miss Bennet,” Fitzwilliam said with a knowing smirk.

  Darcy began to understand what his cousin had been hinting at. “Are you saying that Miss Elizabeth Bennet is at Hunsford Parsonage?”

  “Indeed, I am.”

  Darcy no longer cared to think about Bingley’s question regarding Netherfield. He needed to decide what this might mean. Had this been the sign he had been hoping for? Was the Almighty telling him to follow his heart?

  This news also distracted Bingley from the matter he had come to discuss. He too wondered if a divine power was giving him a sign to delay divesting himself of Netherfield. Imagine, just as he was able to voice thoughts of letting the property go, he heard word that his best friend would soon be in contact with Jane’s sister? That was simply too much of a coincidence.

  Richard took in the stunned silence of both men. He thought he understood Darcy’s reaction but Bingley’s baffled him. Still, the conversation seemed to be at a complete standstill. “Well, I suppose I will be off now. Clearly you too are engrossed in the most important of discussions,” the colonel said as he tipped his hat and made toward the exit.

  Bingley suddenly broke from his silence. Turning to Richard, he said, “No. Please stay. I was actually just about to go.” Then Bingley looked to Darcy and added, “I think I would like to put a little more thought into the matter we were discussing. Netherfield has very good game, and you know how I love hunting.” Darcy, still stunned by his cousin’s news, just nodded. Charles then leaned in toward Darcy and whispered so Richard could not hear, “Could you also be so kind as to ask about the well-being of Miss Bennet for me? She has not written Caroline, and I want to make sure she is still in good health and is…happy.” After a second nod, Charles said his goodbyes and left the room.

  “Well? Are you excited to become reacquainted with Miss Elizabeth?” Richard ventured.

  “I could not really care one way or the other,” Darcy lied. “She is interesting enough, but we have no special friendship.”

  “Why did your friend look so glum?” he asked. “He is normally so cheerful, but today he was nearly unrecognizable.”

  Although Darcy was vague in his answer, Richard would eventually learn the reason. On the ride to Rosings Park, Darcy mentioned that he had a friend who fancied himself in love. Believing the lady of his friend’s affection was a mercenary, he dissuaded the match. “I am very pleased with myself for rescuing him from such an uneven and loveless match. He will thank me someday, but for now he is sulking.”

  Richard nodded in understanding. He was fairly sure his cousin spoke of Bingley. He too knew a man whom he believed to be sulking over a lady. Only he had a very different solution in mind for helping his friend, and the journey they were on was the first step in his plan.

  Chapter 21

  The morning following their arrival, Mr. Collins made a visit to Rosings Park. Mr. Darcy found him just as tedious as he remembered. Colonel Fitzwilliam, however, found the man entirely too amusing.

  “Mr. Darcy, it is such an honor to again see you,” Mr. Collins gushed. “It has been with great fondness I have recounted our last visit, brief as it was. It is ever so fortunate that I have this opportunity to see you again for I have been cursing myself daily for failing to mention on our last encounter what a graceful and accomplished dancer you are.” Darcy squirmed with discomfort. Richard watched gleefully knowing how the object of attention despised overt flattery, particularly when it was disingenuous.

  “That is a true pity,” Richard replied with a crooked smile bordering a smirk. “Absent your assurances of his skills in this matter, my poor cousin has been sitting out most dances at the balls we have attended in London.”

  Mr. Collins looked both honored that his opinion had mattered so much to this great man and horrified that his blunder had resulted in the man missing out on such gaiety. “I apologize! It was quite remiss of me.”

  “I assure you Mr. Collins, my cousin has misjudged the reason I refrained from dancing on such occasions.”

  “Nonsense, Darcy. The man has rectified his error. Amends have been made. There is no reason to hide your insecurities,” Richard said in a convincing act of seriousness. “Pray, Mr. Collins, did the brevity of your encounter prevent you from offering further observations regarding my cousin’s behavior or appearance that have plagued your conscience?”

  Mr. Collins felt gratitude that he possessed the ability to construct those little lines of flattery with such ease. For the next fifteen minutes, he proceeded to do all that was in his power to assure the Master of Pemberley of his elegance of dress, strength of mind, and even his superior character, which his discerning eye could determine through appearance alone. Darcy’s face grew a bright crimson, but whether it was brought on by embarrassment or anger, Richard could not decide.

  When Mr. Collins commented that his wife had also attended the ball and must have observed some of his admirable qualities, Darcy jumped at the opportunity to divert the conversation and suggested a stroll over to the Parsonage to meet the newest Mrs. Collins.

