“Charlotte? Oh, the best heart in the world; it is a shame she is so plain.”
Plain? He knew she was not beautiful, but he had not thought her plain. He certainly could not marry a plain girl; he deserved better.
Mrs. Bennet continued, “Of course, everyone is plain compared with Jane.”
Oh, that was different. So not really plain, just plain compared with Miss Bennet. Just then, Elizabeth and Charlotte descended the stairs, laughing softly together.
He stood up when they entered. Miss Lucas addressed him immediately. “Mr. Collins, my mother will want you to join us for dinner at Lucas Lodge; would tomorrow be too soon?”
“Oh! How very gracious! Your mother must be kindness itself! Tomorrow? Tomorrow would be delightful, Miss Lucas.”
Charlotte assured him that they would be very happy to see him then. As she bade the Bennets adieu, she could not miss Mrs. Bennet’s narrowed eyes.
Chapter Forty-Five
It had taken several cups of strong coffee to bring Mr. Bingley to full consciousness the next day. With Dunstan’s help, he was ready to depart the house at ten in the morning, as he had told his sister he would.
He banged on Caroline’s door. “Are you joining me, Caroline?”
“Yes; I am not quite ready.”
“I leave in fifteen minutes, Caroline, with or without you.”
He waited. Fifteen minutes later, the door was still closed.
“Good-bye, then, Caroline,” he said.
The door flew open. His sister stood before him, scowling fiercely. “Good; come along, Caroline.” He did not offer her his arm, but let her follow him down the stairs. Once in the carriage, Caroline cleared her throat.
“Charles…”
“No, Caroline.”
“You do not know what I am about to say.”
“I suspect I do.”
“I am willing to live in a townhome as long as it is in Mayfair.”
“You cannot be serious,” he said.
“I amveryserious,” she replied.
“I am sorry to tell you that you can afford to live in that neighbourhood only if you do not also spend a good deal of money on clothes.”
She straightened her spine. “Then I shall remain at Bingley House.”
“No, you will not.”
Twenty minutes later, the carriage stopped. Mr. Bingley peered out the window at the sign proclaiming the building to be the premises of Mr. Adamson, Solicitor. “Ah, here we are.”
The coachman opened the carriage door and Mr. Bingley exited. He reached his arm into the carriage to help his sister out, but she ignored the arm and climbed out, however awkwardly, on her own.
The two mounted the four steps to the front door and were ushered into the presence of Mr. Adamson. He greeted Mr. Bingley and waited to be presented to the young woman he assumed to be Miss Bingley. Her brother made the introduction, which the young woman refused to acknowledge. Instead, she turned away and stared at a painting on the opposite wall.
Mr. Bingley began to apologise for his sister’s behaviour, but Mr. Adamson waved the apology away.
In short order, the paperwork was done and Miss Bingley’s twenty thousand pounds was put into an account that she could access.
