I adore Northanger Abbey. It’s one of my favourite Jane Austen novels. I enjoy Catherine’s sweet nature and her youth and naivety (not to mention her imagination 🙂 ), and I find Henry’s teasing yet loving personality delightful.
As I was looking for a period drama montage video to share today, I watched a couple of Northanger Abbey videos, and I began to realize that Kitty in my work in progress shares some traits with Catherine — none of which were planned. Of course, they share the same name — that was not my doing ;), but they also share a love of novels and a sweet youthfulness. And both will end up with a clergyman. However, that similarity brings with it a contrast for Kitty’s parson, Mr. Collins, will be a former parson and welcomed heir to an estate while we know that Catherine’s parson, Mr. Tilney, is a son who has fallen out of favour with his father and is in the process of becoming a parson. The gentlemen have other differences as well, such as Mr. Tillney is confident while Mr. Collins is not. Their fathers, however, might have something in common.
Before I share an excerpt of my current work in progress, I need to share a little bit of writing news.
First, I want to remind you that Confounding Caroline has finished and there will be a two-week break between stories. Therefore, there will be no Thursday post this week. Delighting Mrs. Bennet will start posting on May 10.
Second, Mr. Darcy’s Comfort is currently on pre-order and will go live this Thursday! (The paperback is already live.) You can find Mr. Darcy’s Comfort at your favourite retailer by using this link: https://books2read.com/u/3GYBBr
If you wish to read a preview of Mr. Darcy’s Comfort, which is an extended preview until Thursday, you can do that at this link: https://mrdarcyscomfort.pressbooks.com/
I think that is all the news I have for you today, so let’s get to that excerpt, shall we? This clip gives a small bit of background info about Collins but also gives us a glimpse of Kitty’s personality.
AN EXCERPT FROM Master of Longbourn:
Not alone were very comforting, but rather strange, words to Collins. He had not been alone all his life. He had been surrounded by people, but he had rarely felt the acceptance that was being offered to him now. Other than Miss Lydia and Miss Mary, the Bennet family, as well as these two gentlemen, had been very accepting of him. Would that not just make his father beside himself with amazement? The thought of his father spitting and sputtering over such a thing as his son being welcomed into a family made the right side of Collins’s lips lift in a small smirk.
“Oh, Mr. Collins!” Mrs. Bennet cried as he entered the sitting room. “You look very handsome this evening, does he not, Mary?”
At such a welcome, Collins felt as if he should back out of the room, but he did not. Nor did he allow himself to curl inward for Bingley’s brow was slightly raised, and he had no desire to disappoint his tutor. He had always wished to do his best with every lesson – not that his best was always as good as what was expected.
Mary shot an angry glare at Kitty and then, forcing a smile, replied. “As handsome as always, do you not think so, Lydia?”
Mrs. Bennet gasped and glared at her middle daughter who was batting her eyes innocently and smiling a saccharinely sweet smile.
He should perhaps relieve the young woman’s apprehension and tell her that he had no desire to marry her. Of course, he should not do that now. But perhaps later, he could find a time to speak to her in confidence. For now, he simply muttered his thanks and quickly found a chair in which to sit so that he could feel less conspicuous without angering Bingley. He could also feel the need to speak rising within him, and he was not certain what exactly would come out of his mouth if he should open it.
Lydia tossed her head. “He looks as if he is trying to be something he is not.”
Mrs. Bennet gasped once again and then made a pretty excuse to extract herself along with Mary and Lydia from the room.
“I have never seen Mama look so displeased,” Kitty whispered to Elizabeth once the door to the room had closed.
“Nor have I,” Elizabeth replied, “and I have tested her patience many times.” Her lips curled upward slightly.
Apparently, his cousin Elizabeth was not completely penitent for having caused her mother some consternation.
“I must apologize for my sisters,” Kitty said, turning to Collins. “It is as my mother said. You do look handsome.”
Such a compliment was just what was needed to make him feel as if all the work and awkwardness might be worth it. Unfortunately, it was also all that was needed to set the words flowing.
