Chapter Fifteen
Once the Bennet's had climbed into their carriage, and Netherfield was once more absent of guests, Bingley and Darcy exchanged a look of agreement. After bidding goodnight to Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley, the duo stalked off in the direction of the study. Once a few minutes of pleasant commentary about the general success of the evening had passed, the pair reached the purpose of their late night meeting.
"I shall be leaving for London in the morning, Bingley. I hope you can understand that I am unable to remain here with your sister under the circumstances."
"I had expected you to say as much, but can I not convince you to stay? I could send Caroline off to our aunt in the north?"
"You must take her in hand in some way, before she does in fact ruin herself – and by extension you too - one way or another; and if you wish to send her away that it is your prerogative, but it shall not change my plans. I am only sorry I could not be of more use to you as you learn your estate." Darcy consoled.
As the pair continued to drink together their conversation turned in the direction of Longbourn. "Do you think," asked Bingley, "that there will really be a match made between Miss Bennet and her cousin?"
Darcy felt a shudder and a shot of pain in his chest at the thought of losing Elizabeth to Richard, before he realised that was not the couple his friend was referring to. Darcy was unsure how to answer the query, Miss Jane Bennet herself seemed disinclined towards the match, but one had to understand a family's insistence could be a powerful thing.
Instead, he asked his own question in return, "What should you do if it does come to pass?"
"There is nothing I can do, is there?" he probed, more to himself but hoping all the same that Darcy could give him a suggestion. When his companion did not respond, Bingley continued "It shall be frightfully embarrassing to remain here and see her become engaged and married after we have spent so much time in each other's company. Not that we have an understanding, but I should feel dreadfully ill-used."
"I must say, Miss Bennet did not appear enthused at the prospect of becoming Mrs Collins. It is possible Mrs Bennet was incorrect and nothing will come of her plans. Can you imagine, when they hear of it, the Earls of Alfreton or Matlock accepting a relation of theirs, a woman of noble lineage, marrying a parson?"
"Perhaps not, but can I take the risk, Darce? How does a man hold his head high after that? No, I am starting to think I should return to Town with you. If news of Miss Bennet rejecting the fool reaches me, I shall return, but I think it best to bow out for now."
Darcy desperately wanted to shake his friend! He could not comprehend such a lacklustre approach to a woman Bingley had essentially been courting. If another man was vying for Elizabeth's attention, he would lay all of his cards on the table and fight for her – not hide from the situation. His respect for his friend waned somewhat in the light of this character flaw. He knew Bingley avoided conflict but he did not expect to see him so weak willed.
A few miles away, in their shared bedchamber, Jane and Elizabeth were curled up under their blankets discussing the events of the evening. Elizabeth was nervous to share the developments that had transpired between herself and Mr Darcy, especially given the complications Jane was experiencing. In the end, her nerves proved unnecessary as Jane took control of the conversation.
"Tell me," she whispered, "what to do about Mr Collins, Lizzie!"
"What do you mean 'what to do'? Surely Jane, you cannot be thinking you might accept the man?" cried Elizabeth before remembering the rest of the household was likely asleep and modulated her voice.
"Heavens, no. Not that there is anything wrong with Mr Collins, per say," Jane continued despite her sister's scoff and rolling eyes, "and I have faith he will make someone a fine husband – I just do not wish for him to be mine."
"Well, that is a relief." Sighed Lizzie as she collapsed back onto her pillows. "I feared for a moment you were as nonsensical as he is. Well, if you do not wish to marry the man, you simply say 'no' when he makes you an offer of marriage."
"Lizzie! Be serious, I beg you."
"I was perfectly serious." She said with a smile. "Oh, very well. Mr Collins is unlikely to accept no for an answer, not at first at least - especially given the encouragement he has received from Mrs Bennet - but you must hold firm, dear sister."
Lizzie sat up and allowed the covers to fall away from her shoulders before she looked her sister in the eye, "Jane, you have the right to refuse any offer of marriage you wish. You are only two months away from turning one-and-twenty; soon enough you will be able to access the interest on your dowry. With £500 a year you need not marry the first man who offers for you. You need not marry at all if you do not desire it."
