Reversed Fortune Chapter 8, a pride and prejudice fanfic

~~CC~~

Confrontations

After their return to Longbourn, Collins sought an interview with Mrs Bennet.

'Mrs Bennet, your husband apprised me of the fact that you are concerned about the future after Cousin Bennet dies. I have come to assure you that I have no intention of dispossessing you of your home.'

'You will reject your inheritance in favour of my daughters?' she asked hopefully.

'I am sorry to disappoint you on that score, but I meant to say that the ladies of the Bennet family will be welcome to live here once I inherit. Although I hope that day is a long time in the future.'

'That is most considerate of you. But I would like to ask since you mentioned that your current home could use a woman's touch, have you started looking for a wife?'

Collins realised that Mr Bennet had not informed his wife of the content of their conversation. But then he remembered that Mrs Bennet might try to force one of her daughters to accept him, irrespective of the lady's wishes.

'I have found a young lady whom I am getting to know to see if we would suit.'

Mrs Bennet looked disappointed but brightened as she suggested, 'if the young lady does not suit, perhaps you might consider one of my daughters… I have five unmarried daughters at present, although it appears that Mr Bingley is much taken with my Jane, and I believe he is going to offer for her.'

'I will keep that in mind, Mrs Bennet,' Collins assured her. 'But in the meantime, I will continue getting to know my young lady.'

Mrs Bennet had to be satisfied with that answer.

~~RF~~

While Collins spoke to Mrs Bennet, Elizabeth went to her room to change into a proper day-dress from the old dress she liked to wear on her rambles.

Jane, who was in the process of getting dressed noted her sister's cheerful expression. 'Why are you in such an exceptionally good mood this morning?'

Elizabeth blushed as she replied, 'it is an exceptionally beautiful morning. Watching the sunrise from Oakham Mount was glorious.'

'Did the sunrise also enhance Mr Collins' appearance?'

Elizabeth gave Jane a startled look. 'How did you know…'

Her sister laughed as she answered, 'I saw you coming back, and you seemed very much in accord with our guest.'

Lizzy grasped her sister's hand. 'Oh, Jane, he is such a kind and interesting man,' she gushed.

'Exceptionally good looking too… if you like men who are tall, dark and handsome.'

Lizzy hid her face on Jane's shoulder.

Jane exclaimed, 'Lizzy, have you fallen in love with him already? You only met yesterday. And what about him?'

'Have you not heard of love at first sight? I must confess I did not think it was possible, but I feel quite giddy when I think of him.' Elizabeth pulled away from Jane and sobered somewhat. 'Seriously though, I enjoyed our conversation yesterday, and did you not hear how he defended me against Mama. He likes it that I am opinionated and impertinent.'

Jane hugged her. 'I can see that you are a little carried away, but do you know anything about him… how he feels?'

Elizabeth looked somewhat embarrassed as she explained, 'he wants us to get to know each other better to see if we would suit each other.' She hesitated before she added, 'I confess that it is a heady feeling to be a man's first choice. He said that while he thinks you are beautiful, he likes me better. I do hope that you will not hold that against him?'

'That is wonderful news, and I am pleased that he finds you more beautiful than me.' She gave a mischievous chuckle. 'To paraphrase Mama, I always knew that you could not be so intelligent and impertinent for nothing.'

That comment made Lizzy laugh. 'Jane, you wicked girl. You sounded just like Mama.'

'I have heard it often enough. But tell me all. What happened?'

Now that Jane had stopped teasing, Elizabeth was only too happy to recount her conversation with Mr Collins.

'He sounds almost too good to be true, and I hope that he will not disappoint you,' exclaimed Jane when her sister finished.

'Since we do not plan on telling Mama until we are certain, we will have time to discover each other's faults.'

The girls could have chatted longer, but it was time to go and break their fast.

~~RF~~

After breakfast Lydia and Kitty wanted to walk into Meryton to browse the shops and hopefully encounter some officers of the militia which had recently set up camp just outside Meryton.

Since Jane and Elizabeth thought it best to keep an eye on their sisters, they decided to accompany them. Collins given the choice between spending the time with Mrs Bennet or Elizabeth, was only too happy to join them on their outing, while Mary chose to stay at home.

The party set off with Lydia and Kitty in the lead, while Collins offered an arm each to the older sisters.

They chatted pleasantly until they reached the High Street of the village.

Suddenly Lydia spotted a familiar face across the street. She waved and shouted, 'Denny,' before rushing across the street, followed by Kitty, to greet the officers.

Both Jane and Elizabeth blushed in embarrassment at the girls' wanton behaviour. Elizabeth explained the situation with a few words to Collins as they too crossed the street.

Lydia casually introduced the newcomers, before turning back to Lieutenant Denny, who was her particular favourite. Lieutenant Pratt was happily eyeing Kitty.

Collins, remembering his conversation with Mr Bennet only the night before, decided to intervene. 'Gentlemen, I suggest you find other ladies to pursue.'

'We were not doing the pursuing, Mr Collins.' Declared Denny while appreciating Lydia's décolletage.

'In that case, I would suggest you improve your athletic abilities so that you can run away. My young cousins are off-limits to you.'

That comment got Denny's attention and he looked up into the cold gaze of the young man who suddenly seemed rather menacing. Rather than make an issue of his demand, they decided that shopkeepers' daughters were generally not as well protected.

As they officers bowed to take their leave, Lydia realised what Collins had said. 'What are you saying? You are not our father. You are just a cousin, who has no right to tell us what to do.'

'Cousin Lydia, you must have misunderstood. I did not tell you what to do. I told these officers that they are not welcome near you.'

'But I want them,' Lydia shouted and stamped her foot.

