––––––––
Back in Longbourn, Elizabeth saw that things were rather the same as they had left them. Her father was still his usual laconic self; her mother expressed her inflexibility by showing her irk for their return despite her protests; Mary was into one study or the other that Elizabeth did not deign to look into; Kitty and Catherine were still in raptures over the men in scarlet coats. It was still home and Elizabeth delighted in her return immensely. Her annoyance and all thoughts about a man named Fitzwilliam Darcy was all but forgotten in the subsequent events that happened at Longbourn for in all sense of the word, Elizabeth was one who could never hold on to a grudge for a long amount of time.
The next morning, their father in his manner of announcing matters which he ought to have announced but delayed for the purpose of shocking his family, especially his wife, announced that they were expecting a visitor. The mention of the expected visitor did not please his wife nor very much his daughters- it was none other than his cousin; the man to whom their estate was entailed and who shall therefore make his girls destitute should he fall and die anytime of the day. Reading out his letter, differences in opinions rent the air about his personality. The man was unanimously decided to be an oddity of sorts- he made mention of his occupation as an ordained man with the greatest humility; the attention paid to him by Lady Catherine De Bourgh; his wish to extend an olive branch in settlement of the differences between his late father who had quarrelled with Mr. Bennet his entire life; and his desire to make amends to Mr. Bennet's daughters.
Though none of them could possibly see how he could propose to make any amends, they all thought it would serve them well to have him wait upon them in order to see for themselves who the man was. And so, they awaited his arrival.
Mr. Collins was a man of twenty and five years. His figure was found to be agreeable enough- tall, straight but heavy- if one overlooked the pompous manner with which he carried himself. In the space if a few moments that he made his way into the Bennet's home, he admired the girls all of their beauty, highly flattering in his praises to border of excessiveness. Of course, this pleased Mrs. Bennet to no end and he rose in her goodwill. However, when he came upon the admiration of their house, china and arts, Elizabeth could perceive the offense on her mother's face and for the first time, she found that she agreed with her mother's thoughts- the man could only be sizing up his properties much as a horse breeder does a horse he meant to purchase.
As for Mr. Bennet, he scarcely said a word as was his practice but Mr. Collins was not inclined to reticence and he and the ladies of the family ensured there was no lack in conversation. Mr. Bennet however engaged the attention of his guest over dinner in discussion pertaining to his patroness, Lady De Bourgh; it was in the neighbourhood of the widow's abode, Rosings was situated that Mr. Collins was rector in the parsonage.
In this subject, Mr. Collins had a greater deal to say. His regard for his patroness rang out in spades and he spoke highly of her affability, condescension and kindness upon himself. Elizabeth had no doubt that the woman was the type that thought herself superior to all other living creatures simply by virtue of her circumstance in life. Her cousin needed no further incitement to revere his 'humble abode' in Hudson and every other thing about his life and by the time the evening was over, Elizabeth, inwardly supported by her father made the decision that Mr. Collins was conceited, supercilious, pretention and full of his own consequence.
The next day, she and her sisters had the importunity of his company as he attended to them to Meryton. It was Lydia's suggestion that they all thither to Meryton to their aunt's and Mr. Bennet had seen the perfect chance to send his loquacious cousin out of the house- for Mr. Collins had suddenly taken to hounding him around the house, making small conversations that Mr. Bennet could not bring himself to care for.
It was on this visit that Lydia took notice of officer Denny with a very handsome stranger. She called the attention of her sisters to the stranger, already veering in the direction of the gentlemen.
Officer Denny, ever the gentleman introduced his companion as Mr. George Wickham and mentioned that he was a new addition to their consignment for whom he had gone specifically to London to guide to Meryton. The man himself had a great eloquence, carriage and grace that immediately endeared him to the ladies.
"What fine way to encounter such fine ladies in a fine town such as this," Mr. Wickham said as way of compliment to all the Bennet ladies and they; especially the youngest two blushed happily.
"Do you not think so?" Mr. Collins threw in his two pence. "I was but enchanted with them also myself; it is not a common sight to see such beauty, such mannerisms assembled together in a family."
