Note: not betad
Important Note: if you are a sensitive person you might want to wait to read the comments first.
There's no explicit sex. There's only a vague implication that something took place and a handful of twisted Pride and Prejudice quotes
The Road (And Other Things) Taken
Written for a challenge on AHA - A Happy Assembly
Have fun :)
Mr. Bingley's ball was everything Mrs. Bennet expected and more. Nothing could dampen her spirits, her triumph this night must be complete! She looked around the splendidly lighted ballroom with satisfaction: her Jane was speaking in a corner with Mr. Bingley himself, Mary had performed delightfully at the piano and Lydia and Kitty were enjoying their night in the company of some Militia officers.
Then she spotted Lizzy. She did not seem to do anything particularly, fleeting from one acquaintance to another without any purpose at all. It did not take the matron much to understand what her least dear daughter was about: the stubborn child was avoiding Mr. Collins. It was not to be borne!
With Bingley all but married to Jane, she, naturally, sought an equally advantageous match for her second daughter. In truth, Mrs. Bennet believed anybody at all would be a good match for Lizzy, as long as the man was willing to suffer her temper and her tongue. Fear gripped her heart seeing how the selfish child was showing no inclination to listen to her suitor or pay him proper deference.
In this state of near panic a plan was hatched to salvage the would be match and the fortune of her family by making sure she would have two daughters advantageously married. It was a pity Jane would miss her second dance with Mr. Bingley, but it could not be helped. Oh, would that Mr. Collins propose at once and rid her household of her husband's favourite!
"My dear child, you do not look well at all," Mrs. Bennet interrupted Jane and Mr. Bingley's hushed conversation without concern. "Why, you are all flushed," she added and felt her daughter's brow for good measure.
"Indeed not, Mama," Jane rejoined with a quick look at Mr. Bingley, "I feel very well, it has been a most wonderful ball so far."
"Aye, Jane, so it was, but you do not look well. No, no, I will not have it," she continued waving her hands and with ever increasing volume. "We shall leave at once, so you can have your rest. I do not wish for you to become ill again."
Mr. Bingley's shock at such pronouncements, coming from Mrs. Bennet of all people, was such that he spoke without considering: "Surely there is no need for all your family to leave so early, Mrs. Bennet! My sisters would be vastly pleased to see Miss Bennet to a room where she can rest undisturbed for a while and later rejoin us here."
Mr. Darcy had been close enough to catch the whole exchange almost from the beginning. He felt himself bound to be of use to his friend and ascertain Miss Bennet's feelings towards Bingley, whose natural modesty was such that made him depend on Darcy's opinion far more than on his own. As such, he was appalled at the nerve the Bennet matron showed in forcing Bingley to host her daughter in his house yet again. What did she hope to accomplish, he wondered? Dark thoughts presented themselves before he could contain them and for a moment he wondered if the placid Miss Bennet was acting in concert with her mother, trying to force Bingley's hand by means of a compromise.
Mrs. Bennet for he part was struggling to think fast, something which could not come easily to her. To let Jane stay behind at Netherfield was a most enticing prospect, but she had already made her plan about how the evening should proceed and did not want to alter it. She needed time alone with Mr. Collins and that was that. Try as she might, she felt herself unequal to judging the merits of Jane's staying, especially since it was possible that her daughter would request that Elizabeth remains with her. And that would not do; no, it would not do at all.
"You are very kind, Mr. Bingley, to take such good care of my daughter, but I am afraid I must insist. My Jane needs her rest, there will be other balls and dances, I am sure of it." Mrs. Bennet smiled warmly at Bingley, patted her daughter's hand and called for her other children to make themselves ready to depart. "Oh, where is Mr. Bennet? And Mr. Collins! What can they mean by tarrying so? Oh, my dear, dear Jane, we will have you home in no time," she continued to speak in a more and more agitated manner as the time passed. "If you'd be so kind, Mr. Bingley, to have one of your men fetch my husband and Mr. Collins, I would be much oblige. We need to be on our way."
"Of course, madam," Bingley replied, his good manners preventing him from not complying with a direct request and so he gave orders to a nearby footman to do so.
Meanwhile Mr. Darcy felt himself struck dumb. In spite of everything he had seen - and heard - of Mrs. Bennet, the lady had no thought of forcing her daughter on Bingley. She looked genuinely distressed and far from from planning a scheme of compromise, she only wanted to take her daughter home to care for her.
He saw Miss Elizabeth in conference with Miss Bennet and caught the look of longing in the later's eyes as she glanced at Bingley. He had thought her unaffected earlier in the evening, he was still not sure her sentiments were as fervent as his friend's, but there was no denying that she held him in at least some affection. He felt mortified to a degree he had no thought possible. He had been ready to believe the worst of Mrs. Bennet when all the lady wanted was a good life for her daughters. He could see that clearly now. To his shame it seemed like the prospect of attaching Bingley to her eldest was not foremost in her mind, not when her daughter's health seemed affected.
