Meant to Be: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 2

  Mr. Bennett felt no obligation to answer such questions. From the letter he had received, he could say little. Mr. Collins’s letter—although long and pompous in the description of his life and personal history as a clergyman at Rosings Park and humble servant of his noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh—gave little insight into his character, merely stating his desire to heal the breach that had separated the family in the past. Whether Mr. Collins’s claim had any truth to it remained to be seen.

  ***

  “Oh, Jane, you should have seen the road to Netherfield Park today; how beautiful it is! I had quite forgotten that it is spring already,” the second Miss Bennet said to the eldest.

  “I am sure it is wonderful, Lizzy! Have you walked long today?”

  “Only to Netherfield and back.”

  “I do not like it when you go so far alone.”

  “Oh, come now—you sound like Mama.” Elizabeth laughed. “I know these lands like my own room. Besides, there is no one there. And that is fortunate because Netherfield is left untouched by human hand, and I hope it remains that way. I love our neighbourhood, Jane. Can you imagine our living anywhere else—being away from our home and from each other?”

  “No! Not in the least!”

  “And even after you marry, I will still not leave you! I shall stay with you as an old maid and raise your children!”

  “Oh, Lizzy…” Jane laughed and embraced her. “Married? To whom?” she replied amused, but Elizabeth sensed that, in spite of her cheerfulness, she was pained by the subject.

  “To the most handsome, amiable, and courteous man to have won your heart, dearest Jane!”

  “And who will probably be ignorant of the fact that I stand to inherit very little.”

  “That too! You will see that I am right.”

  Jane smiled. “Very well then, Lizzy! And as I feel I must return your wish, I hope there is such a man for you too.”

  “No, Jane, wish that I meet a gentleman who will make me his equal. For I could never love someone whom I could not look up to, no matter how rich or handsome he might be. I should rather remain alone for the rest of my life than accept anything less. And now, enough talk of such things. Come with me to the library, for I have promised Charlotte that I shall send her a copy of a poem I told her about, and since your handwriting is so much better than mine, you shall be of help with that.”

  Seen together, the two sisters could not have been more distinct in appearance and behaviour: Jane, placid and contained with a beauty that could have been the envy of many painters, and Elizabeth, lively and enchanting with manners that set everyone at ease. However, their bond was so strong that neither of them felt complete without the other.

  During dinner, Mr. Bennet briefly informed his daughters of Mr. Collins’s forthcoming visit to Longbourn and gave them all the details of his cousin’s situation. The three eldest sisters inquired a little more about their relative, but the youngest two showed complete boredom and quickly moved the conversation towards idle gossip from Meryton. Mr. Collins was hardly a subject of interest as long as their father was healthy and strong.

  ***

  Several days later, Mr. Collins arrived late in the afternoon, right before dinner. Mr. Bennet, followed by his daughters, moved to greet their cousin. Even though she was unwilling to admit it, Mrs. Bennet’s curiosity was piqued about Mr. Collins’s appearance, and she headed towards the entrance to meet a tall, heavy man in his middle twenties, who clumsily climbed down from the coach. Mr. Bennet greeted him with absolute politeness, as one gentleman ought to meet another, and his courtesy was returned in equal measure.

  Brief pleasantries were exchanged and introductions made, Mr. Collins stating how ardently he had wished to meet his family and how much he had heard about the beauty of his cousins. Mrs. Bennet was immediately pleased by such praise and found her voice again. She took upon herself the task of unveiling everything concerning their new relation; she inquired whether Mr. Collins was married and expressed her hope that he would have a pleasant stay in the guest room. Later, at dinner, she invited him to sit by her and encouraged him to tell them everything about his life at the parsonage. Mr. Collins wished for nothing more, so he needed no further invitation to monopolise conversation for the entire evening.

  “Lady Catherine de Bourgh has honoured me with the living at Hunsford parsonage; it is an honour to which few people are bestowed in life. Indeed,” he added, “it has worked in my favour rather well.”

  “Quite favourably, I must say. Life has granted you plenty already,” Mrs. Bennet replied.

  “We as men are more fortunate, I must say. Even the Bible states the fact that the man comes before the woman.”