Hitherto, Mr. Collins had been ignored- for a fact, his existence had totally been forgotten and Jane, guilty about forgetting her manners was quick to introduce him. Barely was the introduction acknowledged before Lydia posed a question to Mr. Wickham.
"I cannot imagine sir, what reason you must have to join the corps but I can imagine it can only be a noble one and rest assured that you have my earnest admiration towards this."
Mr. Wickham smiled at her in a way that caused her heart to flutter in her chest an Lydia thought how incredibly charming he was and how Officer Denny- whom she hitherto believed was the perfect example for all men- paled in comparison.
"I aspire for peace in our beloved land among many other things..."
His reply was thus cut short by the appearance of a carriage stopping next to the pavement where the party was assembled. Elizabeth was dismayed to see that it was Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. Since she and Jane left Netherfield but a week ago, there had been no meeting between her and the odious man. In the midst of all that was happening in her house, she had but forgotten his existence but for a few times whereby the memory would bring a warmth to her cheeks that had no business there. Upon seeing him at the moment, something fluttered in her chest and she fancied that it must be embarrassment at being faced with the man who had caught her in an indecent act.
In the felicity of greetings that followed by which Bingley thereupon fixed himself on Jane Bennet, inquiring about her health and all such, Elizabeth observed that Mr. Darcy was disinclined to dwell in her direction. Her ire was very much rising for the deliberate slight when she noticed something that had she not been studying the man herself, would not have noticed at all. Mr. Darcy raised his gaze enough to meet that of Mr. Wickham and the reaction was less than desirable- in both men; while Mr. Wickham visibly paled, Mr. Darcy turned a most unbecoming shade of red, setting his jaw angrily while a storm brewed in his eyes. Elizabeth saw this exchange though brief and wondered at it. The men scarcely managed a nod in each other's direction, causing Elizabeth to wonder. They seemed to watch each other warily up till the moment when Bingley was sufficiently pleased that Jane was well recovered, took his leave and their company and rode on.
The exchange was still in the front of her mind as they went to their aunts'; it was on her mind the entire time they spent there and it subsisted all the way home that she had to recount it to Jane who saw no excuse to offer for the seeming rancour between the two men for it was obvious then that they must be previously acquainted. So befuddled and enthralled by the element of a puzzle especially as it concerned Mr. Darcy that Elizabeth wished she could solicit on one of the men for an explanation but alas, she could not for she and Mr. Darcy were never on the best of terms and she had only met Mr. Wickham to-day.
Remembering her aunt's promise to hold a small dinner assembly with her nieces and promising to send invitation to some of the officers; Mr. Wickham in particular at the suggestion of Lydia, Elizabeth decided that should the opportunity present itself at the dinner and were she to gain further acquaintance of Mr. Wickham, she would ask him about this- most politely of course.
Fitzwilliam Darcy's countenance- though none too apparent to the careless observer, was a mixture of pleasure and discontentment- pleasure at seeing Elizabeth again even though he was ill disposed to feel this; and discontentment at the sight of the young man in her company. Though he had enough intelligence about the man's arrival into the country and the corps, he was afraid that he hadn't prepared himself well for chancing upon him.
The sight of the man still caused him no small amount of annoyance, he acknowledged.
Knowing the man, he was not so surprised to find him in the midst of the beautiful Bennet sisters. In fact, he would therefore be very much unsurprised if the man already did not have a grand plan brewing in his head that involved one of the sisters. Despite his disinclination towards the Bennet family in general, Darcy resolved to keep an eye on the Bennet ladies whilst the man was around. He purportedly ignored the voice in his head which teased him that his main concern in making such decision was for Elizabeth Bennet.
That last night she spent at Netherfield, she had remembered. He could only own her sudden recollection to the proximity with which they stood at the door of the library which could be likened to how they were positioned in the room in the tavern. Since she had come into her senses about his identity, he figured that she would be inclined to have nothing to do with him and this, he most preferred for her recognition finally confirmed to him that she was a lady of disrepute and it was in his best interest to steer clear.