Love Among the Gifted - A Pride & Prejudice Alternative

Chapter Thirty-Three

Mr. Collins proposed to Charlotte the day after the Netherfield Attack. She accepted, as did her father. The prospective groom then returned to his home in Kent, promising to return for the wedding. He arrived most punctually on the Monday fortnight, but his reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to need much attention; and luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed.

Mrs. Bennet was often to be found in a most pitiable state. The very mention of anything concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill humor, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of. Her only comfort was Jane's match with the considerably more eligible Mr. Bingley. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her. As her successor in that house, she regarded the younger woman with jealous abhorrence.

Whenever Charlotte came to see them Mrs. Bennet concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house as soon as Mr. Bennet were dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband.

"Indeed, Mr. Bennet," said she. "It is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to make way for her, and live to see her take my place in it!"

"My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor."

The day the wedding of William Collins to Charlotte Lucas occurred the church was filled with well-wishers from the Neighborhood. There was a subtle sense of anxiety as many attendees wondered if this would be the next occasion the terrorists would choose to strike. But the morning went without any such disturbance. Soon afterwards, the happy couple left for Kent, but not before Charlotte extended an invitation to Elizabeth to visit in the spring.

Afterwards Mrs. Bennet was heard to bemoan Elizabeth's culpability in losing the future of Longbourn to her friend. "But, Lizzy! Oh, sister! It's very hard to think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had not it been for her own perverseness. She insisted upon displaying her uncouth behavior in front of him. I honestly think he developed a disgust of her. I overheard him describe her animalistic behavior during the fracas at the ball to Lady Lucas. He sounded positively traumatized."

"Mr. Bennet must, then, shoulder his portion of the blame, as he is always encouraging her to undertake such masculine responsibilities as his sheriff." Aunt Phillips replied.

"I declare he has no notion of what it takes for a young girl to find a husband in today's world." The sisters commiserated at length, before eventually turning to the topics that most interested them, Jane's engagement and Mr. Bingley's reconstruction and renovation of Netherfield.

Elizabeth had spoken with him and Jane on the topic a number of times. He was dwelling in the steward's residence while the renovations were underway. The weather was kind to him, allowing the workmen, both local and imported from Town, to hurry the project along. He and Jane had decided to postpone their wedding until at least some part of Netherfield was habitable, if not complete.

"I will not have her living in a cottage," he had told the family while dining at Longbourn one evening.

"I would not care, as long as we are together," Jane replied.

"Wealth and luxury, like gifts, are not necessary to happiness and useful living," said Mary. "As can be seen in the lives of the majority of our fellow men."