There were understanding looks from his daughters before Bennet made his way to his study.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After pouring a single fortifying glass of port—which made him think of Miss Louisa Bingley momentarily—Bennet picked up the epistle and held it for some moments. When he felt prepared, he broke the seal and began to read.
30 September 1811
Hunsford Parsonage
Across the lane from the Great Estate of Rosings Park
Hunsford, Near Westerham
Kent
Dear Sir,
The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father, and between the two of us because you insulted the memory of my late sire, always gave me much uneasiness. Since theletters which passed between us, I have frequently wished to heal the breach, but for some time, I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to my late father’s 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, for having received ordination earlier this year, just before Easter, I was so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose supreme wisdom, bounty, and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her ladyship and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England.
My all-knowing patroness feels that as a clergyman, it is my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence. I cannot but agree with her. Therefore, I flatter myself that my present overtures are highly commendable and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate (even though it is my birthright) will be kindly overlooked on your side and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch.
As Lady Catherine pointed out to me, I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters. I hereby 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.
If you should have no objection to receivingme into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, on Monday the 14th day of October of this year by four o’clock, and shall trespass on your hospitality for at least a sennight, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.
I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
Reverend William Collins
At first, Bennet wanted to ball up the offensive missive and consign it to the flames. He stopped himself. He must reply to this drivel and allow the man to come. His pretensions needed to be put to rest in person.
If this buffoon thought that Bennet would allow him to propose to, never mind marry, any of his girls, the man was insane. It was not hard for Bennet to understand what theamendsthe simpleton spoke of were. Collins was a peculiar man, but it seemed his patroness was no less so than her parson. She was obviously an interfering, ignorant termagant.
Bennet scribed his reply and summoned Hill to have the letter posted with haste and for it to go by express. With that done, he took the letter with him to the drawing room where his daughters and their companions were located.
“It was even worse than I suspected. Here, you may read it and see for yourselves, so you will know I am not exaggerating.” Bennet handed the epistle to Jane.
Jane seated herself between Lizzy and Mary on the settee. Kate and Lydia stood behind them. She held the pages out so everyone would be able to read for herself.
As his daughters read the claptrap his distant cousin had written, Bennet watched the emotions play over their faces. There was some surprise, but mostly it was disgust. He could not blame them for that as it had been the overarching emotion he had felt when reading the nonsense in the epistle.
“Is this man insane?” Jane enquired.
“How could someone with his obvious deficiencies in intelligence ever have passed the exams he needed to become a clergyman?” Elizabeth demanded.
“I feel sorry for his parishioners,” Mary remarked.
“And my namesake appears to have no more sense than her sycophantic parson,” Kate observed.
“If that man thinks any of us would agree to become his wife, he belongs in Bedlam,” Lydia added.
“You all make cogent points,” Bennet stated. “I am allowing him to come so I can show him proof that will end his pretensions once and for all. The first thing he will be told is that I will not countenance his paying his addresses to any of you. Also, for the time he is with us, two of Biggs and Johns’s men will be watching him at all times. They also will watch his chamber throughout the night. He will not be with us as long as he thinks he will be.”
“Could we not ask Aunt Maddie to tell her Cousin Charles about him?” Elizabeth suggested.
“If need be, I will write to Maddie,” Bennet replied.
