Title: Dare to Refuse Such a Man
Rating: T (PG-13) – Most of this story is turbulent, but relatively innocent. However, there are some scenes which hint at/depict domestic violence.
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.
Thanks: To amr over on A Happy Assembly for pointing out a grammatical mistake and teaching me a little something in the process.

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

!WARNING! The domestic violence I warned you about is ahead. Please do not continue if this is a trigger for you. It's nothing excessively graphic, but any sort of domestic violence is awful.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Friday
November 15, 1811
Longbourn, Hertfordshire

As Elizabeth deposited her bonnet upon the table in the vestibule, having no need of it for her errand into the breakfast room, she took a moment to wallow in the feelings she fought hard to suppress. Normally she would only indulge in doing so at night, tucked up in her own bed and blanketed in the privacy of darkness, but reassuring her mother and sisters during this latest crisis was exhausting. In a perfect world, it would be she who was coddled and comforted over William's departure, but instead Elizabeth must be strong for everyone else's sake. She could show not even a single instance of weakness lest it invite further propaganda from the opposition, no matter how much she wished to hide away in her room and cry.

Bitterness coated Elizabeth's tongue and she swallowed it back; self pity was not productive. It would do no one any good to pine away after William as if she were the weepy heroine from one of Kitty's more melodramatic novels. William would return as quickly as he was able, she had no real doubt of that, and prove to both her father and Mr Collins that he remained devoted to their engagement. Her anguish was not rational at all, merely a byproduct of missing him dreadfully and painful memories of that time when she thought that they had been separated permanently. But this time was not like the last and she would do well to remember that whenever she began feeling sorry for herself.

Further, it was hardly Mama's fault that something so unexpected and disheartening had befallen them all, and William in particular. She had never been adept at taking bad news in stride and Elizabeth should not ask that of her mother which she could not give. It was enough that she was calm. And her younger sisters were being as supportive as best they knew how by loudly (and constantly) lamenting William's absence with her, moralizing about the inevitability of God's plans and shielding her as much as possible from Mr Collins' view. The success of their endeavors to cheer her was nothing; the fact that they wished to try everything. And poor Jane, who had suffered a relapse of her illness in the wake of the excitement of Thursday, would surely have been a greater comfort had Elizabeth not confined her to bed. Truly, she should be thankful that she had some family who cared about the fragility of her heart, even if they handled it clumsily.

Straightening her spine and setting her jaw, Elizabeth nodded to herself and spun round on her heel to redirect her steps toward the breakfast room. She would inform her sisters of when their mother expected them to be ready for their outing and then she would escape into the gardens for a bit of much needed fresh air. Her problems always seemed more surmountable when surrounded by God's magnificent creations. Perhaps when they returned from visiting Aunt Philips, Elizabeth might be fortunate enough to take a longer stroll up to Oakham Mount or revisit the sites where she and William had held their rendezvous. It would be comforting to be in a place which was infused with happier memories rather than trapped at Longbourn. Besides, she thought with a hint of her old impishness, Mama had directed her to get good and muddy for Mr Collins' sake.

Elizabeth entered the breakfast room to find her three younger sisters finishing up their meals. Jane, the poor dear, was mostly recovered from her cold, but some of the fatigue lingered and she was still abed. She would very probably be up and about by the time her mother and sisters returned from Meryton, but for now her time was better spent resting.

"Mary, Kitty, Lydia," Elizabeth drew their attention to herself before continuing, "Mama says that we are all to be ready in a quarter hour to go to Meryton. You should all get ready."

Mary rolled her eyes with obvious impatience, no doubt annoyed to be pulled away from the development of her accomplishments, but Kitty and Lydia were happy enough to oblige as they loved any sort of outing. Since it was a likely prospect that they would meet with the officers while calling upon their aunt, all the better. The youngest two stuffed the last bits of toast in their mouths, forced it down their throats with unladylike gulps of hot chocolate and then scrambled back from the table. Mary dabbed a few crumbs from the corners of her mouth and rose with more sedate dignity to follow the other two from the room. Elizabeth smiled at the familiarity of such a scene and shook her head with fondness; they were, none of them, perfectly well behaved, but she would miss them once she removed to Derbyshire as Mrs Darcy. But surely William would allow them to visit; it might even do them some good to see the deportment of Georgiana.

