Chapter 24
Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam left Rosings the next morning. That very afternoon, Mr. Collins and the party at the parsonage where instructed, by way of an invitation, which everyone knew Mr Collins could not refuse. To dine with Lady Catherine and her daughter and console with them.
Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting that, had she chosen it, she might by this time have been presented to her as her future niece; nor could she think, without a smile, of what her Ladyship’s indignation would have been.
“I believe nobody feels the loss of friends so much as I do. But I am particularly attached to these young men; and know them to be so much attached to me! They were excessively sorry to go! But so they always are. And for Darcy to be called away on business so suddenly,” Lady Catherine shook her head. “The dear Colonel rallied his spirits tolerably till just at last; but Darcy seemed to feel it most acutely—more, I think, than last year. His attachment to Rosings certainly increases,” she said looking to her daughter.
Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemed out of spirits; and immediately accounting for it herself, by supposing that she did not like to go home again so soon. For Elizabeth was to leave Hunsford the very next morning.
“You must write to your mother to beg that you may stay a little longer. Mrs Collins will be very glad of your company, I am sure,” she instructed. Having no regard to whether Mr and Mrs Collins wished for their cousin to remain longer.
“I am much obliged to your Ladyship for your kind invitation,” replied Elizabeth, hiding a smirk as she used the word invitation. “But it is not in my power to accept it. I must be in town next Saturday.”
“Why, at that rate, you will have been here only three weeks. I expected you to stay five weeks. I told Mrs. Collins so before you came. There can be no occasion foryour going so soon. Mrs. Bennet could certainly spare you for another fortnight.”
“But my father cannot. He wrote last week to hurry my return.”
“Oh, your father, of course, may spare you, if your mother can. Daughters are never of so much consequence to a father. And if you will stay anothermonthcomplete, it will be in my power to take one of you as far as London, for I am going therefor a week.”
“You are all kindness, madam,” and indeed Elizabeth was surprised at this inducement. “But I believe we must abide by our original plan.”
Lady Catherine seemed resigned. “Mrs Collins, you must send a servant with her. You know I always speak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of a young woman travelling post by herself. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing. Young women should always be properly guarded. I am excessively attentive to all those things. You must send Mathew with the young lady, Mrs. Collins. I am glad it occurred to me to mention it; for it would really be discreditable toyouto let her go alone.”
“My father is to send a coach and servant for me,” Elizabeth confirmed.
“Oh! He keeps a man-servant, does he? I am very glad you have somebody who thinks of those things.
Lady Catherine as happy as she could be with the arrangements. Even if not with the loss of Elizabeth company. Returned to reflections of her sorrow at missing her nephews. Lady Catherine, as was her wont, dominated the conversation. And Elizabeth found her thoughts drifting to Mr Darcy’s proposal. But each time her mind wondered, Lady Catherine called her attention back with some comment of query. After the third time Elizabeth accepted that consideration must be reserved for solitary hours: whenever she was alone. Only then might she indulge in all the delight of unpleasant recollections.
And so it was not until she was aboard her father’s carriage, heading for London and her Uncle’s house in Gracechurch Street. That she allowed herself to truly inspect her thoughts on Mr Darcy’s proposal. Thinking on it she found her chief thought was astonishment!
