"…when we are married." Mr. Collins' words hung in the air like the stale smell of a horse barn. They puzzlingly seemed to have the same effect upon Elizabeth's nose, causing it to wrinkle with disgust. She parted her lips to speak.

Before a word could be spoken, however, there was a great commotion in the library. Elizabeth's mother, who had previously been lingering at the parlor door with the intention of hearing Lizzie's acceptance, was shouting. This was not usually an uncommon occurrence within the Bennet household, but there was a frantic tone to her voice.

Lizzie sprung from her chair and made a dash for the door, flinging it open to hurry down the hallway, her skirts rustling about her stocking-covered legs. Mrs. Bennet was sobbing, a handkerchief to her mouth as she gasped for air.

"Mama, what is it?" All Mrs. Bennet could do was point into the library. Mr. Bennet sat quietly in his chair, a book opened in his lap. Again, not an unusual occasion, however there was something amiss. Elizabeth took a few steps forward, kneeling carefully at her father's feet.

"Father?" It was if her voice knew more than Elizabeth herself. She reached out and touched his hand, feeling the chill of death upon it. Her beloved father. Lizzie's knees were weak and she was unable to stand for a moment. Mr. Collins appeared in the doorway.

"Oh my dearest Elizabeth," he said softly, moving into the room without waiting for invitation. "If it would be pleasing to you, I shall issue the last rights. It should come, of course, from his destined son-in-law."

At such a presumption, Elizabeth most likely would have verbally chastised Mr. Collins. However, the flames of her anger were drowned within a sea of sorrow. She remained silent, standing and turning to her mother. Kitty stood in the hall with their mother, offering up memorized quotations of Fordyce's sermons, as if the words of the clergy would comfort a woman who went to church to gossip. Elizabeth took her mother's free hand, holding it within hers.

"We are ruined, Lizzie. To be thrown out into the street." The shrill tone of her mother's voice was exponentially more solemn, more sincere than usual.

Although her tears fell much more quietly than her mother's, Elizabeth shook her head and reached up to push a few of them from her cheek. "No, Mama, we shall not. I am to marry Mr. Collins. I am sure he will allow the family to stay at Longbourne."

A look of confused disbelief crossed Mrs. Bennet's features. She hesitated for a moment before she spoke. "I implore you to ask that of your intended husband."

-

Jane had heard the news from her sisters, and was most definitely touched with sorrow as she moved to Elizabeth's side. Lizzie slid her hand into her sister's, holding it tightly, mostly for her own comfort. The girls were watching a box, containing the body of their deceased father, being hoisted into the back of the undertaker's cart.

"Whatever shall we do without him, Lizzie? I cannot imagine what the study will look like without Father in that chair," Jane spoke quietly, her eyes red-rimmed from tears.

"He will always remain there in our hearts, Jane. He will be very much missed, but always here."

Jane turned to Lizzie, breathing in deeply. "Mama said you have accepted Mr. Collins' proposal."

Elizabeth nodded slowly and looked at their joined hands. "It is fortunate that I had not spurned Mr. Collins prior to learning of our father's death."

Jane's gentle countenance had not allowed her to assume Elizabeth had accepted the proposal for any reasons outside of changed feelings for their cousin. "Did Mama persuade you? Surely you are inclined towards the marriage."

"Oh Jane," Lizzie sighed, looking at her sister, "That is what I love about you. Your heart is unassuming in any way. Mama did no persuading outside of the amount prior to Mr. Collins' request."

"I cannot believe you would accept a man for whom you had not the slightest feelings." Jane's expression was of genuine shock, a great change from the cloak of sadness which had covered her features throughout the day.

"I would, Jane, to keep my family within their current circumstances. It is the sacrifice I can make to ensure the happiness of my other sisters in marriage." Elizabeth squeezed her sister's hand. "It is my sincerest hope that the benefit of our tragedy should be to bring you closer to Mr. Bingley."

The elder sister, her soft features framed in delicate blonde curls, stared incredulously at Elizabeth. "You cannot be serious. You will not be happy. Perhaps there is another way to secure our status here at Longbourne."

The girls watched their mother retreat into the house, a black kerchief already covering her vibrant red hair. Despite the seemingly volatile relationship her parents shared, Elizabeth observed an eerie silence from her mother. It was increasingly more evident to Lizzie that her mother had loved her father more than she had ever let on.

"I believe, Jane, that I could grow to be happy, after some time. Do not worry for me."

Knowing there was little more she could say on the matter, Jane quietly watched the cart pull away. Her hand remained within Elizabeth's, the two sisters unable to fathom their respective futures.

-

Longbourne church was filled with the residents of Meryton, those who had known Mr. Bennet and those who merely longed for the social event of a funeral. Elizabeth's black lace shawl did little to keep her shivering shoulders warm. Mr. Collins stood at her side, rambling unmarked about the size of the windows and their relation to those at Rosings Park. It was good, Lizzie had asserted, that she had already learnt how to allow Mr. Collins' dull conversation to pass without having to do much listening. She offered a slight smile to the man after he finished talking, before returning her attention to the front of the church.

