“Both you and Annie are still alive. I will hearno talkof wills and what comes after yet!” Elizabeth insisted.
Knowing how stubborn his adopted niece and daughter in one person could be, Sir Lewis did not drive his point home. With Matlock and Bennet as his executors, he knew that his wishes would be be carried out to the letter.
“Have a good journey back to Longbourn. We will see all of you on Tuesday.” Sir Lewis beckoned to Lizzy who bent so he could kiss her on her forehead.
After the butler assisted her into her outerwear, Elizabeth and Mrs. Annesley entered the carriage for the relatively short ride home.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Fanny joined Bennet in the study as had been planned. He lifted the letter from the incoming tray and broke the seal. Bennet seated himself next to his wife so they would both have a clear view of the words on the page.
2 October 1810
Thornburg’s Theological Seminary, Wiltshire
Dear Sir,
The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach, but for some time I was kept back by my doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.
My mind, however, is now made up on the subject. Although I received ordination at Easter, I have not been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of one who can prefer me to the living in their parish. If I gain a living it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards my patron and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.
It is my understanding you hold the gift of the living of Longbourn Village. My hope is that you would be able to have the holder understand you wish to prefer the living on one of your bloodline. I think it natural and just that I, the next master of Longbourn, be the holder of the living, which I would continue to hold even after the unfortunate event of your demise.
As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence, and on these grounds, I flatter myself, my present overtures are highly commendable, and the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch.
I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable unmarried daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends, but of this hereafter.
I believe I read that your eldest daughter made a most advantageous match to one who is a viscount. I look forward to meeting her and my new cousins.
If you should have no objection to receiving me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Tuesday the 25th day of October, by four o’clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday sennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience.
Mr. Thornburg, is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided one of the other curates is engagedto do the duty of the day.
I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
William Collins
“Is the man insensible?” Fanny asked after reading the drivel contained within the missive.
“Based on his letter, I must believe he is,” Bennet opined. “What a mixture of servility and pomposity. If he meets the Fitzwilliams, de Bourghs, and Darcys I could see him bowing and scraping before them. Thankfully Lady Catherine is not allowed to appoint anyone to the Hunsford living when it becomes vacant far in the future. Mr. Jamison is still a relatively young man.”
“I suspect hisolive branchis his desire to marry himself to one of our daughters. I would rather starve in the hedgerows than allow such a man to pay court to any of our girls.” Fanny paused to allow her ire to drain from her. “Thomas, what can be done? I know we have an estate if we need it, but how can we allow a man such as this one,” she pointed to the letter disdainfully, “to inherit this estate and run it into the ground?”
“There is the option of a simple recovery, which I have discussed with Philips. Before I take that irrevocable action, I would like to speak to Mr. Collins and determine if he is amenable to some other possibility.”
“You have my support in that, husband. With Anne and Lewis’s health the way it is, we cannot welcome him into our home at this time. On that subject, what temerity to invite himself to our home. It seems he has no understanding of social niceties. I suppose that is his pompous side.”
That I believe it is, Fanny dearest,” Bennet leaned over and kissed his beloved wife.
Before they could discuss any more regarding Bennet’s Collins cousin, they heard the sound of a conveyance in the drive. On the way to see if it was Lizzy who had come back, theBennets passed the open drawing room door.
Mary and Richard were seated on a settee, heads close together. Besides the door being wide open, Miss Jones and the two youngest Bennets were all within.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When Elizabeth shared her observation regarding Anne and Uncle Lewis’s health, she was not able to stem the tears which fell again.
“It is not like I have not known this day would come from the first time Anne and I met. Knowing it was to happen has not assisted me in accepting what is to come,” Elizabeth lamented. Fanny pulled her second daughter into a warm, secure hug.
