Charlotte - Pride and Prejudice Continues Page 4
The snow was falling steadily and was beginning to settle as they made their way from the rectory to their first port of call the great house at Rosings. There were many mutterings that they might have to end early if the snow got any heavier, but in general, they were all in high spirits. Jim Harvey started the strains of “The twelve days of Christmas” which they estimated would take them within earshot of Rosings when they could begin “Here we come a wassailing” and then sing “The First Noel” for her Ladyship.
Lady Catherine and her daughter Anne stood at a first floor window and watched their progress across the park towards them. They met them at the entrance just as they finished singing “Here we come a wassailing” and greeted her with the beautiful strains of “The First Noel”. Anne smiled with delight, which disappeared as Mrs Jenkinson appeared at her side and placed yet another large, heavy shawl about her shoulders. Lady Catherine however, was surprised by the sound of a man’s tenor voice coming from behind her. They turned to see Colonel Fitzwilliam appear, wrapped up against the cold as though he intended to join the singers. He bowed to the ladies and passed out into the cold night air taking his place next to Mr Collins. Lady Catherine not wishing to cause a scene by berating her nephew in front of the villagers merely stood opening and closing her mouth at his audacity. She obligingly but somewhat visibly irritated handed out her Wassail Christmas punch to all the carollers who drank deeply and then wished her a Merry Christmas.
They then hurried on their way, laughing, jostling, and singing towards Hunsford again with the Wassail warming their bellies. By the time they had sung around the village various members of their group had gone home to warm up or had been lured by the enticing glow of The Bell Inn and their numbers were dwindling. Charlotte invited the remainder back to the parsonage to warm through before going to church for services.
The fire was already lit and hot chocolate was once again awaiting them as they entered the sitting room. Charlotte could hardly feel her toes and Mr Collins said he thought he had lost the use of his hands forever. They were a merry group as they chatted until it was time to leave once again and Mr Collins left first in order to ring the bell to call all to worship. The atmosphere in the church by candlelight was so serene; it was the perfect way to herald the coming of Christmas Day and to celebrate the birth of The Saviour.
Two very cold, happy and muscle sore Collinses climbed into bed past one o’clock in the morning and were asleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows.
* * *
“Christmas Day, the most wonderful day of the year!” Mr Collins declared as he drew back the curtains forestalling the maid who had duly arrived to attend to such a task. “Ah good morning Jenny and Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas Sir, Ma’am.” She curtseyed to them both. “I shall stoke the fire and here is hot water for your shave Sir and I shall bring yours directly Ma’am.”
“Thank you Jenny.” Charlotte yawned and felt her body ache from the walking in the cold the previous night. She was so sleepy that she dozed as she watched her husband shave and then dress. He smiled at her looking so peaceful on her pillow before slipping out of the room and heading to his book room to collect himself in readiness for the morning’s sermon.
Her hot water arrived and she dressed slowly, choosing a lovely dress of deep blue she had saved especially for such a day as this. She thought of her family, and of what they were then doing. Much the same I suppose, she pondered and then she imagined Lizzy getting ready to attend Pemberley Church. How much grander life must be for you now Lizzy, she smiled at her friend’s happiness and then looked at her own reflection in the mirror as Mrs Higgs dressed her hair. She was still plain but there was a rosiness to her cheeks she had never seen before, which she liked. She chose earrings and then was ready to meet her husband in the hallway to walk together to church for their first Christmas service as Reverend and Mrs Collins.
Mr Collins’ message was on the birth and Deity of the baby, much as any sermon was in all of England on any given Christmas morn.
As they gathered in the churchyard after the service, Charlotte was approached by the younger Miss Thomas who invited her and Mr Collins to dinner on the eve of the New Year.
“We would be delighted to attend, would we not Mr Collins?” She turned to her husband but he was following and fawning over Lady Catherine as she made her way to her carriage. Charlotte watched them board and smiled to herself as she thought; Even on Christmas Day they continue to look miserable!
Miss Thomas must have been thinking the same thing for as she linked arms with Charlotte she said, “I wouldn’t change places with them for the entire world. All that money, the wonderful house, land and title, and not a smile between them.”
7
Upon their return to the parsonage, they changed into their morning clothes and then took tea in the sitting room together while waiting for breakfast to be prepared and laid out.
It was then that an excited Mr Collins declared he could not wait to present his dear wife with his Christmas gift to her, “My dearest, beloved Charlotte. Mere words cannot express to you how happy you have made me in becoming my wife.” She blushed at his outpouring, “Since our union, I have been the happiest, most contented of men. You have made for us a wonderful home, which is full of joy and peace. A more relaxed home I doubt there ever has been in all of England.” Her blush deepened but she managed to look at him and smile. “As I am so intimately acquainted with your little likes and dislikes, my dear, I deemed it best to choose for you a gift that would befit a woman in your position. Therefore, I hope, no I am sure you will be most pleased by my choice, dearest Charlotte.” He handed her a package.
She thanked him, began to open it, and could hardly contain herself. In her hands sat within a gilded frame a miniature portrait of Mr Collins himself.