Elizabeth was trying to make sense of what was happening around her, alas, with little success. Her mother was most insistent that all their family go home long before the ball was over because of a vague notion that Jane was unwell. She had questioned her sister most earnestly and was tolerably assured that Jane was indeed well. She wished to stay at Netherfield for the remainder of the ball, she wished to dance with Mr. Bingley again; she felt well and did not understand what was alarming their mother.
In the end Elizabeth reasoned to herself that it was better for their family to take their leave and be gone before her mother descended into a fit of nerves. It was not like her to curtail the enjoyment of her daughters and she was the most fervent supporter of a match between Mr. Bingley and Jane. Elizabeth could not but conclude that whatever it was that her mother had seen in Jane's demeanor was enough to justify their hasty departure.
Jane had bid her to try to change their mother's mind and allow them to stay and Elizabeth tried, for her sister's sake. She had been swiftly rebuffed: "When you will have your own children, Miss Lizzy, you will understand!" As it happened, Elizabeth fully agreed with her mother in this respect.
When Mr. Bennet was appraised of what was going on he took one look at Jane, pondered for only a few moments and quickly acceded to his wife's request of leaving right away. His reasoning mirrored that of Elizabeth: it was so unlike his wife to stand in the way of anybody who came as a lover for any of their daughters, that something must have happened. He turned to look at Mr. Bingley, measuring the young man and wondering if his wife had seen - or heard - anything improper. No matter, he would question Jane in the morning. For now he contented himself to silence Lydia and Kitty, they truly were two of the silliest girls in the country, and led his daughters towards the entrance to wait for their carriage to be brought around.
There was a small commotion with Mrs. Bennet declaring they could not possibly crowd Jane which was solved by Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins remaining behind to wait for the carriage to return from Longbourn. Nobody was quite sure how that happened, but most of them felt they had reasons to be thankful for the arrangements: Jane, because she did not want more of her mother's fussing, and Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth because they were spared her nerves and pronouncements of impending doom. Lydia and Kitty did not care one way or another and were sulking as best they could being ordered to keep silent by their father. Mary would have had a lot to say as well, but she too had been ordered to be silent.
"You do not want to accompany your daughter home, madam?" Miss Bingley could not abstain herself from remarking on the unusual circumstances once the Bennet carriage was on its way to Longbourn.
"You are very kind, Miss Bingley, to be thinking of my dear Jane," was the prompt rejoinder. "I would wish to be with her, of course, but to have my children travel at night without their father to protect them is simply not proper."
It took Miss Bingley some effort to suppress a snort on hearing Mrs. Bennet expounding on proper behaviour.
"I wish we would have thought to make use of Mr. Bennet's gig," Mrs. Bennet continued starting to wring her hands in distress. "I could have travelled in the carriage with Jane and Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins would have accompanied us in the gig."
There were so many laments on the part of Mrs. Bennet and embarrassingly insincere encouragements on Miss Bingley's side, that Darcy could not stand the scene in front of him another moment. "Perhaps my friend can be persuaded to lend you his curricle," he suggested looking expressively at Bingley.
"Of course!" Bingley struck his forehead with his palm. "I say, what a marvelous idea, Darcy!" Bingley agreed in an instant. "Mr. Collins, do you drive, sir?"
"But of course," the reverend answered with alacrity. "My most noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, would not hear of having a pastor unable to perform his duties toward his flock on account of poor driving."
In short order Bingley had the curricle brought around and Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins were on their way with every hope that they would arrive almost at the same time as the rest of the Bennets.
Mr. Collins proved himself an able driver and Mrs. Bennet was taken back to a time when she was but a young girl and another gentleman was trying to impress her with his ability with the horses. Oh, but her Lizzy will have nothing to complain, she was sure of it. A lot could be gathered from the way a man mastered his equipage and Mrs. Bennet giggled quietly as these thoughts passed through her mind.
She noticed Mr. Collins taking the wrong turn at the beginning of the lane which led to Longbourn and waited for a few more minutes to pass. Seeing the straight line in front of them, Mr. Collins urged the horses and the curricle picked up speed, unaware he was going in the wrong direction. Mrs. Bennet had been unprepared for the change in pace and with a shriek she put both of her arms around his waist and held on fast.
That he was surprised by the connection was evident; he sustained it, however, with fortitude, and so far from turning away, turned back to her, and endeavoured to put her at ease.
Now was the moment for her resolution to be executed, and, while her courage was high, she immediately said: "Oh, Mr. Collins, I was so pleased by the attentions you bestowed on my second daughter! You have to know, sir, that I have taught all of my children well and even if she can be stubborn at times, I am sure all Elizabeth needs is a husband to take her in hand."
