“Yes, now that you mention the subject. He is very much single.”
The girls all traded glances. They well knew their father’s sardonic tone, and knew equally well that it did not bode well.
“And who is it, Papa? Stop teasing us!” Elizabeth said.
“It is my heir, Mr. Collins.”
A hubbub of voices followed this announcement, with Mrs. Bennet’s voice rising above the rest. “Mr. Collins! I hate the very sound of his name! And he thinks to stay here? I will not have it!”
“Be sensible, Mama,” Jane said at once. “There is nothing to be gained by antagonizing him.”
“On the contrary,” Elizabeth added. “There is everything to be gained by cosseting him in every possible way. We want him to like us, do we not?”
It took a good deal of time and effort, but Mrs. Bennet was eventually brought around to seeing the benefit of being on good terms with the man who could and likely would throw them all out of the house in the event of Mr. Bennet’s demise. Then her brow wrinkled, and she addressed her husband. “But how do you know he is single, Mr. Bennet?”
“Why, because it appears that he wants to marry one of our daughters, my dear.” The smirk on Mr. Bennet’s face made it plain that he had been waiting for someone, anyone, to ask that exact question. “He thinks it is his duty to compensate our family’s loss of the estate by marrying one of our girls. One almost suspects he would marry more than one of them, were he allowed to do so.”
A hubbub of speculations followed. What would he look like? Would he be tall? Dark? Fair? Mr. Bennet could answer none of their questions, for he had never met the man himself.
He was only able to say that the man was a rector and was in thrall to one Lady Catherine de Bourgh, whoever that might be, and he was a prolific writer. And he had one last piece of information to impart. “I think him not a sensible man, but we shall see.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Netherfield Park
You cannot be serious, Richard!”
“I am entirely serious.”
“But how will you even introduce the topic?”
“By very plainly telling her what happened to Georgiana and how desperately worried we are.”
“But –“
“She is inordinately fond of Georgiana, Darcy, and while I think her willing enough to gossip on a good many subjects, I do not think she would do anything to harm our girl.”
“But to trust a complete stranger!”
“Mrs. Bennet is not a stranger. And tell me, Darcy, what other suggestion have you to offer? If Georgiana is with child, plansmust be made at once to spirit her away to Scotland. We must know, and as soon as may be.” Richard was exasperated.
Mr. Darcy could only shake his head. He had nothing else to offer in the way of ideas, and both men knew it. “Will you tell Georgiana about your proposed conversation with Mrs. Bennet?”
“No; I suspect it would be best if we let Mrs. Bennet broach the subject with her.”
***
A few hours later, the two gentlemen made their way to Longbourn. After spending a quarter of an hour with Mrs. Bennet, Jane and Elizabeth in the parlour, the Colonel traded glances with his cousin and proceeded to address Mrs. Bennet.
“Mrs. Bennet, I wonder if I might consult with you on a rather delicate subject.”
“Delicate?”
“Yes; as you doubtless know, Darcy and I are Georgiana’s guardians. We do our best, but we are not female, and there are things…” he trailed off.
Jane, with her innate tact, nudged her sister and rose. “We will leave you to it, then.” She and Elizabeth curtsied and left the room.
“Very well,” Mrs. Bennet said. “You have all my attention.”
