Page 90 of New World Tea Company
“Yes. And he gave Mr Collins fifty pounds but made him promise to tell no one in Meryton about the payment.”
Jane asked, “Why the secrecy?”
“Collins explained that Mr Wickham asked for the secrecy to allow him to bring happiness to the gentlemen in Hertfordshire when the time was appropriate,” Elizabeth reported. “Wickham told Mr Collins he plans to visit Meryton in a few weeks once his business is settled and deliver the monies himself.”
Charles grimaced and shook his head, the disappointment evident on his face. “No one in Meryton will be happy with this development, and we three shall not reveal this information to anyone except for Mr Bennet.”
“Charlotte was disturbed that she could not write to her parents with the news,” Elizabeth revealed. “Mr Collins went so far as to take all the paper, inks and sealing wax into his study and lock it in his desk.”
Jane studied her sister’s face and asked, “What else do you know? I know you too well, Elizabeth Bennet. There is another tale to add to this story.”
“Mrs Bingley, you do know me too well! Beware, Mr Bingley, your wife will know every secret you hope to hide,” Elizabeth said, pretending to be affronted.
Then Elizabeth confessed her unintentional eavesdropping. “This past Sunday, Mr Collins invited Mr Wickham to join us for luncheon after the service. I feigned a headache immediately after the meal and retreated to my bedroom to hide until the man left.”
“A tactic Caroline uses regularly,” Charles admitted, referring to his sister.
Squeezing her husband’s hand gently to discourage such statements, Jane prompted her sister to continue, “It was perfectly normal for you to retreat to your bedchamber to avoid Mr Wickham. What happened then?”
Nodding, Elizabeth took a deep breath and continued her tale. “My bedchamber at the parsonage is directly above the office where Mr Collins and Mr Wickham went to discuss business. And the chimney from the first floor carries every word into the room above as clear as though I was in the room with the two gentlemen.”
“Oh dear,” remarked Jane though Charles grinned and leaned forward.
“What mischief are Wickham and Collins plotting, Miss Bennet?” asked Charles mischievously.
“I was about to cough loudly to let the gentlemen know I could hear them when I heard Wickham mention Mr Darcy’s name.”
Jane and Charles smiled as Elizabeth blushed and confessed, “I could not stop myself from listening then and remained silent during their conversation.”
“Wickham confided to Collins that Mr Darcy hesitated to agree to a business opportunity involving the purchase of a merchant ship to sail from London to the Americas. He said the ship would carry tea and return with tobacco and other items from the New World that London merchants would purchase. Wickham was emphatic that he would have profits of fifteen thousand pounds a year.”
Interrupting his sister-in-law, Charles quipped, “It must be a very large ship with a crew of ghosts to provide that much profit in a single year.”
“Go ahead, Lizzy, what else did Mr Wickham say?” asked Jane.
“He revealed that he thought Mr Darcy had come to Rosings to talk with Lady Catherine about making an investment of Miss De Bourgh’s estate into the business. Wickham said he had an investor in London for the first half of the ship’s price and had to find someone willing to invest another fifteen thousand pounds.”
“Another fifteen thousand pounds?” Charles exclaimed. “This must be an enormous merchant ship! Battleships cost between fifty and sixty thousand pounds. Merchant ships cost less than twenty thousand pounds.”
~~~
Upon reflection, Charlotte thought Mr Bingley’s instructions were too specific, but she did not mention that idea to her husband that evening. However, Mr Collins did question his wife about the news several times, asking, “And Mr Bingley said it was Mrs Bennet who was ill? Not Mr Bennet?”
“No, Mr Collins,” she explained each time. “Mr Bingley said he and Mrs Bingley came to fetch Elizabeth because Mrs Bennet was ill. Mr Bennet sent them to bring their sister to her mother’s side.”
“Oh dear,” Mr Collins mourned. He asked, “What if Mrs Bennet dies? What if Mr Bennet marries again and fathers a son?”
By now, Charlotte was used to her husband’s wild thoughts, and she assured the man there was no use worrying about such matters. The housewife provided her husband with more tea and to calm his nerves, she plied him with several thimbles of the port he kept hidden in his study.
‘What if Mr Collins never fathers a son? What happens to his widow if I do not have a son?’Charlotte wondered.
It being Friday, Mrs Collins imposed on her husband and visited his bedchamber for a time when they retired. Flustered by his wife’s behaviour for a moment, Mr Collins acceded to her wishes for companionship that evening.
~~~
Chapter 41.Lady Catherine’s Business
George Wickham guided the horse along the path from Hunsford to Rosings Park. He’d rented use of the horse from the livery today for two reasons–a man with money didn’t walk everywhere he went, and because he had the horse, he would not be forced to walk from Rosings Park with the insufferable parson.