Elizabeth was just about to leave herself, feeling that the wind brushing against the window upon the far wall was calling her outside, when she turned and found the doorway blocked by the absolute last man in the world she wished to see at that moment. Mr Collins stood just inside the threshold of the room with his arms locked behind his back and a smugly self-satisfied smile spread across his wobbly jowls. Naturally, he was also leering at her, his eyes skimming the length of her body as if he could see through her clothing. Elizabeth shivered and shuffled an instinctive step backwards.

"My dear Cousin Elizabeth," he began once his gaze had traveled far enough upward to be said to be trained on her face. Based on the slightly lower angle of it, however, Elizabeth suspected that it was not directed at anything quite so innocent. William's warning against finding herself alone with Mr Collins echoed in her mind and she shivered again. "Might I solicit the honor of a private audience with you this fair morning?"

"Actually, I was just on my way out – "

Acting as if she had not spoken at all, Mr Collins strode into the room and planted himself a few scant feet away from her. He was not quite indecently close, but another inch or so and it would be the case. "Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness," Mr Collins paused a moment in his soliloqy to lick his lips, "but allow me to assure you that your honored father's approval makes this meeting completely proper. As we are to the companions of each other's future lives, you need not worry that my overtures are in any way inappropriate or that your reputation shall be damaged by this little rendezvous."

Elizabeth wished to correct each of the misapprehensions within his speech, but found herself too full of revulsion to speak immediately, thus wasting the short pause he allowed when she should have attempted to stop him further.

"I find myself most eager to meet you at the altar and so suggest a wedding date three weeks from now. My reasons for marrying so soon are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly – which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness. I have written her of our very...special situation and she has expressed concern over the distraction you have inflicted – most unconsciously done, my Cousin Bennet assures me – upon her nephew, the vaunted Mr Darcy. It seems that your little flirtation with him has caused him to forget all that he owes to himself and his family and so it falls upon me to put right what you have innocently put asunder. Truly, it will be a great relief to all once we are properly united as man and wife and so I propose to you a wedding date of December the second. Indeed, I think it the perfect day to get married as we can then return to Hunsford well in time for the festive season, which Lady Catherine insists I spend in service to my parish – it is my duty, after all, to give the Christmas homily and assist in tending to the poor. And you, too, shall be quite busy; as the wife of a clergyman, it will be in your purview to assist me in all of my endeavors for the community by vising the sick, organizing charitable donations so that they are neither too stingy, nor too generous and, of course, spreading her ladyship's advice far and wide. Lady Catherine intends to instruct you in all the activities which will be yours to complete."

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now. "You are too hasty, sir," Elizabeth cried. "You forget that I am promised to another. I am sorry to be disappointing you, but I have no intention of reneging on my promise to Mr Darcy, regardless of anyone's wishes on the matter. I am very sensible of the honor of your situation, but it is impossible for me to marry you."

With a formal wave of his hand, Mr Collins batted away this objection. "I am not in total ignorance of the situation, Miss Elizabeth, as your father has spoken to me at length on the subject. He has informed me in no uncertain terms that he is denied consent for you to marry Mr Darcy and promised you to myself in his stead. So, you see that you have little choice in the matter; we will be married and Mr Darcy will be united to his own cousin, the delicate flower who is the Honorable Miss Anne de Bourgh. And it is not only your father who disapproves of your so-called 'engagement' to Mr Darcy, but also Lady Catherine herself! You must see that to wish otherwise is futile as you are both destined for another. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long. I must insist, however, upon being wed before the Christmas holidays are upon us because, as I have already said, Lady Catherine is expecting me back in Hunsford in time to do the duty of the day."

