“Of course, Miss Mary,” he replied. “I am always happy to answer any of your questions.”
“When does one’s obligation to obey and honour a parent cease?” she asked.
Mr. Allen was taken aback by the question. There was gossip that the Bennets had intended to force the cast-off daughter to marry, but since the daughter in question had appeared already married, he wondered if Mrs. Bennet was now pushing another daughter to marry the man. Mr. Collins visited Longbourn once more than a decade ago, and the reverend seemed to recall the man was close to Mr. Bennet’s age.
“Children are commanded to obey their parents; that is stated several times in the Bible. However, parents are also admonished not to ‘provoke their children’,” Mr. Allen sighed heavily as he pondered how to continue. “Mary, may I be blunt with you?”
Mary nodded slowly, wondering what the rector might say. “Please do, Mr. Allen.”
Rubbing his hand across his face, he blew out a breath before he began. "Your parents are selfish creatures. Their insistence that one of their daughters marry the heir to Longbourn is born from your mother's selfishness. Of course, she could be sure of having a secure future if she would only restrict her spending and make a deliberate effort to save. Your father goes along with her and does not force her to save because, frankly, it is too much effort for him to control her. Your parents have been married for more than two decades. Had they saved even one hundred pounds per annum, they would have over two thousand pounds. But they could not be bothered to do so. The situation is made worse because the income from Longbourn has decreased over the last years. Mr. Bennet has not made the effort to do better. His tenants all need his assistance, and while they stay, most would leave if they had an option. Your mother and sisters make no effort to improve their lives, leaving it for others to provide aid.Aid they would not need if the master and mistresses did their duty to their estate.”
"If you are asking me whether, under these circumstances, you must honour your mother and follow her command that you marry a man against your wishes, the answer is no. Legally, no one can force you to wed. You can refuse to say the words even if you are not of age. However, your parents can also force you from their home if you do not obey them. It could place you in a difficult position.
“Uncle Phillips has promised his assistance, at least as much as possible. However, if I refuse to marry Mr. Collins, it would be best that I do not remain in Meryton. I am too young to seek a position, and I am uncertain what support I can expect from my family in London.”
The Allens nodded their agreement, and silence resulted for several minutes until Mrs. Allen spoke. "Mr. Allen, did not a classmate write to you not long ago, stating that he was looking for a young lady who could be a companion of sorts for his daughter? Would Miss Mary suit?"
Mr. Allen considered this, steepling his fingers in front of him for several minutes. “She might. Of course, it is not a paid position, but a friend of mine has a young daughter in need of a friend. I am uncertain of her age, perhaps a year or two younger than you, but the family lost a daughter to illness a little over a year ago, and they are hoping having a friend would help her recover. The two girls were very close, and she has been melancholy since. There are not many young ladies nearby, so they wrote to ask if I knew anyone who could visit. Let me write to him this afternoon. I will send it by express, and we should have an answer in a few days. If things at Longbourn come to a head before I receive a response, you may come here or go toPhillips. Both of us will do what we can to protect you until we can send you north.”
“Miss Mary, while you remain in the neighbourhood, would you like to begin to assist me as I help the poor amongst the neighbourhood? It would give you a reason to be away from Longbourn on occasion and also help prepare you for your future, whatever that may be,” Mrs. Allen offered, sensing that the girl needed some occupation away from Longbourn.
“I would enjoy that, Mrs. Allen,” Mary replied quickly. “I have read much about charity but have never thought to ask what I might do to help those around me. Mama would not have looked kindly at my asking.”
“My usual days to visit the parishioners are Tuesday and Friday. I try to leave the house at precisely nine for that is typically when Mr. Allen works on his sermon at the church. If you arrive before that time, we can go together. It is also early enough that no one should notice you leaving your home.”
“I will … I will try. Mama will not be downstairs that early, and I should be able to slip out.”
