Rosings Parsonage: Anne and Catherine

While the Darcy girls and the rest were preparing for the trip to London, two sisters were sitting in a drawing room miles away at the Rosings Park Parsonage in  Hunsford. The room was silent, except for the sounds of a pen scratching on paper, and the pages of a book being turned.
Eventually, one of the young ladies,who appeared to be about 20, with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, broke the silence.

"Catherine, I do wish you would lay down that book and take a walk with me", she said to a young girl sitting in a chair, apparently buried in a book entitled, "The Sermons of Montelluiney".

The girl, who looked about 15, slowly closed the book, and placed it on the table. In her usual careless way, she placed it too near the edge and it fell with a bang on the wood floor. A cat near the hearth gave a startled jump.

"I would take a walk with you, Anne, but father says improvement of the mind is much more important than wandering about the grounds", she said, as looked into her sister's face with her large black eyes and  placid expression. She smoothed back her black hair from her forehead and rearranged her rumpled dress.

"Yes, dear, but mother says that exercise of the body is as important as exercise of the mind, and I know very well you cannot have one without the other. So don your bonnet and come along", replied Anne.

The two young ladies were soon sauntering about the lawn. They were quiet young ladies, and by society's standards, were not particularly interesting.
Anne spent most of her time assisting her mother,Charlotte Lucas Collins, and attending to domestic affairs. She was very much like her mother, and was a great likeness to her, though her plain features had a prettiness that her mother's did not.
Catherine was usually engrossed in a book, though not of the usual kind for a girl of her age. She read sermons, theological essays, and whatever else her clergyman father, William Collins, put into her hands. Though not as reserved as her sister, she was absent minded, like her father, and was not very intelligent.

The girls were very much loved and disciplined by their parents, and were treated to society at church and Rosings Park, whenever the Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh (whom Catherine herself was named after) invited them to dine or spend an evening. Lady Catherine de Bourgh was a very old lady now, so the only amusement to be found there was listening to her speak about her past and her nephew Fitzwilliam Darcy and his family, consisting of his sister Georgianna, wife Elizabeth Bennet Darcy (who had been their mother's close friend), and his two daughters.
Anne always found interest in hearing about this wealthy family, whom her father claimed cousin-ship to, through the wife, Elizabeth, and Catherine delighted in speaking of her connection to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and the Darcy's to everyone she met.The Collins family were to attend Rosings Park that evening, and the sisters hardly knew what awaited them there.

A Trip?

Liza couldn't believe it when her father told she and Lizzy the news! Her emotions were swirling! London? What happened to her father? "Father, this is lovely!" Liza said, hugging him tightly. "I am so excited! London?" Liza looked at Lizzy and they both giggled.

"I am letting you go under one condition." Mr. Darcy paused. "Alright, two conditions. One, that you make sure to behave yourselves and try not to embarrass the family." Lizzy and Liza exchanged glances. Liza's seemed to say she would try, but that it would be hard. Lizzy's seemed to say that what her father had demanded would be no problem for her. "Two, that Lee goes with you." Liza and Lizzy exchanged glances once more. Both of them saying the same thing.

"What?" Lizzy said.

"Father, why does Lee have to come? He'll only bore everyone," Liza said, turning back to meet her mother's disapproved glance. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to-"

"You are forgiven my daughter. Let it not happen again," Mr. Darcy said with loving, kind eyes. Liza smiled. "Lee must go with you to take care of you and keep an eye on you." Liza opened her mouth to speak, but Lizzy touched her arm, indicating that she shouldn't speak at this time. Liza closed her mouth. "I've already spoken to Lee about it," their father went on. "He says it sounds like a lovely idea and asked if Cassie might go along. Of course I said yes. Cassie is such a bright young lady and would be a very good traveling companion."

"I think it's a lovely idea as well," Lizzy chimed in, trying to break the silence.

"I supposed if I want to go to London that I must be content with my traveling companions," Liza replied, half smiling, half frowning. Just at that time, Lee and Cassie walked up to the garden area where the Darcy's were chatting.

"Good evening, ladies." Lee nodded his head. "Mr. Darcy, I trust that your evening has been well?"

"Indeed it has, so far," he answered.

"Good. Liza, I have to talk to you about something. If you could excuse us," Lee said, looking at Liza, then to her father. Mr. Darcy nodded, giving his consent.



"Liza, did you hear about Mr. Bryant?" Lee asked after a few minutes of them walking around the green pastures of the Darcy's land.

"No. What about Mr. Bryant?" Liza asked, trying not to sound too anxious.

"He and Mrs. Brunner are- well, they are..." Lee stopped short after seeing the look on Liza's face. "Maybe I should just let you figure it out."

"Figure what out? Lee, are you trying to say he's with someone else?" Liza asked, picking a rose from the nearest bush and slowly peeling off each pedal.