Elizabeth's ire had increased steadily throughout Mr Collins' dismissive speech, but she maintained control of her temper. This stupid, pompous man was not entirely to blame for what he erroneously believed – that fault lay at her father's door and also, to a lesser extent, Lady Catherine's – and so she should endeavor to explain herself in as calm and rational a manner as possible. Perhaps she could, against all his presumptions otherwise, engage his sympathies and turn his head from wishing her to be his bride. "Upon my word, sir, your expectations are rather extraordinary after all I have said. I am not the sort of young lady who is ignorant of my rights – what few of them I am entitled to – nor do I take lightly the disapprobation of my father," though she cared nothing for Lady Catherine's. "However, with my happiness at stake I am prepared to remain obstinate; I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so."

Mr Collins again dismissed her objections with a patronizing wave of his hand. Elizabeth grit her teeth together as he continued on, "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance and I am convinced that the two of us shall do well enough together, especially considering I am the heir to this estate and you will, in future, inhabit the same role your honored mother currently does so much credit to. Further, you cannot fully comprehend the very great error in judgment you are making in attaching yourself to Mr Darcy – why, it is nothing short of disgraceful! I am inclined to believe your father when he says that an innocent maiden such as yourself cannot be to blame if her feelings lead her astray, but really, Cousin, you must give up your designs upon Mr Darcy and his fortune immediately lest you truly incur the wrath of Lady Catherine. Already she has determined that you will require much bridal training to improve some of your...well, the less said on that subject for now, the better, but it would behoove you to control your...ahem, baser impulses and amend your behavior now."

Elizabeth was incensed at the implication that she should control her "baser impulses" when the man before her could not keep his eyes trained on any innocuous portion of a woman's form! How dare he imply that she had used immoral wiles to lure William away from Anne de Bourgh and that she, Elizabeth, was due for correction.

The control she held over her temper was beginning to fray and so what she said next was tainted by a great amount of irritation. "Indeed, Mr Collins, all of Lady Catherine's bridal training on my behalf will be moot because I have no intention of marrying you – now or ever. You must give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment of believing what I say. I wish you very happy and very rich, and by releasing you from the expectations of my father, do all in my power to prevent you from being otherwise. I am sorry that Lady Catherine will be inconvenienced by my marriage to Mr Darcy, but it cannot be helped; I love him and he returns the sentiment in equal measure. This matter may be considered, therefore, as entirely settled."

"Now, Cousin, you really must face facts." Mr Collins' expression was an odd mixture of sycophantic simpering and horrible smugness. "Even if Mr Darcy had at one time allowed his head to be turned by your various charms – of which you have many – it is clear that he has come to his senses now. Is his self-imposed absence from the neighborhood not proof enough? Come, abandon this ridiculous fantasy and be reasonable."

"The only ridiculous fantasy is yours, Mr Collins," Elizabeth's tone had now gone beyond curt and into scathing, "if you believe that I shall be worked upon by arguments such as these. Not only have I made my position on marriage to you perfectly clear, but I have every confidence that Mr Darcy will return to Hertfordshire ere long. You cannot make me the offer of your hand in any possible way which might tempt me to accept it in lieu of Mr Darcy's."

Mr Collins' expression was slowly changing from intolerable smugness to a dark sort of bemusement. "Cousin Elizabeth – "

"No, I have done with this conversation," Elizabeth cut him off, no longer in any mood to tolerate his long-winded speeches of undeserved superiority and cruel suppositions, "now and forever. I bid you a good day, sir."

