Pride and Prejudice
must be one of the most widely read books in the world. Centering around the
Bennet sisters, the focus of that book is on Elizabeth Bennet. One of the most
important relationships that Elizabeth has is with Charlotte Lucas, her best
friend. A sensible (seemingly cynical) young lady, Charlotte surprises everyone
by marrying the insufferable ass William Collins after Elizabeth refuses him.
Charlotte’s marriage to Collins has always remained a problem. While it speaks
volumes about the lot of women in that age and the choices, sacrifices and
compromises they had to make, Collins is so beneath Charlotte is intelligence,
polish and bearing that the pairing has always sat ill on readers.
There are a few more open threads in the book in terms of
characters whose story is not quite completed. Caroline Bingley is one, but the
more interesting unfinished story is Anne De Bourgh, the rather insipid
daughter of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Collins’ patroness. Lady De Bourgh intended
that Anne and Darcy marry but Anne never is quite fleshed out (except rather
disparagingly, particularly about being sickly). She never seemed to be a part
of her mother’s machinations, seems more shadow than person and remains quite a
mystery. We know nothing of who she is, her personality or her thoughts.
Elna Holst writes an offshoot (or companion piece) of the
beloved Pride and Prejudice. Do not
dismiss this one off as pastiche. This is Charlotte’s story as
Mrs. Collins.
Charlotte is living a blameless, yet boring life with her
pompous husband, William Collins. Charlotte finds relief in writing to her best
friend, Elizabeth Darcy (née Bennet), letters that she never
sends. So they are more in nature of a diary albeit addressed to a real person.
A part of Charlotte’s job as Mrs. Collins is to add to the
numbers at Lady De Bourgh’s bi-weekly soirées which include Lady
De Bourgh’s daughter, Anne (mostly, not always), and the local physician, Dr. Thomas
Reid. One evening, there is an addition to the party, Dr. Reid’s cousin, Miss Ailsa
Reid. The rather pale and unwell looking Miss Reid arrests Charlotte’s
attention immediately; so much so that she even interrupts Lady De Bourgh’s
inquisition of the newcomer to save the latter. Miss Reid invites Mrs. Collins
for tea a few days later where she first meets Miss Reid’s rather casual maid,
Lilly. The R&R has done wonders for Miss Reid who is now blooming with
health and life. A friendship forms between Charlotte and Ailsa which somehow
seems different from a normal friendship because there is an unnameable attraction
between them.
Holst does a
marvellous job in maintaining the Pride
and Prejudice continuum in terms of era, language, expressions, environment
of the times and characterisations. She’s added a dimension of alternative
sexuality to Charlotte Lucas since before she chooses to marry Collins. She
takes the other unfinished character, Anne De Bourgh, and gives her more flesh and
depth (though Anne’s story still needs to be told and can still do with a book
of its own).
But her real triumph is Ailsa Reid. Ailsa is a captivating
young lady who has a terrible past. Once her past is revealed, Ailsa becomes a
much stronger character for her kindness, openness, lovingness, steadfastness
and joie de vivre. She
is a fantastic character.
The era that the book is set in makes a lot of plot points
feasible and forgivable, which wouldn’t quite be so understandable if the book
was a contemporary romance. The two primary issues would be adultery and the part
where Charlotte disappears on Ailsa when Ailsa needs her the most. Yet,
somehow, in the context, it is all admissible.
This is a wonderful book (with plenty of steaminess) written
with exceptional art and craft.
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
