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Amanda Kai Author
StoryOrigin
Category:
Romance
Publisher: Regal Swan Publishing
ISBN-10: 0578537184
Type: Fiction
Pages: 215
Copyright: July 2, 2019
ISBN-13: 9780578537184
Price: $3.99 (eBook)
For Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins, it was simply a marriage of convenience...or was it?
Charlotte Lucas had all but given up hope of ever marrying, but her fortunes change when she meets a young minister with a benefactor and fine prospects. William Collins came to Hertfordshire with the express intention of finding a wife, but when his first choice spurns him, he quickly transfers his affection to the lady’s best friend, Charlotte.
Their whirlwind courtship appears to lead only to a marriage of convenience and superficial admiration, but beneath the surface, a deeper connection grows between them.
Just as their true feelings begin to manifest, Charlotte and William find their marriage thrown into tumult when Charlotte’s efforts to redeem a group of fallen women invokes the anger of their patroness, who threatens William’s clergy position if he cannot convince Charlotte to end her scandalous connection.
Their marriage is pushed to the limit as Charlotte continues to pursue her cause, refusing to give up the fight. Worse still are the schemes of the wicked brothel owner, who will stop at nothing to keep the source of his profits- the harlots- under his control.
In a small town beset by prejudice, hypocrisy, and vice, it will take compassion, love, and the power of faith to rescue Charlotte's friends from the clutches of evil and restore Charlotte and William’s marriage.
Excerpt
Chapter 1
Charlotte
I did not set out to become a parson’s wife. In fact, I had nearly given up hope of becoming anyone’s wife. All that changed on the night of Mr. Bingley’s ball. I suppose sometimes all it takes is for the providence of God to bring two people into the same room at just the right time.
The grand ballroom at Netherfield was already filling with guests when I arrived. I stepped through the ornate doorway and marveled at the gilded walls, which glimmered in the soft light of the brass sconces and chandeliers. Guests poured in around me like water filling a basin, each lady and gentleman wearing their finest, until the ballroom was a sea of exquisite gowns and jewels and elegant tailcoats with handsome cravats. I wore my best white frock, with a wreath of flowers in my hair. Although I did not own any jewels, I felt dainty and ethereal in the soft chiffon that floated around my legs and billowed as I moved. I milled about, sipping a glass of punch, until the Bennet family arrived. My best friend immediately advanced to my side. I had not seen Elizabeth all week, due to the fact that her family was entertaining company, and thus we were quite eager to speak with each other.
“My dear Lizzy”, I effused, embracing her, “how have you been?”
Elizabeth cast a cautious glance backwards. The rest of her party still lingering far behind her, she continued.
“I fear that I now face a most dreadful evening ahead." She sadly intoned.
“Gracious! Do tell. Why must you be so downcast on such a merry occasion?”
“I had my heart set on dancing the night away with a certain handsome gentleman, but now that prospect has withered on the vine,” she replied, with a glum and hopeless countenance. I was intrigued. “Could this certain gentleman be our friend Mr. Darcy?" I asked. The matchmaker in me hoped Elizabeth might fall for this handsome and wealthy gentleman in our circle of acquaintances, but she seemed to have taken offense at a comment she’d overheard him make once, and I had yet to persuade her to reconsider him.
“No! His opposite, in fact, one might even say his rival.” Elizabeth said. “I have become acquainted this week with a charming lieutenant, a Mr. Wickham, who is stationed here with the militia. He is handsome, genteel, humble, and good-natured.”
“And why do you call him Mr. Darcy’s rival? Has he done something to offend the gentleman?" I inquired.
“Rather the reverse. Oh, you will not believe what Mr. Darcy has done to poor Mr. Wickham! Once his childhood friend, now forever ruined by his hand!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She continued to relate to me of Mr. Wickham’s deferred inheritance at the hands of Mr. Darcy and his denial of the Derbyshire parish rectory that had been left to him.
