A/N
Chapter 6. Darcy tackles Collins in this one. ODC interaction in the next chapter, I promise :))
Thank you so very much for the interaction/feedback, I really look forward to it. As usual will appreciate your thoughts on this instalment. How plausible you find Darcy's words and actions. In my previous book a chance encounter, a few readers found Darcy OOC. Frankly, I was not able to understand their reservations as that is how at least I always imagined Darcy from the great JA's depiction. Now, you all might feel that Darcy here is a OOC... I may also agree with you... but then A little magic does make a difference 😊
To Lisa – As always, thank you so much for the kind help!
A Little Magic Chapter 6Once the tea had been partaken, Bingley suggested a walk outside in the Longbourn gardens. His suggestion was met with universal approval but especially by Mrs Bennet and Mr Collins, and for the same reason – a hoped for tête-à -tête with Mr Darcy. While Mr Collins wanted it for himself, Mrs Bennet wished it for Elizabeth. Mrs Bennet was worried that Mr Collins might try to monopolize Elizabeth, and she could not have that under any condition. Deciding to kill two birds with the same stone, she called out to Mary and Mr Collins as they were about to step out of the parlour.
"Mary dear, will you please get my sewing box? I think I it left in my room." As Mary obediently turned back inside the room, Mrs Bennet then addressed Mr Collins. "Mr Collins the mail has come; I think you have received a letter. Perhaps it is from Lady Catherine. I was sure that you would want to be informed about it at the earliest." Reluctantly, Mr Collins also turned back inside the room, although, at the moment he was more interested in what the Lady's nephew wanted to tell than her own words. "I hope you know all the letters are kept on the table in the hall outside," Mrs Bennet added with a pleased smile.
Due to Mrs Bennet's diligent efforts, Darcy and Elizabeth found themselves walking together, following Bingley and Jane at a respectable distance. Darcy could not help but admire Mrs Bennet's match-making efforts. 'It was only yesterday that the good lady was forcing Miss Elizabeth to accept Collins, and now she has removed him from the scene so efficiently. She has done this without provoking an iota of offence and still keeping all her choices open,' he thought with a smile. He glanced at Elizabeth, and his amusement increased as he realized how closely their thoughts matched, even if her wit was aimed at him also. "Ah, so Mama continues to believe that Mr Darcy is interested in me. I can't even clear her misconceptions for the fear that she would again start promoting Mr Collin's suit." She shook her head with a wry twist of her lips. "Had I not been Mama's target, it would have been really amusing to watch the battle between the matchmaking queen from Meryton and slayer of matchmakers from Derbyshire. Although... if I had to pick a probable winner of the combat, Mr Darcy it would be. Anyone who can bear all those fawning smiles and cooing words from Miss Bingley with nary a proposal in sight, can easily fend off Mama's determined but misguided attempts," she thought and turned to glance at Darcy, only to find him staring straight ahead and smiling.
"Would you like to share the joke, Mr Darcy?" she asked.
The question coming at him so suddenly flummoxed him for a moment, but he soon recovered. "I suppose I simply pleased with my very pleasant company, Miss Elizabeth."
"He is still being so nice! I really don't understand it. What could have happened to him yesterday?"
"Mr Darcy, sir?" Elizabeth and Darcy both stopped on hearing the urgent voice. He looked over his shoulder, only to see Mr Collins bearing down on them at a quick pace. He was followed a little more sedately by Miss Mary.
Mr Collins reached them, a little out of breath and eager to have his say. Despite the fact that Mr Collins had been calling after Mr Darcy, Elizabeth braced herself to turn down what she believed would be Mr Collins' request for a quiet word with her. Therefore, it came as quite a shock when Mr Collins did request a quiet word – but with Mr Darcy.
Just before he replied, Darcy's glance flitted over Miss Mary. "What does Mr Collins want with Mr Darcy?" He heard her puzzled words and couldn't help but check Miss Elizabeth's face for her reaction - and received a strong one for his pains. It dimmed his amusement and the sense of oneship he had been feeling with her
"Mr Collins obviously has not learned anything from his interactions with Mr Darcy on the night of the ball. Mercifully, one cannot catch their death of cold from the blast of icy disdain directed towards them," Elizabeth thought as she waited tensely for Mr Darcy to stare unsmilingly at her cousin, just as he had done, the day before yesterday.
Her sarcastic words lanced at Darcy like icicles. They hurt, very much; he had to admit. Although he knew he was mostly responsible for the dislike she had for him, he could not ignore the irony. 'Does Miss Elizabeth realize that the contempt she feels for me is every bit as icy as the disdain she accuses me of? Or mayhap some disdain is more freezing than others?' He would have anyhow acceded to Mr Collins's request, after all his talk with Collins was the reason, he had come here with such enthusiasm, wasn't it? But now there was an overwhelming desire to show her that he was not the only fallible one in the vicinity. So, he gave his most welcoming smile to Mr Collins. "Of Course, Mr Collins, provided the ladies are happy to excuse us." And had the satisfaction of seeing Miss Elizabeth's mouth literally drop open in surprise. While Miss Elizabeth stared at him as if he had grown another head, Miss Mary smiled and replied, "Of, course, Mr Darcy."
