Mr. Darcy saw Miss Bennet start nervously. “Alas, I believe we must depart now,” he said, hastily.
The two gentlemen bowed and prepared to take their leave, but they had not been fast enough, as Mr. Collins entered the parlour before they could make their way out. Mr. Collins looked at Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam in amazement and then bowed low. “Gentlemen! You honour my humble home! I confess that I am surprised to see you here.”
Mr. Darcy answered quickly, “Ah, I have only recently learnt that Miss Bennet’s elder sister is now the wife of my good friend, Charles Bingley. It seemed only right to pay my respects to Miss Bennet, and ask that she pass on my congratulations to the happy couple.”
They spoke about Charles Bingley and his new wife for another quarter of an hour before Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam took their leave.
***
The moment the visitors left the parsonage, Mr. Collins swung around to face his wife. “Why would they come again? Escorting Cousin Elizabeth home was reasonable, but why were they here again today?”
“They came to speak about Charles Bingley; there was no harm in it,” Mrs. Collins protested.
“No harm? Did you not see that Lady Catherine took a dislike to Cousin Elizabeth? We have discussed this at length, Mrs. Collins!”
“What has that to do with Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam coming here for tea? Lady Catherine was not in attendance.” Mrs. Collins defended her guests.
“You do not think that they come to visit with Cousin Elizabeth?” Mr. Collins asked, wringing his hands.
“Absolutely not,” Charlotte said, staunchly.
Elizabeth stepped forward. “Cousin, I assure you that nothing improper has occurred here. The Colonel has not the means to marry, and certainly Mr. Darcy would not stoop so low as to be interested in me. Lady Catherine is undoubtedly wise enough to understand that, particularly if he is engaged to her daughter.”
This stopped Mr. Collins cold. “You are right, Cousin Elizabeth. I spoke out of turn. I apologise if I offended you in any way.”
“No matter, Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth replied. “And I am sorry if I have done anything to injure you in Lady Catherine’s eyes; I assure you that I did not intend to upset her ladyship.”
“You have done nothing wrong, Eliza,” Charlotte said, staunchly. “It is not your fault if Mr. Darcy was inattentive to Miss de Bourgh, thereby making Lady Catherine angry. Mr. Collins, surely you can see that Eliza has nothing with which to reproach herself.”
“As long as she is not attempting to attract Mr. Darcy’s interest, ” Mr. Collins insisted.
Elizabeth excused herself, saying that she would rest before dinner.
Alone in her room, now that Maria had moved into the other guest room, she considered Mr. Collins’ words. Was she attempting to attract Mr. Darcy’s interest? She knew him to be a very intelligent, well-read man, and he was quite handsome in a dark, brooding sort of way – very unlike the cheerful, open-face of Charles Bingley – and he was certainly wealthy enough to support a wife and children. Honestly, who would not be attracted to such a man?
***
At dinner that night, Mr. Darcy remembered to ask the question that had niggled at him since his arrival at Rosings. “Aunt, what became of Mr. Partridge?”
“Who?”
“Your butler before Mr. Morton.”
Lady Catherine shrugged. “He was old and moving too slowly to suit me.”
“And what was done for him in his retirement?”
“I do not have the pleasure of understanding you, nephew.” Lady Catherine’s tone was severe.
“Did you give him a pension?”
“Certainly not; I let him go!”
“What?! With no pension, after having been your servant for – what, forty years?”
“I am not obliged to provide pensions to servants. They should save their money and take care of themselves!”
Mr. Darcy did not bother to respond.
