Title: Dare to Refuse Such a Man
Rating: K+ (PG) – because I can't think of anything at this point which would constitute a higher rating. Should be sweet and clean.
Disclaimer: Though I write stories based on the novels and characters of Jane Austen, this work belongs to ME and no one else. Unless given express permission, no one besides myself has the right to distribute or profit from my intellectual property. All rights reserved.
Setting: Regency
PSA: I hope that you and yours are safe and healthy during the COVID-19 crisis. Take precautions for yourself and others and please don't hoard any goods that your family doesn't need; we're all in this together, even while we remain physically apart.

Summary: It had never occurred to Fitzwilliam Darcy that, once he had chosen a bride, her father might dare to refuse his consent. However, a woman worthy of being pleased is also worth fighting for. DE, Regency, clean romance.

"He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse anything which he condescended to ask."

Mr Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Volume III, Chapter 17

Chapter Twenty-Three

Monday
November 4, 1811

"And so he has not budged? Even a little?"

Fanny shook her head ruefully from side to side, ending the motion with a huff of utmost frustration. "Not at all! You would think a man so convinced of his own intelligence would see the obvious right under his nose," she gestured wildly with the tip of her fan to the part of the room where her second daughter and would-be son-in-law were chatting with Colonel Forster, standing as close together as propriety would allow in a public setting, "but Mr Bennet will insist upon being stubborn! He has no consideration for my poor nerves."

They were dining at Lucas Lodge this particular evening, as was the rest of the neighborhood and a new regiment of militia recently quartered in Meryton, besides. The meal – adequate, but not as spectacular as the spread Fanny would have put out – had been completed and now the myriad guests were gathered together in the Lucases' only parlor for coffee and conversation. Knowing Sir William, the more sedate mingling would eventually give way to some other form of entertainment, but for the moment Fanny and her Sister Philips were seated comfortably in a corner of the room where they could observe the activities of the young people and air their grievances without consideration for the feelings of others.

Tonight, Fanny was especially nervous as the frustration of the past fortnight was beginning to overwhelm whatever serenity she had in her possession. Mr Bennet, the implacable, cruel man, had thus far failed to bend his will to his wife's machinations and the betrothal between Lizzy and Mr Darcy was still in a vexing state of limbo. It was neither true, nor untrue, in that it was both a universally accepted fact as well as a privately contested state; the couple were determined to wed, but Mr Bennet seemed equally determined to prevent it. No amount of public opinion seemed to sway her husband and Fanny had long since given up on the attempt to reason with him directly, which made everything feel rather hopeless at times.

Lizzy, too, often seemed overwhelmed by the ongoing conflict surrounding her future life, but she had not given in to tears since the day her papa had denied Mr Darcy his consent and they had set to work plotting other means to achieve their ends. Instead, the dear girl had taken to comforting Fanny whenever her nerves threatened to overcome her good sense – as they nearly had that day she had threatened to consign all of Mr Bennet's most prized books to the fireplace in her private sitting room – and kept the actual arguing in the household down to a minimum. Jane, too, had done her part to encourage Fanny's patience as it was in her nature to be helpful, but Lizzy's steadiness and rationality had soothed her more often than not.

"It will all be well, Mama," was Lizzy's oft repeated refrain. "Papa cannot make me marry Mr Collins, no matter what he says. Thanks to you and Aunt Philips, all we now need do is wait."

Well, waiting had never been Fanny's forte, what with her nervous afflictions, and so the past two weeks had been tortuous. The only things which gave her any comfort were the support of her sensible daughters, the liveliness of her less sensible ones and thwarting her husband at every turn. The memory of Mr Bennet's face when he had realized that he had been outclassed by his own wife was one she would treasure until the end of her days – days which, thanks to her wonderful Lizzy, would not be spent in the hedgerows no matter what Mr Collins' inclinations were.

Of course, with Mr Bennet scowling across the room at where Darcy was silently admiring Lizzy and Lady Lucas making veiled comments about what sort of "arts and allurements" had been used to snare such a wealthy fiance, Fanny was unsettled in spite of all the reasons she had to be cheerful. Regardless of how many times she told herself that it would all turn out well – it must – it was in her very essence to fret over every potentially disastrous outcome. She could not help it.

Mrs Philips nodded and patted Fanny's hand, solemn in her sympathy. "It must be very hard, Sister, to have such an unpleasant husband. I thank the good Lord daily that my Gerald is so considerate of me; there is nothing he would not do for my comfort."