After a little more conversation, Mary departed and continued on her way home thinking over what she had learned that day. She knew she wanted to begin corresponding with her estranged sister and hoped that she might be able to build a relationship with her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Patrick Collins had been pleased when his cousin’s wife responded to his letters instead of his cousin. He knew Thomas Bennet to be an indolent man, and when he had written to ask for his help, he had been uncertain the endeavour would be successful. However, Fanny Bennet had written back offering a daughter in marriage in exchange for allowing her to remain mistress for her lifetime.
Collins was looking for financial assistance and did not care what form it took. If he could persuade his cousin to house him for the foreseeable future, who would be mistress of the estate after his cousin died really did not matter. He was in dire straits with his worthless son having chosen to pursue a career in the church instead of choosing something more lucrative.
Over the last two years, the farm Collins had lived on all his life had fallen into disrepair with increasingly poor harvests. This was as much the result of poor management as it was the weather and other factors, but Collins had never been particularly adept at maintaining it. In the last few months, he had sold the small farm and just as quickly ran through the funds on liquor and other vices. Now, he was in the unenviable position of needing support, and since his son had yet to find a position as curate, the letter from his cousin’s wife had seemed to be a godsend.
He was a few years younger than his cousin, having been forced to marry a local farmer’s daughter when she was found to be with child after a brief interlude one evening. When the girl’sfather learned who sired the child, he had arrived at the Collins farm and demanded the two marry. While it may not have been the marriage his father wished for his only son, the girl was pretty enough and came with a small dowry that was used to benefit the farm. She died in childbirth with her second child, who sadly did not survive the birth either.
Collins had managed to marry a second time nearly a decade later, this time to a childless widow. However, that lady also died in childbirth a few years into the marriage. A widower for several years now, he was thrilled by the promise of a young wife. He already had his heir, but the idea of a young woman who would be at his beck and call, along with the promise of room and board for the rest of his lifetime, was pleasing.
Years before, prior to either of their marriages, Collins had fallen out with his Bennet cousin over something no one could quite remember. Most likely, the problems had been compounded when Collins not only married first but sired an heir while Mr. Bennet managed to produce only daughters. However, it had been this fact that led Collins to reach out to his cousin in the first place, offering a promise to care for his widow and daughters in return for financial assistance after Collins lost it all.
In truth, Bennet had little reason to agree since it was possible that Collins would die before Bennet, but that had not mattered to Mrs. Bennet. She responded and was delighted with his promise to ensure that the Bennet progeny would be cared for upon Mr. Bennet’s death. With the promise of not only room and board, but also a wife at his beck and call, Collins had seen little reason to deny his cousin’s wife.
Still, he was surprised when the signed agreement was returned without additional questions. The country solicitor who draftedit had raised his brow at some of the unenforceable promises that were included, even pointing those out to him as he listed them. Collins had only shrugged, insisting for their inclusion as a way to leverage some of the more enforceable conditions—primarily the ability to live on the estate and receive at least a small allowance of at least 500 pounds per annum to support him.
With all of these thoughts in his mind, he packed his things and hired a carriage to convey him and his son to Meryton. They were presently living in Kent, just south of Maidstone, but they would be taking all of their belongings with them when they travelled to meet his cousin. His son, William Collins, had grimaced in distaste at the idea of his father marrying one of his cousin’s daughters, a mere girl barely of marriageable age, but he knew not to protest his father’s decisions.
Young William had been on the receiving end of his father’s displeasure one too many times to intentionally attempt it. Perhaps he would have a better chance persuading Mr. Bennet to rethink the arrangement, but in all honesty, he could think little of a man who was willingly giving his daughter away in marriage in such a way.
Perhaps it was not atypical of the time to arrange a marriage for monetary reasons, but still, he would like to think that the father would want to know more of the character of the man he was giving his daughter to. They would remain nearby, therefore giving Mr. Bennet the opportunity to see his daughter regularly, but he could do little to protect her once she was given in marriage to another man.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Darcys’ arrival at their London home was, miraculously, unheralded. They slipped in from the mews, retired directly to their chambers, and remained there for several days before they were discovered.
They spent that time in blissful solitude, talking and laughing about many things, including their first impressions of each other. It was a subject they had rarely discussed, as the day they met had been overshadowed by so many other challenges and distractions.
