Page 83 of Compromise & Consequence
Lydia, upon seeing the colonel seated at the family table for supper their first evening at Longbourn, flew into a fine temper and after stomping her feet in displeasure, had run to her room and refused to come down until the next day. After her display of childish petulance, Uncle Bennet advised his wife that Lydia would remain in the nursery until their guests departed for London. He further threatened, given her propensity to behave as a child, that she would remain upstairs until after her eighteenth birthday, missing the soft come-out at local Assemblies as promised.
As it was, Aunt Frances looked to Jane to alleviate the tension by removing the colonel from her company. Elizabeth could hardly help laughing at so convenient a proposal. Jane would love nothing better than to continue her courtship away from the jaundiced view of her mother.
As soon as the men entered, Richard said, “Miss Bennet, your mother has laid out a prettyish garden by the side of the house. Would you care to show it to me?”
“It is such a beautiful day, Jane should take him to Oakham Mount,” Mrs. Bennet enthused, clearly wishing to prolong his absence from the house. “It is a nice long walk, and I am sure the colonel has never seen such a lovely view.”
Both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy spared Jane a glance. She blushed quite becomingly at her mother’s innocent remark.
“I will admit, I would very much like to see the view from Oakham Mount,” Richard enthused, not removing his gaze from Jane.
“Indeed, Colonel. It is too bad we did not know earlier of your desire to traverse our most famous high point, for we could have arranged to watch the sunrise.” Elizabeth teased her cousin by marriage and was delighted to see his cheeks also turn a warm red. “That is when you will find the view even more enticing.”
“Lizzy!” Jane hissed a warning beneath her breath before rising to her feet. “We shall gather our cloaks and join the gentlemen outside.”
As the two girls went upstairs to get ready, Mrs. Bennet followed, saying, “I am sorry, Jane, that you should be forced to entertain that disagreeable man. But I hope you will not mind: it is all for Lydia’s sake, you know.”
At the top of the stairs, Jane turned around to face her mother.
“I will do my very best to keep the colonel engaged, Mamma.”
Once again, Elizabeth had to turn aside and pretend to straighten the ribbon around her dress to hide a grin.
“Bless you, daughter. I regret you have to be in his company. I had such high hopes for him and Lydia when last he was here, but… oh, well. Nothing to be done about that now. If the man cannot see what is before his very nose, there is not much I can do about that.”
“That is true, Mamma,” Jane soothed as only she could. “You cannot dictate where the heart will lead.”
Aunt Frances laid a hand on Jane’s cheek and gave her a sad kind of smile.
“I would suppose you have intimate knowledge of that fact.”
“I am well, Mamma. Mr. Bingley did not touch my heart. I think of him as an amiable friend and if we were to see each other on the street, I will greet him as a pleasant acquaintance.”
“I have said it more than once. You are beautiful on the inside, as well as the outside.”
With those words, Mrs. Bennet turned on her heel and hurried down the stairs all the while muttering about men and how they did not see goodness before them. Elizabeth and Jane shared a look before fetching their cloaks and joining the gentlemen outside. As they walked toward Oakham Mount, they met Charlotte and Mr. Collins walking together down a quiet laneway. Upon sighting them, Charlotte’s face lit up in joy.
“Eliza!” she called out and urged Mr. Collins to walk faster, who visibly blanched upon seeing them. “I am so glad you have come.”
“Did you think I would miss the wedding of my closest friend?” Elizabeth gave her friend a warm hug, then stepped away to smile at Mr. Collins. “I also would not wish to miss the wedding of my cousin, who was so very wise in choosing Miss Lucas as his future companion.”
“Indeed, Cousin Elizabeth, I am a fortunate man. Come, Miss Lucas, we should return to the house. There is much to be done before tomorrow.”
Mr. Collins did not even spare Darcy a glance.
“Might I walk with you a bit, Charlotte? We are on our way to Oakham Mount and will share the path with you until we have to break off.”
“Of course, you may.” Her friend flicked a glance toward her betrothed before saying, “Mr. Collins, you may be able to tell Mr. Darcy of his family in Kent. I am sure he will be pleased to hear how well Miss de Bourgh is doing.”
Both Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins looked horrified at the thought of conversing with each other. One because the man was a sycophantic fool, the other because his patroness was lividover the fact her nephew should have married her daughter. However, neither lady gave them the chance to decline their suggestion as they linked arms and continued down the path, heads close together. Elizabeth began to explain the true financial condition of Longbourn and what Charlotte could expect to find when her uncle finally passed on to his eternal reward.
***
Darcy watched his wife as she strolled off with Miss Lucas, then turned his attention to Mr. Collins, who also watched the ladies. He struggled to think of something to say when Richard came to his rescue.
“You know Lady Catherine?”
“I do,” Mr. Collins replied, and then his eyebrows rose, as though realizing for the first time that his cousin Jane was walking arm in arm with a gentleman. “Cousin Jane, I am pleased to see you again.”