"If I were to request access to my dowry, Papa would learn of our friendships in Town. Yes, I would be free to live independently if I needed to, but you would still be here for another year. Who knows how he will react; he may deny my seeing or writing to you, I do not think I could tolerate that."
"Yes, you could. And if needs be, you will." Elizabeth gave her sister a firm look to silence her rising protests before continuing, "We do not yet know how your refusal will be taken by Papa and Mrs Bennet, so let us not jump to conclusions. However, your choices are not limited to marriage to that odious man or eviction from Longbourn and poverty. You are in such a fortunate position Jane, one not many young ladies will ever experience. Let that be your strength when this awkward conversation begins."
The girls embraced before settling down to sleep. Neither were particularly eager for the arrival of morning, but both knew that facing the trying days which were likely to be ahead of them required as much rest as they could get.
The next morning at Longbourn saw the family late to break their fast. Elizabeth and Jane had hoped to rise early enough to avoid the rest of the household but their fatigue from the night before was harder to overcome than they had anticipated. As they sat at the table, they were joined by all of their sisters, their step-mother and Mr Collins. Their father had chosen to take a tray in his room and Jane wondered why that was not an option she had considered.
With little feeling of distress about his upcoming audience with his intended, Mr Collins applied to Mrs Bennet (rather than Jane) for the honour to occur after the family had retired from the meal. Mrs Bennet proceeded to hurry all of her daughters along and scolded Elizabeth for becoming a glutton whenever she reached for yet another piece of ham or a bread roll.
Ultimately, Lizzie could only delay the event for so long and, once she had deemed that she had caused enough of a nuisance of herself as she prepared to leave the room – to ease Jane's apprehension – she departed, leaving the door ajar behind her. Both she and Mrs Bennet waited expectantly outside of the dining room; each anticipating a different outcome.
Mr Collins wasted little time as he positioned himself on one knee in front of Jane. Despite her concerted efforts to prepare herself the action still surprised her and she let out a slight gasp of horror.
"Before I begin," he said in a confident voice, certain of the outcome of the formality he was performing, "allow me to assure you that I have your respected step-mother's permission for this address. And I flatter myself that the same would be true had I applied to the first Mrs Bennet also."
Jane found his reference to their mother to have been made in poor taste. Should her mother have been alive to support, or more likely oppose, his suit, her brother would have also been alive and Mr Collins would not have been the heir; he would, in all likelihood, not have thought to offer the olive branch in the first place!
Jane realised that the tactless man in front of her had continued with his monologue, despite her lack of concentration. As he clearly did not need any input from her, she found it difficult to bring herself to attend to him fully.
"- State my reasons for marrying -"
She kept repeating to herself the words Elizabeth had spoken the night before. She held onto that rationality with all her might; she was a woman with choices.
"- Recommendation of the very noble lady -"
She did not need to marry any man, let alone this oaf! 'Oh, I should not think so ill of him, he means well, I am sure.'
"- Being, as I am, to inherit this estate -"
Jane knew she was going to have to interrupt Mr Collins sooner rather than later, or she risked becoming engaged to him by default.
"- I am well aware that you have no acknowledged dowry -"
'Thank goodness for that, I would hate to see how determined he would be if he knew she was rich!' thought Lizzie from the corridor.
Jane took a deep breath to ready herself, something her companion seemed not to require for his own survival.
"- When we are married."
"You are too hasty, sir." Jane cried, "You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without farther loss of time."
Jane went on to explain to Mr Collins her belief that they would not suit each other in marriage and declared no less than four times her determination not to accept his proposal. The eldest Bennet daughter was beginning to grow weary of Mr Collins's blind refusal to accept her answer, and had just thought she might very well go against her nature and education and simply walk away from the man, when her dear Elizabeth re-entered the dining room.
"Mr Collins! My sister has made herself perfectly unambiguous, your quest for a wife has been unsuccessful here. You cannot mean to accuse my honourable sister of deceiving and tormenting you – no one would think her capable of such unchristian behaviour."