  “Except for the times a woman is born into the nobility,” Elizabeth retorted, unable to contain the thought.

  Mr. Collins looked surprised that one of his cousins addressed him so openly, but he bowed his head and approved of her words, only wishing he could remember her name to give her a proper reply.

  “And do you intend to remain here long?” Mr. Bennet asked.

  “Only a few days; it depends on how things follow my desires and Lady Catherine’s recommendations.”

  Elizabeth noticed in surprise that Mr. Collins carefully studied Jane as he spoke. She had seen other men do the same—and truthfully, they were right to admire Jane. So, Mr. Collins’s visit to Longbourn was not solely to visit the house as her father had announced previously; Elizabeth was sure Mr. Collins had come to find a wife. She needed only one dinner to understand that.

  Confirming her suspicions, Mr. Collins’s next words caused her great alarm. “I must say that your daughters are even more handsome than I was led to believe, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. I can assure you that I have nothing but the best intentions to know more of such lovely creatures and especially of these who are part of my family.”

  “You are very kind, sir,” Mrs. Bennet replied with a polite smile while common attention turned to the beefsteak, and Elizabeth was left to wonder what to do with all she had discovered.

  Conversation flourished once again when they returned to the parlour. Mr. Collins insisted on reading from his Book of Sermons, over which Mary expressed great enthusiasm. Some pages later, amongst discreet yawns, Mr. Bennet asked Mr. Collins about his favourite topic of discussion.

  “Do you read to Lady Catherine as well?”

  “No, I am afraid, not. Her ladyship does not require it. She has told me that she is experienced in giving other people advice and not receiving it—not even from books.”

  Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet exchanged quick looks, Elizabeth suppressing a smile.

  “And pray, does she have any family?”

  “She has, indeed. A daughter, the heiress of Rosings, a creature of noble birth.”

  “Did you hear that, Mr. Bennet?” his lady spoke, forgetting her immediate sorrow over Mr. Collins. “I am sure she will have no problem in finding a husband.”

  “Quite so, Mrs. Bennet.” Mr. Collins replied.

  “Is she handsome, Mr. Collins? More handsome than my Jane?” Mrs. Bennet continued to inquire to satisfy her curiosity. The remark, as innocent as it may have been, sparked Elizabeth’s attention, and she listened carefully to Mr. Collins’s reply.

  “We are not in a position to compare someone born to privilege with my dear cousin Jane, but I can tell you that Miss de Bourgh is a beauty in herself. She is endowed, however, with a frail constitution, which prevents her making great accomplishments in life. I was told she has never been presented at court.”

  Upon realising that he may be spreading idle gossip about his esteemed patroness’s daughter, Mr. Collins made an immediate correction. “We all pray that her health strengthens as soon as possible so she can wed—which will happen very soon indeed.”

  “And what kind of man will take into marriage a woman who cannot even go to a ball?” Lydia exclaimed, genuinely puzzled by such a possibility.

  “Mr. Darcy, her ladyship’s ne
phew,” Mr. Collins replied in earnest, bowing his head as if in the presence of such a gentleman then continuing without further encouragement. ”I daresay Mr. Darcy is the perfect match for Miss de Bourgh. I have it on good authority that they were promised when they were infants, and I can tell from what I have observed that they are very fond of each other. They are both extremely proud people. I have observed that, when two people are similar, their marriage is often a success.”

  “But I thought pride was a fault, not a virtue, Mr. Collins,” Mary contrived by what the clergyman had uttered.

  “It is, my dear cousin, except for cases in which it is a foundation for a happy marriage,” Mr. Collins replied with gravity then coughed gently and sat back in the chair, looking clumsily at Jane who was preoccupied in wrapping a red ribbon around her finger.

  Elizabeth struggled to contain the wide smile promising to split her face, thinking how quickly money resolves the most inadequate of marriages. She tried to imagine this Mr. Darcy—proud and most surely a tedious person—united in matrimony to a woman of unfortunate health, but there seemed little cause for laughter.

  And thus, she asked seriously, “And what about you, Mr. Collins? What sort of wife do you wish for yourself? A proud one like Mr. Darcy’s future wife?”

