Chaos, confusion, and chatter greeted Jane and Elizabeth on their first steps into their home of Longbourn. Great fuss descended upon Jane by not just their mother, but also their two youngest sisters who interrogated Jane with all kinds of questions about Netherfield. Elizabeth stood in the entryway feeling relieved that they had all forgotten she was present at the home, too, and saw a great deal more than Jane, when a familiar voice called her name.
Elizabeth turned and rushed into her father's arms for a proper greeting, the man taken aback from the sudden show of emotion in his normally so steady daughter.
"Lizzie, Lizzie, you were only gone for a week. And but three miles down the road." Her father attempted to settle his daughter down to no avail.
"Oh, Papa, it was awful. Completely awful! Well, Jane had a lovely time once she was well, but I will leave her to tell you her news." Elizabeth followed her father into his study to find a squat, sweaty little man sitting in her favorite chair. Spying the intruder, Elizabeth's steps came up short and she forgot her manners to stop staring at the oddly faced man.
"Elizabeth, meet your cousin, William Collins, who is to inherit Longbourn after my death. Mr. Collins holds the living at a place called Rosewill—"
"Rosings, my dear cousin, Rosings. The home of the illustrious and magnanimous Lady Catherine de Bourgh." The stranger interrupted and corrected her father, an immediate poor first impression for Elizabeth's tastes.
"Yes, I do apologize. I was not aware the name of the estate was so dear to you." Mr. Bennet rolled his eyes to Elizabeth's stunted giggle before continuing. "Rosings, and he has paid us a visit to acquaint himself with the Bennet side of the family."
"And to select one of my fair cousins as my partner in life and sanctity in hopes of healing the breach between our two families with the olive branch of matrimony."
Elizabeth's stomach lurched as her father said nothing against Mr. Collins' bombastic declaration of claiming her or one of her sisters.
"Yes, well, a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Collins. I believe I shall see to my unpacking in my room." Elizabeth began to walk out when her father stopped her.
"Your items will still be there in a few hours. Sit, tell me about your visit. You say it was dreadful and I am all ears to hear of the foibles and follies of the London visitors." Mr. Bennet offered his daughter the chair on the other side of his desk, away from the window and Mr. Collins.
Obliged to obey her father, Elizabeth sat and began to heavily edit her recounting of the Netherfield Park inhabitants, much to her father's dismay. But as her cousin kept interjecting daft advice over every activity, such as how to best debone a roast duck when she spoke about one of the dinners, Elizabeth felt the interview better handled than the full truth she would offer if she and her father were in private.
"And the following day, Miss Bingley thought we should sketch Mr. Darcy—"
"Forgive me, but you keep referring to this Mr. Darcy, is he the same Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire?"
Her lips twisted in annoyance, Elizabeth nodded as an attempt to not snap at the puffed up peacock her cousin now resembled.
"Ho! Ho! He is the nephew of my esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine and betrothed to her daughter, Anne."
"Betrothed?" Elizabeth exclaimed, clamping her hands over her mouth at how odd her shout sounded. She gulped and restored a calmer demeanor. "I am surprised, I mean, as he made no mention of his cousin."
"Was there a conversation in which you would have expected him to discuss his future marriage plans, Elizabeth?" Her father asked his question in an amused tone, but his steely blue eyes flashed a protective spark towards his daughter.
Elizabeth chose her words carefully, knowing she was a terrible liar. "There was not one conversation in particular, no. I just, well, you will understand why I find it odd later once you speak with Jane." Elizabeth deflected further scrutiny with a weak smile.
Her father groaned. "I suspect that beau of hers, Bingley, will be here shortly?"
Elizabeth nodded, tucking her lower lip beneath her upper.
"Alright, then scamper off with you. I am certain you must have unpacking and other duties to see to." Elizabeth hopped up from her chair to peck her father on the cheek.
"My first order of business is a walk!" she exclaimed.
"Well, take Collins here with you, show him the gardens and the out buildings. You know my old legs are bothered with prolonged activity and I promised him once you were home, you were the great walker in the family to take him on his tour."
"Papa!" Elizabeth admonished her father's dismissal, not entirely keen on taking a cousin she had just met on a walk by herself. She would ask Mary to tag along, as Mr. Bingley, should be arriving soon she could not possibly ask Jane.
"I should be most delighted to take a stroll with you, Cousin Elizabeth." The squat, sweaty man suddenly began simply tall and fat when he stood a whole head higher than Elizabeth.
"I need to change my shoes, I wonder if you might wait for me in the parlor?"
"At your command, madam." The bumbling parson stumbled for a moment, unsure of what to do, and then he made a half bow. Elizabeth giggled at his awkwardness, earning a stern look from her father.
"Come along, Mr. Collins. After enduring four days of rain, I do not wish to wait a moment longer in case Mother Nature changes her mind about the day."
***
ACK! ACK! Poor Elizabeth! Hang in there, hang in there. She's going to eventually learn Mr. Collins is W-R-O-N-G. In the meantime, we can just all feel sorry for her, right? :)
