This chapter is certainly not perfect as it was written at midnight. However, I have been extremely busy lately and thought that any update is better than no update. This chapter has not been edited, so if you spot any mistakes then please review and tell me.
Elizabeth could simply not believe her ears. What kind of man would propose to two women within the same hour? To be frank, she was not as surprised at the actions of Mr Collins as she was at Mary's acceptance of him; she had always imagined that her middle sister would have more sense than this.
''What are you saying, Jane? Surely you cannot mean what you say!'' Elizabeth exclaimed.
''It is true, Lizzie. When Mr Collins returned he told mother that you had declined his proposal and just as mama was about to come after you, he told her that he had decided to turn his attentions towards Mary instead. He said that she would make a more suitable wife for a clergyman in his circumstances. As you can imagine, such happy news overexcited mama's nerves, to the extent that she required a visit from Dr Jones. He was tending to the newborn child of one of our tenants so it did not take him long to get here. I feel for mama; her nerves seem to be getting worse by the day.''
If Elizabeth had not been so stunned with surprise at that moment in time, she would have laughed at Jane's concern for their mother. However as it happened, Elizabeth could not care less about the state of her mother's nerves at a time like this.
''And Mary actually accepted him? She does not even know him well enough to do such a thing.'' It was true that Elizabeth had not seen Mr Collins and Mary engage in many conversations together, since his arrival in Hertfordshire. ''What is more, I thought that she intended to remain a spinster for life.''
''So did I, Lizzie, my surprise is just as great as yours. But please try to be happy for her, no matter what your opinions are on our cousin. Mary probably decided that this was the best option for her since she had always been told that she will never find a husband. Moreover, she has never really fit in at home, being the quietest and most reserved of five girls,'' said Jane with a small, sad smile.
This last part ignited a feeling of guilt within Elizabeth for she realised that she had never really made an effort to connect with her reclusive sister. She felt that if Mary had been happier at home, then she would not have accepted a proposal from such a horrid man, just to get away from it all. Her own ordeals of the day were now forgotten as she worried about what her sister had let herself in for; she did not want Mary to be chained to an uncivil man who did not deserve the term 'gentleman', and did not even know how to talk with propriety to a lady.
''So he was first rejected by me and then he hastily turned his affections to my sister not five minutes later! What kind of a gentleman is he? How can father agree to such a thing?'' cried Elizabeth exasperatedly, not being able to contain her feelings.
''Father has most certainly agreed to the match, Lizzie. You know that he does not share mama's view of marrying one of his daughter's off to Mr Collins, simply because of the entail. Therefore, he was surely also of the opinion that this was the best option for Mary.''
''And you Jane? What do you think of all this?''
''I am very happy for Mary because this is apparently what she wants for herself,'' said the ever diplomatic Jane.
''Where is Mr Collins now?'' asked Elizabeth, dreading the moment when she would have to face him again.
''He is upstairs in his room. He is leaving for Kent tomorrow morning, to inform his patroness of his engagement and to settle a few affairs, '' answered Jane.
''And Mary?''
Jane replied, ''She has been taken hostage by Kitty and Lydia, who wish to procure detailed plans of what Mary's wedding trousseau will consist of. For the first time, they were eager to spend time with their newly engaged sister, and she was happy to oblige them for once.'' Guessing what Elizabeth's next question may be, she added, ''Papa is in his study.''
Elizabeth decided that she would go to her father directly and speak to him about her sister's bethroal to such an unsuitable suitor. She also asked Jane to have her meal sent to her room since she was suffering from a slight headache; it would be in her favour to avoid Mr Collins for as long as she could, even though it now seemed that he would inevitably be a part of her life after his marriage to Mary.
Elizabeth knocked hastily on the door to her father's study and did not wait for a reply before she opened it and ran inside.
''Father,'' she cried, ''how could you allow Mary to become engaged to Mr Collins?''
''You are not envious of her situation, I hope?'' he jested, raising an eyebrow as he removed his spectacles.
''Of course not, papa. We both know that Mr Collins is a simply ridiculous man who would not make any woman happy. Why did you not take that into any consideration?'' Elizabeth was losing her patience now; did no one in her family realise what fate a marriage to Mr Collins would condemn a woman to?
''Lizzie, my child, I am not oblivious to the nature of his character. However, Mary has happily accepted him and insists that she will have him, and judging by her need for medical attention, your mother is also happy at the thought of her daughter being mistress of Longbourn.''
''But how can Mary be sure that she has made a sensible decision? Why, it was only an hour ago that he decided to turn his attentions to her. How can we trust a man with so fickle a character?''
''Elizabeth,'' sighed Mr Bennet as he began pacing his study, ''I will admit that Mr Collins would not be my first choice for any of my daughters. The thing is, I agree with your mother for once: Mary is unlikely to do any better. I would rather that she marries him and has some chance of happiness rather than suffer as a poor spinster for her whole life.''
Elizabeth was surprised at the way her father was acting; it was him who had always told his daughters to only marry someone they loved and respected.
''Marital felicity,'' he continued, ''is entirely a matter of chance. I learnt that long ago. I knew that this was one of few chances at happiness that Mary would ever have, and did not even try to dissuade her from her decision.''
Just as Elizabeth opened her mouth to make a remark, Mr Bennet pleaded, ''Please Elizabeth, I have blindly put my daughter's fate into the hands of one who is nowhere near anything I would have ever wished for her. I do not wish for your opposition on this matter, as my own conscience and guilt are torment enough.''
As she walked out of her father's study after this ineffectual conversation, Elizabeth's head was spinning; so much had happened in such a short space of time. Only a few fours ago, she had gone on a walk with Mr Collins after being forced to do so by her mother. She had then declined a proposal, fallen into a lake, and been rescued by a handsome and mysterious stranger. Now, her sister was engaged to this toad of a man and there seemed to be nothing that Elizabeth could do to stop it.
Throwing herself into the armchair in her room, she buried her face in her hands and furrowed her brow, as if hoping that if she thought about the matter long enough, it would cease to trouble her. After some contemplation, she realised and came to accept that what was to be would come to be, and that there was no point in her troubling herself. Her sister had entered this engagement with open eyes and now, all Elizabeth could do was put up with it.
That evening, Elizabeth fell asleep early, sinking into a deep dreamless sleep; when she awoke the next morning she was feeling a lot better than she had before her slumber. Then, the memories of the previous day came rushing back to her; however, things seemed to look a little less terrible than they had done the night before.