"Well... yes." Lee sat down on the bench under the big oak tree. Liza just stood in front of the bench. "I'm sorry, Liza. I know that you-"

"I what? Was friends with him?" Liza said, a bit jumpy. She was afraid Lee had noticed her interest in Mr. Bryant. "He was a very nice gentleman, but why should I care about his affairs with other woman?"

"I- I just assumed that you were interested in him."

"Well," Liza replied, "You assumed incorrectly." She took a seat on the bench next to Lee. He turned to face her.

"I am very excited about the trip." Lee paused. "To London."

"Oh, that. Yes. Me too," Liza replied, tossed the green stem that was left after all the beautiful, scarlet pedals were plucked from it.

Lee looked puzzled, "You don't sound that excited, Liza."

She tried to smile and placed her hand on Lee's shoulder, "I am excited. I was just distracted." Liza stood from the bench and started walking back towards the house. "We better get back. Mother is probably wondering how long I'm going to wander around the grounds." Lee knew it was just an excuse to get away from him. He figured Liza wasn't happy with him for "meddling" in her affairs with Mr. Bryant. Lee knew she was interested in him, even though she denied it. It upset for some reason. He had an unpleasant feeling he had never felt before.



When Lee and Liza made it back to the house, Cassie and Lee left for home. Lizzy pulled Liza aside, "Liza, what's wrong?" She waited for an answer. Then after a moment of silence, "Liza, tell me!" She was looking Liza hard in the eyes.

"Lee says that Mr. Bryant is... seeing someone else. If I had known this was true, I wouldn't have engaged myself with him so much. I feel like such a fool," Liza said, putting her hand on her forehead.

Lizzy took her sisters hand, "Whom is he seeing?"

"Lee says it's Mrs. Brunner. Tyra Brunner."

"Tyra? Why would he stoup that low?" Lizzy said, looked off into the distance thinking.

"Lizzy, you shouldn't say such things. If Mr. Bryant is in love with her, we shouldn't try to meddle. She must be a nice woman to get the interest of such a wealthy man," Liza said, bringing Lizzy back to the here and now.

"Yes, you're right." Lizzy put her arm in Liza's, "Well, if he's too blind to see what a lovely, beautiful woman my sister is, he's not worthy of her." They both smiled and giggled, walking off towards the house with the others.

Welcome!

I have great news! Yesterday we added on new author and got one back! Please welcome Eldarwen and Kathrine! I am so glad to have my "sister" Liza back, and to be meeting someone new.
~Lizzy

The Coming Trip

The night after the Garden Party, and after the girls had gone to bed, Georgianna walked down to the parlor to speak with Elizabeth Darcy. Elizabeth walked up to her sister-in-law and hugged her. "Georgie! I'm so happy for you and Matthew Clock!"

Georgianna sighed happily "I can't believe we're finally getting married." She then took on a serious expression. "But that's what I came down here for. I'm going to London before it gets busy and buy my trousseau. I was wondering if I could take your daughters and Bekah with me."

"Oh Georgie! That's a wonderful idea!"

"You think so?"

"Yes of course! we must tell the girls tomorrow."

Thus it was decided, the Darcys' were going to London.

The Rose

The day of the Smiths' garden party could hardly have been better. The air was cool and a breeze was blowing. I felt refreshed as I sat at the tables out in the garden having tea and chatting with my cousins and friends. Aunt Georgiana came with us and I was enjoying spending time with her. Soon, Liza and Lizzy moved away from the table. I saw Lizzy go into the house and I saw Liza talking to Leland, then moving away and talking to the man she had met at the ball, although I couldn't recall his name. The Smiths' maids came to clear the table, and my friend Captain James came over to take me on a walk.

"How have you been enjoying the first few weeks of your holiday?" I asked him.
"Oh, they've been splendid. I love being home." he replied.
"You've come home older, that's a fact."
"In age, yes."
"I didn't only mean that, you've gained experience in a trade. It's a good thing." As we talked, we were strolling among the flower gardens that the Smiths' gardeners took such good care of. This particular lane was bordered by rose bushes, alternating pink, red and white. Their fragrance was breathtaking.

"How have you been spending your time?" James asked.
"Oh, the usual." I replied.
"And what is 'the usual'?"
"Reading, needlework, tending to my brothers and sisters, playing the pianoforte."
"That's quite a list!"
"I keep busy, that's a fact."

Just then, I spotted an unusual rose among the bushes. There, sandwiched between a large, blooming blood red rose bush and an equally large pink rose bush, was a tiny little yellow rose bush with only one little bud on it. James spotted it too.
"Here's something unusual to spark up your usual life." he said with a little laugh, plucking the flower and putting it in my hand.
"It is pretty, a little loner in all those other flowers. Thank you." I tucked the flower into my hair, and together we began to walk back to the house. There was something about that flower that made me feel...excited somehow. I'd think about it more later, once we got home.