“But I think papa will say yes.” Mary had said diffidently, “He will be surprised, but there is no reason for him to refuse. Indeed, he will probably see the benefit of being rid of me and my endless scales.”
Mrs. Bennet was expected at Pemberley for luncheon. So was Mr. Collins. It was that fact which made the atmosphere feel like static. By now, everyone knew about Jane’s escape, and about the humiliation Mr. Collins had endured. They had no idea how he would act but knew that it would be entertaining.
Their excitement grew when Lady Catherine finally came downstairs. Although she had eaten from a tray, she sat down at the table with them and asked for a cup of black coffee. Drinking it with the air of a sailor tasting his first mouthful of sweet water, she immediately demanded another and then let out a heavy sigh.
“Are you well, madam?” Elizabeth asked, moving to sit beside her.
“I have been informed that people are talking about the ball, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Have you? What are they saying?” Elizabeth pretended to be relaxed, but the words put her on edge. She had both looked forward to and dreaded society’s comments upon their visit to Pemberley. Apart from the rain, she felt that it had gone rather well. That is, she was assured as much by Mrs. Reynolds and the servants. Until the heavens opened, the guests were pleased and impressed. The look on Lady Catherine’s face was far less reassuring.
“Your absence was noted, Mrs. Darcy.”
Lizzie paled and glanced around the table furtively. “I was managing the servants. The horses escaped, and then the rain…”
“Yes, and that unlikely tale is what most of them seem to believe. Do not make yourself uneasy; I have no wish to know the truth. They have no other complaints about you, madam, nor the ball itself. If I was unsure before about your management of this house, I have no concerns now. It was a triumph, and you should be proud of it. I assume you have congratulated your staff for their efforts?”
“Yes, madam, this morning I…”
“The furniture which was caught in the storm was not valuable, I trust. You had the foresight to think of the rain.”
“Yes, I…”
“No water was allowed to pool on the floor where the doors were open? The rugs in the hallways were chosen by Lady Anne with great care. They should have been taken up before wet shoes were allowed to trample upon them.”
“Naturally, the servants knew to…”
“Excellent. Then we may discuss the rest of the gossip. My maid made an early journey into town for the society papers and overheard a few things while she was there. The story people are sharing is that of Mr. Collins. I hear that he embarrassed himself rather publicly. Publicly! You assured me that he was hungover with a cold. Now I hear that he was chasing after a carriage. It is rather out of character for a man who complains at his short walk between his parsonage and my home, and takes twice as long to cross the distance than any young man ought. Running in the rain - what provoked it, madam?”
“What did the gossips say?”
“Only that he was drunk. They are satisfied; I am not. Not only will this expose my parish to ridicule, it reflects poorly on the indulgences he enjoyed at Pemberley. If you wanted to convince people that this is no longer a house of vice, Mrs. Darcy, then you have failed.”
Elizabeth fell silent. She looked sidelong at Darcy, who nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth looked Lady Catherine directly in the eye and told her the whole story. It began with Mr. Collins’s claim to Longbourn, and then the way that he slowly sank his claws into everythingelsein that house. His treatmentof Jane was confirmed by the younger girls, who added details which Elizabeth had not witnessed herself once she moved away.
The weakness of their mother was not disguised; their own schemes were described unapologetically. Darcy confessed to getting the man drunk and setting the horses loose. Elizabeth admitted to encouraging Bingley and Jane towards their attachment, even though Jane was spoken for.
Finally, they told the lady of news from the dower house: Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins were at odds. Mrs. Bennet had no wish to help him any more on his crusade. In turn, wracked with pain and fury, Mr. Collins had redoubled his insults towards the family as a whole, and Jane in particular. His comments on her character were slanderous, and it was only his relative captivity in the dower house which had kept the whole story from becoming public.
“It cannot become public knowledge.” Lady Catherine interrupted at this point. Her voice was flat, her eyes as hard as nails. “Our association with the man must prevent it.”
“What of my sister’s reputation?That,surely, is our principal concern!”
“Having never met her, Mrs. Darcy, I cannot say whether she deserves our protection. Certainly, if she has been treated as poorly as you assert, I cannot fault her for running away.”
“She didn’t run away!” Lydia burst out, her eyes aflame, “She…!”
“Hold your tongue, child.” Lady Catherine cut her down at once, “This is not the time for debate. Mrs. Darcy, when is Mr. Collins expected?”
“At noon, madam.”
“What of your mother?”
“The same.”
“No, that will not do. She must wait. Until we deal with him, we cannot know how to speak to her. It seems like she will be reasonable. Send a note to the dower house and ask Mr. Collins to attend on us at once.”