“I am astonished! But are you certain of your facts? From whom did you learn of all this?”
“From Mr. Wickham himself.”
“Quite dreadful. One would not think Mr. Darcy to be capable of such a thing. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding. But of your Wickham- you must introduce me to this man that has captured your special interest so suddenly!" I insisted.
“I wish I could, dear Charlotte, but it seems that on account of Mr. Darcy’s presence here tonight Mr. Wickham did not feel welcome in joining our party. I was so hoping to engage him on the dance floor, but I shall not be able to, and now my first two dances have been promised to my cousin Mr. Collins" Elizabeth said, exasperated.
“Ah, yes, the visiting cousin. How is he?”
“Well let’s see...” she paused, “obnoxious, overly talkative, dull, homely, always trying to use flattery to win over one’s favor”
“A real sycophant,” I supplied.
Elizabeth nodded. “Yes, exactly" She sighed. “He’s been here a mere few days and I am already sick to death of his company. I am not sure I can stand to be his companion for even one entire evening, let alone have to suffer his presence for any great length of time.”
“Where is he now?" I asked.
“There." Elizabeth pointed to the man beside her mother engaged in conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Parks. He was not unattractive, though neither was he particularly handsome. I thought his looks were fairly plain and average, not unlike myself. His hair, though not fashionably cut, was tidy, and his sideburns not overly long. He was dressed in a simple black waistcoat with a white ruffled cravat.
“He does not appear to be as bad as you have painted him, Elizabeth." I mused.
“Oh, but you haven’t had to listen to an entire evening of him reading Fordyce’s Sermons until we all nearly fall asleep by the fireside." She chortled. “Please my friend, I beg you, after the first two dances are up, come rescue me. Keep him entertained for a while, that I might have a respite from his tedium for at least part of the evening.”
“It shall be my pleasure." I replied.
William
I had one goal in my mind.
Almost from the moment I arrived at Longbourn, my attentions had been fixed onto my cousin, Miss Elizabeth. I had come to Hertfordshire for the express purpose of selecting a wife, largely at the suggestion of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and determined that I ought to select such from among my cousins. For, since I am to inherit the estate one day upon their father's death, I might spare their family from inevitable loss, and ensure that Mrs. Bennet and any of her unmarried daughters might always have a home with us if they wish.
Cousin Elizabeth, though not as beautiful as her elder sister Jane, possessed such warmth of spirit, such energy, rapier wit, and pleasant demeanor, that I was immediately attracted to her. When Mrs. Bennet relieved me of my duty to assist her eldest daughter in securing a match-for it would be unseemly to pursue the younger while the elder is still unmarried- by assuring me that Miss Bennet was very soon to be engaged, I could then turn my full attention to Miss Elizabeth. At every opportunity, I positioned myself to be beside her, and made the most of all the little compliments I had arranged in my head to be directed towards her. She received my attention with demure politeness and returned my conversation with the occasional clever remark or bit of humor. Thus, after the past few days’ acquaintanceship, I was convinced that I was falling in love. For amongst all her wonderful qualities, my dear cousin was certainly not unpleasant to look at; in fact, one might say her charm and wit made her appear even more comely than her sister- a ‘Helen of Troy’, though Jane be.
The Bennets had been invited to a ball held by one of the neighbors, a Mr. Netherfield of Bingley Hall, or something to that effect. At any rate, I gathered from what I overheard from my younger cousins that this was the man whom Cousin Jane hoped to wed. This event gave me the perfect opportunity to impress Cousin Elizabeth, and I intended to keep close to her for the entire evening. I congratulated myself on already securing her promise for the first two dances prior to our arrival.