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It was only when he and Mr Collins had taken a detour to a small but welcoming arbour in the Longbourn gardens, did Darcy turned to address Mr Collins. He had tried not to glance at his companion very frequently, but still, he had come to know from Collins' annoyed musings that he was not very happy with Mrs Bennet for sending him after a nonexistent letter and wasting his time.
"I gave quite some thought to my advice to you, Mr Collins and what my aunt would consider a 'wise choice' for you. And I concluded that finally your choice boils down to two Miss Bennets."
"I am certain he means Cousin Jane and Cousin Elizabeth." Mr Collins gave a satisfied nod.
Ignoring the other man's musings, Darcy continued, "I think you and I can both agree that you have five, no doubt, very worthy cousins. However, when I contemplated about your duties as a responsible parson together with my aunt's advice, I felt that Miss Bennet might be your best option. She also is the eldest, but..." Before he could touch upon the said young lady's partiality for Bingley, Mr Collins himself made things easy for him.
"I was of the same opinion as you, dear sir, when I came to Longbourn. Mrs Bennet then informed me about a pre-existing understanding between Cousin Jane and Mr Bingley and I decided not to pursue the connection. I had come here to heal the breach that existed between our two families, and not to create any further trouble."
Once again it hit Darcy that under all that servility and foolishness, Mr Collins was indeed a decent sort of man. He sighed, and continued, "Well then, there is really one choice before you, Collins. The two younger ones anyhow appear a little immature to undertake the responsibilities of a Parson's wife," Darcy paused to draw breath and saw Collins puff his chest out with a pleased smile which froze when Darcy continued, "Then the only sensible choice left for you is Miss Mary Bennet."
"Oh, but..." Collins began, however, Darcy interrupted him ruthlessly, "From what I have come to know of Miss Mary, she is a kind, Godfearing, and a serious-minded young woman. I believe she will be able to take up the responsibilities associated with a parson's helpmeet quite easily.
"Oh, but... don't you think Miss Elizabeth..."
"Miss Elizabeth! Good Lord, no, Collins, a thousand times no." Mr Collins eyes widened in surprise at Darcy's vehemence, and he couldn't help asking hesitantly, "But... why, Mr Darcy?"
"Oh, I can very well appreciate why you must have considered Miss Elizabeth, Collins. She is the second eldest and you would have thought about what is most proper in the circumstances..."
"Eh? Yes... yes, she is the second eldest... but she is also the second most beautiful of her sisters. Sir William called my eldest two cousins as the jewels of Meryton... and she doesn't giggle and roll her eyes when I read from Fordyce's sermons!"
For a moment, Darcy felt like rolling his eyes. 'If only we all could decide our life partners in so simple a manner...' he thought a little enviously. "But it appears to me that you have forgotten one very important qualification which you told me your future wife must possess," he added after a while.
"When did I tell him any such thing?" wondered a thoroughly confused Mr Collins. "Umm... I am sorry but I don't understand," he said finally.
"Did you not tell me that you are waiting to write to my aunt – to inform her that you have done as she had suggested?"
"Ah... yes, but..." Mr Collins still appeared confused.
"Is what you were planning, really what my aunt suggested?" Darcy asked, then continued without waiting for an answer, "Very well, Collins, close your eyes and try to imagine - what will happen if you introduce Miss Lydia and Miss Catherine to my aunt and they share some anecdotes about handsome men in their fine red coats with my aunt, and giggle..." Darcy watched with satisfaction Mr Collins' eyes widen in horror, and added, "Or ... when you introduce Miss Elizabeth to her and she gives one of her sweet smiles, but follows it up with some impertinent, outspoken remark with her brows raised in challenge?"
Mr Collins' eyes remained wide, but he argued valiantly, "To tell you the truth, dear sir, I did wish a few times that Cousin Elizabeth had more... more sobriety and calmness like Cousin Mary, but I believe that her wit and vivacity will be tempered by... by the silence and respect endangered by someone of her Ladyship's rank and consequence."
Darcy winced at the pompousness of what he was planning to say, but he really could not afford to give up now. "Well, as that great Lady's nephew, I can tell you - from experience - that is not going to happen, Collins. Miss Elizabeth is too much her father's daughter to change in the manner you are hoping."
As Collins' eyes widened some more, Darcy added hurriedly, "Oh she is never rude or disrespectful, but my aunt is from a previous generation and has very different expectations of what she believes is due for someone of her consequence. To be honest with you, when I closed my eyes and imagined you introducing Miss Elizabeth to my aunt, the image that immediately came to my mind was my aunt turning purple in rage. Fortunately, I opened my eyes before she could suffer an apoplexy."