Jane was so shocked by Elizabeth's outburst that she did not realise she was being dragged away until she was halfway down the servant's hallway, heading towards their eventual escape in the kitchen garden. Behind them they heard the calls of Mrs Bennet demanding their return, interspersed with her loud reassurances to Mr Collins that Jane would come around "once that headstrong Lizzie stops putting ideas in her head."
The commotion in the house was disturbing enough that, for once, Mr Bennet decided to stir from his favourite wingback chair to investigate the source of the noise. Upon discovering the reason for Mrs Bennet's cries, he requested the housekeeper locate his eldest two daughters and have them visit him in his book room. Within ten minutes Jane and Lizzie were stood on the opposite side of the desk from their father, waiting for him to finish the section of Socrates he was at that time engrossed in. Eventually, he closed the book and looked up to face his daughters.
"So, Jane, I hear you have thrown over a lover this morning."
"That is correct, sir. I have refused Mr Collins's offer of marriage. Despite his belief and Mrs Bennet's determination, I shall not be changing my mind."
"I see. So, you would risk the future security of your sisters and Longbourn in the hopes of catching a wealthier gentleman? One who has yet to declare any interest beyond friendly conversation?"
"Papa!" Elizabeth protested, but she was cut off by her sister before she could continue to admonish her father.
"I am aware this was not a choice between two possible husbands, only one, Papa. I simply made my decision based on the prospect of my being married to Mr Collins. As it was not a future that I could imagine myself happy in, I refused him."
"Well, you are a sensible sort of girl, most of the time, so I shall allow that your argument holds merit. He is not a man likely to inspire much romantic feeling in any young woman. Do you fully understand the consequences of the answer you have given, child?"
Jane nodded in response but did not offer further detail. Instead, she reached for Elizabeth's hand and felt her sister give her a familiar, supportive squeeze.
"You, your unmarried sisters and step-mother will likely be removed from this house promptly after my demise. As sensible as you usually are, it is an illogical risk to take, especially with an easier option before you."
"I will not marry him, Papa. You cannot make me."
"And you," he said turning to Lizzie, "am I right in believing this backbone your sister has developed is a result of your handiwork?"
"All women, Jane included, have the right to refuse or accept any marriage proposal put to them. All I did was remind her of that fact." Elizabeth said with defiance.
"Very well," Mr Bennet conceded and turning to Jane he said, "I shall not make you." And with that the girls were dismissed.
Mrs Bennet did not take well her husband's announcement declaring his support for his daughter's decision. Her lamentations for their future and her hostility towards her step-daughters grew so unbearable that Jane, Elizabeth and Mr Collins all found reasons to be absent from the house for the following couple of days. When word of Mr Bingley's desertion from the neighbourhood reached Longbourn, Mary also sought escape from her mother and joined her sisters in their increased calls to visit the tenants.
Relations between Mrs Bennet and Jane in particular became even more fraught when Mr Collins announced his betrothal to Charlotte Lucas a few days later. As part of his escape from tensions at Longbourn, the parson had been a frequent visitor to Lucas Lodge, where he received a much warmer reception than had been on offer by his hosts. Mr Collins required very little effort on his part to redirect his affections once he had decided that Charlotte would make a perfectly suitable bride. Rapidly approaching her late twenties, and with little in the way of fortune in her favour, the eldest Miss Lucas did not have the same freedom of choice which Jane was able to employ and readily accepted the offer of marriage.
The atmosphere at Longbourn continued to grow increasingly hostile until Jane could bear it no longer and begged her father to allow her and Elizabeth to visit the Gardiner's in London for a prolonged stay. As the pair had not long since returned from their last trip to Town, and Mr Bennet was loathed to part with the only two sound individuals in his household for an extended period of time, he permitted only Jane to leave Longbourn. Elizabeth would be allowed to visit as usual in March.
Lizzie, though she longed to see Mr Darcy once more, accepted her father's restrictions so that Jane could escape from the vile treatment handed out by their step-mother. The sennight since Jane's refusal of Mr Collins had been almost unbearable for the sweetest of the Bennet sisters; Elizabeth would agree to any condition if it ensured Jane's freedom from Mrs Bennet's conduct and Mr Bennet's absenteeism.