Wow, what a reception of the previous chapter! Thank you very much for the many comments. You know it had to happen. I am vacillating about how to go on, how to solve this…We will get there. For now here is another surprise. It just wrote itself.

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Chapter 18

Mr. Collins, ever economical, realized that he was going home on Saturday. He put his letter to his patroness in his bible. He would relate everything to her when he next saw her. That would save him the post. He was on a mission. He would not let his patroness down.

In the next few days, which meant really three, well, two and a half, days, Mr. Collins disappeared for whole afternoons and on Friday, he only appeared after supper. On the morning of his last day, on Saturday, he left the house right after breaking his fast. The family did not know what to think. Everybody seemed happy with this disappearance, so they did not question it deeply. When he reappeared, he had a satisfied grin on his face. He gestured wildly and asked the family to gather. When they all gathered in the parlour, he ceremoniously announced that he had the awesome pleasure of receiving the lovely Miss Lucas's hand for marriage.

The family looked at him not comprehending. Mrs. Bennet was about to whine, but Mr. Bennet put his hand on his wife's and when she looked at him, he slightly shook his head. She swallowed. Finally, Elizabeth, who appeared from her room for the first time since Darcy left, spoke in disbelief.

'Mr. Collins, I introduced you to my friend only at the ball. That is not yet four days ago.'

'My dear cousin, it is my duty to marry. You did not wish for the privilege, so I looked elsewhere. You could have made sure that your family could stay here after your, pardon me, sir, your father dies.'

'That will be enough, Mr. Collins. Are you saying that as their cousin and a clergyman, you would out my, your family when I am gone? You would send my family god knows where? Is that what you are saying?'

'Oh, sir, you cannot expect me…' He straightened, 'I came here under the direction of my kind patroness. She told me to choose a wife from my cousins so that I could take care of my family. I had this purpose, but your daughters did not want to have anything to do with me.'

'You never approached me about your wishes. How is it that you are talking about my two eldest not wanting you? That is not how things are done, sir.' Mr. Collins gaped like a fish. 'I am asking you again, Mr. Collins.' Mr. Bennet stood for good measure. 'Are you saying that as their cousin and a clergyman, you would out my family? You would evict them from their home? Is that what you are saying?' He towered over his cousin as he raised his voice.

Mr. Bennet's family, including Lydia, were in a state of shock. They had never seen their father like this. Mrs. Bennet was about to cry. Her handkerchief was dancing as she did not know if she needed it or not. Her husband was fighting for them.

'Oh, no sir. I, I, pardon me, sir, I, I will take, of course, I will take care of your family.'

'Good. You all heard him. Now, Mr. Collins. I would like to see you in my office. Let's put this on paper.' He grabbed him by his arm and pushed him toward the door. When he closed his book room's door behind them, he continued. 'How could you be so cruel, sir, when I leave you my life's work, everything, to even suggest that you would not take care of my widow and any child still at home? What kind of a Christian are you? I should report this to your bishop. I am appalled that you would say something like that in front of my dearest wife. Has she not taken good care of you?!

'Oh, no, sir, or rather, yes, sir. She has taken care of me admirably. I did not mean anything by it. Of course, it is my Christian duty after all as you pointed out. I will take care of them. There is no need to approach my bishop.'

'Yes, you will, Mr. Collins. You are my heir. I cannot change that, but I will make damn sure that you will make good on your promise.' He poured a drink for both of them. 'Let's calm our nerves.' He offered him the drink. He waited for Mr. Collins to drink it. 'I will be back in a moment. Here, have another while you wait.' He went to see his wife and told her to call for Mr. Phillips with urgency. He was needed at Longbourn as a witness. His wife, understanding, immediately acted.

He sat down with a puff in his chair. He took some sheets of paper from his drawer. 'Now, let us talk about the details then. So you are to marry Miss Lucas. Congratulations. She is a decent girl. A good friend of my daughter. She is mature and I am sure she will be a good parson's wife. Let's drink to her health and your happiness. This is my best cognac. Hard to come by during the war.' He poured another for both of them. Mr. Collins impressed drank his.

'So, Mr. Collins. I will tell you my wishes. You will inherit Longbourn. You will have the house, the farm, the surrounding land, all the animals, pigs, chicken, cows, the lot. You will have the farming equipment, and the carts. This all means that your income per annum will be more than two thousand pounds.

