Lady Catherine had apparently interrogated Mr Collins on his choice of spouse, expressing some surprise that he had not been inclined to look towards any of his cousins. This was not a topic he wished to dwell upon, which had necessitated an insistence that his feelings had run away with him upon encountering Miss Lucas’s charms and excellent qualities. It was only a matter of days spent repeating this before he himself believed in the truth of this version of his Hertfordshire romance; and after much probing of the future Mrs Collins’s habits of economy and industry, Lady Catherine declared herself satisfied with his choice. This was licence for Mr Collins to give way to flights of imaginary devotion, and his time with Charlotte was coloured by no small amount of self-congratulation.

With no experience of how a couple about to wed should conduct themselves, Charlotte turned, as always, to practical matters. She questioned Mr Collins closely about his living and establishment at Hunsford, topics that had him waxing even more verbose than usual. Every description of the house, its furnishings, its gardens, trees, pastures, and livestock, ended with a treatise on the glories of Rosings park across the lane, and the privilege of her impending acquaintance with Lady Catherine. Charlotte learned to smile and nod while taking mental notes on what fruit trees the orchard held, which flowerbeds were south-facing, and which nearby coppices and brakes were good sources of firewood.

She was pleased to hear that she would soon be the mistress of leeks and marrows, gooseberry bushes and raspberry canes, and a Chinese mulberry tree, along with the usual damsons, pippins, and pears. Apparently, Lady Catherine had lemons and oranges in her hothouses, and was not averse to sharing this bounty. Charlotte felt that she could endure what sounded like a considerable amount of unsolicited domestic advice, and even interference, in exchange for the treat of oranges at breakfast.

Mr Collins’s habit of recounting the furnishings of each room was also welcome, although here Charlotte did not trust his enumerations quite as much as she did when he listed the contents of the garden and orchard. She knew that in this regard, she would have to wait until she entered the Parsonage as a bride before fully comprehending the extent and quality of the plate, silver, and glassware of which she was to become the keeper.

With the bustle of Christmas over, and her trunks filled with her new-made costumes and linens, there could be no further delays, and Charlotte’s wedding day loomed. The day before, she paid her farewell visit to the Bennet family, with Elizabeth her object. She could not bear the continuing awkwardness between herself and her old friend, and made strenuous attempts to impress upon Lizzy her wish that their intimacy should continue, even if on a different footing.