Pride and Prejudice doesn't belong to me.
Desperate Times
Elizabeth climbed up the stairs to her room and as she went by her mother's room, Mrs. Bennet called to her. "Elizabeth, come in for a moment, there's something I would talk to you about."
Elizabeth entered the room wondering what her mother wanted to speak to her about. "Shut the door behind you," Mrs. Bennet said.
"What is this I hear about you turning down another offer of marriage?" Mrs. Bennet got straight to the point.
"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth didn't have to feign her puzzlement. There was no way her mother had heard about Darcy's proposal. No way at all.
"I don't know what is wrong with you child," Mrs. Bennet complained. "First Mr. Collins and now Mr. Darcy, one would think you wanted to die an old maid."
"Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth exclaimed, in surprise. "Who told you that he proposed?"
"What does it matter how I know?" her mother asked. "Did you really refuse his proposal?"
"What if I did?" Elizabeth asked. "I thought you said he was the most disagreeable man in the world."
"Who cares what I said?" Mrs. Bennet asked. "Why did you refuse him?" Before Elizabeth could respond her mother continued. "I mean he's quite disagreeable to be sure, all that standing and looking out of windows and never saying more than a few words at a time and he thinks he's better than all of us but he's handsome and rich."
"Surely, madam…" Elizabeth interrupted only to be quietened by her mother's look.
"Listen to me Elizabeth," that lady said. "I was very angry with you when you refused Mr. Collins. You were thoughtless and inconsiderate, you know that our very home is entailed to him and when you father dies he may throw us out without a second thought." Mrs. Bennet paused and added, "And you let Charlotte Lucas get him, and I had to bear the shame of watching Lady Lucas have a daughter married before me. Moreover, Charlotte of all people."
"I hardly see what how matters anymore," Elizabeth said.
"My point exactly," Mrs. Bennet agreed. "The issue now is Mr. Darcy; you have to tell him you changed your mind. That you will marry him."
"Mother!"
"He'll think nothing of it," Mrs. Bennet said, dismissively. "Girls are forever changing their minds about everything."
"I will do nothing of the sort," Elizabeth replied.
Mrs. Bennet wasn't listening. "So he insulted you the first time you met, you got over that already. Just think Elizabeth, all the fine houses, and carriages. The man has over ten thousand a year." She laughed lightly; she could imagine how it would be.
"I think I will leave you now," Elizabeth said, heading for the door. She couldn't bear to listen to her mother anymore.
After Elizabeth left the room, Mrs. Bennet sat on her bed wondering how to resolve the situation. She didn't care much for Mr. Darcy but if two of her daughters married wealthy men then all her children would be set for life.
Mr. Bennet didn't understand, but then why would he? He'd be dead and buried when Mr. Collins came to throw her out of her home. Her daughters didn't understand either, why would they? They could feel the pressure she was under.
Having five unmarried girls with no wealth to their name was enough to drive a woman to do desperate things.
As she fell asleep that night, Mrs. Bennet was determined. She would see her daughters married well, she just had to come up with some sort of plan.
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I know its way out of character but what do you think