Now, my wife will receive the following. You did not strike me as a reader, so she will have my books in this book room. You can build your own library in the years to come. Agreed?' Mr. Collins having a very sparse collection of religious books only, nodded. He was indeed not a great reader.

'Very good. Let's drink to that.' He poured him a drink. 'Further, my wife will have all the things she had bought over the years or brought with herself: the linen, the ceramics, glassware, and cutlery. I will leave you the content of the wine cellar. How is that? Now, she is fond of the decoration of the house, so she will have the vases, the small decorative items, pictures on the walls and the like. We want to keep my wife happy. Heh? Your wife can then decorate things as she wants and bring her own dowry. This is not much to ask. Agreed?' Mr. Collins, almost in a trance, agreed.

'There are only two more things I want for my wife. I want the family carriage. You can buy a new one from your first income. She needs a way to get around. Including two horses. Agreed?' Mr. Collins hesitated, but before he could say anything, Mr. Bennet spoke, 'This is the least you can do when I give you everything else. Agreed?'

'Agreed.' He answered with chagrin.

'Very good, do not worry, Mr. Collins. You are doing very well. Have another drink… Now there is the last thing. I will be very generous here, Mr. Collins, and I will not ask you to house my daughters and my wife. I understand that you want to bring up your own family here. In exchange, I ask that you provide my wife with two hundred pounds a year, which is only fifty pounds every quarter. That is only ten percent of your income calculated as of today. Most probably, it will only be a few percent as the years pass. If my wife dies within ten years after me, then my daughters get the money for ten more years. That is very reasonable. That will provide them with the ability to rent some modest accommodation. In return, you will have the house to yourself. Agreed?' Mr. Collins thought that a small enough portion.

'Agreed, my dear cousin.' He even nodded enthusiastically.

'Finally, from the farm, you will provide my wife every month with two chickens, and a can of milk, and when you kill the pig, the fifth goes to her. Let us call it your brotherly help. That is it. Agreed?' Mr. Collins just nodded.

Mr. Bennet wrote down everything as they agreed on in parts. It was all ready for Mr. Collins to sign.

'Then let's drink to this. I am well satisfied as now I can be sure that my family is taken care of. And you, Mr. Collins, you have done your duty to my family. It is magnanimous of you, Cousin. I am very proud of you. Your patroness could not have a better, more generous parson. I will send a commendation to your bishop' He poured another shot for his cousin. Mr. Collins grinned.

As soon as Mr. Phillips arrived, Mr. Bennet related their agreement. His brother-in-law raised his eyes to Mr. Bennet but did not comment. Two more copies were made, one for his office to file and one for Mr. Collins. Everything was signed by both of them and Mr. Phillips. The deal was done. Mr. Phillips congratulated them both for the amicable settling of things about the inheritance. Mr. Collins puffed his chest out.

Mr. Bennet, as he was left alone in his room, took a steadying breath. His hands were shaking. This was his life's biggest performance. He was grateful that his cousin provided him with an opening. As usual, he was postponing the uncomfortable conversation with him, and then Mr. Collins kept disappearing. He had been chewing on how to get his cousin to provide for his widow. He looked at his signed copy. He could not believe that he achieved all that for his family.

…

Mrs. Bennet went to see her husband. She was worried for him. Mr. Collins was like a peacock as he left her husband's office. Her brother-in-law left with a wink. What did that mean?

'Thomas, are you all right?' she asked as she opened his door. She saw him in his chair with his two elbows on the desk and his face in his hands. He looked up at her. Tired. She went to him. He turned in his chair and pulled his wife to him and rested his head below her breast. Mrs. Bennet stroked his head.

'What is it, Thomas, what happened?' He wordlessly gave her the signed papers. As she read it above his head, she gasped. She had to read the lines twice. She gasped again. And again.

'Oh, Thomas. How? I cannot believe it. Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I cannot believe this. How did you do it?'

'The main thing is that it is done. Together with your own money, you will be fine. I have asked your brother to bring his recommendations at Christmas about how to handle the money that has accumulated from your dowry over the years. I have never touched it. I had promised to your father.'

'Oh, Mr. Bennet.'