The earl shook his head with some disgust. “The way this cousin behaved when he came to Hertfordshire may offer some further substance to Mr. Bennet’s claim. It is not the behavior of a man of the cloth—his bishop now knows of the incident and is conducting his investigation.”
“Will that lead to disciplinary action?” asked Elizabeth.
For a long moment, the earl eyed her before responding. “I sense a hint of concern in your question, Mrs. Darcy, which is to your credit. Should the bishop decide Collins acted improperly, he will almost certainly be removed from the parsonage at Hunsford, which is a desirable outcome. Any rector who will obey his patron without question, especially those actions of moral depravity, has no business serving as the spiritual guide to a parish.”
The earl shrugged. “It is possible that Collins will lose the parish and be sent to another place where he can learn and toil under a parson who has orders to observe his behavior and attempt to teach him. If the church believes he has gone too farfor redemption, they may defrock him altogether. I suspect the former is more likely, for though Collins behaved abominably, my sister’s influence in the matter is a mitigating factor.”
“Is there any way to remove Lady Catherine’s influence?” asked William.
“I like your way of thinking,” quipped Colonel Fitzwilliam.
With a grin at his son, the earl considered the question. “Rosings is not Catherine’s, though she rules over it with an iron fist. In Lewis de Bourgh’s will, he left the estate for Anne when she came of age. As Anne is now two and twenty, she owns the estate. The question is whether Anne has the reserves to defy her mother.”
“Anne is of a delicate constitution,” said Lady Susan by way of explanation. “She is a good girl, but her indifferent health makes her cautious.”
“It does, but she will not endure Lady Catherine forever,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “Anne has a stubborn side; should my aunt push her too far, she will discover it.”
“Then that may be for the best,” said the earl. “With Catherine removed from control over the estate and Collins gone, perhaps we can influence the selection of the next parson and install an appropriate man in the living.”
William nodded, but he eschewed response, for it was not their concern. Now that she and William were married, Elizabeth had no more fear of anything Lady Catherine could do, not that she ever thought the lady would carry her point. Though he had said nothing, Elizabeth suspected her father anticipated Lady Catherine’s appearance and hoped she would come to Longbourn should she find no one at the church. How likely this outcome was, she could not say, and Elizabeth could only laugh at her father’s whimsical sense of humor. No one else of her acquaintance would take such enjoyment from the absurdities of others.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WASElizabeth’s marriage ball, and everyone in the community attended. That the presence of a peer of the realm overwhelmed some was beyond dispute, though the earl and the countess did what they could to mitigate the disruption of their presence. Lady Susan even put Mrs. Bennet at ease, complimenting her on the arrangements she had devised with Mrs. Darcy’s assistance. If Mrs. Bennet’s beaming smile dimmed at all the rest of the evening, Elizabeth saw nothing of it, for her mother was incandescent with happiness to receive the approval of so prominent a woman.
As Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Darcy were serving as the hosts of the evening, Elizabeth was free to enjoy herself, and that included the opening set with her husband of less than a week. William looked so handsome as he stood across the line in the position of honor that Elizabeth thought her heart might burst. Then the music began, and they moved across from each other as if they had always been designed as a partnership.
“Well, Mrs. Darcy?” asked he at the first pass. “Are you content, or do you wish we had stuck to our original plan?”
“Not at all, William,” replied Elizabeth. “Whatever regret I felt—which, if I did, was so minute that I did not even recognize it—departed the moment we met before the altar.”
“Then you confess I was correct to insist we move our wedding forward.”
The laughter, free of any care, came easily to Elizabeth’s lips. “Yes, I cannot but suppose youwerecorrect. Do not take it to heart, for I would not suggest that my husband is a perfect man.”
“Not perfect to be certain. I hope you own that I am perfect for you.”
Elizabeth’s heart melted at his words. “That is without a doubt, William.”
“Fitzwilliam and Bingley tease me for my besotted state.”
The heavenward glance was a testament to Elizabeth’s feelings. “Mr. Bingley has no room to throw a shade, considering his obvious interest in my sister.”
It was the truth; they were nearby, and if Mr. Bingley had attention to spare for anyone else in the room, Elizabeth could not see it. Elizabeth was pleased for her sister, for she knew Jane liked Mr. Bingley very well. Though it was still early, it was a most promising inclination.
“As for Colonel Fitzwilliam,” said Elizabeth, “he is far too glib by half.”
“That he is,” agreed William. “Then we shall disregard their witticisms.”
“Yes, we shall.”
After Elizabeth finished her opening dance with William, she shared dances with the earl, Colonel Fitzwilliam, her father, and many other men of the district. As the belle of this ball without question, Elizabeth never sat out, regardless of the typical scarcity of men at such events. Not even Lydia could make that boast, though Elizabeth knew the girl would do so regardless.
Some of the most poignant moments of the evening would stay with Elizabeth forever, for they concerned intimate friends she was loath to leave behind in Hertfordshire. Among their number was Charlotte, a woman Elizabeth had long called her closest friend. Charlotte, she knew, was feeling some melancholy, for she was seven and twenty with no prospects, and Elizabeth knew her friend regretted the lack of a suitor. It was on Elizabeth’s mind to search for possibilities in her friend’s stead and considered inviting Charlotte for the season. It may be possible, but it may take some doing to convince her.
“How happy I am for you, my friend!” said Charlotte when they came together that evening for a bit of conversation. “And not a moment too soon, from what I understand.”
In the manner of loyal friends, Charlotte put aside her feelings and showed her happiness for the good fortune of another.
“Thank you, Charlotte,” said Elizabeth. “The wait was a little longer than I wished, but it has all worked out in the end.”