Collins rolled his eyes and requested, 'Cousin Jane, Elizabeth, would you assist me in escorting your distraught sisters home?'

'We are not going home, we will go for a walk with Denny and Pratt,' announced Lydia and told Kitty, 'come.'

As they turned their back on Collins and the sisters, intending to rush after the officers, he stepped between them and took their arms… firmly. Jane and Elizabeth stepped up to Kitty and Lydia, each taking the girls' other arm, and the five started walking towards Longbourn before the youngest realised that they had been outmanoeuvred.

As soon as they were past the last houses, Lydia started to fight her captors.

'Cousin Lydia, unless you stop struggling and making a fuss, I will ask Cousin Jane to let go of you.'

'Good, because I want to go back to Meryton.'

'That will not happen. As I was saying when you interrupted me. You can either walk back to Longbourn or I will drag you, even if it involves you kicking and screaming on the ground. Although I should warn you. By the time we reach your home, your dress will be shredded and probably your skin too. Not to mention the bruises you will acquire. What is it to be?'

Lydia stared at him slack jawed. Eventually she stammered, 'you would drag me on the ground like an obstreperous three-year old?'

'Certainly, since you behave that way.'

'I will tell Mama that you were most ungentlemanly, and she will throw you out of our home,' Lydia huffed.

'In that case, I suggest we hurry back to Longbourn and find out.'

Lydia raised her head defiantly and started to stalk back to their home.

~~RF~~

'Mama, you will not believe how rude Mr Collins was. He stopped us from talking to the officers and dragged us back home,' Lydia shouted as soon as they stepped through the door.

At the shout, Mrs Bennet stepped into the hallway and asked, 'Mr Collins, why would you stop my girls having fun?'

'If you consider your daughters, who are barely more than children, flirting shamelessly with officers in the middle of a street and generally acting like harlots, to be fun, I have to question your sensibilities as a mother.'

Now it was Mrs Bennet's turn to huff, 'I beg your pardon?'

'Mrs Bennet, I said I was prepared to allow the ladies of the Bennet family to remain at Longbourn. But having observed the loose behaviour of Cousin Kitty and even more so, Cousin Lydia, I will not tolerate exposing my future family to a group of women who have been ruined by the immoral behaviour of your youngest daughters,' declared Collins.

'What immoral behaviour? I am sure that you must be mistaken. Lydia would never do anything so reprehensible.'

'When we arrived in Meryton, Cousin Lydia called out to two officers of the militia and hurried across the street to intercept them. She shamelessly flirted with them, showing off her… ahh… assets. Her behaviour was insupportable, and Cousin Kitty was almost as bad since she follows her sister's example.'

'But they have to find husbands.'

'Fifteen is too young to marry. They are but children and know nothing of the world.

'But…'

'NO. I will not have unmannered children throwing themselves at anything in breeches or red coats. They should still be in the schoolroom learning manners and propriety.'

'How can you say such dreadful things. They are but lively girls.'

'Most men want wives of whom they can be proud. They will not marry girls whom they met on the street.'

Mrs Bennet's eyes widened as she understood the implications of what Collins was saying. 'The street…' she muttered.

'Indeed.' Collins glared at the woman for a moment longer before he relaxed slightly. 'Mrs Bennet, there is no rush for your daughters to find husbands. They would be better served going back to the schoolroom with a governess to teach them decorum and accomplishments. That way, when they are old enough for such things, they can find worthy husbands.'

All the sisters listened in open mouthed astonishment at this battle royal being fought out between their cousin and their mother, who never in their lives had listened to advice or reprimands from anyone. They were even more shocked when the lady started to think about what she had been told, instead of complaining about her nerves and calling for her salts.

'But we cannot afford a governess,' Mrs Bennet said at last.

'How much money do you spend each year in supplementing your youngest's pin-money to purchase fripperies.'

Caught off-guard Mrs Bennet admitted, 'a hundred pounds or more.'

'You can hire a governess for five and thirty pounds, plus board and lodging. You will end up saving money which you can add to their dowries.'

'They do not have dowries,' admitted the matron in a daze.

'Then it is about time that you started to save some.'

Mrs Bennet looked at Collins as if he were speaking a foreign language while he waited patiently.

As the silence stretched Lydia remembered the starting point of this discussion and demanded, 'Mama, I insist that you throw this horrible man out of our house.'

Collins raised a challenging eyebrow to his hostess, whose shoulders suddenly slumped as she turned to her youngest daughters. 'Lydia, Kitty, go to your rooms. You are to stay there except for meals until your governess arrives.'

'WHAT? You will allow this man to dictate to me?'

'Lydia, I am dictating to you. You will go to your room and if I hear one more complaint from you, you will forfeit your pin-money for the next quarter.'

'But…'

'Two quarters,' Mrs Bennet emphasised. Lydia glanced between her mother and Collins, pulled a grimace of distaste and stomped off to her room, quietly followed by Kitty.

Jane went to her mother and gave her a hug. 'Mama, I am so proud of you. While they may be angry now, my sisters will thank you in the future.'

~~RF~~

The ruckus had penetrated even the thick oak door of Mr Bennet's library. Having an inquisitive mind, he opened the door a crack to listen to the happenings.

He was most impressed with his cousin's handling of the situation and flabbergasted when his wife acquiesced. Even more astonishing was Lydia's silence. He quietly closed the door with a satisfied grin.

~~RF~~

Congratulations to those of you who correctly guessed the switchees.

It had to be people who were not only unrelated but did not know each other at all, otherwise they could have switched the boys back when it was obvious that the had the wrong children.

I have tried to keep our characters as close to canon as possible, but given different environments in which they grew up, there would be differences in the way they behaved. This is my best guess to what might have happened.

~~CC~~