His mother’s dowry of two thousand five hundred pounds had been kept for him as stipulated in the marriage settlement. His father had not been pleased and had beaten him soundly over the fact but had not been able to change it. Some of that money had paid for William to have a few years of education at a school in Kent and to attend the seminary near Westerham. He left the balance in the funds.
In 1806, he had graduated, bottom of his class, but nevertheless, completed his studies. After his years of being a deacon and curate, William Clem Collins had taken holy orders in June 1809.
The only position available to him was as a curate at St Mary’s church in Westerham until, as he was sure it would happen, he would be awarded a living.
It was only temporary. He would be a landed gentleman as soon as his distant cousin did him a favour and shuffled off the mortal coil. He would be the one to fulfil the Collins family destiny and take possession of Longbourn.
Collins remembered one time in July ’05, that his father had been furious. He had ranted about that ‘damned Bennet’ trying to cheat him out of his estate but had not said more than that. Collins had been home from the seminary and asked his father what vexed him so. The reply had been with his father’s fists. To this day, he blamed his distant cousin for upsetting his sire so much that Collins had suffered a terrible thrashing.
There was a living on which he had his eye—the one in Hunsford. The incumbent was in his dotage, and Collins was certain when God called the man home that he would be able to present himself as the ideal candidate to the patron who held the advowson in his gift.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When it was time for Fanny, Jane, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Mrs Annesley to depart for Hertfordshire, they travelled in a coach provided by Hurst. He was sure that they were safe as Biggs and Johns as well as three other of Fitzwilliam’s men, were with them on the back bench and as outriders.
It had been a long time since the scourge of highwaymen had visited this part of the country, but it was better to have more escorts than less.
As much as Jane was missing Andrew, she would not be bereft of his company for too long. He had extended his lease on Netherfield Park until after the wedding, and he and his family would arrive as soon as the houses of parliament closed in mid-June.
Seeing that it was close to London, like his predecessor had, Fitzwilliam would join his family at the leased estate so he could get to know Miss Lucas better. As much as he hated to tell Harry he had been correct, it seemed that he had been. Fitzwilliam was not ready for anything official yet, but he did not think he was too far away from that stage.
Anne de Bourgh was the only one disappointed they were leaving London because she was in an official courtship with Ian Ashby. When Hurst suggested he lease Netherfield Park’s dower house, Ashby had contacted Phillips and signed a six-month lease. This news had changed Anne’s frown to a beaming smile.
The five Hursts would be in residence at Netherfield Park until after the wedding as well. Leticia and Louisa had pledged their help to Fanny for whatever assistance she needed in planning the wedding. The exception was Hurst, who would make for Winsdale to supervise the harvest in September andreturn well before the wedding. He would meet the Darcys at Pemberley, and they would travel back together.
The only one unhappy with all of the arrangements was one Caroline Bingley. None of her hints had been picked up on, and there had been no invitation to the wedding forthcoming.
As much as she wanted to rail against the injustice, she knew she needed to keep her mask in place.
Bingley and his sister planned to depart for Scarborough in mid-June and would remain there until at least the end of the year. Bingley was pleased that the changes in Caroline seemed to be real, but he would not relax his vigilance, just like Hurst had advised him.
Chapter 21
As strange as it was that they were guests in their own home, the adult Hursts never showed any hints that they were the owners of Netherfield Park. There was no surprise that the staff and servants were known to them because it was well known they had leased the estate after Arthur was born five years past. With Lady Matlock acting as the mistress, the housekeeper, who knew the Hursts owned the estate, did not come to them for answers.
It was also no surprise that Hilldale spent his days in Jane’s company, Fitzwilliam called on Lucas Lodge almost daily, and Ashby did no more than sleep in the dower house at Netherfield Park.
Although the denizens of the area had never associated with any titled persons other than Sir William and Lady Lucas, after an initial nervousness, when they saw for themselves that the Fitzwilliams did not hold themselves above those in the neighbourhood, everyone began to relax when they were in the company of the earl, the countess, or the viscount.
Notwithstanding some mothers wishing it was one of their daughters engaged to Lord Hilldale, no one begrudged Jane Bennet the good fortune of being the one he had chosen. There was at first some excitement among the mothers and eligible daughters when they learned that Mr Ashby, who owned his own estate in Surrey, and Mr Fitzwilliam, Lord Matlock’s second son, were both single. It soon became very evident that although unmarried, neither man was unattached.
These facts were confirmed when, by mid-July, Mr Ashby was engaged to Miss de Bourgh, and Mr Fitzwilliam was in an official courtship with their own Charlotte Lucas.
The latter couple made Eliza even more loved by Sir William and Lady Lucas. If it had not been for her insistence that Charlotte join her in London to be presented, she would not have met the man who was now courting her. As their daughter was five and twenty, they had thought her on the shelf, but thanks to Eliza’s intervention, she was on her way to being married.
The day Mr Fitzwilliam had come to obtain Sir William’s blessing for the courtship; the latter had bestowed it before the former had finished his request.
When Ashby approached Lord Matlock to ask for Anne’s hand in marriage, even though at four and twenty Anne did not need permission, Ashby was concerned the Earl would think he was more interested in Anne’s property and fortune than her person.
He had been worried for no reason. Matlock was not blind and knew a couple in love when he saw one. It was easy for him to see as his marriage was a love match In addition, he was a very good friend of Ashby’s father. As such, he knew the character of the man asking for Anne’s hand and that his estate earned more than seven thousand pounds per annum. Hence, young Ashby was not in need of Anne’s wealth; he had more than enough of his own. Add to that, Ashby had asked for Matlock’s permission and blessing even though Anne was of age. It had been easy to bestow both.
Anne and Ashby had not wanted to have their wedding detract from Jane and Hilldale’s wedding festivities, but they also did not want to wait until after October. After consultation with the other couple, Anne’s wedding was set for the final Saturday in August. They decided on a small family affair at Rosings Park. While Ashby wrote to his parents and his rector sothe banns could be called in his home parish, Anne wrote to the parson serving Hunsford to do the same.
Old Mr Martin had informed Anne that he intended to retire after Easter 1810. She was very pleased that Mr Martin would be the one to conduct her marriage ceremony—he had been the one to oversee her christening—but when it came time to seek a replacement for the living in her estate’s gift, she would have Ian at her side to assist her to chuse the right man.
It pleased Anne very much that the Bennets and Hursts would come to Rosings park a few days before the wedding to attend it. The only ones who would not be in attendance were William and Gigi, but Anne would see them at the wedding in October.
The date of Anne’s wedding was ideal because, on the Monday following the ceremony, Lord Matlock, Hilldale, and Hurst all planned to make their way north to be at their respective estates for the harvest. They, along with the two Darcys, would arrive in Hertfordshire by early October, long before the wedding and the pre-wedding ball Lady Matlock had decided she would plan.