"If only I were so lucky!" Fanny complained, her voice little less than a wail. "Ten thousand a year and my Lizzy's happiness – Mr Bennet would ruin all, if he had his way! What can he be thinking?"

"Men always think they know better," replied Sister Philips with a derisive sniff which spoke volumes of her opinion on that notion.

"Hmph," Fanny agreed, nodding sharply and flicking open her fan with a hard snap. As she began fanning herself with a manic rapidity, she reduced her voice to a whisper, one not intended to be overheard, and continued, "Well, all his supposed cleverness will not save us from the infamy we shall face if Lizzy does not marry Mr Darcy! I do not care if he has promised her to Mr Collins or the Prince Regent himself, it will escape no one's notice that there has been a change in grooms and it will look a shabby, patched up business. It would almost be better if Lizzy were not to marry at all in that case!"

Mrs Philips gasped, scandalized. "Do not say such a thing, Sister!"

"But it is true!" Fanny insisted with wide, round eyes as her anxiety soared higher. "What will people say if Lizzy marries Mr Collins instead? That she was jilted, that's what! Or, worse, that she is a strumpet who used her wiles to ensnare two men. And no one will admire her taste for selecting a nobody – the son of an innkeeper, really – over a landed gentleman of good fortune. We will never live down the shame! Men like Mr Bennet, who keep to their book rooms instead of going out into society, do not understand such things. He will see us all ruined if he persists!"

"Calm yourself, Sister, calm yourself." Mrs Philips soothed Fanny with slow, even strokes to the back of her free hand and a steadier cadence to her voice. Fanny relaxed somewhat and breathed deeply to slow her heartbeat to a less frantic pace. "Mr Bennet will have to relent, you know he must. Even if he does not, I think we may count on your Lizzy to hold to her principals – such an obstinate, headstrong girl the world has never seen! She will not yield to her father's persuasions and then, this summer when she is one-and-twenty, she may marry whomever she pleases. And just think how beautiful she will be as a June bride! Our Sister Gardiner has told us repeatedly how lovely Derbyshire is at that time of year; perhaps once Lizzy has married Mr Darcy, we may all visit her at Pemberley. Will that not be exquisite?"

During her sister's speech, Fanny's momentary panic receded into nearly nothing and her optimism reasserted itself. It helped that, across the room from where she sat, Fanny just then witnessed an exchange of blushing smiles between Lizzy and her Mr Darcy. "You are right, Sister, of course you are. My Lizzy would never relinquish Mr Darcy, not for all the silk in India! Why, just look at them over there, have you ever seen a couple more in love with one another?"

Fanny indicated with her fan again and Mrs Philips followed the direction, a smile growing upon her face. She sighed with a wistfulness which Fanny had not heard since they were both girls and had been besotted with the debonair soldiers of Colonel Millar's regiment. This was before either of them had married, naturally, and none of the young lieutenants would have made very proper husbands, but the fantasy of being the object of a handsome gentleman had been a heady one, indeed. Too bad officers in the militia were almost universally poor fellows; had they any wealth at all, Fanny would have found husbands for all the rest of her girls – including Mary – in this very room!

But all of that was immaterial for the moment; girlish flirtations were nothing to the prospect which Lizzy had somehow conquered, against all expectations of her parents. Fanny had to admit that, his spectacular fortune aside, Mr Darcy was exactly the type of man she would wish for a husband to any of her daughters. He so obviously doted on Lizzy that there was no question that he was deeply in love with her – just look at the way his eyes followed her, so intensely focused, as she moved about the room. And how closely he stood to her, attending to her every conversation as she flitted from friend to new acquaintance to neighbor with social grace. Mr Darcy was a very grave man and, had one reason to dispute his looks, Fanny could see someone being quite afraid of him, but his devotion was on display to anyone who wished to see it.

Of course, there were some individuals present who refused to see this devotion, but Fanny was newly determined to pay no attention to them. Mr Bennet could stonewall all he liked, but he would not win the day. And Lady Lucas, with all her false sincerity and undermining whispers, could stew in her jealousy. Fanny did not care one jot for either of their feelings on the subject!

No, everything would turn out as it should, as Lizzy and her Sister Philips insisted. Then Fanny would have nothing left to worry about.

Except, perhaps, how quickly she might acquire a bevy of adorable grandchildren. On that score, Fanny had much advice to impart to Lizzy and made a note to herself that it would soon be time to discuss certain wifely duties with her second daughter. It would not be so much of a chore with a man as handsome as Mr Darcy, Fanny was certain. In fact, now that she thought of it, it would not be the most horrid idea if Lizzy were to begin working on the Pemberley heir a mite early...Fanny would be sure to suggest it the next time she and Lizzy had a private tete-a-tete.