Elizabeth turned her face away from Mr Collins, intending to side-step him and leave through the open door, when she was forestalled by a hand roughly grabbing her by the arm. She found herself jerked back to her former position and Mr Collins glowering down at her with some semblance of the impatience she, herself, was feeling. "I will remind you, Miss Elizabeth, that your father has denied his consent for the match between yourself and Mr Darcy, even if he should return, which I think unlikely. Lady Catherine has also made her objections perfectly clear. Therefore, you will become Mrs Collins before the year is out. It is time for you to give up on this impossible dream of luring Mr Darcy away from his destiny. It is unseemly, indelicate and immoral for you to continue to tempt him and I mean to put a stop to it now! Your father has assured me that you are an innocent party to Mr Darcy's attentions, but I am no longer so sure; it may be that you require a firmer hand to disabuse you of these romantic notions which have clouded your mind. When we are married – "

"I will not marry you!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she attempted to tug her arm free of Mr Collins' grasp. He held tightly, however, and was stronger than she could easily overcome. "Really, Mr Collins, you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said has given you the impression that I am at all persuadable in this matter, then I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as may convince you of its being one."

Mr Collins tightened his grip and Elizabeth winced slightly, but did not back down to his intimidation. His face was turning red and he was beginning to look like a swollen tomato. "You cannot be serious in your rejection," he insisted with such vehemence that spittle was expelled from his lips. Disgusting.

Elizabeth again attempted to pull her arm out of his possession, the pressure now becoming quite painful, but could not break his grip. "Release me!" she cried, using her free hand to claw at the fingers which were surely bruising her flesh beneath her pelisse.

"Not until I have your promise that you will marry me and leave Mr Darcy to Miss de Bourgh!"

"Never!" Elizabeth practically screeched into his face. "Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as your future wife, as your property, but as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart. I will never marry you, never! Even should my father drag me up the aisle by my hair, I would say no when Mr Stephens asks if I take you for my husband! I shall marry none but Fitzwilliam Darcy, you sycophantic, bullying – "

Elizabeth did not feel the pain in her face until she had already collided with the floor, so swift was the strike from the back of Mr Collins' hand. When it did register in her mind, Elizabeth touched her fingers to the crest of her right cheekbone and winced as even that delicate contact inflamed the area more. Her face would almost certainly be mottled with a spectacular bruise within the hour.

"You will not speak to me with such a disrespectful tone again!" Mr Collins bellowed from above her, his hand raised again in silent threat of another attack. Elizabeth scrambled back from him as far as she was able in her prone position. "As a gentleman, I am your superior in every conceivable way and I will not tolerate such language as you have just used! Your father has been soft on you, but do not make the mistake of believing I shall be the same; when we are married, I shall keep your tongue in check. Lady Catherine herself advocates a firm hand in controlling one's household and I mean to follow her excellent example. Mind yourself or suffer the consequences."

As she struggled to get back up, not liking her position at Mr Collins' feet where she felt vulnerable to another attack, a wrenching wail of dismay filled the room and caused Elizabeth's insides to quiver. Forgetting her humiliation and pain for the moment, Elizabeth's head snapped up and her gaze traveled to the open doorway where her mother stood, just inside, with both her hands cupping her cheeks and her mouth extended to its limits. Even in her most excitable moments, Elizabeth had never heard Mama make such a sound in all her life.

Mr Collins, too, seemed quite disturbed by Mama's noisy entrance and staggered away from where Elizabeth lay semi-prone on the floor, his arms dropping to his sides as if to distance himself from what he had just done. It must have been a panicked reaction because even a fool such as Mr Collins must have realized that he had been caught red handed.

When Mama's wail had run its course, she seemed to have only breath enough for a series of shorter, though no less loud, shrieks. Mr Collins attempted to shush her, but this only seemed to spur Mama into motion against him. She rushed into the room and began pounding at Mr Collins with the only weapons she had available – her white-knuckled, tightly clenched fists. She hit him every place which she could reach – the crown of his head, his face, his shoulders, the arms he had thrown up to defend himself – and continued to scream in wordless fury as she advanced her uncontrolled assault on his person. Mama was not a large woman, built much like the elegantly slender Jane, nor was she in the habit of building her strength through exercise as Elizabeth was, but her rage was so extreme as to overwhelm Mr Collins and push him back into the nearest corner where he cowered and covered himself as best he could. Elizabeth could not see the fear on his face, but she could hear it intermittently in the way he begged Mama to stop, his whine only occasionally audible over the racket his attacker was making.

