“It is why Mr Collins declined to stay at Longbourn,” Kitty said quickly, as though to share all the news before Lydia could. “Apparently, Miss de Bourgh insisted they stay with his new family. Sir William is well-nigh bursting with pride to have such a distinguished guest.”
“And Lady Lucas is furious, for Miss de Bourgh sent no word of her visit,” Lydia added.
How much like her cousin Mr Darcy she is, to expect the world to be at her disposal!Elizabeth reflected. “And Charlotte?”
“We did not see her. We left as soon as Mr Collins arrived, for the whole house was in uproar.”
“Heavens, what a turn of events!” Elizabeth set off in the direction of Longbourn. “Was anything said of why she has come? I understood from Mr Collins that ill health prevented her from travelling much.”
“And I daresay he is right, for she looked very ill indeed,” replied Lydia, her nose wrinkled in distaste. Elizabeth was about to ask that she expound on her description but was anticipated by Kitty.
“What does it matter why she is come? At least we shall not have to put up with our cousin at home.”
Elizabeth could not argue with that. After she refused his offer of marriage the month before, Mr Collins had been excessively cold in his manner towards her. Moreover, since he had two-and-seventy hours after that rejection become engaged to her dearest friend, Charlotte, she had been unable to view him with anything other than contempt, for a man who betrayed such flagrantly insincere affections could never command her respect. A reprieve from all his absurd affectations was most welcome. Yet, there were other circumstances to consider aside from her own.
“It might matter to Jane,” she pointed out.
“How so?”
“Miss de Bourgh is Mr Darcy’s cousin, and according to Mr Wickham, they are engaged. Ifsheis come, it might signalhisreturn. And ifhewere to come back, so might Mr Bingley.”
“But Miss Bingley’s note said the party had not any intention of returning.”
Elizabeth huffed a sceptical sigh. “Miss Bingley’s note said thatMiss Bingleyhad not any intention of returning. I have never believed she spoke for her brother.”
Lydia’s countenance lit with interest. “It would please Jane very well if he did. She has been excessively dull since he left. Do you think he will?”
“I do not know. We can but hope—forhisreturn, if not his friend’s.” Elizabeth felt a pang of apprehension at the prospect of seeing Mr Darcy again. She had received her fill of supercilious quarrels and disdainful looks the last time he was in Hertfordshire. From the first moment of their acquaintance, he had proven himself the proudest, most ungentlemanlike of men, which only heightened her curiosity in his betrothed. She opened her mouth to enquire again about the lady but was forestalled a second time by Kitty.
“I daresay Mama will be pleased not to have to host Mr Collins, too. It makes much more sense for him to stay at Lucas Lodge now that he is engaged to Charlotte. It was unaccountably strange that he still meant to stay with us.”
“Yes, well, he is an unaccountably strange man,” Elizabeth replied. “Though I should not be surprised if his purpose was to remind us that he is still heir to Longbourn, regardless of whom he marries.”
Kitty looked rather offended by this. Lydia looked outraged.
“And that is also why I fear you are wrong about Mama,” Elizabeth added resignedly. “She has not yet recovered from the indignity of forfeiting Longbourn’s future to the Lucases. She will not be at all pleased that the honour of such a prestigious guest has gone to Lady Lucas as well. And since that is all ostensibly my fault, I expect I shall be the object of a good deal of her displeasure for as long as Miss de Bourgh is in Hertfordshire.”
Both her sisters winced in commiseration, and neither of them attempted to tell her she was wrong before leaving her to walk behind them when the path became too narrow to admit three. Elizabeth fell back, content with her own thoughts as the two younger girls hopped about ahead of her, giggling as they helped each other over and around the muddiest bits of ground.
When the path widened sufficiently to allow it, Elizabeth came abreast of her sisters once more and enquired, “What was she like?”
“Miss de Bourgh? She did not seem particularly friendly.”
“Aye,” Kitty chimed in. “She had a superior air that made her look very severe.”
“She is not handsome, then?”
Kitty screwed up her face in thought, and Elizabeth reflected that anybody whose looks required that much deliberation could not possibly be considered beautiful.
“She is not ill-favoured, per se,” her sister answered at length. “I daresay she looks well enough beneath the sneer. Not as pretty as Jane, though.”
“Or me,” Lydia added.
“Well then,” Elizabeth replied, nodding towards the end of the path wither lay Longbourn. “Let us see what Mama has to say about it all.”
They arrived mere moments after a letter was delivered, announcing Mr Collins’s altered plans. Mrs Bennet, note in hand, appeared to be suffering some manner of apoplexy and was resolutely ignoring Jane’s attempts to persuade her to sit down. Upon espying Elizabeth, her mother grew unnervingly quiet, drew herself up tall, clasped her hands across her stomach, and tucked her resentment away beneath her bosom with several indignant nudges.
“This is all your fault, Lizzy,” she said in a clipped tone. Then she swirled around and strode out of the hall with a flourish that was lent uncharacteristic elegance by her pique.
