Page 30 of Her Favourite Daughter

“Welcome Cousins,” Bennet managed evenly when the three Collinses had alighted. “Mother and Penelope are waiting for you in the drawing room. I assume you would like to wash and change first?”

“I believe that is what we will do, thank you, Bennet,” Collins responded as he shook his cousin’s hand.

“You are in the same suites you were last summer,” Fanny sang.

Collins and Ophelia entered the house and handed their light outerwear to Hill and a footman who stood ready to receive the items. The youngest Collins hung back a little.

He approached his cousin’s wife before she re-entered the house. “Cousin Fanny, you are aware I am engaged, are you not?” William Collins asked.

“Indeed, we heard that good news,” Fanny replied.

“My affianced and her family have leased Netherfield Park. In fact, they arrived yester-afternoon,” William Collins reported.

“And as you and your family know them, would you like me to send a note to ask them to join us here?” Fanny verified. She did not miss the very keen nodding of William’s head. “I will write an invitation and have a footman ride and deliver it. What are the family names, and how many are they?”

The youngest Collins provided the information with alacrity.

As she promised she would, Fanny made her way to the study, where she scribed the note inviting the Bingleys and Hursts to tea that afternoon. She rang for Hill and instructed that one of the footmen ride and deliver it to Netherfield Park as soon as may be.

Bennet entered the study just as his wife was asking the butler to have her missive delivered. “Fanny, what say you that we speak to our cousins after dinner if those residing at Jane’s estate accept your invitation? It is not procrastination; rather, I would prefer not to possibly upset our daughters and son with guests here,” he suggested.

Seeing that she too did not object to deferring the difficult conversation, Fanny agreed with her husband’s suggestion.

By the time the three Collinses arrived in the drawing room to greet Aunt Beth, as she was called by them, and Penelope Bennet, the footman returned with an acceptance from those at Netherfield Park and a note saying they would arrive in an hour.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

All Caroline was thinking about was seeing William again, which chased any thoughts of the young lady who looked so much like Lady Amelia Osborne from her mind.

As far as Caroline was concerned, they could not depart Netherfield Park fast enough. It was only three miles, but to her it felt like the coach was travelling at a snail’s pace. It was not, of course; it was just that she was impatient to see William again after six long weeks apart. Yes, they wrote to one another freely, but that did not replace being in her betrothed’s company.

In a relatively short time—to anyone other than Caroline—the Bingley coach made the turn past Longbourn’s gates. When they had come to view Netherfield Park, Phillips had told Bingley and Hurst that the Bennet estate was the largest in the area. They did not realise how big it was until they judged that it was more than a mile from the gates until the manor house—which was easily double the size of the one at Bingley’s leased estate—came into view.

As the coach came to a halt under the portico, Caroline saw two huge footmen waiting to place the step and open the door. It was upon seeing them that she was reminded of the young lady she had noticed who looked so much like the Dowager Duchess of Leeds. Could it be that she was wrong and had not seen her as well as Caroline had thought she had?

Seeing William waiting to welcome them, thoughts of the duchess and her lost daughter fled from Caroline’s head again.

When the door was opened, Hurst alighted and then handed out his wife. Next, it was Bingley’s turn, and he assisted his younger sister to step out of the conveyance.

William Collins had to restrain himself from pulling Caroline into a hug. He regulated himself and greeted the Hursts and Bingley before his attention shifted to his beloved. “Caroline, how I have been in anticipation of seeing you. It has been a very long six weeks.”

“I could not agree more, William,” Miss Bingley responded with a blush.

“As much as you two would like to think you are alone, do you not think it is time to introduce us to our hosts?” Bingley reminded his sister’s affianced.

“Ahem, yes, please follow me to the drawing room. Mr Hill and a footman will take your outerwear,” William Collins stated as he fought to stop the tips of his ears from turning red.

The Collins son led the Hursts and Bingleys into a large drawing room. It had a bank of windows which looked out onto the expansive park. It was elegantly furnished; everything was meant for living in and not for show. Ophelia and Collins greeted the arriving guests, especially their soon-to-be daughter.

“Bennet, may I introduce my family-to-be?” Collins requested. Seeing an inclined head, he began. “Bennets, I present Mr and Mrs Hurst, Mr Bingley, and William’s betrothed, Miss Bingley. Hursts and Bingleys, it is my pleasure to introduce my family, Mr and Mrs Bennet, the Dowager Mrs Bennet, Mrs Henry Bennet, Miss Bennet, Master Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary, and Miss Kitty.”

As Mr Collins introduced each person, Caroline looked at them. When he mentioned the next name, her eyes followed. That was until he mentioned Miss Elizabeth. She froze, her mouth open; she was looking at a younger copy of the Dowager Duchess of Leeds. She looked at the Dowager Mrs Bennet and then at the one next to Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary. They had similar colouring and shades of their eyes to Miss Elizabeth. However, the shapes of the eyes, the nose, the colours of the hair and eyes, and their stature were not the same, whereas all of those were an exactness to Lady Amelia Osborne. Caroline knew she was staring, but she could not pull her eyes away.

“Miss Bingley, do I have a blemish on my face?” Elizabeth asked impertinently.

“No, Miss Elizabeth, you have no blemish. I apologise for staring, but you look very much like the younger version of a lady I met this past summer.” Caroline wanted to ask if Miss Elizabeth was born to the Bennets, but she knew not how without offending everyone in the room. She noted that Miss Elizabeth had lost some colour, as had all four adult Bennets, while the rest in the room looked rather confused. That was until Bingley took a long look at Miss Elizabeth. His eyes had been pulled to the beauty who was Miss Bennet. She was tall, willowy, had golden blonde hair and the bluest of eyes, and was prettier than any woman he had seen. He pulled his eyes from her to look at the lady at whom Caroline was staring.

“Oh my! I know why my sister looks at you so, Miss Elizabeth. You look much like the Dowager Duchess of Leeds, or, I wager, how she would have looked at the same age,” Bingley stated. “Are you perhaps related to the Osbornes since you look so similar to Her Grace?” Bingley looked at Mr Bennet, who looked like he was about to cast up his accounts. “What am I missing?”