“Thank you. You are very kind as are Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. It is their doing that I am dressed as I am. I am afraid that I am a rather simple man and not as familiar with what is considered fashionable or unfashionable. As a parson, I saw no need to be intimately acquainted with such things. As long as my clothes were well-fitted and not overly worn…” He clamped his lips closed at the sound of Bingley’s soft cough. “I was merely wishing to say I am appreciative of both your compliment and the help I have received.” He again pressed his lips together before they could run away with some other thought.
“I had not thought that gentleman discussed fashion,” Kitty said, turning her lovely eyes away from Collins and looking to her older sisters in confusion.
“We do,” Bingley answered. “Perhaps not as much as ladies do.”
“It is not just your valet who dresses you? You decide what you like and do not like?”
Collins could not help smiling at the innocence in her voice. It was as if she had never considered what topics of conversation gentlemen might canvas.
“A good man is indispensable,” Bingley replied. “They are a great source of knowledge, of course, but they do look for guidance from the gentleman they serve, much as my sister’s maid does for my sister.”
“Oh.”
Her lips were such a lovely shade of pink and formed an o so sweetly. And her eyes, her clear blue as a deep lake on sunny day eyes, were delightfully wide. Collins was certain there was no expression or countenance that could be found more perfectly beautiful than hers.
“I have begun reading Evelina,” Collins said, turning the conversation and, thankfully, her eyes back to him.
“And do you like it?” she asked eagerly.
“I have only read the first correspondence, and I must say I am intrigued to see what the response to such a request will be.”
“Then, you have not met Mr. Villars yet? He is the parson.”
The animation that claimed her features as she spoke of the novel was enough to sway his opinion about them completely. He could read such works and discuss them with her to see her eyes light as they were now and to watch her bite back a smile by tucking her lower lip between her teeth. It really mattered not if they were dull or entertaining. He could and would read them. He shook his head. “I have not met him yet.”
“I just know you will like him. He is all that is good. He truly is.” Her lips pursed, and her brows furrowed. “There is deception in it, and I know that is not a proper thing.”
Collins nodded in agreement. Deception was not a virtue to be sure. “Does the deception persist?”
“Oh, no. Everything turns out just as it should,” Kitty assured him. “I was just concerned that you would see the deception and…”
“Condemn the book as a whole?”
~*~*~
KOBO AMAZON NOOK IBOOKS MAILING LIST PATREON SOCIETY6
My Leenie, you do like to stretch my imagination. A book about Collins, who seems handsome and is attempting to behave better? I do not know if I can read a book about Collins and like him!
I do like pushing the bounds, don’t I? I’m working off of the description of him being 25 and a largish man, who is an excessive talker, appears to be arrogant, and had a poor example of a man for a father. From there, I have developed a backstory and allowed that to dictate who he has become in this story. So if you can think of some ugly duckling sort of stories — where the geek becomes better looking — that’s sort of what is happening here. He’s a large guy — not fat, but not thin, sturdy and tall. And he’s awkward. But those things do not mean he can’t be handsome — or at minimum average. And a lady can love an average man just as easily as a handsome one if his character is good or (in the case of Henry Crawford) if he is charming. (Charming is not part of who this Collins is, however.)
What a wonderful idea… I like this Collins… hmmm… I think I bit my tongue when I said that. Who knew that he could be a good guy? Apparently you did… I can’t wait to read it. Thank you for this lovely music video Monday. I love the movie version of Northanger Abbey with JJ Feild. Yep… he is the perfect Mr. Tilney. I believe I saw a few clips in that video that didn’t make the final cut of the movie. Thanks for sharing today.
Part of the fun of writing variations is asking what if. What if Collins only appears to be arrogant? What if he has a reason for how he behaves? What if he is searching not just for people to look up to him but for acceptance? So many what ifs that can make even a seemingly unlikable character like Collins into one we can understand, accept, and *gasp* even like. 🙂 I still need to watch this movie. I’m not a big movie watcher, but I love what I have seen of JJ Fields in clips. To me, from just those clips, he epitomizes Henry Tilney.