Page 72 of New World Tea Company
“Call at the house any afternoon, Darcy. But I worked with Mr Jackson to make the repairs last autumn.”
The young man took his leave and climbed into his carriage. The horses were set in motion, and the man was not mentioned again. The trio continued their walk, and the parsonage appeared too soon for Elizabeth. While they stood outside the door, the stable boy tied the pony to a tree and helped Mrs Collins move the items from the cart to the kitchen.
Mr Darcy moved the sacks of flour and potatoes into the kitchen without assistance from anyone before turning to say farewell. Charlotte said nothing when the man tipped the boy for bringing the items from the mercantile. Before he climbed into the carriage, Mrs Collins invited Mr Darcy to call for tea the next day.
“Thank you, Mrs Collins. I should be pleased to take tea with you,” the man replied.
Back in his carriage, the gentlemen looked out the window, watched as Elizabeth smiled again, and waved.
~~~
Chapter 31.An Excellent Dinner
The conversation around the supper table was interesting that evening. When Mr Collins saw the potatoes, fresh bread, and butter on the supper table with Black Sausage, he questioned the appearance of the new food. Charlotte reminded him that she had aided the neighbours with making the sausages but admitted that the items had been purchased from the mercantile in Hunsford earlier in the day.
After this confession, Mr Collins expressed his displeasure, “Mrs Collins! What money did you spend without my permission?”
Before Mr Collins could castigate his wife further, Elizabeth explained, “Mr Collins, it was I who made the purchases at the mercantile in Hunsford.”
“Cousin Elizabeth, did you purchase these items? What do you mean?” asked Mr Collins, his gaze moving between his wife and her visitor.
Despite her wish to frown, Elizabeth maintained a pleasant expression and explained, “My father sent me with sufficient funds to pay for extras, and when I saw the bare shelves in the pantry, I chose to purchase items sorely needed in your household.”
“But my income is sufficient to provide for my wife and my household,” protested the parson.
Elizabeth replied, “My observation since my arrival does not support that statement. There are few tea leaves, no peas or potatoes, only small loaves of bread, and no biscuits.”
Collins sniffed and said, “My income has been invested for the future. The garden has not begun to provide food yet.”
“There must be seeds for the garden, Mr Collins,” Elizabeth explained.
When there was no reply, she asked, “Did you invest your entire income, or did Lady Catherine short-change your income in December?”
Again, the parson did not reply, and Elizabeth continued, “I saw your wife and the maid left hungry yesterday, and I have not had a reasonable meal since I arrived at Hunsford until tonight.”
“Hungry?” asked Collins. “How are they hungry?”
“Charlotte appears to have lost a stone since your marriage,” Elizabeth replied. “I shall write to my father with my observations, and I am certain he will inform Sir William.”
“Eliza, it is not important to write of my loss of weight to your father or mine,” Charlotte said, not wanting to anger her husband. This comment made Elizabeth frown.
Attempting to divert the conversation, the parson argued, “Cousin, you do not understand investing for the future. Ladies cannot understand such things…only men can budget and manage money.”
“Perhaps not, Mr Collins, but I understand the need to provide for your household. What if Charlotte was with child and hungry? If she is starved and weakened, mother and child will not survive the delivery,” explained Elizabeth.
Collins glanced at his wife, who kept her head bowed and did not comment on Elizabeth’s argument. However, their visitor did not stop asking Mr Collins uncomfortable questions, “What if there small children were in the household without food? Or if they were ill and needed medicines from the apothecary?”
“Lady Catherine understands…she sent food a week or two ago,” Collins tried to argue.
“It was more than a month ago that Lady Catherine sent a few things, Mr Collins,” Charlotte replied sadly. “Eliza was kind to provide us with items for the pantry and seed for the garden.”
“As is right,” Mr Collins said to rationalize the argument. “When I become master of Longleaf, my cousin will only receive what my hand gives her.”
After the last comment Elizabeth fell silent, and the parson quickly rose from the head of the table to leave the room for his private office. Charlotte cleared the table while Elizabeth continued to sit alone in the room for a few minutes. When she rose from the table, she went to the kitchen and helped wash the last dishes. The maid, full of her own large meal, slept in a chair near the fire, and neither woman woke the girl until their chores were complete. Then, Charlotte sent the girl to her tiny attic room to sleep.
When the two women moved to the parlour, Mr Collins joined them. He complimented his wife on the quality of the supper while ignoring his cousin and the earlier conversation. They retired above stairs after Mr Collins spoke of Lady Catherine’s recent arguments with her nephew, Mr Darcy.
“This afternoon, Mr Darcy returned from his business in London,” Mr Collins informed his wife. “There was some matter with the prime minister that required the gentleman’s consultation. However, the man argued with Lady Catherine terribly while we were having tea.”
