Recollections of Rosings Read Online Free PDF

rarely entertained at home.
        She went up to London only occasionally, usually invited by a new friend, Lady Ashton, who had decided that Becky could be useful to her, but with whom Becky shared very few interests, which meant she was often alone and bored.
        Yet, Becky's generous disposition had not deserted her, and finding her sister in a nostalgic mood, she chose wisely to let her indulge herself, reminiscing about the things they had shared, hoping to draw her out of the contemplation of her present circumstances.
        There was much to remember and talk about, which very soon had them both in a lighter mood. Indeed, so addictive a pastime did this become that over the days and weeks that followed, when at the end of the day they sat down to tea, inevitably their conversation would begin with one or the other saying, "Do you recall the day when…?"—so delving into their shared recollections of childhood at Rosings and Hunsford over the years, even as the debris of the recent calamity was being gathered up and cleared away.
        Catherine, as the eldest daughter of Reverend Collins and Charlotte Lucas, had held a very special place in their home at Hunsford and later in the household of their patron at Rosings. She had never been certain what had engendered Lady Catherine's partiality towards her. It could not have been only her father's egregious deference and loyalty, surely, but that young Catherine Collins had been specially favoured, no one had any doubt.
        Throughout the years she had spent at Rosings, many people had seen fit to inform her that never before had Lady Catherine been known to be so generous, even affectionate in her treatment of any other person outside her own immediate family, and even they were called upon to show a high degree of gratitude and respect for her Ladyship in return.
        Rebecca was curious to learn if Catherine had ever discovered the secret of her popularity with the almost universally disliked Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Recalling the days when, as children, they would accompany their parents to Rosings and then be banished to the old schoolroom at the other end of the house, to take tea with the maids and perhaps Mrs Jenkinson, Becky reminded her sister of the way she would often be summoned to return downstairs afterwards and entertain Her Ladyship by playing the pianoforte or reading to her.
        "You were favoured because you read so well and played so sweetly on the instrument, unlike myself. I never gained such a high degree of proficiency as you did," she declared.
        "Only because I practised assiduously, as Lady Catherine said I should," Catherine explained and Rebecca retorted, "Whilst I spent all my time scribbling things on bits of paper! No wonder Lady C had such a strong prejudice against me."
        Her sister was more charitable. "I do not believe it was really a matter of prejudice, Becky dear, so much as her desire to be obeyed by everyone around her. When she commanded me to practice, I did!"
        "Poor Catherine, she must have had you truly terrified," said Rebecca, but her sister disagreed again.
        "Indeed no, she did not. You must not think that—I was not afraid of her; but she was a most formidable person and being very young, I was in awe of Her Ladyship and found it difficult, if not impossible, to refuse her anything or to disagree with her on any significant matter."
        "Did you ever?" asked her sister, amazed at this confession.
        Catherine's voice was low as she replied, "No, not in anything really significant; sometimes I wish I had done so, but then it is all very well to be brave after the event, is it not?"
        "If Mama is to be believed, Papa was not very different, so you need feel no shame. He was so much in awe of Lady C he went nowhere, made no decision, expressed no opinion without her prior approval!" Rebecca said, to which Catherine added quietly, "Which of course,