  Lady Catherine had been sitting across the room with Mrs. Jenkinson, Anne’s companion. She had been informing Mrs. Jenkinson how she would like Anne to wear her hair. But she had been listening with half an ear to her nephews and now called out, “Darcy, did I hear you say you were going to visit the Parsonage?”

  “Yes, Aunt Catherine. We had a long ride yesterday, and a small walk would help us stretch our legs. We also hope to pay our respects to Mrs. Collins,” Darcy replied.

  “Do remind Mrs. Collins it is now Spring, and as such, she should really change the colors of her table linens. And if she invites you to sit in that little room of hers in the back, the seat near the window provides the best view of the gardens. If she has pulled that chair away from the window again, you should help her move it back to the spot I showed her on my last visit. The room does not look right with its placement elsewhere. She is young and does not, therefore, have my eye for design, but despite her obvious obstinance on matters such as these, I will continue to endeavor to assist her in improving her household.”

  “You are too gracious,” Mr. Collins said with an apologetic look. He resolved to speak with Charlotte post haste.

  “I do not recall addressing my comment to you, Mr. Collins,” Lady Catherine stated in irritation.

  “No, you did not. I apologize for inadvertently overhearing your conversation with your nephew.”

  “I suppose it could not be helped since you stand directly next to him.” The generous nature o
f his patroness was so overwhelming at times. “If you must be a party to this discussion, Mr. Collins, you have asked your wife to use the butcher’s shop on High Street, have you not? The other shops in town are simply inferior.”

  “I will remind her,” he assured her.

  After several further recommendations, suggestions, and demands, the three gentlemen took their leave and walked to the Parsonage. As the trio proceeded through the path adjoining the two properties, Darcy’s mind drifted to the Collins’ houseguest. Darcy was still uncertain if he should view her presence here as an invitation from Fate to act in accordance with his own wishes, or as a cruel joke meant to taunt him for failing to gain full control of his emotions over the past several months. He hoped Elizabeth’s reaction to seeing him again might provide him with some insight into how she had been coping with his absence. To his surprise when she saw his cousin, he felt as if he had suddenly become invisible.

  “Colonel Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth said after all introductions had been made and the party settled into conversation. “We have not met before today, but I had been hoping our paths might cross. I cannot express how surprised I am to finally be given the opportunity to thank you for your heroic actions.”

  Richard looked to Darcy wondering if he had somehow managed to arrange retribution for his earlier encouragement of Mr. Collins’ attentions. Seeing the same look of confusion gracing Darcy’s face he said, “I am afraid, Miss Elizabeth, I do not know to what you are referring.”

  Elizabeth pulled the sketch from her pocket. “My friend, Katherine Carter, told me a mystery man had approached her and asked her questions about a maid who had gone missing at Netherfield. She indicated he was in uniform. I know several members of the militia in my town so I asked her to give me the details of the colonel that helped her. I did not recognize the likeness, but to pass the time, I fine-tuned the sketch during the journey here. I thought the man would remain a mystery, yet here you are. I cannot imagine why you have so generously donated your time to try to locate Miss Barton, but I admire you. Not all of those in our peace-keeping force would view the disappearance of local orphans as an issue that would fall under their responsibility.”

  Richard was not entirely sure how to respond so he nodded and shifted topics.

  Elizabeth spent remainder of the visit engaged with the colonel, occasionally exchanging pleasantries with Darcy. She noted Mr. Darcy was confused when she had asked if he had seen Jane while in London. This only confirmed her suspicions that Miss Bingley had not chosen to share the information with her brother. Had Mr. Bingley known of Jane’s visit, he would likely have mentioned it to Mr. Darcy even if he had no intention of visiting her.

  The inquiry did indeed surprise Darcy and partly for the reason Elizabeth had assumed. He had not expected Miss Bennet to come to London. Discovering she had, he concluded she was either not as indifferent as he had suspected or she was attempting to aggressively purse Bingley. Clearly, she had not gone to exceptional lengths to reach Bingley so was it possible he had made an error in judgement? Could he have advised a separation thus creating so much misery in Bingley’s life based on a mistaken assumption?

  While Elizabeth took on the title role in engaging the Collins’ house guests, the Collinses had moved to an adjoining room to discuss the matters Lady Catherine had tasked the clergyman with correcting. By this point, Charlotte had been married to Mr. Collins for over three months and was very capable of controlling the man.

  Mr. Collins explained to his wife that he was perplexed, for Lady Catherine indicated she had offered several suggestions for improvements which Charlotte had yet to implement. Charlotte responded, “Oh dear, it does seem some of her suggestions had slipped my mind. Thank you for reminding me. Now that you mention it, she had also mentioned she thought the parishioners would benefit from more counsel with you on a one-on-one basis. Perhaps it slipped my mind because I would be so loath to be parted from you for the several hours it would take for you to see them all, but she was rather adamant on the point.”