“Yes, I can see you are as pleased with it as I am. Indeed yes,” he nodded, “I instructed them to fashion a loop on the back of the frame where you can thread a ribbon and thereby fasten it around your neck and carry my likeness next to your heart and with you always.” He smiled with great satisfaction.
She could not stop her eyes from betraying her feelings as they welled up and the tears spilled down her cheeks but he mistook them for tears of joy. She stood up, kissed him on the cheek, and said thank you once again. He held his arm out to her and walked her to breakfast, a triumphant look diffusing his entire being.
They had a quiet breakfast and Mr Collins chatted away, mostly to himself about what a blessed year they had just had. It was not until after breakfast that Charlotte had composed herself enough to offer her gifts to her husband.
They moved back to the sitting room as the maid came to clear away the breakfast things and they sat on the sofa together. She handed him the gifts she had handmade and then wrapped in tissue paper and tied with red ribbon.
She looked up into his face and saw something sad there, some emotion that forced to choke him. “My dear, are you well?”
He cleared his throat and recovered himself somewhat, “Quite well indeed my dear. I am touched by your generosity.”
She smiled and teased a little, “You have not yet opened it. How do you know I have been generous?”
“I am not in the habit of receiving presents, my dear.” He shifted uncomfortably and pulled at his shirt collar.
“Surely you received them from your parents as a boy?”
The look of sadness returned to his face and his eyes darkened, “Sadly no, ours was not a happy home.” He coughed and collected himself once more, “Not at all like ours my dear.”
He gave her a smile and she could not but feel moved with compassion for him, smiled back, and reached out for his hand. He maintained her gaze for a few seconds before looking away uncomfortably and then reaching for the ribbon and untying his first Christmas present from his wife.
His eyes fell on the exquisite needlework of the bookmark first as she had laid it out that way. The little
image of the nativity and the scripture all neatly embroidered “Isaiah 9:6; for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”. Charlotte watched him as his eyes filled with tears, passed him her handkerchief, and waited for him to dab his eyes.
“What exquisite work Charlotte. I am speechless.” Charlotte smiled at the thought of that, but he was not speechless at all and he continued, “Indeed, I knew you were a talented woman but this is beyond even my expectations.” She was pleased. “I am sure even Lady Catherine De Bourgh herself would agree with me and indeed I believe she would approve greatly of your choice of gift to me.”
The smile slipped from Charlotte’s face, “Indeed, I thought only of you my dear, not of Lady Catherine at all.”
He then placed the bookmark on the arm of the sofa and turned his attention to the Psalter cover, “Now, I believe this to be the finest needlework in all of England my dear. Look at the way you have so lovingly embroidered my name upon it. I shall cover my Psaltery with pride. Yes, I am indeed the most fortunate of all men in England this very day my dear Charlotte.” To her great surprise, he leaned towards her and kissed her firmly on the mouth. “Now my dearest, how would you like to accompany your husband on a small walk to the village, around the church and back?”
She said that would please her greatly, and ran to fetch her bonnet and pelisse, while he put on his heavy coat and hat and placed the Psaltery in its new cover, and together they walked out of the house with Mr Collins Psaltery held firmly under his arm.
Charlotte knew what he was about and as soon as they came across another person out for a walk, he seized upon the chance to show off his new Christmas present whilst she stood silently by watching and blushing.
* * *
As they approached the parsonage on their way back, Charlotte knew by the slowing of her husband’s pace that, he was looking towards Rosings, while she was deliberately staring in the opposite direction.
“My dear, I wonder if it would be polite for us to visit her Ladyship.”
“Uninvited William?” She looked shocked but knew he would disregard such improper behaviour.
“Your sense of propriety does you credit but I do believe that a visit from a clergyman and friend would be most welcome on this the most sacred of days. Shall we walk that way?” It was not such a suggestion as an intention and she had to push herself not to give in to him.
She really did not relish the idea of seeing her Ladyship twice in one day and certainly not twice on Christmas day, “You go on ahead, if you feel you must. However, I have much to attend to in preparation for our first family Christmas meal together.”
She did not think she would get away so easily. However, the pull towards Rosings was getting stronger, he was already turning away from her, and his feet were moving in that direction.
“Mr Collins,” she called after him “Do not be late for dinner, I would not wish to serve you burnt goose!”
However, she knew he would be late and told cook to start dinner one hour later than they had planned.
She then took the opportunity to return to her room, lie on the bed, and read a novel Miss Thomas had lent her, but her eyes grew heavy quickly and she slept, having only read the first page.
* * *
Charlotte awoke when Mrs Higgs came in her room to inform her it was time to begin cooking. She had asked if she could help the cook with this particular meal, they had looked dubiously at her at first, but she told them that she had not always been the daughter of a Knight of the Realm and that she had some experience. They allowed her to help whilst they giggled at the thought, although they did not trust her with anything more than preparing soup and vegetables.
It was as they were laying the table with the meal hot from the kitchen and Charlotte was anxiously looking at what she was doing, the clock and out of the window by turns that Mr Collins was seen to arrive, once again running and in a high state of agitation.