Waving her fan with a bit more fervor, Fanny turned the topic of conversation elsewhere. "Did you notice that Lady Lucas, for all of her high and mighty airs, only put out two courses tonight? And I would wager that she made the pies herself..."

o0o

Tuesday
November 5, 1811

"A most excellent evening, indeed," crowed Fanny the next morning as the family sat down to breakfast. A much needed few hours of rest and the satisfaction of seeing not one but two daughters being courted by wealthy suitors had done much for her spirits and Fanny was in a jolly mood once again. "Do you not agree, girls?"

She looked around to each of her offspring in turn as she absently slathered jam across the surface of her toast. Kitty and Lydia agreed readily that it had been a good time, effusing much pleasure over dancing and flirting with the many handsome officers in attendance. Mary's commendation was more sedate, but she acceded that she had been well pleased with the opportunity to display in front of company and that the soup course had been to her liking. Dearest Jane blushed prettily – oh! If only Mr Bingley could see her at that moment, he would be positively smitten – and murmured a bland compliment in regards to it having been a lovely evening. The only daughter who did not comment on the very comfortable arrangements of the Lucases or the charming addition of the militia to their neighborhood was Elizabeth, who had not yet presented herself at table. Fanny brought her freshly-coated toast up to her mouth to hide a smug smile; it was her dearest hope that Lizzy was making the most of her morning elsewhere.

Down at the other end of the table, Mr Bennet grunted and popped another bite of sausage into his mouth. Fanny was pleased to see that his countenance was tight with annoyance; no less than he deserved for being such an unreasonable ogre!

Fanny, full of self-satisfied glee, decided to press the subject further, if only to remind Mr Bennet that she had him over a barrel. That it would also rub salt into his wounded pride was simply a happy consequence. "I have never seen my girls so admired! You were in particularly good looks, Jane, and I daresay Mr Bingley took notice. Why, he did not leave your side the entire time we were there!"

Jane ducked her head and quietly demurred the compliment her mother was paying her, her color high.

"And you, my dears," Fanny continued, turning to her two youngest, "were great favorites amongst the officers. I believe you each have made several conquests!"

Lydia snorted and cast a sneering look in her next eldest sister's direction. "I cannot speak for Kitty, but I am sure that both Denny and Captain Carter were half in love with me by the end of the night! And Saunderson, too."

Kitty flushed brightly with anger and set down her cutlery with a clatter. "They were not!"

"Were so."

"Not!"

"So!"

Fanny was about to interject with a plea related to her frazzled nerves when Lizzy strode into the breakfast room, her eyes and cheeks both uncommonly bright and her face overall a glow with happiness. So she had seen Mr Darcy! Most excellent.

"Good morning," Lizzy said to them all as she took her place next to Jane and draped her napkin across her lap. "I am sorry to be so late; I lost track of time. Is it not a glorious morning?"

Fanny was not the only person at the table to notice the exceptional brightness in Lizzy's mood. Mr Bennet, with a sour frown etched into his face, seemed positively put out by it. "I hope you did not venture too far."

Lizzy glanced at him at this innocuous comment, smiled graciously and replied, "Not at all, Father. I stayed on Longbourn property, at your request. I merely enjoyed my excursion, that is all."

"Hmph." Mr Bennet's eyes narrowed as if scanning Lizzy for any minute sign of untruthfulness. Her penchant for walking out had recently become something of a bone of contention between them as he, not unreasonably, suspected that Lizzy was utilizing her earliest hours to rendezvous with Mr Darcy away from the watchfulness of her family. Mr Bennet had, initially, attempted to forbid Lizzy from taking her preferred form of daily exercise, but had ultimately found that his authority meant little in the present situation, especially as he was unwilling to exert himself to force her compliance. Lizzy would go out in defiance of her father's wishes and there was little Mr Bennet could do about it other than lock her in her room. A less indolent parent might have gone so far, but Mr Bennet was unused to applying himself to control his daughters, Lizzy not excepted. Instead, he had extracted from her a worthless promise to not stray from estate lands in some pointless effort to pretend he was in control of the situation. Ridiculous man; and they said Fanny was the one lacking in sense.