Though she had cried to herself when Jane was away from their bedchamber, it was hard for Elizabeth to comprehend the loss of her father. A part of her still felt his presence within the walls of Longbourne. In a way, it was as if Mr. Bennet had always been there in spirit, lingering by himself within the study, making an occasional comment about the silliness of his three youngest daughters. Lizzie knew the hardest part of her father's loss would come on her wedding day, set for only two months from the day of the funeral. She was making a sacrifice for her family, and she knew her father would have stopped at nothing to talk her out of such nonsense.

There was a rumble of whispers as the church doors opened, allowing Mr. Bingley inside. He held his hat close to his chest, his expression solemn. On the other side of her, Elizabeth felt Jane's body stiffen slightly at the entrance of the man she loved. She couldn't help but smile, watching the way Jane's eyes bashfully made contact with Bingley's before dropping her gaze to the floor, blood rushing into her fair cheeks.

Mr. Darcy strode behind Bingley, his own gaze fixed upon Elizabeth. She tightened her jaw slightly and turned her head towards Mr. Collins, creating a question of doctrinal importance to avoid further interaction with the proud man who had done nothing but insult her in the past.

The clergyman began his speech, speaking on the virtues of living a long life, and loving the church. Elizabeth thought of her father's criticism of the church and its clergy. The entirety of the service was almost exactly the opposite of her father's view of the world. All Elizabeth could think was that was he there to hear it, the two of them would have laughed together. Before she knew it, Mr. Collins was carefully touching her hand. She glanced over at the man and noticed a comforting look in his features. She nodded slightly and offered up a slight smile. Her mother followed the casket from the church, and Jane and Elizabeth soon followed. The other girls were cross; Mary about not being allowed to play a dirge for her father, Lydia and Kitty about a fight they'd had over bonnets.

Through a line of condolences, Lizzie thought only of memories of her father. She was suddenly overwhelmed with thoughts of him. She smiled cordially at those who came to offer their praise of him. A few people spoke of her engagement, since news was rarely kept for long within the Bennet house. Mr. Bingley made his way through the line. Jane watched carefully and remarked on the lack of Miss Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst.

Jane's blush at the condolences of Mr. Bingley said much about the young woman's feelings. Miss Bingley would have looked disgusted, Elizabeth thought. She gave a slight nod to Mr. Darcy as he passed. He nodded in return.

"Miss Bennet," said with his usual tone, "I am deeply sorry for the loss of your father."

"Thank you, Mr. Darcy."

As the crowd dwindled, Elizabeth looked around and took in a deep breath. "I need a walk," she said to Jane, during a moment when Mr. Collins had stolen away to speak of his condescending Patroness.

"Do not go far," Jane replied, "Mama is bound to take us home directly."

Elizabeth nodded and stole her moment to walk off into the churchyard. The yard was quiet and serene, littered with occasional tombstones to the West. She remained on a path towards a small grove of pear trees, flowering but not yet with fruit. Rounding into the grove, Elizabeth was astonished to find herself very near Mr. Darcy again. She paused, but he had heard her footsteps in the lawn.

"Miss Bennet," he turned and bowed slightly at her appearance near him. "Forgive me for ruining your moment of solace. I was simply admiring the grounds of Longbourne."

"Do not trouble yourself, Mr. Darcy, the grounds of the church are quite open to all those who wander them." She wetted her lips before continuing, "Thank you so much, sir, for being a presence at my father's service. I do believe he would have appreciated it."

"You are quite welcome. Bingley, being such a dear friend to your family, could hardly go alone."

Elizabeth thought of this as a way to admit he had been forced to attend.

"I must extend my congratulations, Miss Bennet, on your impending nuptials."

"Yes, thank you," she hated to admit the circumstance under which she was to accept the congratulations. There was an awkward silence before Mr. Darcy bowed slightly again.

"I will leave you. May Bingley and I call upon your family tomorrow?" He placed his hat upon his head.

"I believe you may," she replied, somewhat perplexed. "Good day, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth bowed in return before she watched Mr. Darcy walk back towards the front of the church. Turning to the trees, Lizzie toyed with her shawl for a long moment, lost in thought. Mr. Darcy was kind, gentle with her. This was unusual given his genuinely cold manner.

"There you are, my dear Elizabeth," Mr. Collins said with a smarmy smile as he approached her. Elizabeth turned slowly after gathering herself.

"Yes, I walked away for a bit of fresh air. I hope you'll excuse me." She took the arm offered to her and walked with him back to the front of the church.

"I meant to tell you this morning, I've had a letter from my patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She offers her congratulations on the engagement and regrets to say she will not be able to attend the wedding. However, she will be sending a basket of the finest from Meryton, although she fears it to be quite sub par in comparison to the immense riches to be found in Kent." He spoke with a proud smile, backhandedly delivering insults about the place where Elizabeth had spent all of her youth.

Elizabeth ignored the comments to the best of her ability and offered up a slight hint of a smile, "How kind of her. Tell her I do look forward to meeting her, when you next write."

"Of course."