He ran breathlessly into the dining room, “Oh my dear!” he looked around him and took in the spread on the table. “Oh I am heartily pleased I am not too tardy. I declare that if it were not impossible, because her Ladyship is the most pleasant and charitable of all women that she was endeavouring to detain me!” He leant on the back of a chair to catch his breath.
Charlotte smiled at him and shook her head, “What on earth would give you that impression William?”
Mrs Higgs and Jenny had to suppress their giggles at their Mistresses manner. She shot them a look and they hurried back to their work.
Mr Collins sat down in his chair at the head of the table, “Well, every time I expressed a desire to depart, she presented me with more tea; I believe I have had enough tea for a lifetime!” he laughed nervously and finally took in the table before him. “I must say my dear this is a magnificent meal before me. You have done yourself proud Mrs Collins!”
She smiled at him indulgently, “Would you wish to freshen up after your somewhat hasty return home?”
“Yes, yes indeed I would Mrs Collins. Your patience is infinite; I will be just one moment.” Then he was gone from the room.
Charlotte looked at Mrs Higgs and she shook her head knowingly, “One day Ma’am, one day he will realise he owes more to you than her!” She gathered up her trays and left muttering under her breath, “ooh she a conniving one, she is.”
Charlotte sat in silence awaiting Mr Collins return and wondered what Mrs Higgs had meant. She knew that Lady Catherine was overbearing and would control and manage every single part of the lives around her if she could, but was there more to what Mrs Higgs had said? Had Lady Catherine overstepped her authority too often somehow? She was determined to find out as much as she could once the festivities were past.
While washing and changing his clothes Mr Collins thoughts were on a similar train. Had Lady Catherine meant to detain him? What could have been her reasoning? Was she lonely? No, that could not possibly be, she had Colonel Fitzwilliam, her daughter Anne and Anne’s companion. Was she still angry and put out that they had determined to spend their first Christmas meal together, and not with her? Another thought occurred to him, he frowned at the idea and pushed it aside, surely she could not be jealous because she did not have her own way. No. He quickly brushed his hair and hurried to join his wife.
8
On the following morning Charlotte sat alone in the sitting room putting the final touches to the Boxing Day boxes for the servants, Mr Collins was at the Church preparing the boxes for the poor, when the bell rang and Colonel Fitzwilliam was announced. She tied the last cord around the final box as he entered.
“Good day Mrs Collins, I am not disturbing you I trust?”
“Good day Colonel. Not at all, I assure you. In fact I have just this minute finished my task.” She indicated that he should be seated, “I am afraid that Mr Collins is not here at present.”
“Ah. Well, I had come purposely to take my leave but I am sure that you would pass on my goodbyes to your husband.”
“I would be glad to Colonel. Would you care to join me for tea however?”
The Colonel was glad of the invitation, he had missed the walks they had begun to share, and had endured a few days' drought of good conversation at Rosings.
“I confess I would like that very much Mrs Collins. I am in great need of conversation this morning.” He smirked at her and she knew immediately his meaning. “It is permitted Mrs Collins for you to share your sentiments on the subject with me, as I know you feel as I do that conversation should indeed flow in two directions, back and forth.”
She stood up the ring the bell to staunch the burst of laughter that threatened to break free from her. “I trust you had a pleasant Christmas Day Colonel?”
“Thank you Mrs Collins, I did. And may I convey my apologies to both you and Mr Collins for my aunt yesterday?” She looked at him quizzically. “I am afraid she is not one to be gainsaid and the thought of you desiring to spend your Christmas meal alone irked her terribly and she devised to keep
Mr Collins as long as possible so that your meal would spoil.” Charlotte could not contain the gasp that escaped her lips. “I see I have shocked you. I am heartily sorry for that.”
“I confess I am shocked Colonel, that Lady Catherine would stoop to such behaviour.”
“Oh I assure you she will have her own way. Nevertheless, I am glad Mr Collins managed to wriggle his way out of Rosings and back here. Was the meal very spoilt?”
She smiled up at him and her eyes twinkled, “No. In fact I had assumed Mr Collins would be behind time and dinner was begun an hour later than planned, so when he did arrive home, it was being laid upon the table at the same moment.”
The colonel could not restrain his laughter at her cunning. “Touché Mrs Collins! Well played indeed!”
The tea things arrived and Charlotte busied herself with the task of making it all the while conscious of Colonel Fitzwilliam watching her intently. Once she had given him his tea, she poured her own and was glad to be seated again. The intensity of his gaze had made her feel self-conscious and she was embarrassed to admit, made her legs feel weak.
“Will you be in town long Colonel?” She was relieved to find her voice steady and calm.
“That is something I do not know the answer to I’m afraid. It’s a sad messy business.”
“You mentioned before that it was grave. May I enquire as to the nature of your business?”
“You may indeed enquire Mrs Collins but I am permitted to furnish you with as little information as possible. I am to attend a court-martial hearing.”
She looked shocked, “Not your own I trust!” He smiled at her, a smile that made her feel uncomfortable and nervous.