Elizabeth, still laid out on the floor and propped up upon one elbow, watched this scene unfold with rounded eyes and a slackened jaw. She was so rigid with shock that it did not occur to her at all to intervene and so she did little more than bear witness to the justice which rained down upon Mr Collins' head through Mama's fists. Even had she been able to move and lend assistance – either to Mama or Mr Collins, she was not sure which – there was likely little she could do.

So focused on the violence being imposed upon Mr Collins was Elizabeth that she overlooked the moment when others entered the room. The first she recognized the presence of another was when she felt a pair of gentle hands upon her shoulders, startling her into looking away from her mother's assault to find Jane kneeling next to her, looking more discomposed than Elizabeth had ever seen her. She was pale and dressed still in her nightclothes, her long golden braid dangling over one shoulder as she softly inquired, "Are you well, Lizzy?"

Elizabeth could not think how to answer so simple a question and so provided a jerky nod. She was not more than slightly injured, but she hardly considered herself "well" under the circumstances.

Over Jane's shoulder, Elizabeth noticed a small crowd of her younger sisters and various servants clogging the doorway. Mary had her hands cupped over her mouth while Kitty and Lydia were unusually stricken by what they were witnessing; their eyes were wide, their countenances pale and instead of irreverent giggles they stood in shivering silence. Mrs Hill looked alarmed and Sarah, the housemaid, was crying into her apron.

Just as Elizabeth was beginning to wonder at his absence, Papa was suddenly there, pushing his way into the room. He halted just over the threshold and his eyes grew beyond the frames of his spectacles when they spotted Elizabeth lying on the floor. His gaze then skittered to where Mama was still beating the yelping Mr Collins, now crouching on the floor with his arms cocooning his head against the assault, and Papa's mouth dropped open. Another moment of hesitation, however, and he rushed fully into the room and directly to where his wife was fighting with their house guest.

Papa attempted to pull Mama away from Mr Collins, but Mama struggled against him and resumed the pummeling. A second attempt was more successful when Papa wrapped both of his arms around his wife, lifted her bodily from the floor and carried her, still shrieking at the top of her voice, away from the quivering lump that was Mr Collins. The clergyman was balled up and as tightly compressed into the corner as he could manage. Papa spared not a single glance for him, however, instead focusing on calming Mama's rage to a more manageable level.

Mama clawed at him as if trying to break free and return to Mr Collins, her eyes full of murderous intent, and so Papa held fast and carted her from the room. The younger girls and servants made way for the master and mistress and Mama's screams dulled slightly as she was taken deeper into the house. After a few minutes, they stopped altogether and so Elizabeth assumed that Papa must have somehow soothed her. Unless, of course, Mama had simply worn herself out.

A short time later Papa's footsteps could be heard swiftly approaching and he reappeared, his expression grave, attire crumpled and askew and his cheeks reddened. "Mary, Kitty, Lydia, please attend your mother; she is in the back sitting room. Mrs Hill, please fetch Mrs Bennet her salts." The onlookers scattered immediately upon receiving their orders and Papa turned his attention within the breakfast room.

Still ignoring Mr Collins, who was sniveling in a most undignified manner, Papa strode over to where Elizabeth sat with Jane's arm wrapped around her shoulders. There was much tenderness in both his features and voice as he asked, "Are you injured, Lizzy? Can you stand?"

Elizabeth nodded and when she spoke her voice croaked. "I-I think I can, though I know not how well my legs will support me."

