The next day’s journey was full of excitement. Elizabeth was happy because Jane looked well and because she had the summer trip to look forward to.
As they drove toward Hunsford, they saw the tall fences of Rosings Park, the great estate of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Finally, they arrived at the Parsonage, the small house where Mr. Collins and Charlotte lived. Mr. Collins and Charlotte came out to meet them. Charlotte welcomed Elizabeth with true affection, and Elizabeth was glad she had come.
Mr. Collins was exactly the same as before. He was very formal and spent several minutes talking at the gate before letting them inside. Once in the house, he showed them every room and all the furniture. Elizabeth felt he was trying to show her what she had lost by refusing to marry him. However, she didn't feel any regret. Instead, she was surprised to see how happy and calm Charlotte looked while living with such a silly man.
She noticed that whenever Mr. Collins said something embarrassing, Charlotte simply looked away or pretended not to hear. Elizabeth realized that Charlotte was very good at managing her husband.
After showing them the house, Mr. Collins took them into the garden. He loved working there and spent a lot of time pointing out every tree and every view. But the most important view of all was Rosings Park. It was a large, modern, handsome building on top of a hill.
At dinner, Mr. Collins told Elizabeth, "You will see Lady Catherine at church on Sunday. She is a very great lady, and I am sure she will invite you to Rosings. We dine there twice a week, and she always sends her carriage to pick us up."
Charlotte added, "Lady Catherine is a very sensible woman and a very good neighbor."
The next day, while Elizabeth was in her room, she heard a loud noise downstairs. Maria Lucas ran up the stairs, shouting, "Eliza, come down! Come down this moment and see the sight!"
Elizabeth ran down to the dining room, thinking something amazing had happened. But when she looked out the window, she only saw two ladies in a small carriage at the garden gate.
"Is that all?" Elizabeth asked. "I thought the pigs had got into the garden! It is only Lady Catherine and her daughter."
"No," Maria whispered, shocked. "The old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson. The other one is Miss de Bourgh. Look how small and thin she is!"
Elizabeth looked at Miss de Bourgh. She looked sickly and cross. "She looks like the perfect wife for Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth thought with a smile. "They deserve each other."
Mr. Collins and Charlotte were at the gate, talking to the ladies. Sir William was standing in the doorway, bowing every time Miss de Bourgh looked his way. When the carriage drove away, Mr. Collins hurried inside to congratulate the girls. Lady Catherine had invited the whole group to dine at Rosings the very next day.