I glanced about for Elizabeth, but she had slipped away to greet her friend on the other side of the ballroom, and though the room was far too filled with celebrants for me to follow her, I was able to observe her animated demeanor as I felt my heart skip. I was forced to look away when Mr. Bennet introduced me to some friend of theirs, and then before I knew it, the orchestra began to tune, and the opening dances were announced. Elizabeth made her way to the middle of the dance floor as I crossed through the crowds to meet her, ready to claim my prize of being the first one to dance with this fine young lady that evening. Other couples lined up beside us. I bowed to Cousin Elizabeth, and she returned with a polite curtsy. The musicians opened with a country dance. Fortunately, it was one I knew well, and Elizabeth also seemed adept. I would have hated to be embarrassed on such an occasion.
“You are quite the skilled dancer, Cousin Elizabeth." I remarked, my face beaming with the affection I felt for her.
She whipped her brunette head back to face me, as per the choreography. “I thank you for your kind words, Mr. Collins. This dance is quite popular in this region. I believe I have performed it at nearly every ball in the last twelve months. Familiarity does breed comfort." Elizabeth remarked. I wondered if that could be an encouragement towards me.
“In that case, I shall hope to become very familiar with you, dear cousin," I smiled, my eyes wide with delight. Elizabeth looked a little flustered and missed one of the steps. I supposed my overtures to be a tad overwhelming in the rapidity of our growing attachment. Not wanting her to feel overly shy, I retreated a little in the conversation.
“Of course, the comfort of familiar things can come from many places. A favorite blanket on one’s bed, a childhood stuffed animal, a dish that one’s mother prepares every year on holidays, for instance.”
“Indeed." Elizabeth gave me a small smile.
“Not to mention, the familiarity of family. It’s a pity I never had the opportunity to visit my Longbourn relations until now. I can only hope to better acquaint myself from this point on, including you, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth came up short with an answer to this, seeming a little tongue-tied, but as the song picked up tempo towards the finish, there was no room for a reply anyhow. Once the song ended, she politely responded, “Relationships with family are always a priority to me."
There was a brief pause while the dancers caught their breath. Then the second dance began. It was even faster than the first one, and left us too winded to continue talking, so I just enjoyed the beauty and skill of my dance partner as I tried to keep up the pace.
Charlotte
Poor Elizabeth looked so uncomfortable all throughout the first two dances as I watched her from the other side of the ballroom. I wondered if her cousin was really as horrible as she had described. She had made him out to be an over-talkative flatterer with a tiresome disposition, but if the man's only crimes were that he rambled on about his favorite topics and tried a bit too hard to please everyone, then I saw it as being merely a trifle. His face was not unpleasant, I thought, and he was quite attentive to Elizabeth. If he meant to make her an offer and secure her family’s future, she would do well to accept him. Nevertheless, I kept my word and approached them just as the second dance was winding down.
Tired from the brisk jig, Mr. Collins was a little out of breath, but he greeted me warmly when Elizabeth introduced us.
“Naturally, I am delighted to make the acquaintanceship of any friend of my fair cousin”. He smiled and bowed. “Miss Lucas, it would be my great pleasure if you might be my partner for the next dance”.
“Thank you”, Elizabeth mouthed to me as I stepped onto the dance floor with Mr. Collins, and she made her escape to the waiting arms of one of the officers, who had just asked her to dance.
“Are you enjoying your stay in Hertfordshire, Mr. Collins?” I inquired, as he faced me in the long line of dancers.
“Oh, immensely. I cannot bear to think how sad I shall be to leave. I am quite enjoying the chance to get to know my cousins better and to become acquainted with their neighbors.” He beamed.
“Yes, the Bennets are wonderful, especially Lizzy. I think of her as my best friend, and her family is like a second family to me.”
“How excellent for you to have such friends”. Mr. Collins remarked, his eyes continually glancing down the line of dancers towards Lizzy and her partner.
The dance continued, as did Mr. Collins’ conversation with me for the majority of the span of it. When the music concluded, seeing as Elizabeth had disappeared to some other room, Mr. Collins asked me to dance a second time. I obliged him. Following that, I excused myself to locate Lizzy. I found her standing in the card room, watching the groups of whist players.
