At the same time, Matlock and Bennet began their discussion, and during the early stages of the conversation between the ladies, Anne de Bourgh attempted to apologise to Mrs Bennet for the actions of the former parson of Hunsford. Anne felt it was especially important to do so after she took note of what a good woman Mrs Bennet was.
“Please, Miss de Bourgh, there is no reason for you to make amends for that in which you had no part,” Louisa insisted.
“But if my mother had not appointed a man to the living, who was wholly unsuited for the position, she would not have been able to send him here to Hertfordshire…” Anne stopped when Mrs Bennet placed a hand on her arm.
“Firstly, as you are already on familiar name terms with my stepdaughters, please call me Louisa or Lulu. Secondly, as much of an idiot as he is, do you know that Mr Collins’s coming was integral in my husband’s offering for me?” Louisa watched as Miss de Bourgh and Lady Matlock both shook their heads while her aunt smiled widely. “Due to being compromised…” She told a condensed version of the story.
“So because of the, what did your husband call it?” Lady Matlock asked.
“TheCollins Effect, your Ladyship,” Louisa replied.
“Yes, that. Not only did your husband move past his stubbornness regarding marrying again, but he became determined that son or not, he would never allow his estate to be ruined by that odious man. Also, please call me Lady Elaine until you become reconciled to calling me just Elaine. After all, if things go as they seem to be headed…” Lady Matlock looked towards Mary and her son. “…you will be Richard’s stepmother-in-law.”
“And please call me Anne,” she requested.
“Thank you for that honour, Lady Elaine and Anne.” Louisa bowed her head towards the two ladies. “Yes, there were unintended consequences, but they were the repercussions of his visit none-the-less.”
For Anne de Bourgh, it was a pleasure to find out that for once, even though it had not been her intent, her mother had been of use.
Hildebrand sat back and drank in the pleasure of watching Lulu shine, as she always knew her niece would, given the opportunity. She had to stifle a chuckle as she thought about something. She saw the other three ladies looking at her questioningly. “Elaine, did you not say that one of the things Lady Catherine used to harp on was the distinction of rank?”
“I did. Catherine has a huge chip on her shoulder about that. Why do you ask?” Lady Matlock enquired.
“It would be amusing if she comes across Miss Caroline at Bedlam and discovers she is the daughter of a man in trade. Although, I suppose my younger niece is Miss Bingley now.”
“My mother would be seriously displeased.” Anne smiled as she repeated the oft-used phrase Lady Catherine used to spout.
After that discussion, the subjects talked about were far lighter in nature.
Soon enough. Mr Nichols announced dinner. Bingley led Lady Matlock in as the highest-ranked woman while Matlock offered his arm to Miss Bingley as she was the hostess.
Dinner was enjoyed by all, especially as Hildebrand had planned a menu of simple dishes, and to everyone’s pleasure, there were no rich sauces or ragouts on the table.
There was a separation of the sexes but not for longer than twenty minutes. In the opinion of the newly married Bennets, it was twenty minutes too long.
Louisa and Bennet excused themselves as soon as it was polite to do so.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Sunday, those residing at Netherfield Park attended St Hugh’s again. Understanding it was the final few days of the honeymoon, like they had the previous week, they refused an invite to dine together after church.
As most of the congregants were Longbourn’s tenants and those who lived in Longbourn Village, there had been no need to introduce the new members of the Netherfield Park party. Hence, other than the rector, it was not known that four nobles had attended the church with them.
Also, like the previous week, Mr Pierce accepted Miss Bingley’s invitation to dine with the Bingleys, the Bennet sisters, and the rest of the party present at the estate.
As the service at St Alfred’s in Meryton began later, George Wickham was not out and about to see the coaches pass the church. The coat of arms on one of them was well known to him. Instead, as it was a command directly from Colonel Forster that his officers and soldiers attend church eachSunday, and he had no way to slip away, Wickham sat in the pew, next to Captain Carter, and made like he was interested in the sermon so as to not run afoul of the captain.
In two more days, the full body of the regiment would arrive in Meryton. Then, he would be free to gain intelligence on the Bennets, especially about the woman whom he was to be paid for ending her time in the mortal world. Also, Wickham would begin finding chits he could bed before he had to escape from the area.
He patted his jacket where his leverage, first wrapped in oilskin, was sewn into the lining on the inside. That, combined with the body of the woman Collins wanted killed, would gain him every penny the idiot owned. He had charmed a serving wench who was good with a needle and thread to help him make it secure. She worked in a taproom in Reading he had frequented with Denny and Saunderson.
Thinking of those two gullible fools and how much money he wouldborrowfrom them before he took his leave helped Wickham to ignore the droning parson as he delivered his sermon.
On the completion of the church service, Captain Carter led the officers and soldiers to the Red Lion Inn where he had organised for all of them to enjoy an after-church meal in a large part of the public dining area which had been cordoned off for their use.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Not long after the militia members sat down to their meals at the Red Lion Inn, those from Netherfield Park who had attended St Hugh’s had completed their own meals.
