Page 93 of New World Tea Company
George’s face reflected his confusion as he asked, “Lady Catherine, should I short payments to men such as Mr Collins?”
Waving away the question, the woman ignored the disappointment evident on her parson’s face to hear that his patroness would deny him a share of the profits.
Lady Catherine asked, “Do you have an investor for half the needed funds?”
George bowed his head as he replied, “Yes, your ladyship.”
“Then, I shall buy the available shares–fifteen thousand pounds–and gift them to my daughter upon her marriage to my nephew,” declared Lady Catherine. “With the promise of gold, Darcy will marry my daughter.”
George bowed to hide his smile and waited for the imperious woman to continue.
“But I must come to London to provide you with the funds. It will be necessary to meet with my lawyers and take the funds from my dowry because the Rosings estate is locked down by my husband’s last will and testament. Darcy never tried to break the will after my husband died.”
The noblewoman took a deep breath and announced, “I shall come to London in five days. Call on me at Matlock House on the fifteenth of May. It may take several days to make the arrangements to get the funds, but I am determined to be finished with this distasteful business as soon as possible.”
“Certainly, Lady Catherine,” the handsome man agreed. With the end of ‘business,’ the woman waved the man away and Wickham departed Rosings Park. The butler escorted the man to the door, returned his hat and gloves, and saw him out the door. George was surprised when he noticed one of the footmen remained outside the house to make certain the visitor left the grounds.
Once they were alone, Lady Catherine turned to her parson and said, “Your assistance is appreciated, Mr Collins. However, your presence will not be required in London.”
Disappointed yet again by his patroness, Collins bowed and would have expressed his opinion except Lady Catherine began a diatribe against her nephew, and men in general, before she turned to the topic of sermons for Mr Collins during her forthcoming absence.
“I may be gone for a month complete with arrangements. Once I get my nephew in my presence again, the stocks in New World Tea Company will make him amenable to my demands for his marriage with Anne.”
From her hiding place in the adjoining room, Anne de Bourgh frowned and decided to take steps while her mother was absent from Rosings.
~~~
Chapter 42.No Biscuits
After providing a list of sermon topics, Lady Catherine dismissed Mr Collins without tea and sent him back to the parsonage. Arriving home early, Mr Collins was pleased to find his wife at some mundane tasks with mending that she quickly put away to provide him with a meagre tea.
“My dear, why are there no biscuits this afternoon?” he asked petulantly.
“I did not expect you this afternoon, Mr Collins,” his wife explained patiently. “I have not had the opportunity to walk to Hunsford to purchase the ingredients to make biscuits.”
Collins asked indignantly, “Is our pantry bare?”
“Almost, but be assured, if you will give me five pounds from the profits paid by Mr Wickham, I shall walk to Hunsford tomorrow to purchase items for our pantry. And the farm down the lane has butter to sell,” his wife said.
“Sell? Shouldn’t the farmer provide butter to the parsonage?”
“Tenants pay rents to the landlord,” Charlotte stated. “A parsonage does not receive tithes of money or goods directly.”
“When we have Longleaf, will the tenants give us butter?”
“There is a dairy at Longbourn that provides the house and family with milk, cream, and butter for most of the year,” Charlotte explained. “The amount of hay that is cut and dried in summer determines how much milk and butter the family will have in winter.”
Frowning to be reminded of the many things he had to learn about being a gentleman farmer, Collins turned his attention to the small bit of dry bread his wife provided with his tea.
~~~
A short note was delivered by a boy from Hunsford as Mr and Mrs Collins broke their fast the next morning. Mr Wickham had a final matter to discuss with Mr Collins before he returned to London and would call at the parsonage at three of the clock for a private interview.
“Oh dear,” Mr Collins fussed. “Lady Catherine will not be pleased.”
Charlotte ventured a suggestion that Mr Collins could send Her Ladyship a note explaining his absence that day.
“Nonsense, Charlotte!” the man replied. “I shall deliver the message in person and return before the hour of three for the interview with Mr Wickham.”
