Page 6 of Collins Takes Charge

“Nothing against you personally, but had you been the kind of man I know, indeed everyone in the area knew, Lady Catherine was seeking to fill the vacancy, then I would not have accepted your invitation. However, after witnessing the encounter in the church, I am happy to have a meal with you. Am I to assume that you are not as Lady Catherine thought you are?” Keating enquired. “I am almost done here, and then I will be ready to join you.”

“I look forward to speaking to you. I will wait for you at the parsonage. In the privacy of my home I will be pleased to answer any inquiries you have of me,” William stated and then, with a quick bow to the other man, began the short walk back to his new house.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

By the time Keating arrived, William had the platter with cold meats, cheeses, and some cold meat pies on the table. Next to it was a plate with a loaf of crusty bread along with a knife to slice it. He had brought some water to the boil and prepared a pot of tea which he had just placed on the table when the front doorbell jangled.

When Keating saw who answered the door, his eyebrows shot up. “Mr Collins, are your servants too busy to come to the door?” Keating asked surprisedly.

“It would be rather hypocritical of me if I preached about how we are to observe and honour the Sabbath, and then had those employed here work on the Lord’s Day to save me a little inconvenience, would it not? Also, please address me as Collins or William.”

“And I am Keating or George. I am sure Mrs Bellamy appreciates being able to spend the day with her family,” Keating responded. This man kept surprising him in a positive fashion. “Have you employed additional servants for the house yet?”

“That is one of the things I will address on the morrow. Please sit.” William indicated the chairs about the table with his hand. “After we eat, we will have more than enough time to speak. That is unless you have a pressing engagement this afternoon?”

“I do not. Although we do not have a prescribed grace before meals like the papists, do you have a personal tradition?” Keating enquired.

“On the Sabbath at the after-service meal, I simply thank God for the bounty He allows us and for the blessing of His Son who died for our sins. That being done, please eat.”

During the meal the two men, who were fast becoming friends, spoke of more inconsequential subjects.

After the meal, William poured a small measure of port for his guest and then for himself. They took their wineglasses and retired to the back sitting room. It was there that the host explained that he was the antithesis of the type of person Lady Catherine wanted for the living. William related all about the use of subterfuge as sanctioned by the hierarchy of the church and why it had been deemed necessary. “Thanks to the reports that reached the Bishop and Archbishop, from you and the other man who applied to be the new parson, they decided that they wanted to attempt this course of action before removing the living from Rosings Park’s gift. In my interview with Lady Catherine, I was very careful not to prevaricate; rather, I told the truth, but I worded it in a way I knew that she would only hear what she wanted to hear.”

At first, Keating was silent as he digested the words; other than taking a small sip of port, he did not move. Then, with his glass on the small table next to him, he smiled widely, slapped one knee, and then let out a guffaw. When he had calmed, he wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. “Pardon the outburst, Collins, but I believe this is poetic justice. I will never forget how, in her words, ‘seriously displeased’ Lady Catherine was when I told her she was wrong before she ordered me from her home. She tried to bar me from serving as the curate until she bestowed the living on a new man and said ‘it was not to be borne’ when Bishop Lankershim told her she had no authority over me and that I would continue on until a new rector took over. In short order, you will discover that your patroness hates being gainsaid. That your appointment has been ratified without any delay leaves her powerless. However, she will not recede and will attempt to interfere as much as she can.”

“In that case, she will be relieved of any ability to ever appoint another rector. It does not concern me. I see her as a bully and blowhard. If she thinks she can intimidate me with her perceived power, then she will be sorely disappointed.” William paused. “As my first act, I would like to appoint you curate of this parish. That is, if two parishes are not too much for you? The offer is one hundred pounds per annum.”

“The rector of St Anthony’s Church near Metcalfe Hall will not object. The money you offer is generous in the extreme. Are you sure you want to pay more than double what I earn at St Anthony’s?”

“In this, I am following the example of one of my mentors, Davidson, the rector of St Peter’s in Faversham. In his opinion most curates are not paid commensurate with the amount of work they do. For instance, I will be away for a fortnight in June to attend my older brother’s wedding. At that time, you will manage the parish on your own. Besides, it was easy to see from the services today that you are in the parishioners’ favour. I could not leave them in better hands when I am away.”

“If you are sure it is not too much, then I happily accept,” Keating agreed. “Are you ready for the impending summons to Rosings Park on the morrow?”

“I am. It is time for Lady Catherine to learn that her power over me and this parish is perceived and not real,” William responded. “I am sure that there will be much bluster, cajoling, and threats. However, like all bullies, when she is faced with one who is not cowed by her, she will find some other target for her interference.” He paused as he cogitated for some moments. “The way I react will be largely dependent on what she says and attempts to do. I will not invite open war with my patroness; however, I will not sacrifice the parishioners’ needs to placate her.”

Keating was impressed. He knew that Collins was the man for this job because if it had been him, Keating knew himself well enough to know that he could not be as diplomatic as Collins seemed to be in the face of Lady Catherine’s ridiculous and officious pronouncements.

The two spoke more of their theological philosophies until Keating departed an hour later. On leaving, the curate walked past the parsonage’s stables, and he saw Collins’s horse. He shook his head; Lady Catherine would not be happy.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

On Monday morning, armed with a basket of food and with Master William’s thanks, the two men departed the parsonage in the horsedrawn cart to return to Collins Hollow.

William Collins did not have long to wait before a liveried footman from Rosings Park delivered a note from Lady Catherine ordering Mr Collins to attend her immediately. He told the man to pass on that he would present himself at the manor house as soon as he was able.

He returned to his meeting with Mrs Bellamy and finished their discussion about the servants she needed to employ. He authorised her to employ two maids of all work and a man servant who could assist with the parsonage when there was heavy work and attend to the glebe the rest of the time. William made sure that Mrs Bellamy understood that she was to choose the servants without reference to Lady Catherine’s opinions.

Once the items they needed to discuss were canvassed, the cook-housekeeper left the study happy to have her opinion confirmed. Mr Collins was not some obsequious man who would toady up to Lady Catherine.

As soon as he was ready, William made the short walk across the park. He passed the overly ordered formal gardens and arrived at the front doors. Like they had when he had first arrived at the estate, the two footmen stood still, staring straight ahead. He used the knocker to announce his presence and was admitted by the butler. William did not miss the way the older man’s eyebrows were raised, which told him that Lady Catherine was unhappy he had not arrived with, or just after, the footman she sent to convey her orders.

Like before, the butler knocked on the door and entered when bade, bowed low, and announced the caller. Then he withdrew.

“How dare you make me wait?” Lady Catherine screeched. “You said you would come right away! Do you know who I am?” It was then she noted that her parson had given a bow he would to any other nothing, and not the one she demanded was her due. “In addition to that, have you forgotten your manners, Mr Collins?”

“Firstly, your Ladyship, I told your footman I would leave the house as soon as I was able. I happened to be in a meeting when I was given the message. With regard to my bow, I was reading that it can be seen as treason to bow as if to royalty when no royal is present. Surely you do not want to be arrested for treason?”

Lady Catherine was about to scream at the disobliging man when she remembered that the footman had reported the parson had said ‘as soon as I am able.’ She berated herself for not being more specific in her command. Then she remembered something similar Reggie had said about demanding she receive the same bows as Their Majesties. He had told her it could be counted as treason. Try as she might, Lady Catherine saw no way to refute what the clergyman said.