For Fanny's part, she saw no harm in Lizzy meeting up alone with Mr Darcy. They were considered by almost everyone to be engaged, after all, and had already been at the center of a compromise. Further, if Lizzy and Mr Darcy wished to take some...initiative in an attempt to sway Mr Bennet to their cause of marrying, who was Fanny to complain? It was not unheard of for betrothed couples to get carried away and, so long as they married before the bride's condition became obvious, it made no difference in the end. Fanny had even suggested it to Lizzy as an idea with potential last evening before bed, though the girl had turned seven shades of red and sputtered in offense at the thought. Well, she might change her sanctimonious tune if her father persisted in denying Mr Darcy's suit. It was certainly more convenient than piling into a carriage and making for Scotland – at this time of year, the weather would be most unpleasant for the journey.

"I was just saying how much I enjoyed the dinner party at Lucas Lodge, Lizzy," Fanny commented with nonchalance. "Did you have a good time, my dear?"

Lizzy's smile broadened as she filled her plate. "Yes, Mama, it was a delightful evening. I had a wonderful time."

"You looked so charming in your pink frock, Lizzy. I know that a certain gentleman could hardly keep his eyes off you!" Fanny could not help but smirk at the way Mr Bennet's eyes narrowed. "Indeed, he was especially enamored of your singing, I think. But then, you have always had a lovely voice."

"Thank you, Mama."

"And then there was the dancing! I had no idea that Mr Darcy could be so sprightly."

"He is an excellent dancer."

"I believe he said something particular about you last night...something very flattering, indeed, but I cannot think of what it was…" Fanny prompted coyly.

Lizzy kept her eyes cast down at her breakfast plate and did not respond, her countenance embarrassed but quietly satisfied.

"Do you mean what I overheard him say to Miss Bingley, Mama?" Kitty interjected, ignorant of her elder sister's discomfort. Fanny could always count on Kitty to forward an awkward conversation. "About Lizzy's eyes?"

Fanny affected an air of forgetfulness, though in truth she had an exquisite memory for beautifully crafted compliments to her daughters. It was equally implacable to insults, whenever anybody dared to offer one. It was simply more enjoyable to relive praise through the testimony of others. "Yes, that is the one. How did it go, again…?"

Kitty sat up straight, full of self-importance now that she had the attention of the entire table. Lydia pouted beside her but, as she had not heard the comment, could not wrangle the spotlight away from Kitty and tell the story herself. "Why, when I was walking past Mr Darcy and Miss Bingley on my way to talk to Sarah Long about something – the rosettes on her gown were very delicate and pretty, I thought – I heard Mr Darcy say to her that he had been 'meditating on the very great pleasure a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow,' or something like that. When Miss Bingley asked whose eyes he meant – looking at him like a bug-eyed cow, too, as if she thought he might say it was her – he said 'Miss Elizabeth Bennet'!"

"Oh my, did he really?" Fanny gasped as if full of delighted surprise.

"Yes, and do you know what she said next?"

"No, do tell – "

"I hope, my dear," Mr Bennet said rather loudly, drawing the eyes of all the ladies gathered round the table to himself, "that you have ordered a good dinner today, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party."

Fanny, startled by this non sequitur, blinked at her husband a moment as she regathered her wits. She glanced quickly at Lizzy, who looked equally baffled, and then returned her gaze to Mr Bennet who appeared to be awaiting some kind of response. "Who do you mean, my dear?" she queried eventually, "I know of nobody that is coming, I am sure, unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in and I hope my dinners are good enough for her. I do not believe she often sees such at home." At least if the spread from the evening before were any indication, she did not.

"The person of whom I speak is a gentleman and a stranger," Mr Bennet replied cryptically.

Fanny's eyes sparkled as she experienced a sudden surge of euphoria. "A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr Darcy, I am sure. Why Lizzy – you never dropped a word of this, you sly thing!" She looked down the table at Lizzy, who seemed confused as ever, before continuing, "Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr Darcy – and, I must say, Mr Bennet, it is about time – But – good lord! How unlucky! There is not a bit of fish to be got today. Lydia, my love, ring the bell, I must speak to Hill, this moment."

Oh, her sister Philips had been right! Perhaps the dinner party last evening had been the final straw for Mr Bennet's patience and he had seen that there was no other course than to accept Mr Darcy as a son-in-law. With the way he had followed Lizzy around like a lovesick pup all night, it was really no wonder – and, naturally, the opinion of the neighborhood must have made an impression upon him. At this rate, it was still possible to have a wedding by Christmas...but, oh, that was less than two months away! Fanny would have to dash right upstairs and write to her sister Gardiner about which were the best warehouses to gather the necessities of Lizzy's trousseau; she might have access to the finest modistes as Mrs Darcy would, – Mrs Darcy! How well that sounded – but Fanny would not send Lizzy into marriage in rags! She hoped Mr Bennet was willing to be generous (and he should be considering how much trouble he had caused).

