Page 9 of Regrets

That said, he is an impetuous soul, and is likely to sign the lease on the spot; I count on you to make certain that the lease is not unfavourable to my inexperienced friend.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Chapter Nine

As Anne had said, there were a number of regular visitors to Rosings Park, among them Lady Berkson from nearby Birch Lodge, Lady Cheshire from Elm Hill, and Lady Trask from Oak Grove. None of their estates could compare with Rosings, so there was a good deal of deference paid to Lady Catherine.

Anne and Georgiana were periodically summoned to sit in the drawing room with these ladies so that the two girls might learn the fine points of how to pour tea and make one’s guests comfortable.

Another regular visitor to Rosings was the local parson, Mr. Collins. Anne had told Georgiana about him, saying that he was sanctimonious, ingratiating, and oily, but Georgiana could not imagine Lady Catherine deliberately socialising with someone so described, so she suspected Anne of exaggeration.

It was his habit to visit with Lady Catherine several times a week; usually they were closeted in her study, so it was some weeks after her arrival at Rosings before Georgiana actually met him. Lady Catherine had invited him to take tea in the drawing room, and Anne and Georgiana were called down to sit with him.

As the two girls descended the staircase, they could hear Mr. Collins speaking. “Your ladyship was quite right about the Chapmans’ situation! They were indeed wasting food, eating far more on the Sabbath than was required!”

Anne whispered, “I know you did not believe me when I tried to describe him, but now you will see that I was right!”

When Georgiana and Anne entered the room, he jerked upright as if pulled by ropes. Then he bowed, almost to the ground. “Ah, Miss de Bourgh! How very well you look! I do not doubt that the excellent medical advice provided by her ladyship is serving you very well indeed!”

Lady Catherine cleared her throat in some irritation, and then presented him to Georgiana. “Georgiana, this is my parson, Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins, this is my niece, Miss Darcy, visiting us from Derbyshire.”

“Miss Darcy, how very good to meet you! I understand that in the not very distant future, you and Miss de Bourgh will become even more closely related! Ah, what a blessed event that will be!”

Georgiana was puzzled for a moment, and then understood that he was referencing Aunt Catherine’s old story about the cradle betrothal between Georgiana’s brother and Anne! Had Aunt Catherine actually told her parson that fairy tale? But she held her tongue and merely inclined her head before sitting on a sofa with Anne beside her.

“I was just telling her ladyship that her concern for one of the parishioners was precisely correct. The Chapmans claim to not have enough food, but I happened to look in on them on a Sabbath afternoon and was astonished at the quantity of viands on the table.”

Lady Catherine nodded in satisfaction. “There, I suspected it! I shall not supplement their income again, not until I am satisfied that they are maintaining the necessary economy.”

Georgiana could no longer remain silent. “I confess that I do not understand,” she said, though she feared that she understood all too well. “Mr. Collins, do you spy on your parishioners at my aunt’s request and then report back to her?”

Mr. Collins nodded enthusiastically. “It is my honour to be her ladyship’s eyes and ears, of course.”

Georgiana could only shake her head; she had never heard of such a thing.

***

That night, at dinner, Georgiana felt emboldened to express her concerns. “Aunt Catherine, I confess myself quite puzzled by what occurred this afternoon.”

“What in particular, Georgiana? I do not understand,” Lady Catherine said.

“Do you think it right for your parson to spy on his parishioners?” Georgiana asked. “Is he not here to serve them and to serve God?”

Lady Catherine stared at Georgiana. “But I am his patroness, and the parishioners are my responsibility! He should certainly tell me what he knows!”

Georgiana shook her head. “It seems to me that he should tell you if more charity is needed; he should not be spying through windows to see if there should be less. But I am just a young girl, and I know little of such matters, so I shall write to my brother and see what he thinks.”

Lady Catherine opened her mouth to reply firmly, and then evidently thought better of it. “There is no need to write to Darcy; I will think about what you say, Georgiana,” she finally said.

***

Later that night, Georgiana crept out of her bed, went through the sitting room that connected her room to Anne’s, and knocked softly on the door.

“Come in, Georgiana,” she heard Anne whisper.

Georgiana, clad in her shift and a light summer wrapper, opened the door and quietly slid into the room. Lady Catherine’s suite of rooms was a good deal further down the hall, so there was no danger of her hearing them, but Mrs. Jenkinson was just on the other side of Georgiana’s room.

Georgiana climbed onto Anne’s bed and lay down beside her cousin. “Anne, I want to ask you about something that Mr. Collins said.”