A Devoted Sister by Jann Rowland

Author:Jann Rowland [Rowland, Jann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: One Good Sonnet Publishing
Published: 2023-07-11T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter XIII

T he next day, before Elizabeth said anything of the previous evening’s events, Mary arrived for a visit. Mary was not precisely the walker that Elizabeth was, but she was not exactly sedentary either, for all her interests included those pursuits that did not promote an active lifestyle. While she had walked to Ashleigh to visit occasionally, what surprised her siblings more was the early hour when she arrived, well before polite visiting hours started.

Jane, not caring about such conventions regarding family, welcomed her sister and plied her with tea and breakfast, which Mary accepted gratefully, revealing she had not eaten before she had departed. Elizabeth, who had just returned from her walk and met Mary near the door, wondered at her sister’s presence at such an hour. She was not required to wait long, for Mary did not hesitate to share her news, the gist of which shocked the entire party.

“Mr. Collins has returned to Kent?” demanded she when Mary opened her account with those exact words.

“He has,” confirmed Mary, her opinion betrayed in the huff of disdain she did not attempt to moderate. “And good riddance, for he is as odious a man as I ever met and no fit servant of God.”

Elizabeth looked at Jane, who rolled her eyes in response to Mary’s display. Mary was a good girl, but she had no patience for poor behavior and was at times rather judgmental in the way she viewed the world.

“Perhaps you should inform us what happened, Mary,” suggested Jane.

In the attitude of buttering a piece of toast, Mary considered what to say, before her gaze found Richard. “I understand that something passed between you and Mr. Collins last night?”

Richard’s grin was positively feral. “It did. I prevented him from imposing upon Elizabeth and reminded him that a father must approve any solicitations from a suitor and that a mother possesses no authority to enter agreements for her daughters. Mr. Collins did not appreciate my interference.”

Mary shook her head. “Then it is no surprise that he acted at once. When we returned home last night he went straight to his room, but this morning he was up with the sun accosting Papa in his study.”

“Oh?” asked Richard, his tone deceptively off-hand. “I might never have guessed.”

Catching the humor in his reply, Mary smiled before returning to her narrative. “As I was nearby and Mr. Collins did not bother to close the door to Papa’s bookroom, I overheard everything. Mr. Collins complained about your behavior and demanded that he censure you. Then he informed Papa of his agreement with Mama and insisted Papa betroth Elizabeth to him.”

“Might I assume Papa refused?” asked Jane.

“Do you suppose Papa would act to force any of us to do anything we did not wish?” Mary shook her head. “Even if he was inclined to promise Mr. Collins one of his daughters, I cannot think he would have agreed to offer Lizzy as the sacrificial lamb.”

“For that, I cannot be more grateful,” replied Elizabeth.

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