  Charlotte received a small chiding for having forgotten to deliver this message, but Mr. Collins could not blame his wife for her reluctance to share him with his parish. They both resolved to proceed with her Ladyship’s suggestions on the morrow. Charlotte left the encounter feeling that she had gained more than she had lost in the exchange. Her husband would be spending several hours away from the house and all she needed to do in exchange was move a chair roughly five feet.

  When the newlyweds returned to the parlor, the cousins were ready to depart. The colonel voiced his intent to return soon and the gentlemen started back toward the grand estate. The two walked the path back toward Rosings Park silently. Darcy acknowledged to himself that even this brief encounter with Miss Elizabeth had nearly destroyed all of his former resolve to quit her.

  “Darcy?” Richard asked breaking the solitude of his companion’s thoughts. “It seems your scheme to remain anonymous in terms of the role you are playing in looking for Miss Barton abductor has led to me receiving undo credit for your good deeds.”

  “Think nothing of that, Richard. I am glad my role in the matter remains secret, for I prefer to give Miss Elizabeth no further reason to offer me her company.”

  “Do you not intend to call at the Parsonage during our stay then?”

  “Not if I can help it,” he said. His heart was already rebelling against this plan, and Darcy knew there was a strong possibility that he could not help it. He would, however, try. Further encounters would ensure his resolve would crumble and he would ask for the lady’s hand.

  Darcy’s resolve held fast for a week’s time. During this period, Richard made daily visits and would return to recount every detail of his conversations with Miss Elizabeth. Darcy maintained that he was indifferent to the lady, but Richard was aware his daily reports were slowing ebbing away at Darcy’s stubbornness.

  “Today we had the most fascinating discussion on the character Lago in Othello adhering to Machiavelli’s ideals.”

  “Why, I just reread The Prince myself.”

  “Did you?” When Darcy proceeded to ask if she had expressed opinions on other areas of the work, Richard said, “It would be so much easier if you asked her directly. Tomorrow is Easter. I am certain we will see them at services. In fact, I have an idea.” Richard raised his voice. “Aunt Catherine? As tomorrow is Easter, would it not be a kind gesture to invite the Collinses to dinner?”

  Lady Catherine had not found the company of her neighbors needed while she had her nephews visiting, but she did not want to appear unchristian during such an important religious holiday. “Yes, I guess we should thinking of the less fortunate during these periods. I am certain Mrs. Collins is adrift without my advice. We will see them after church services and can invite them to dine with us then.”

  Chapter 22

  Tired of awaiting approval, Caroline finally sent word asking Mrs. Butler to provide references and final payment to about half the staff. She believed her brother was being a sentimental fool who would eventually come to the obvious conclusion just as she had: staffing Netherfield was an unnecessary expense.

  She wanted to dismiss all of the unnecessary servants but had hesitated as she knew her actions were in conflict with Charles’ wishes. When the fiasco with Betsy Barton erupted, Caroline praised her own foresight. Darcy had sent his cousin to investigate. Charles had insisted the colonel stay at Netherfield while he was in Meryton. Had she dismissed all but the minimum number of staff, the colonel would have noticed and word would have traveled back to her brother.

  Of those who remained, many could see their services were not truly required while others clung to the fantasy that the family would return come hunting season. Mrs. Butler was of the former persuasion and, therefore, felt it imperative she make the Easter celebration special. It was likely to be their last holiday together.

  Mrs. White had been let go shortly after the family’s departure. Caroline saw no need to maintai
n a cook if the only people being fed were servants. Mrs. White had no trouble finding a new post, but she remained close friends with many of those who still worked at Netherfield. It was for this reason Mrs. Butler invited her to join them for Easter. Mrs. White agreed and did all she could to help Mrs. Butler prepare. Given the demands of their respective positions, however, the two women decided that it was most practical to host a breakfast feast. After the meal was over, Mrs. Butler dismissed the remaining staff for the day.

  As was typical, Mrs. White and Mrs. Butler had made far too much food. “Do you mind if I take a little of this over to the Carters?” Mrs. White asked.

  “The family that runs the book shop?” Mrs. Butler asked.

  Mrs. White looked impressed. “Yes. You have been here less than a year and already you are getting to know the townsfolk? I must say, you are going to be a run of the mill Merytoner in no time.”

  Mrs. Butler stayed silent. She suspected she would soon be back at the Bingley’s home in London. But she did not want to voice her suspicions for fear her thoughts would turn into gossip and ruin the day for others. She would be sorry to leave. She had grown fond of the village and would miss it dearly. “Take some extra rolls,” she said filling Mrs. White’s basket. “You can never have too much fresh bread.”