Page 28 of Shields and Roses

Mr. Collins nodded silently, afraid to cause offense by using the wrong words again. Lady Catherine nodded once, satisfied he had gotten the message.

"In addition, you will not marry or form any kind of romantic attachment until I say otherwise," she added firmly. "I have already chosen a bride for you, and you will be introduced when the time is right."

"Your munificence knows no bounds..." he began, before silencing himself on noticing the intensity of her glare. She continued to glare until he felt the need to pull out his handkerchief and mop away the beads of sweat forming on his brow. When she decided he was sufficiently uncomfortable, she asked a question next.

"Are you aware that your father is heir presumptive to an estate called Longbourn and that he has quarreled with the current master, a man called Thomas Bennet?" She almost spat out Bennet's name.

Mr. Collin's prominent Adam's apple bobbed as nervously as his head while he replied in choked tones, "Yes, Lady Catherine. My father has spoken of the situation often. He hates Mr. Bennet most passionately."

Lady Catherine said, "You are to have no contact with Thomas Bennet or any other member of his family, including his wife's brother-in-law, the attorney Clarence Phillips, or her brother, the tradesman Edward Gardiner, without my express permission. If any one of them should attempt to contact you in any way, you will notify me immediately and follow my instructions on how to respond. Do you understand, yes or no?"

Hunching in on himself, he replied, "Yes, Lady Catherine." He looked like he wanted to say more, but fear held him back.

"Very good," she replied. "As I said earlier, I have arranged a place for you as a curate. The position begins today as soon as you arrive there. You will do your work to the best of your ability and behave with propriety. Your entire future rests on your ability to follow my instructions."

He hunched down a little more even as he nodded his head eagerly. Lady Catherine was having fun bullying the man. She hoped Elizabeth would not learn how to manage him in this way. Ah, well, Lady Catherine knew she could preempt that possibility by instructing him on the proper way to treat a wife when the time came for them to marry. Deep down he was probably a brute just like his father and would enjoy having someone under his control to torment. Amusing as this interview was, it was time to move on to other things. She pulled the bell to call a servant.

"The carriage that brought you here is waiting at the servant's entrance to take you on to your new home. The driver already knows where to go. You are excused."

Mr. Collins rose to bow. She saw that he looked ready to burst forth into another round of compliments.

"In silence," Lady Catherine added sharply.

Again, he had that look as if he had just swallowed his tongue and his hand flew up to stop his mouth. He bowed again, with the hand still in place as if was about to blow her a kiss. Remaining quiet with an obvious struggle, he turned and followed the servant she had summoned out of the room and into his future.

Lady Catherine watched him with hidden amusement that died away as the door closed behind the buffoon. Then, she dismissed him from her mind as she began to consider how to induce her youngest nephew to marry Anne.

The fingernail once again beat out its familiar rhythm on the chair arm. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Chapter 18: Letters

"Madeline, we have received a package from Captain Fitzwilliam. I think you should read the letter that accompanied it," Edward Gardiner said to his wife as he entered the drawing room.

Looking up from her needlework, Madeline Gardiner smiled at her husband. "I am always happy to read about the adventures of our good captain," she said, accepting the folded paper.

"It is not only adventure but a request this time. You will see," Edward said, taking a seat on the sofa next to his wife. She opened the paper and read.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner,

I send this missive hoping it will reach you safely and find you well and happy. I want you to know that I treasure your friendship for much more than the aid you have so often given to me and my father in our quest to keep secrets from a certain relative. That said, I wish to request a favor from you once again. I hope you will not mind, especially since it involves someone who is dear to us both.

First, let me explain. You know that my unit is currently serving on the border between Portugal and Spain although, for security reasons, I cannot tell you exactly where. It is interesting country and very beautiful in its way. The countryside is different from England. However, I have found that, just like at home, one can sometimes find treasures when one stops in a small village and truly looks around.

I have gained some fluency in the local dialect. Enough to get by for most purposes, at any rate. Because of this, my commander often sends me ahead with scouting parties or to arrange for housing or feeding the troops. On my way back from one such expedition, I ended up in a small village, one very like the many small villages that dot the back roads of England. The inhabitants of this one, fortunately, were friendly towards the English. As I stopped by one building to ask which was the local equivalent of a public house, I found myself in the workshop of a master craftsman. He worked in gold, creating delicate filigree ornaments that his son would take to the larger towns to sell in less dangerous times.

I was amazed by the beautiful piece on which he was working and asked if he had any finished items to sell. He told me he generally only made works commissioned by known customers now, but that he did have something that had been completed for a customer who was no longer able to make the purchase. When you open the package, you will see why I simply had to buy it. No matter what the original purchaser may have intended, there is no doubt in my mind that this set was made for Lizzy.

With a little bartering that sometimes stretched my linguistic skills, I was able to come to an agreement on a price he would accept and that I could afford. I carried this little box containing my purchase with me until the time came that I could turn it over to a reliable courier. Today seems to be that day. Now comes the favor I wish to request from you.

Lizzy's sixteenth birthday is coming up soon. I want the contents of the box to be a gift for her on that day, which I know will mark her coming out in Meryton society. We all know, however, that I cannot give this to her. First off, propriety forbids it. Even if it did not, such a gift would excite expectations on Mrs. Bennet's part that neither Lizzy nor I would care to fulfill. Furthermore, if any word that I had made her such a gift reached my aunt, no amount of play-acting could allay her suspicions. Even if I sent it through the hands of Mr. Bennet, the source of the gift would come out. Therefore, I am asking if you will present this birthday gift as if it came from you. Please. What is important to me is that Lizzy receives it. You may tell her the truth if it can be done without anyone else knowing, but only in that case. May I rely on your friendship to do this deed?

I am hoping the answer is yes. Of course, I will not know until I hear from you next, so please write soon and tell me all about the festivities for my dear near-sister.

Best wishes,

Richard Fitzwilliam

As she finished reading, Madeline looked at her husband. "Have you seen what is in the package?" she asked.