The next morning, Charlotte dressed for battle and waited at her window. To her relief, she saw the tall figure of the clergyman approaching in the distance. And so it was that by the time he reached the lane that led to Lucas Lodge, she was waiting to be discovered, in her best sprigged poplin day dress and bonnet with matching trim, her basket filled with late russets, mushrooms, and the last of the autumn blooms, a pleasing picture of wholesome English country bountifulness. Mr Collins fortunately did not question the coincidence that led her there; he was too relieved to find an opportunity to speak privately to Miss Lucas had fallen so easily his way.

To Charlotte’s astonishment, almost before she could finish greeting him and commenting on the fairness of the morning, he had embarked on praises of her person and nature that lent themselves to one interpretation only. She was all that was amiable and delightful; she had the qualities of a most desirable helpmeet in life; her domestic talents and good sense were remarked upon and admired throughout the neighbourhood; and in short (although it was clear he knew not the meaning of this word), he begged the honour of offering those talents an opportunity to be cherished and to shine as the chief ornament of his home.

Charlotte listened to what was the first and would surely be the last proposal she would ever receive with no small degree of emotional tumult. Mostly, she felt relief: she had nursed modest hopes after the promising interest and warmth which Mr Collins had shown her at dinner the previous day. But she had not dared imagine that he would propose to two women – close friends at that – within almost as many days.

Having heard the substance of his offer to Lizzy, she was also relieved that her friend’s rejection of him had somewhat altered his line of attack: his speech was less fluent than usual, and real anxiety about another ‘nay’ gave his words a sorely needed gloss of humility. While he went on to lay out the benefits of his association with Rosings and Lady Catherine de Bourgh as an inducement no right-thinking woman could resist, he refrained from alluding to the size (and he had to know it was pitifully small) of Miss Lucas’s portion, and remembered to make repeated claims to ardent admiration. She did not begrudge his praises, which included at least three references to her preserves, and several more to her light hand with pastry; after all, what more did he know of her? Mr Collins was not a sensible man, but he showed sense in recognising that marriage to a woman with good housekeeping skills promised future domestic tranquillity, if not actual harmony. Charlotte had little doubt that in this respect, she could boast, at least to herself, that the advantages offered by the match did not lie all on his side.