Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Becton Page A
Authors: Jennifer Becton
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hat and stepped aside so she could pass.
Charlotte responded automatically. "It is nothing, Mr. Card."
They looked at each other awkwardly until Mr. Card bowed and then turned to leave, but Charlotte stepped into his path. "Mr. Card, let us not behave this way."
He faced her once again and said with not a small measure of bitterness, "How then would you suggest I behave?"
Charlotte bowed her head at the anger she heard in his voice. He was justified in his sentiments if not in his behavior. "I can make no such suggestion."
"Then what is the purpose of this conversation?"
"I confess I am not certain," Charlotte ventured. "Perhaps, I simply wanted to reunite you and my sister as friends. You have always been friends, have you not?"
"No, I have never been her friend." His eyes blazed with anger. "I have never been content to be a mere acquaintance. You yourself knew of my feelings. My mother revealed her conversations with you on this matter." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You knew that I have always loved her. Every moment I have spent as her friend has been a torment."
"Oh, Mr. Card--"
"And as for her so-called friendship for me, I do not believe it exists. No friend would reject another friend in so rude a fashion."
"Her words were thoughtless, I agree, but I do not believe that it was her intention to wound you."
"Do you not? Then why would she possibly tell me that she found me unmanly and that I repulsed her? Why would she say these things unless she meant to hurt me?"
Maria had not confessed that she had said such things to poor Mr. Card. It was wrong indeed.
"I can make no excuses for her actions, Mr. Card, but I know she regrets the words she spoke to you that day. I do wish that you would speak with her, allow her to apologize."
"Speak with her! Certainly not. I am quite finished with her."
Charlotte chose her next words carefully. "But Mr. Card, you have not been entirely fair to her either."
His eyes widened, and his lips stretched into a sneer. "Have I not?"
"By speaking--undoubtedly in righteous anger--to Miss Farmington, you have made Maria the focus of vicious gossip."
"What did I say of her that was untrue? I spoke the unmitigated truth when I said that she insulted me and that she loved that dreadful American Mr. Westfield. Do you deny that I spoke only what Maria said herself?"
"No, I cannot deny it. I wish..." She paused. "I only wish that you would find it in your heart to forgive her--"
"--I have no heart left."
She pushed on. "And I also wish that you would help alleviate the gossip against her. She is a sensitive young woman, and she will certainly be crushed by what is being said about her."
"And I wish she had accepted my proposal, but we cannot always get what we desire, Mrs. Collins. Good day."
Mr. Card turned on his boot heel and stalked down the street, leaving Charlotte standing with her mouth agape.
She did not know how long she stood in such an undignified posture when she heard a voice behind her say, "Excuse me, Mrs. Collins."
Charlotte turned to find Mr. Edgington leaning against the corner of the building. He bowed to her politely, and she returned a curtsey.
"Good morning, Mr. Edgington." She wondered if he had witnessed her ordeal with Mr. Card.
"Forgive me, but I could not help overhearing."
Oh dear. So much for discretion.
"I suppose it does not matter. The damage has already been done."
"I confess that your sister has been the main topic of conversation about town all morning."
"That has been my unfortunate experience as well."
"Shall we walk?" He offered his arm, and Charlotte took it gratefully.
They continued along the sidewalk, and Charlotte found she rather enjoyed having someone in whom to confide. "My poor sister will not be able to bear this. She has always been such a social creature, and she had just found herself back in society."
"It is sad that she is so affected by what is said about her."
"I suppose that is the trouble with living
Charlotte responded automatically. "It is nothing, Mr. Card."
They looked at each other awkwardly until Mr. Card bowed and then turned to leave, but Charlotte stepped into his path. "Mr. Card, let us not behave this way."
He faced her once again and said with not a small measure of bitterness, "How then would you suggest I behave?"
Charlotte bowed her head at the anger she heard in his voice. He was justified in his sentiments if not in his behavior. "I can make no such suggestion."
"Then what is the purpose of this conversation?"
"I confess I am not certain," Charlotte ventured. "Perhaps, I simply wanted to reunite you and my sister as friends. You have always been friends, have you not?"
"No, I have never been her friend." His eyes blazed with anger. "I have never been content to be a mere acquaintance. You yourself knew of my feelings. My mother revealed her conversations with you on this matter." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You knew that I have always loved her. Every moment I have spent as her friend has been a torment."
"Oh, Mr. Card--"
"And as for her so-called friendship for me, I do not believe it exists. No friend would reject another friend in so rude a fashion."
"Her words were thoughtless, I agree, but I do not believe that it was her intention to wound you."
"Do you not? Then why would she possibly tell me that she found me unmanly and that I repulsed her? Why would she say these things unless she meant to hurt me?"
Maria had not confessed that she had said such things to poor Mr. Card. It was wrong indeed.
"I can make no excuses for her actions, Mr. Card, but I know she regrets the words she spoke to you that day. I do wish that you would speak with her, allow her to apologize."
"Speak with her! Certainly not. I am quite finished with her."
Charlotte chose her next words carefully. "But Mr. Card, you have not been entirely fair to her either."
His eyes widened, and his lips stretched into a sneer. "Have I not?"
"By speaking--undoubtedly in righteous anger--to Miss Farmington, you have made Maria the focus of vicious gossip."
"What did I say of her that was untrue? I spoke the unmitigated truth when I said that she insulted me and that she loved that dreadful American Mr. Westfield. Do you deny that I spoke only what Maria said herself?"
"No, I cannot deny it. I wish..." She paused. "I only wish that you would find it in your heart to forgive her--"
"--I have no heart left."
She pushed on. "And I also wish that you would help alleviate the gossip against her. She is a sensitive young woman, and she will certainly be crushed by what is being said about her."
"And I wish she had accepted my proposal, but we cannot always get what we desire, Mrs. Collins. Good day."
Mr. Card turned on his boot heel and stalked down the street, leaving Charlotte standing with her mouth agape.
She did not know how long she stood in such an undignified posture when she heard a voice behind her say, "Excuse me, Mrs. Collins."
Charlotte turned to find Mr. Edgington leaning against the corner of the building. He bowed to her politely, and she returned a curtsey.
"Good morning, Mr. Edgington." She wondered if he had witnessed her ordeal with Mr. Card.
"Forgive me, but I could not help overhearing."
Oh dear. So much for discretion.
"I suppose it does not matter. The damage has already been done."
"I confess that your sister has been the main topic of conversation about town all morning."
"That has been my unfortunate experience as well."
"Shall we walk?" He offered his arm, and Charlotte took it gratefully.
They continued along the sidewalk, and Charlotte found she rather enjoyed having someone in whom to confide. "My poor sister will not be able to bear this. She has always been such a social creature, and she had just found herself back in society."
"It is sad that she is so affected by what is said about her."
"I suppose that is the trouble with living
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