Papa reached down and assisted Elizabeth to her feet, with some steadying assistance from Jane, and they settled her into the closest chair – his own at the head of the table. Papa then knelt down before her and appeared to be taking stock of her, his gaze lingering upon the spot where Mr Collins had struck her. With gentle fingers, he guided Elizabeth's chin to the left so that he had the best possible view of her injury. From her periphery, Elizabeth witnessed him flinch at the damage and assumed that her eye must already be turning purple.

Papa released her chin and stood, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. She could see that they were shaking. "I am so sorry, Lizzy." His apology was the barest of whispers and full of shame.

Elizabeth stared up at her father, her faculty with words still impeded by her shock, and could think of nothing to say in response. It was not needed, however, for Papa turned abruptly and marched away from her to where Mr Collins was collapsed in the corner. Elizabeth's heart leaped into her throat as she watched Papa approach their cousin with his shoulders set. She attempted to stand, to prevent any further violence on her behalf, but was gently and firmly held down by Jane. "It will be well, Lizzy; Papa is in control."

Jane was half correct in that Papa did not hit Mr Collins as Mama had done, but the way he reached down, grabbed the cowering man by the front of his clothing and yanked him upright was not so "controlled" as Papa normally was. She could not see Papa's face as his back was turned to them, but the expression on Mr Collins' was one of renewed fear. Whatever he was seeing on his elder cousin's features was apparently not of any comfort.

"Did I not specifically forbid you from laying a hand upon my daughter, Collins?" Elizabeth felt Jane gasp at the same moment she did; Papa had known of Mr Collins' propensities? And he had allowed the man to stay under their roof?

Mr Collins stammered something unintelligible and Papa shook him hard, causing Mr Collins' head to whip back and forth. This motion seemed to have rattled an answer loose from Mr Collins' brain for he finally replied, "Y-Yes, b-b-but she was being unreasonable! Lady Catherine says – "

Papa shook Mr Collins again and whatever horrible advice from Lady Catherine the toadying clergyman was about to spout was cut short. "I care not a single whit what Lady Catherine thinks! I told you, in no uncertain terms, to keep your hands to yourself whilst you were under my roof! Your meddling patroness might advocate brutality and you, in your tiny mind, might think it a proper solution to your problems, but a gentleman never lays a hand upon a lady! You are disgusting!"

"B-B-But – "

"And you recall what I threatened if you crossed the line, do you not?"

"B-But you cannot – I am your heir – "

Papa jerked Mr Collins so hard that the oaf lost his footing. "You might have rights to this estate once I am dead, but you remain here under my sufferance whilst I am alive. Consider your privileges hereby revoked."

With this declaration suspended in the air about them, Papa began dragging Mr Collins toward the door by the front of his clerical uniform. Their cousin babbled some sort of objection, but staggered along in Papa's wake.

Elizabeth leaped from her chair before Jane could stop her and followed after them into the corridor where Papa was hauling Mr Collins toward the front entrance. Sarah, the only one of the witnesses without an assigned duty from the master, hustled to open the door and spread it wide so that Papa could thrust Mr Collins out of the house. The bright morning sunlight was blinding to those inside the dim house, but Elizabeth could hear Mr Collins land in the dirt and emit an oath. Papa stood at the threshold, blocking their cousin from reentry, and pointed up the drive. "Begone with you! Do not darken Longbourn's doorstep again until it is legally in your possession."

"B-But Miss Elizabeth – the betrothal – "

"You must be as simple as my wife and sister-in-law have told the neighborhood you are if you believe for even an instant that I would marry any of my daughters to a brutish worm like you. Consider the betrothal agreement between myself and your father now voided – or, in simpler terms, the engagement is broken. You will have to seek elsewhere for your bride and I dearly hope that there is not a girl out there silly enough to have you."

"You cannot – "

"I just have. Bring a suit if you must; I am sure that my future son-in-law Darcy would happily settle the whole for us if it meant that he could finally marry Lizzy."

"Lady Catherine will not stand for this! He is promised to Miss Anne de Bourgh!"

"Most pitiable for her ladyship, but such has no effect on me. She must fight her own battles."

