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Charlie lifted his chin, defiant in a way that Elliot had never seen before. Elliot realised then that he needed to be thoughtful, careful…
“You simply took me by surprise,” he added.
“I too was taken by surprise,” Charlie said, relaxing slightly. “We may be surprised together.”
“But when did this happen, Charlie?” Elliot asked. “You must tell me the whole of it.”
“Mr. Collins proposed before he left.”
“He had your papa’s permissions?”
“Of course.”
“And you…”
“I accepted, Elliot, of my own free will.”
“Charlie...I…”
Charlie frowned. “Cease your efforts to delicacy, Elliot. I know what you are thinking so please be so bold as to vocalise it.”
“I had no idea this was even a possibility,” Elliot said. “It is not what I expected for you.”
“And nor I,” Charlie agreed, perhaps reassured by the very even tone that Elliot had used. “But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know. I never was.” He held up a hand. “I know that you have often thought that I should be so, but I ask only a comfortable home and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the mating state.”
“So pragmatic, Charlie,” Elliot said softly, and then because their friendship spanned so many years, he had to ask, “You do not wish to wait to see if your fated mate enters your life?”
Another sigh. “Elliot, I do not know that I believe such a thing exists, I could well be waiting for nothing.”
“Then…I wish you all possible happiness.”
Charlie nodded, reassured now, and took Elliot’s hand once more. Elliot gave it a squeeze.
“Thank you, dear friend.”
Charlie did not stay much longer, and Elliot was then left to reflect on what he had heard. It was a long time before he became at all reconciled to the idea of so unsuitable a match. The strangeness of Mr. Collins’s making two offers to mate so quickly was nothing in comparison of his being now accepted. Elliot had always felt that Charlie’s opinion of matrimony was not exactly like his own, but he had not supposed it to be possible that he would be so willing for a mating based on advantages alone. And yet, the very fair part of Elliot reflected that for most of their class, those were the only sort of partnerships that took place. How many ever got to meet a fated mate, assuming such a thing even existed!
Jack hoped he had it with Bingley. That had been shown to be false.
And Darcy…Elliot refused to even finish that thought.
The rain started again, soaking the riverbanks and forcing Elliot back into the house. He dearly hoped the river was not going to breach its banks again as none of them were keen on spending hours fortifying them!
Later that evening, the rain falling still, Sir William paid them a visit. Elliot had already briefed Jack as to the news so that the other man would not be hurt by the announcement of a mating so close to his own dashed hopes, but no sooner had Sir William taken a seat that Elliot wished he had briefed Mrs. Bennet also.
“Good Lord! Sir William, how can you tell such a story?” Mrs. Bennet demanded, her bosom heaving. “Do you not know that Mr. Collins wants to mate with Elliot?”
Sir William was not used to being spoken to in such a fashion, but he was used to Mrs. Bennet’s manner and his good breeding carried him through it all, as he explained an offer had indeed been made and accepted.
Mrs. Bennet did not believe it and said as much, leaving Elliot little choice but to relieve Sir William from so unpleasant a situation by putting himself forward to confirm the account, by mentioning his prior knowledge of it from Charlie himself. Mrs. Bennet’s outrage was significant, and Elliot only just managed to avoid it by the earnestness of his congratulations to Sir William, in which he was readily joined by Jack, and by making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the match, the excellent character of Mr. Collins, and the convenient distance of Hunsford from London.
Mrs. Bennet was in fact too much overpowered to say a great deal while Sir William remained, but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter. Secondly, she was very sure that Mr. Collins had been taken in. Thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy together. And fourthly, that the match might be broken off. Two inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole. One, that Elliot was the real cause of the mischief and the other that she herself had been barbarously misused by them all—and on these two points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day.
Nothing could console and nothing could appease her. Nor did that day wear out her resentment. Days elapsed before she could see Elliot without scolding him and really it was only the arrival of the Gardiners that allowed for that. A month passed away before she could speak to Sir William or Mr. Lucas without being rude, and many months were gone before she could at all forgive Elliot’s part in what she termed ‘this outrage’.
Indeed, the sight of Charlie Lucas was quite odious to her. As her successor in Longbourn, she regarded him with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Charlie came to see them, which was often, she concluded him to be anticipating the hour of possession, and whenever he spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins who had returned to make plans for the wedding, she was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate and resolving to turn herself and her sons out, as soon as Mr. Bennet was dead.
She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.
