Chapter XXVI

Mr Collins' Bride

"I am two fools, I know,

For loving, and for saying so."

― John Donne

His was brought abruptly back to reality by a voice.

"Mr Darcy."

He frozen, his mind still filled with his fantasy. That was not her voice. Hers was much sweeter voice, this was deep and yet somehow familiar. He turned slowly.

"What are you doing here?" George Wickham laughing said. "Not Waiting here to steal away the bride are you?"

Darcy knew that he had made a grave mistake.

"She's quite the tease you know." Wickham continued, unconcerned that he had received no reply.

ooOoo

Elizabeth had walked out of Longbourn for the last time as one of the Miss Bennets. When she returned for the wedding breakfast she would be Mrs Collins. She had step into the carriage and even sat up tolerably straight to try and silent her mother, who would go on and on.

"Who has been in the garden, all of those bushes have been flatted over that." Mrs Bennet complained loud as she entered the carriage. "Hill, get one of the stable boys to sort out the bushes over there. John will do.

What on earth has been happening in those bushing. Completely flatten. You'd think we weren't having a wedding today for all the concern there seems to be about it. Lizzy over here scowling like that. Mr Collins will never marry you with that expression. Smile a little. Oh, Mrs Collins, it is such a well sounding name."

Jane got in and sat next to Elizabeth, taking her hand silently as they listened to Mrs Bennet as she started complaining about the trouble the wedding breakfast had been as the carriage pulled away from Longbourn House and headed for the church.

ooOoo

"I don't know what you are talking about." Darcy said, trying to look for his horse without letting Wickham know what he was doing.

Wickham came closer, and lowered his voice. "Do you not. Here I thought you were looking for a lovely and of so tempting Elizabeth Bennet."

Darcy tried not to pay Wickham any heed, but that was easier said than done.

As Wickham, still laughing said: "Don't pretend you have thought about it Darcy. I know you have, not that I blame you. I doubt there are many men who haven't. She will be more than happy to go to keep anyone's bed warm after she has had to go to bed with that little toad. She might even let you have a go."

Darcy was never able to fully explain what happened next. How Wickham ended up on the ground or how he broke his nose. The black-eye and even the flatten bushes were all complete mysteries.

ooOoo

Mr Bennet had dressed very slowly that morning. It had been a long time since he had actual dressed and been downstairs. Putting a shirt on was a very slow operation. Not to mention painful. His man, Jones, was concerned and tried as tactfully as possible to suggest that the young lady would be happier if he was safe in bed, rather than straining himself.

Mr Bennet sighed, he knew Jones was right. But if he was not going to live much longer, he would be at Lizzy's wedding. Even if it was not the life he had hoped she would have. She was saving her family, she was paying the price for his lacks as a father and as a husband. Who should pay the price but himself. It was his doing. He could still ended it, his daughter deserved better than Mr Collins. Jane was to be married, yes he would most likely not live to see her married. But she was determined, and it was too late for that. She had mind up her mind, and if he ended things now she would be forced to bear the brunt of it. While he spilt into the next world, hardly any the wiser.

Finally he was ready, he viewed his reflection in the mirror for a moment or two. The person looking back at him was a familiar stranger. The dark eyes, the sunken skin, the yellowing of the eyes.

"Well Jones, I think we have done as well as anyone could with what we have to work with." he said after a moment. As he adjusted his cravat one last time.

"Yes sir." was the polite as always response.

ooOoo

Mrs Bennet descended from the carriage first and headed towards the church, to take her place and make sure everything was ready. Elizabeth was in no particular hurry. She knew that it was pointless to delay, and she had made her peace. At least as much as could be expected. But she was still in no hurry.

Let him wait a little, it will do him good. She thought as she arranged and rearranged the skirt of her dress. Running her fingers through it and feeling the fabric. Smooth and cool.

Kitty was making sure her dress was not too rumpled while Lydia was trying to she who was in the church. "Oh look, Denny is near the front."

"And Aunt Philips." Kitty remarked as Elizabeth made her way, with the help of a footman down from the carriage. Mr Bennet was standing close by, lending heavier on his valet.

"Mr Bingley looks very smart today." Lydia said to Jane, who blushed. "But it looks like he brought that disagreeable friend with him and his sister. I thought have thought he'd left that at home?"

Elizabeth turned sharply, to see that Lydia was indeed right. Sitting next to Mr Bingley was Mr Darcy. With a rather sour expression on his face and next time him sat Miss Darcy, looking more nervous and uncomfortable.

Elizabeth turned away from her sisters for a moment to try and regain a little composure, Why was he here, had she not made herself clear enough the day before? How was she to walk down the aisle on her father's arm, with Mr Darcy sitting right there?

At that moment Jane appeared by her side, looking concerned. Elizabeth could not help but smile in a reassuring way. And hardly a moment later the music started and her father who had been walking slowly towards her offered her his arm.

"Are you ready for this my dear?"

She smiled at him, not willing to lie to him, but always not willing to express what they were both feeling. He returned the smile in a non-sort of committal way and kissed her on the check.

"I hope you will be very happy my Lizzy, whatever life has planned for you." He said before walking forward towards where Mr Collins was waiting for his bride.

ooOoo

Darcy will never, as long as he lives, forget what happened next. His head was reminding him that he should not have drunk as much as he did the night before. But he was wishing he had drunk more and was not awake for this. He cruised himself for deciding he had to be here, at the wedding. Hope any hope would have been better than watch her married to another man. He was sure he would be reliving the next few minutes in his nightmares for the rest of his life. Only there would be no awakening from it.

As the music began, Bingley and Georgiana raise to their feet, he followed suit a second or two later. And turned to see the bride entering the church on her father's arm. Her sisters following behind. Mr Bennet was not too steady on his feet, and seemed to be leaning heavily on his second eldest daughter.

Elizabeth, who was looking nowhere in particular, and particularly not at him, seemed to be half supporting half carrying her father. She had a determined expression, the sunlight dancing in her hair. Darcy thought she had never looked more beautiful and never so far beyond his reach.

They seemed to take an age to walk down the aisle. They were about level with him, when it happened. Mr Bennet had been lending more and more on Elizabeth, until she seemed to be half carrying him.

Darcy was moving and by her side trying to support Mr Bennet's weight before he released he had left Georgiana's side. Mr Bennet was barely breathing, his skin white and his eyes rolling in his head. It took the rest of the people in the church a few seconds to release anything was wrong. But they had not been paying such close attention to Elizabeth and her father as he had.

ooOoo

As if underwater, sounds came to Elizabeth strange and disjointed. Her dear father, who had been leaning on her more and more had entirely collapsed and Mr Darcy had leapt forward to catch him. For which she was grateful. She would not have been able to support him on her own.

Around her chaos had descended, Mrs Bennet wailing, Mr Collins speaking solemnly to anyone who would listen or instead stand still near him. Kitty and Lydia crying loudly. Only Mr Darcy seemed to have any idea what to do.

He was calling for Mr Bingley to help him support Mr Bennet and someone else to get the carriage to the front of the church. Then more gently, to her, asked her to speak to her father to let him know that she was there. To reassure him.