'Lord, I hope Miss Elizabeth never get to hear this utter rot I have been spouting!' Darcy prayed fervently as he saw Mr Collins staring at him with a shocked expression. 'And now I believe the time has come for the ultimate push,' Darcy thought with a wry quirk to his lips. "But then Collins, I finally imagined you introducing Miss Mary to my aunt. In my mind's eye I could very well see Miss Mary listening to my aunt as attentively as that good lady believes... er... as that good lady deserves, and then..." Darcy paused to draw breath and Collins asked a little impatiently "And then?"
"And then Collins, I saw my aunt bestow her most benign smile - a smile of great approval on her and then at you." Darcy answered and fell silent. 'What in heaven's name am I doing?' he thought as the silence between the two men lengthened and Collins stared at him blankly for a moment.
"Oh... oh, but Mr Darcy is so very right! Why did I not think with such clarity? I suppose that is the difference between really great men like him and a lowly parson like me."
Darcy grimaced at the obsequious and what he believed to be undeserved, praise from Mr Collins, even as he let out a relieved sigh. 'I suppose, my work is done - Collins appears to be convinced.' Before either of them could break the silence, it was broken by the musical trill of a woman's laughter. Darcy and Collins both turned to look towards entry of the arbour and saw Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary coming towards it. Miss Elizabeth was laughing at something, and Miss Mary was smilingly shaking her head at her. The younger sister then protested, "Really, Lizzy, you should not have." Miss Elizabeth replied to her, but her voice was lost as the sisters took a right turn and disappeared from view.
Miss Elizabeth's beautiful, vivacious face was not the only thing that arrested Darcy's attention as he continued to stare after the sisters. To him, the image they had presented had clearly revealed what he had told Collins – the unambiguous difference between their temperaments. All of a sudden, the sense of disquiet that he had been feeling for manipulating Collins in this manner left him. He felt convinced that somehow these things were meant to be, and he was just a medium being used to achieve what was supposed to happen.
'But... did the image that spoke so strongly to me, convey anything to Collins?' he wondered as he turned to glance at the parson.
"... and Cousin Mary has a really charming smile..." Satisfied, Darcy turned his head away. Mr Collins' thoughtful expression and his musings told their own tale. Consequently, he contemplated asking Collins to immediately go and offer for Miss Mary. But then he remembered that Mr Collins had already requested for Miss Elizabeth's hand from her parents. "It would be insulting to Miss Mary if Mr Collins switches his choice without even a by your leave," he thought as he recollected the sad smile on her face when she had mused about the propensity of his sex to prefer beauty. 'No... she deserves better.' He sighed.
"I am not sure how beneficial you found my advice, Collins, but ..."
Mr Collins interrupted him in his eagerness, "You are a Godsent Mr Darcy. I cannot tell you, how grateful I am to you for so magnanimously coming to my help and opening my eyes to the mistake I was going to make."
Despite Mr Collins' usual verbosity, Darcy could see that he was sincere. He sent out a prayer that his interference in this affair truly resulted in the happiness of all, especially the three people who were directly impacted by it.
He got up from the bench and indicated for Collins to accompany him. "So, what are you planning to do now?" Darcy asked the other man.
"I will immediately approach Cousin Bennet and request his permission to make a proposal of marriage to Cousin Mary," Mr Collins replied with a pleased smile.
For a moment, Darcy wrestled with himself. From what he had seen and heard, Mr Collins' actions would be met with satisfaction - by all the Bennets, but he still believed that Miss Mary did not deserve to be treated thus. He sighed deeply, feeling frustrated with his own compunctions. "Well, that is great idea, Collins. From our conversation earlier I gathered that you had contemplated offering for Miss Elizabeth. It is good that you had not communicated your feelings to any of the Bennets, otherwise it would have been a little awkward to suddenly replace the proposed bride!" Darcy smiled at him innocently. The silence following his statement was spoke volumes.
"Er... I... I have not said anything to Cousin Elizabeth... except pay her little compliments. But I do that for all my cousins including Mrs Bennet... so that does not count. However, I... I communicate my intention to offer for her, to her parents..."
"Hmm... that complicates matter a little. When exactly did you convey your intentions?"
"Last morning," Mr Collins answered unhappily.
Darcy raised his brows, feigning surprise. "Awkward!" He said succinctly. For a little while he let the silence speak and hoped that Collins realized the insensitivity of considering human beings as replaceable merchandise. "Are you sure of your choice now?" he asked finally.
"Yes, Mr Darcy," Collins replied firmly.
"Well, then there is nothing for it but for you to demonstrate to Miss Mary and her family that it is her you want. Talk to her, spend time with her, court her as a young lady deserves and then make your offer," Darcy said with a smile. He did not know how successful Collins would be in his attempts, but he had done his bit. He looked ahead and saw Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary strolling in front of them.
"Shall we join the ladies?" he asked Collins.
"Yes, of course." Collins said and hurried forward. "Cousin Mary, regarding the Bible verse you wanted to..."
Darcy tuned Collins out and slowed his speed. Just for a moment he raised his face to the sky, suddenly feeling much lighter than he had since he had heard Miss Bingley's nasty words.
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A Little Magic
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