"It is not Mr Darcy," said her husband derisively, "who, I will remind you, is unfortunately not a stranger in this household. It is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life."

Fanny's fantasy of orchestrating a quick trip to Town to furnish Lizzy's new wardrobe deflated at this cruel jab.

Kitty, as always, was the first to break the spell of stunned silence by inquiring after her father's last statement. "Then who, Papa?"

"About a fortnight ago I received this letter, a response to one of my own, in regards to a matter of some delicacy which I thought required immediate attention. It is from my cousin, Mr Collins, who, as you all know, is engaged to Lizzy."

There were several sharp intakes of breath and all of them occurred at so nearly the same time that they seemed to merge into one collective gasp of horror. All around the breakfast table, the ladies were staring at their patriarch with varying shades of disquiet; even the normally irreverent Kitty and Lydia appeared unpleasantly surprised at this bit of news. Lizzy, previously glowing pink with health and cheer, had gone quite suddenly pale. Jane's eyes were unusually wide and her mouth parted. Mary did not quite know how to look at all and darted glances back and forth between her parents.

Fanny was instantly furious. "Oh, Mr Bennet," she cried once her leaden tongue seemed capable of performing again, "I cannot bear to hear you mention that nonsense. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it the hardest thing in the world that you should deny Mr Darcy in favor of that – that – "

Mr Bennet smirked at her from his seat, looking very smug indeed. "It certainly is a most iniquitous affair," he said with a hearty measure of sarcasm, "and nothing can clear Mr Collins from the guilt of not being Mr Darcy. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself."

"No, that I am sure I shall not!" Fanny denied, throwing her napkin upon the table and preparing to stand. She would listen to no more. "I think it very impertinent of you to bring him here, and very hypocritical of you to promote him over Mr Darcy. How could you favor a man nobody cares anything about when your daughter is in love with a steady, honorable gentleman like Mr Darcy? I will not have him in my house and I insist upon you sending him away!"

"Sit down, Mrs Bennet." Mr Bennet's tone and glare brooked no opposition and Fanny slumped back into her seat. "I will invite whomoever I please to Longbourn and I will thank you to remember that I am Master here, not you. Now," Mr Bennet cleared his throat and looked down at the letter he had withdrawn from his coat pocket while simultaneously slipping his spectacles into their proper place, "listen to what he has to say."

Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent
22nd October.

DEAR SIR,

The agreement subsisting between yourself and my late honored father has always given me much anticipation and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently hoped to proceed with his wishes to marry your fair daughter but for some time I was kept back by my period of mourning, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be wed so soon after his departure from this life. I am now however ready to take my bride, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate, as you know from our previous correspondence, as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavor to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to take a wife and set the example of matrimony in my parish. It is, indeed, the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness. Twice she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked too!) on this subject and she heartily commends the agreement between my father and yourself to make every amends to your amiable daughters in regards to the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate. It was but the very Saturday before I received your last that she said 'Mr Collins, you must marry. A clergyman must marry. Your late father chose properly in betrothing you to your cousin as Miss Elizabeth is a gentlewoman, which is perhaps better than you could have expected. Let us hope that for your sake she is an active, useful sort of person, not brought up too high, and able to make a small income go a long way. This is my advice. Marry her as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.' I assured her, my dear sir, that Cousin Elizabeth is everything she described and more for I am certain that your reports of my delightful fiancee are nothing short of the absolute truth of the matter. I am excessively eager to make her acquaintance and meet her at the altar ere long. I regretfully am unable to attend you at your earliest convenience, due to my many and varied duties to attend at home and for Lady Catherine, but I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family Tuesday, November 5th, by four o'clock and shall trespass on your hospitality till the happy event we are all eagerly awaiting comes to pass, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my bringing my bride home at the earliest possible date, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to make up my absence in the meantime. I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters – and my cousin Elizabeth especially – your well-wisher and friend,

WILLIAM COLLINS

Mr Bennet, upon muttering the last few words of the closing, set the tri-folded missive upon the table with one hand and removed his spectacles with the other. He looked around at them all, his brightly green eyes that Fanny had once considered so deep and intriguing narrowed in silent daring, and awaited some reaction to what he had read. He was not left waiting long.

