A/N: This story takes place a few days after the Netherfield Ball, but in this story Jane has already received the letter from Caroline Bingley stating that the whole party have removed to London to join Mr Bingley, and that they have no intention of ever returning.
This is my fisrt Fan fiction and would really appreciate any advice/ reviews you may have to offer. Enjoy!
Chapter 1:
"Oh Mr. Bennet, you are wanted immediately; we are all in an uproar. You must come and make Lizzy marry Mr Collins, for Lizzy declares she will not have Mr. Collins and now he begins to say that he will not have Lizzy!" Cried Mrs Bennet, as she came bursting forward into her husband's study, nearly taking the door off its hinges in her haste.
"Bring Elizabeth to me," said Mr Bennet after a few tense minutes of careful consideration.
Mrs Bennet opened the study door and motioned to her second eldest daughter, who was standing just outside in the hall looking fearful yet resolute, to enter. "Lizzy, your father wishes to speak to you!"
"Come in Lizzy." Mr Bennet looked sombrely at his favourite daughter as she walked determinedly into the room, then casting a somewhat querulous look at his over effusive wife, he said: "I think it would be best if I speak to Elizabeth alone Mrs Bennet."
Mrs Bennet didn't look pleased on being excluded from the conversation, knowing full well that Mr. Bennets partiality for his second born would undoubtedly cause him to be too lenient. But, upon gazing into her husband's resigned face and realising that she didn't have much choice in the matter, she reluctantly exited the study, closing the door smartly behind her.
"An unhappy choice is before you Lizzy. I am sorry that it falls on your shoulders. I understand what kind of fool Mr. Collins is, and believe me when I say that he's the last man in world I would wish to inflict upon you..."
"Thank you father!" interrupted Lizzy, too grateful that her father was taking her side in this.
"...let me finish Lizzy." Continued her father, looking suddenly much older that he had looked a minute before. "Though I would not wish to see you unable to respect your partner in life, I fear that in this instance we may not have a choice."
"Father I don't ..."
"Lizzy, I am old. I do not know how much longer I have on this earth and I would like to be sure that my family will at least have a roof over their head after I am gone. If Bingley had indeed offered for your sister, as we had all hoped, this would be different; you would not need to sacrifice yourself for your sister. But as it is, it would seem that the match between the two of them is entirely at an end, and I now fear that you will have to be the one to rescue your sisters and mother from the gutters."
Elizabeth had at first looked at her father with dumb amazement as he had began his speech but by the time he had reached the end of it and had come to stand in front of her, resting his hand on her shoulder, she could no longer look him in the eyes and was instead staring at the small wine stain on the carpet in front of her slippers. She now understood her father's meaning. Though he despised Mr Collins he would rather see her and her sisters with something, rather than be turned out into the cold after his death. And she found on this occasion, as on most others, that she agreed with her father. Perhaps it was just the way he looked at present, so sad and so frail, but in that instant his death looked almost imminent, and she felt she could no longer afford to be so selfish and must do as her father wished. "Yes father, I understand."
Without looking at him, as she feared one look at his withered countenance would cause her to burst into tears, she quietly turned around and walked out the door.
As she stepped into the hall she saw Mrs Bennet and Mr Collins waiting outside for her. Mr Collins, though not looking particularly pleased with the results of his application, was at least calmly standing before Mrs Bennet as she continued to reassure him that all would be well; that Lizzy was just naturally shy and that as soon as her father had soothed her nerves she would undoubtedly accept his offer. Elizabeth paused with her hand on the door knob feeling as though she were about to step off the edge of a cliff. She could feel the sweat dewing on the palms of her hands and tears were beginning to prick the corners of her eyes. To steady herself she tried to take a deep breath before finally letting go of the door handle, abandoning not only her previous sentiments upon entering the study, but also any hopes or dreams that she had ever entertained about her future happiness.
"Mr Collins," she thus began, eager to get over the heavy ground as soon as possible, "I must apologise for my inexcusable behaviour earlier. I am most flattered by your proposal and if you have not changed your mind I would wish to thank you and to say that I will marry you." The words came out tasting bitter but neither Mrs Bennet nor Mr Collins seemed to notice in what hollow accents they were spoken. Mrs Bennet beamed at her daughter and then at Mr Collins, who she saw, to her delight, was also beaming at Elizabeth.
He was looking very well pleased with himself, as though he knew that this would be the outcome all along. "Of course my dear Elizabeth, I fully comprehend that as the dutiful daughter you are, it would not have been possible for you to accept my hand without first receiving sanction from your excellent father, and must therefore humbly beg your forgiveness for not approaching him myself earlier and thus sparing you all this unnecessary anxiety. But I hope that now that we have resolved the issue our two minds will be as one on every issue here after." And as he spoke, he hastily walked across to Elizabeth, and taking her delicate hand in his rather sweaty, yet feminine grasp, brushed a rather slobbery kiss across her knuckles causing Elizabeth to grimace in revulsion. This response luckily went unseen by Mr Collins as he remained bent over her hand few a few seconds longer than was strictly proper.