"This is not over! If Miss Elizabeth does not marry me and give up on her despicable pursuit of Mr Darcy, I shall have all the rest thrown from Longbourn the moment I take possession! I swear it!"

Papa scoffed, though Elizabeth heard little amusement in his accompanying laughter. "Well, I suppose you must do as you see fit. In that spirit, I will remind you that you are no longer welcome here – leave and do not return."

"But I have nowhere to go! And my things are still inside!"

"You had best get walking to the inn; it looks like rain and you will surely get caught in a downpour if you dawdle. As for your things, I shall have them loaded into the cart and sent to you later. Now, get going."

"You will regret this!" Mr Collins repeated, full of pointless bluster.

"Sarah," Papa turned to the maid who was still holding the door open; she startled upon being addressed, "go fetch John and Robert and ask them to escort Mr Collins from the property and ensure that he does not return."

Sarah bobbed a hasty curtsy and sped off outside to the stables where the grooms could be located. Robert was little more than a skinny boy of thirteen, but John was a strapping lad who would likely make Mr Collins wish he had cooperated.

Elizabeth hissed with sudden pain as Jane tugged upon the arm Mr Collins had grabbed earlier, attempting to pull her away from the scene. Jane released her as if she, too, had felt the burn. "I am so sorry, Lizzy, did I hurt you?"

Rubbing at the spot hidden, but not forgotten, beneath her sleeve, Elizabeth shook her head and forced a weak smile. "I am well, dearest; that spot is rather tender."

Jane's concern would have been visible to anyone regardless of the length of their acquaintance with her. "Oh, Lizzy! Did Mr Collins…?"

Elizabeth grimaced and nodded. "But it is nothing which cannot be repaired with time. Do not fret." The expression on Jane's normally placid face told Elizabeth that fretting was exactly what she would do, however.

Elizabeth's attention was drawn away from her elder sister by some scuffling and shouting out on the drive; from the nature of it and the circumstances, Elizabeth assumed that John and Robert must have arrived to "escort" Mr Collins from the premises. She stared at her father's back, ramrod straight with his hands clasped behind him in whitened fists, as he supervised whatever was happening outside. The set of his shoulders was rigid as was the line of his jaw, visible by the angle at which he witnessed the proceedings.

After some minutes, Papa turned and Elizabeth momentarily saw the expression which had so frightened Mr Collins. It was truly terrible to behold, fashioned from the same sort of fury which had prompted her mother's violent fit, but more coldly harnessed. Upon resting his eyes on his eldest two daughters, however, Papa's face softened slightly and his features rearranged themselves into a different configuration. One which might have been apologetic, or…

"I am so sorry, Lizzy. So, so sorry."

Author's Note: I decided that it was Mrs Bennet's honor to give Mr Collins exactly what he deserved. It's usually Mr Darcy, or sometimes Elizabeth herself, who steps in to the rescue, but I thought Mrs Bennet had earned the privilege for herself. Besides, what would YOU do if you caught someone abusing your child? I can't say, exactly, but I doubt my reaction would have been much different. (And I'm officially not thinking about THAT again, ugh...)

In any event, the betrothal is broken! Huzzah! But, naturally, Collins will go running straight to Lady Catherine (an even bigger bully) and so it's not quite over yet. Almost, though. Seriously, just a blustering cameo because, really, there's no way to keep her in Kent now.

Up next, Mr Bennet gets to rethink his entire life and his stance against Elizabeth's engagement to Darcy. See you on Friday!

After this chapter, the domestic violence is officially over and the HEA begins. The slap Collins gave Lizzy will, of course, be mentioned again (it would be weird if it wasn't), but nobody else gets hit. (Though maybe some hints of Collins getting a comeuppance of that sort will show up in the epilogue.)

Sorry for the slight delay in posting today; internet issues.

Next Update: July 10, 2020 (FRIDAY)
Expected Completion: July 31, 2020

– MrsMarySmythe