"And this is the oddity you would bind me to for the rest of my life," blurted Lizzy, glaring down the table to where her father sat, unconcerned. "I cannot determine if I am meant to be Mr Collins' wife or Lady Catherine's unpaid companion!"

Jane reached out and placed a gentle hand upon Lizzy's arm. Quietly, she admonished, "Lizzy..." Chastened, Lizzy bit her lips together and lowered her gaze to her lap.

Mr Bennet maintained his neutral expression and said nothing to dispute his second daughter's irritable outburst. Mary, in keeping with her usual sense of ill timing, broke the strained silence to comment, "In point of composition, his letter does not seem defective. And his expectations of a wife in his position are well expressed. Reverend Fordyce says – "

"Do be silent, Mary," Fanny bit out, her patience frayed to the point of snapping. Mary blinked owlishly at her as if confused as to what she might have said to cause offense and then frowned. Fanny turned away and refocused her ire upon the true source of it. "I suppose you think yourself very clever to have not mentioned Mr Collins' coming to visit until the very last possible hour," she said to Mr Bennet.

Her husband shrugged without an ounce of repentance in either his posture or countenance. "It cannot be so very inconvenient to you, Mrs Bennet; it takes very little time to air out the guest room and a single additional mouth to feed will not be an undue burden on the kitchens. You have until four o'clock to prepare for his arrival and I expect you, all of you," here Mr Bennet shot a withering glance to Elizabeth, who kept her head down and her jaw clenched tight, "to make him feel welcome. He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word, and I will not have him scorned for not being what some people would wish.

"And, on that score, I must further insist that none of you mention this ridiculous business with Lizzy and Mr Darcy to Mr Collins. Am I perfectly understood?" When his order was met with strained silence rather than acquiescence, Mr Bennet glowered at them all and pressed, "Am I understood?"

The belated chorus of "Yes, Papa" from around the table seemed to satisfy him, despite the sullen tenor of it and his wife's tight-lipped dissent, and Mr Bennet nodded. "Very good. I shall be in my library, not to be disturbed." He then stood and pushed his chair back as he prepared to leave the breakfast room, having apparently said all he wanted to say on the subject. He tucked the letter from that odious man back into his jacket pocket from whence it came, bowed stiffly to them all and absconded upstairs; Fanny doubted that they would see him again until Mr Collins was upon their doorstep.

Scant seconds after Mr Bennet had made his unceremonious exit, Lizzy also stood and, waving away Jane who had moved to follow her, also left the room. Shortly after that, Fanny heard the front door open and then close again and supposed that Lizzy had gone to compose herself out of doors.

Feeling the sudden need for her smelling salts, Fanny wailed at the top of her voice, "Hill!"

Author's Note: Dun dun dun...here he comes. You'll get to see Mr Collins properly very soon through Elizabeth's eyes, but first come Darcy's thoughts. And maybe a little bit of romance to lighten things up. ;)

From your reviews, I can tell that y'all love to hate Mr Bennet. Poor sod has more than Mrs Bennet on his case, haha...not that he doesn't deserve it, but I think he has very good reason to hide in his book room right now. And I find the ultimate punishment many of you have suggested – that of banning him from Pemberley's library – greatly amusing and perfectly appropriate. I'll have to make sure to mention it in the epilogue when we get there.

Thanks to my wonderful husband, Nic, who gave me a couple afternoons off this week to write, I am now ahead of myself again! I just finished writing the first draft of chapter 25 this morning and am ready to jump into chapter 26. At this rate, I might even be able to stick by my original posting schedule! Fingers crossed, people, fingers crossed.

Please Help!

Time for a bit more audience participation! This time, instead of asking for romantic scenarios for ODC, I want ideas for how Mrs Bennet can run interference on Darcy and/or Lizzy's behalf. Think of ways Mrs Bennet can make trouble for Mr Bennet and/or Mr Collins, thwart Lady Lucas and/or Caroline Bingley, machinate with Mrs Philips and/or her daughters and just generally stir the pot. You can also consider sweet and/or embarrassing matchmaking schemes for her to inflict upon Darcy and Lizzy. These ideas can be funny, sweet or playful, but let's keep the angst minimal. Nothing that will affect the direction of the plot, just little moments of aggravation. As before with Chs 10-11, Ch 27 will be in drabble format. I'll be accepting ideas until June 12 so drop them to me via review, PM or email before then! Many thanks to those of you who have already offered up a few; several are very promising.

Next Update: May 29, 2020
Expected Completion: Summer 2020

– MrsMarySmythe