“How was he to you?” Lizzy asked, a bit worried for my sake.
“Pleasant, and not unduly talkative, as you suggested, though he did go on for a bit about a certain 'Lady Catherine’-”
“-de Bourgh”. Elizabeth finished. “His patroness. He worships her”, she rolled her eyes.
“So I gathered. Evidently, she has done a great deal to elevate his status in society and provide him with a generous living upon his graduation from seminary. I daresay he will make a respectable provider for someone.” I suggested.
Lizzy was aghast. “I hope you’re not referring to me!”
I simply shrugged and grinned. “Perhaps you have someone wealthier in your sights already!”
“Or at least more romantic!” Lizzy’s eyes sparkled as our joint laughter echoed off the high ceilings.
Just then, Mr. Darcy appeared in front of us. To each, he politely bowed, then to Elizabeth, he inquired if she might join him in the next minuet. Elizabeth nodded numbly as she agreed. Lizzy’s face was flushed, and she was discomposed.
“Did I just agree to dance with Mr. Darcy?” She asked in disbelief. I, for one, was pleased for her sake.
“I dare say you will find him very agreeable”.
“Heaven forbid! That would be the greatest misfortune of all, to find a man agreeable whom one is determined to hate! Do not wish me such an evil.” She half-laughed, half-cried at her own irony, and I laughed with her, doing my best to comfort her.
As Elizabeth was engaged for the next dance, but I was not, I distracted Mr. Collins by the punchbowl. While he rambled on about the fine quality of the punch, how it was alright for a clergyman to indulge in a little innocent refreshment (I don't think he realized how much alcohol was actually in it; the militia kept sneaking past and altering the ratio by increments!),and how Lady Catherine preferred to serve only wine at her parties, except for her daughter's birthday, since Miss de Bourgh favored punch, and so on, and so on, I took the chance to steal a furtive glance over his shoulder at Lizzy and Darcy. They seemed to be deeply engrossed in each other, almost as if they were the only ones dancing in the ballroom. Although I could tell Elizabeth still bore an icy countenance towards him, I wondered how long Darcy could contain his passion for her. It was clear, at least, that he had eyes for no one else in the room.
I mused in my soul at that juncture that Elizabeth may not need to settle for marrying her cousin, who she so disdained. Perhaps, having caught the attention of this illustrious gentleman, she may find herself in better fortunes even than her elder sister, who at present was clearly enjoying the favor of one Charles Bingley, our evening’s host.
With that in mind, it dawned on me that I might assist my friend in drawing her unwelcome suitor away from her, by encouraging him towards myself. Such an act of service towards my dearest friend could not be unwelcome by her, I was certain. Mr. Collins, in my estimation, was tolerable, plain, but certainly not ugly, and reasonably well-off enough to support a wife and any children they might have.
Additionally, I knew through Elizabeth that he would one day inherit their estate upon her father's death. Naturally, I would not seek to displace my dear friends from their home, but I suspected Mr. Collins could be persuaded on this point. Mrs. Bennet need not move from her home right away after her husband dies; she could possibly even live out the rest of her days there or stay until such time as she might choose to move in with one of her married daughters. Especially if things went well for her two eldest’s’ current courtships, they would have plenty of room for her if she wanted to vacate Longbourn. At any rate, someday Mr. Collins would be living there, a mere walking distance from my family's home. Such a situation sounded blissfully ideal to me.
“.... Do you not think so, Miss Lucas?” Mr. Collin's question broke my reverie. I blushed, “you must forgive me, I was lost in thought watching the dancers. Do repeat your question, sir.”
“Are these crab puffs not the most excellent you have ever sampled?” He then bit again into the hors d'oeuvre we had both been handed by the server moments before while I was daydreaming.