  “No, not at all, Cousin Elizabeth. I have no wish for such a lady. I strive to find someone who is amiable and humble enough to bear the challenges of a clergyman’s wife.”

  “So, am I to understand that you have already found her?” Mrs. Bennet intervened much to Elizabeth’s mortification as she guessed her mother’s intent.

  “I cannot say I have. But Lady Catherine has suggested that I take a wife soon so that I may not shoulder the burden of life alone.”

  “Very wise advice indeed,” Mrs. Bennet approved.

  Soon after that, Mr. Collins excused himself and retired to his room, blaming the fatigue of his journey and expressing his eagerness to meet each of them again at breakfast.

  The family also retired with the exception of Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth, who was summoned to remain a few moments in the drawing room. When they were alone, Mr. Bennet expressed his easiness with Mr. Collins’s behaviour, confessing he had prepared himself for something worse.

  Elizabeth listened to her father, realising that he had noticed little to admire about Mr. Collins, but also little to disapprove. Indeed, he seemed humble and perhaps too grateful to his patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, who had been the subject of discussion the whole evening—along with the proud Mr. Darcy—but that was not a fault to be held against him.

  “Papa, I suspect that our Mr. Collins is here with the intention of choosing a wife.”

  “A wife?”

  “I have studied him throughout the night, and I found him glancing at Jane quite often. She seemed to be oblivious to his attentions, of course.”

  Mr. Bennet curved his lips, intrigued. “I took no notice of it.”

  Elizabeth smiled gently, ready to admit that she was right. “Between Mama’s remarks and Lydia’s interruptions, I suspected as much.”

  “Mr. Collins and Jane…” he mused then paused for a moment. “Lizzy, I shall ask you not to tell your mother any of this—not until we know more or, at least, until we find that what you suspect is true. But it would be quite the solution to our problems, I must admit.”

  “Papa! Do not even joke about this. Surely you can see that Jane deserves a much better husband!”

  “Lizzy, I do believe it is late now, even for me. This day has been tiresome enough. We shall discuss Mr. Collins’s intentions another time.”

  ***

  In the following days, Mr. Collins showed more of his true character. The subject of his discussions varied little from the first day he arrived: his admiration for Lady Catherine de Bourgh, his good fortune in dining twice a week at Rosings, the favour of having Lady Catherine in his humble house on one particular occasion, as well as other important details in his esteemed patroness’s life. Mr. Darcy was, of course, one of these details. Elizabeth, along with the rest of the family, found that the gentleman in question had an estate of his own in Derbyshire and ten thousand pounds a year.

  If Mr. Darcy’s wealth made a favourable first impression, it was soon eclipsed by another piece of information: Mr. Darcy displayed a rather unpleasing disposition of character. He rarely spoke to anyone outside his circle of friends and considered his rank to be above anyone else’s. However, Mr. Collins boasted to have addressed the man on more than a couple of occasions, which was a success in itself, one that gave him reason for self-importance.

  Most of the details about Mr. Darcy were lost to Elizabeth as she sat in silence, preoccupied instead with what she was to do to remove Jane from Mr. Collins’s attention. If only she could think of something to divert Mr. Collins’s interest elsewhere!

  What preoccupied her even more was the fact that both her parents seemed inclined to the idea of a connection between Mr. Collins and one of their daughters. While Mrs. Bennet openly expressed her hopes at every opportunity, Mr. Bennet was mostly silent on the subject though he expressed no opposition.

  A few days after Mr. Collin’s arrival, Elizabeth had the pleasure of receiving a visit from her dear friend Charlotte Lucas with her youngest sister, Maria, and their parents, Sir William and Lady Lucas.

  While Mrs. Bennet was less pleased than usual with the visit that threatened to move Mr. Collins’s interest elsewhere, the gentleman in question took the opportunity to re-tell all the stories about his parsonage, Lady Catherine, her daughter, and her nephew Mr. Darcy to his new acquaintances, who listened in awe. Charlotte showed great interest in Mr. Collins’s stories, a fact that pleased the gentleman exceedingly, and he asked for her opinion several times.