Mr. Collins could make no answer to this opening; indeed he could not. He greatly admired all of his cousins, but when she was holding him so - dare he think? - intimate, it was no doubt in his mind that in point of true feminine beauty and desirability, Mrs. Bennet was much superior to any of her daughters. He was grateful to her for her support of his suit, he felt a real interest in her welfare; and he only wanted to know how far he wished that welfare to depend upon himself, and how far it would be for the happiness of both that he should employ the power, which his fancy told him he possessed, of bringing on an event which would be for the happiness of both.
Mrs. Bennet arrived at Longbourn a couple of hours later than expected and retired directly to her room to calm the flutterings and spasms in her side and the beatings of her heart. She did not descend the next day at breakfast claiming a bad head.
Mr. Collins dutifully proposed to his cousin Elizabeth in the morning. Judging her to be just like her mother, he insisted in describing all the ways in which she was inferior to him and what was expected of her as a pastor's wife in her dealings with Lady Catherine deBourgh. Much to his relief, she declined his proposal and her parents did not press her into accepting it. Subsequently he removed to Lucas Lodge and two days later he was engaged to be married to Miss Lucas.
Breakfast at Netherfield was a very much more lively affair than one could usually see after a ball. Mr. Bingley decided to postpone his trip to town until he could speak with Mr. Bennet and ascertain if there was any need to fetch a doctor from London. His sisters insisted that Jane was fine and there was no real need for him to visit the Bennets right after the ball, but he remained resolute.
"People will think you have an interest in her, Charles! Think of your position!" Caroline finally erupted when her brother proved impervious at her subtle and not so subtle hints.
"I do have an interest in her, Caroline. I am amazed that you, of all people, could not discern where my interest lies. Surely being friends with Jane - erm, Miss Bennet, you must have an intimate understanding of the situation."
It led to a long discussion where both Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst tried to make their brother see reason and give up his infatuation with Jane Bennet. They brought up her want of connections, her lack of dowry, and the impropriety of her family.
"You said that before, Caroline, and I do not see any of it. Jane is a gentleman's daughter; I do not care who her mother is. In any case, she is no worse than our mother. And in point of impropriety we have to disagree. You said the same thing about Miss Elizabeth coming to care for her sister when she was brought to bed by that awful cold. Where, pray, is the impropriety of leaving a ball early when a mother is worried for her child? I say the whole family is admirable in their care for one another!"
"Mr. Darcy, surely, you cannot agree with such nonsense! Jane Bennet is in every way unsuitable for Charles! You must see that!"
Mr. Darcy took a few moments to respond. "In terms of money and connections you can do much better, Charles, but that you already know, so I will not address it. In terms of the Bennets' improper behaviour, I am with Charles here, Miss Bingley. I do not believe Mrs. Bennet - or any of her daughters - to be capable of deceit. It was clear that all Mrs. Bennet wants is her daughters to be happy and cared for and she sees to it."
Caroline opened her mouth to retort, but Darcy was not done. "Yes, her manners are not those of the fashionable world, Miss Bingley, I am fully aware of that. However that matters less than their general honesty and genuine care for each other. She is not trying to trap Charles or force Miss Bennet into a marriage for the sake of getting a rich husband. These are my thoughts on the matter."
Miss Bingley was convinced that Mrs. Bennet duped her brother into offering for Jane Bennet by affecting disinterestedness and she had to admit her success was absolute. Not only her fool of a brother fell for such an obvious ploy, but Mr. Darcy too, even if he was a much more discerning gentleman. It only went to show that you could not trust men to look after themselves.
Even so, the idea clearly had merit. If Mr. Darcy was inclined to let himself believe such sentiments, Miss Bingley decided she should employ it for both hers and her object's benefit. Consequently she made herself unavailable for dances in a few occasions and declined invitations to some events where she knew he would be present. She did not retire from society, no indeed, but she became more discerning in her choice of entertainment.
It was thus with a heavy heart that she witnessed in February the double marriage of the two eldest Misses Bennet to her brother and - she still could not believe it - Mr. Darcy.
In the third week of July Mrs. Bennet was delivered of a healthy boy, much to the joy of her daughters.
Their father's only comment was: "You did well, Mrs. Bennet, but this is to be our last offspring. Are we understood?" Mrs. Bennet meekly agreed. It left both Mrs. Bingley and Mrs. Darcy confused as to what he could mean by it.
To everybody's astonishment, Mr. Collins travelled to see the babe christened and bestowed upon him a valuable Bible that had been passed through generations in the Collins branch of the family. They all thought it a very handsome gift and were sensible that they never did their cousin justice since he proved to be such a kind, caring man, even when his every hope of inheriting Longbourn vanished.