“Ah, yes,” I also bit. It had a texture at once light and flaky, with a creamy and savory taste. “They are quite delicious.” I pronounced.
“I have only sampled better ones once before, at a party thrown by Lady Catherine. Do you know, she employs a famous chef from Paris...”? He continued to converse, only expecting minimal replies from me.
Well, if this is a sample of my future existence should my hopes be realized, I’d better familiarize myself with this sort of conversation, I contemplated.
William
The first set of dances was over soon, and before I knew it, we were being called to the dining room for the meal. The crowds following the candle-lit hallway carried me along with them like a school of trout being swept down the river, but I cut my way through the wriggling masses in search of a certain girl. Confounded by the fact that so many of these brunette girls looked practically identical from behind, I finally recognized the unique pearl hairpins of my target and pressed through the last of the congestion to catch up with her as we reached the dining room.
“Miss Elizabeth, might I have the pleasure of being your dining companion this evening?” I asked as the Bennet family found their seats at the long table.
“Oh, Mr. Collins, I, I…” she stammered, “I’m deeply aggrieved to admit, I've already promised Jane that I should sit by her.” Elizabeth managed to finish.
“But of course,” I replied, “you must sit by her on one side. But please, do allow me to sit beside you on your other side. For it is my particular desire to be your escort and companion tonight.” I boldly declared. Perhaps Elizabeth felt overwhelmed by my pursuit, and the rapidity of our growing affection, for she smiled shyly as she sank into the seat between Jane and myself. As the wine was poured, she looked down into her lap, and I could have sworn I saw a blush creep across her face, though she tried her best to hide it.
After supper, some of the ladies sang or played the piano, including a delightful performance from Cousin Mary. Then the dancing resumed. I tried my hardest to persuade Cousin Elizabeth to dance a third time with me, for that would surely confirm she understood my intentions towards her, but she refused, on the grounds that her feet were too sore, and nothing I said could persuade her otherwise. She did not delight our company with her dancing anymore the rest of the evening. Instead, she settled herself into a plush settee from which she could watch the event. Nevertheless, I succeeded in keeping her entertained with my dialogue on as many topics of interest to young ladies as I could imagine in that moment, only being interrupted by the addition of Miss Lucas, who seemed eager to join our conversations.
Altogether, I congratulated myself on not only being able to spend a considerable portion of the evening with Elizabeth, but also on making a good impression with Miss Lucas. For it is well-known that if one can procure the good favor of a lady’s bosom friend, then said friend is likely to give a good recommendation on one’s behalf to the lady one is pursuing.
My cousins were all so tired on the return home that Elizabeth and Jane rested their heads gently on Mary’s shoulder, eventually drifting off into slumber, and Mary looked as though she might also nod off at any time. Only Kitty and Lydia were still talking animatedly about their adventure, though in more hushed tones than at the party. I myself, sitting on their side of the carriage, was forced to squeeze as far as I could to the outer edge, but it gave me the perfect vantage to look out the side into the dark open countryside and contemplate my next course of action.
Time was running out during my visit, I realized. I had already been in Hertfordshire over a week and would be returning to Kent on Saturday. With only three full days left, I realized I needed to be bolder if I were to have any hope of securing Cousin Elizabeth’s hand before my departure. I mused to myself that perhaps I ought to ask to take Elizabeth on a carriage ride, perhaps with Jane or another of her sisters along to chaperone, so that we might picnic in the countryside tomorrow. Then I recalled her having mentioned that Miss Lucas was invited to come over all day from mid-morning onwards. Perhaps she might chaperone. Then again, if I let the two ladies have some their privacy to converse, it may give Miss Lucas a chance to further recommend me. This sort of thinking went on for a bit, as I devised ways in which I might accelerate the process of courting Miss Elizabeth. By the time we reached Longbourn, my resolution was clear. I would request her audience first thing in the morn, even prior to breakfast, and make my declaration and offer of marriage to her.
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