  Except for Jane, Charlotte was Elizabeth’s best friend and her trusted confidant. Miss Lucas was several years her senior and still unwed, but she possessed no trace of bitterness towards other ladies who had managed to marry or were seeking a husband. She was well read, wise, unassuming, and kind; her affection for Elizabeth was as strong as their lifelong friendship. Charlotte was not a romantic lady—her age would no longer allow her to be—although some cleverly written verse about star-crossed lovers would fill her eyes with tears. Conversation between Charlotte and Elizabeth about happiness in marriage often turned into debate. The notion had different meanings for them, and while Miss Bennet spoke of love and admiration, Miss Lucas preferred contentment and convenience and called it “entirely a matter of luck.”

  Refreshments and drinks were served and finally, Elizabeth found a few private moments with her friend.

  “I am happy to see you, Charlotte; I missed you dearly.”

  “As have I, dear Lizzy. My parents suggested calling on you today, and I was happy to join them.”

  “I am glad you did. I am just sorry that we cannot have more time for ourselves. As you see, our guest is very willing of company…” Elizabeth smiled meaningfully.

  “Mr. Collins seems an amiable man and handsome enough…” Charlotte replied. “And from the little conversation I heard, he is educated and has a good situation in life.”

  “I believe you can describe him that way; it is too bad that wit is not one of his main qualities,” Elizabeth whispered.

  “A man can hardly have all the qualities, Lizzy. No man is perfect, just as neither of us is.”

  “True, my wise friend. However, Mr. Collins’s imperfections are more difficult to bear since I heard he was searching for a wife. And in case you wondered, it was not his idea as much as Lady Catherine’s demand.”

  “Lizzy, do not mock the poor man!” Charlotte replied with amusement. “And I believe it is a proof of his character that he decided to follow the sound advice of his patroness.”

  Elizabeth stared at her in disbelief. “Oh, come now, Charlotte, please tell me that you are jesting—”

  “Not at all. And Lizzy, you should consider it fortunate if Mr. Collins should choose to marry o
ne of you five. From that perspective, he can be considered a desirable husband. I know you do not agree, but it is the truth.”

  The Lucases left half an hour later with yet another reason for disagreement between the two friends. Their visit was returned a day later by Mr. Collins, much to Mrs. Bennet’s displeasure as she grew increasingly uncertain of Mr. Collins’s intentions and future plans. For Elizabeth, however, such plans became painfully clear the following day when she was walking in the back yard and was unexpectedly approached by the man himself.

  She wondered what he could have to say to her when he looked at the sky and said, not without some affectation, “It is a beautiful day indeed. If I were at Hunsford, I would most likely be taking to Lady Catherine”

  “I am sure you would.” She smiled politely. “It is a pity that I am such a poor replacement for her ladyship.”

  “Oh, not at all, my dear cousin. I assure you your company is as pleasant as it can be. But your interest in my well-being has been long noticed, and I must confess that I find it gratifying.”

  “Mr. Collins, you are too kind. Forgive me now; I should return to the house. It is a little too warm. You should continue walking through the grove where the shade is pleasant.”

  “Miss Elizabeth, thank you! I have seen your interest in my person, and I must say that it has encouraged me to come before you—”

  “My interest? Mr. Collins…I think you are rather mistaken.”

  “I am not. From the very first day, I felt your words and thoughts have been directed towards me. And although your sister Jane was my first choice for a wife, upon greater reflection, I realised she is too beautiful to become the wife of a clergyman such as myself. I must bring to my congregation the example of humility. Therefore, I have concluded that you are a better choice.”

  Elizabeth could not decide whether she should laugh or be offended. Mr. Collins’s true opinion was too deeply hidden beneath his stupidity.

  The parson went on, barely noticing the lack of reaction in his cousin. “Lady Catherine de Bourgh has encouraged me many times to find a wife; you certainly understand that I cannot perform my duties without a companion. A clergyman needs support from his wife to be able to lead the life described in the teachings of Holy Scriptures and set the example of matrimony in his parish. I have chosen you, Cousin Elizabeth, as my future wife.”