The next morning, Elizabeth's generally optimistic nature has some trouble asserting itself. What a mess they find themselves in, with Charlotte in distress and not even aware her husband is in trouble. Even if they decide not to take action against him, there is still this vague person threatening to expose some misdeed from the past.

For Charlotte's sake Elizabeth really wants to help, but she is absolutely certain Fitzwilliam will not agree to that. And she knows it's his love for her that makes him so severe, Mr Collins has done his very best to harm her and Fitzwilliam will never forgive him for that. Strangely, she cannot seem to manage to take it all very seriously herself, her cousin is a silly man and she expects him to do silly things. Of course she was angry when he insulted her in the carriage yesterday, and last night when she heard what he had done, but somehow it doesn't really affect her anymore. It's so very easy to just ignore him.

But Fitzwilliam is probably right to be so determined in his actions and since Elizabeth is not going to miss her cousin's presence, she will not try to get him to relent over banishing Mr Collins from the house. Elizabeth certainly will not miss him. But isn't Fitzwilliam a bit too vindictive? He said himself it was a shade in his character. Shouldn't he be a bit more lenient now he has a had a little time to contemplate? Better wait what Frederick has to say about Mr Collins' deeds, maybe Fitzwilliam is taking this too far, he is so very protective of her.

It's his mood, too, that makes her feel a little out of sorts. He has been to see Charlotte early that morning, to inquire after her well-being, but also to tell her about last night. She must have been shocked indeed, for the visit has thrown him into a kind of gloom Elizabeth has never seen him in before. Elizabeth offered to go to Charlotte for him, but he objected to that, said she hadn't been there when they confronted her cousin with his deed.

'Shall we meet Fielding and Manners, my love? They're expecting us,' he asks, voice dull.

'Yes, let's have it over with. But first I want you to hold me for a few moments. It's not your fault, my dear, you didn't do anything wrong.'

He does as she asks and embraces her with feeling, he even rests his head on her shoulder, his warm breath in her hair. His voice is very soft.

'Don't I know it, but the look in your friend's eyes. And I can't even blame her for marrying him, what choice did she have? You were so brave to refuse me in an even worse situation than Miss Lucas'. At least she had a brother to take care of her and her mother and sisters.'

'I try not to think of that too often, my love. I don't think I realised then, fortunately. Do you think we would have been happy if I had accepted your first offer?'

'I certainly would have been. But I'm ashamed to admit you might have suffered at first. I did love you a lot, though, I'm sure I would have improved myself if you had shown signs of unhappiness. The very idea of my exulting in your love and not realising you hated me instead makes me slightly ill. But your father would have talked you out of it, I'm sure.'

'True. Well, let's go decide what to do about my awful cousin. When will they leave?'

'After lunch. I have sent for Fanny's midwife, and if she advises your friend not to travel, Mrs Collins can stay and we'll have Hugo take her home with the slow team. I will not have Mr Collins under our roof another night. I've sent Johnson to bring him some breakfast, at least he can't work any more mischief from his room.'

She knew it, Fitzwilliam may have changed a lot, there are still some things he cannot tolerate, and she should be happy that threatening to harm her is one of them.

After talking to Eric and Frederick, Elizabeth knows what to do. And to spare Fitzwilliam the sight of her cousin, she will take Frederick to the study, where she will have her cousin brought to her to tell him what the consequences of his behaviour will be.

'There was nothing else missing then?' Frederick asks.

'Indeed there wasn't,' Fitzwilliam replies, and then he hands Elizabeth a rolled up sheet of thick paper with a broken seal barely keeping it in that shape.

'This is what your cousin tried to steal, my love. I was planning to keep it to myself, because it's not very likely ever to be needed, and you used to be a bit sensitive over its subject matter. But since Mr Collins now knows about it, I think you should, too.'

Elizabeth unrolls the paper to find a very official document, signed by witnesses and sealed at the bottom as well as on the outside. The language is convoluted, and she has to read it a few times to understand, but also to believe what it says. It's hardly possible! Has Fitzwilliam really reserved twenty thousand pounds for her to live on should he pass away without leaving an heir? No, it's hers anyway, at least as far as she can tell.

For once, Elizabeth is struck totally dumb. The very thought of living without her beloved makes her eyes burn with the horror of it, and to think he'd provide for her in such a way is just too much. Tears threaten, and she lets them fall. Let them see her crying, all three of them, that'll show them she's still a very young woman, almost a girl, yet. Still a certain part of her can't help commenting dryly.

'It would have made Lady Catherine seething mad to read that. I almost wish he had succeeded.'

Her voice does sound unsteady, and Fitzwilliam holds out his hands to her with a face practically melting with love. Then she is lifted bodily and placed on her beloved's lap, again in a warm and comforting embrace. His voice rumbles in his chest.

'Cousin Anne might have come into her inheritance straight away. And my lawyer has the original, this is a signed and sealed copy.

Elizabeth, my love, I just couldn't bear the thought of your being dependent on anyone. I know Georgiana would take good care of you if something happened to me, but still... you need to be able to be you, and for that you must be free. Even our children can turn out differently from what we hope and expect.'

His beautiful hands gently wipe away her tears, and he sounds positively husky.

'Oh my dearest, my love. I love you so much, it breaks my heart to see you cry. It would break my heart to leave you, and I'm not going to, don't be sad.'

'It'll pass, my love. I'm just stunned you'd think of something like that. Thank you so much for your love and your care, Fitzwilliam, I'm so intensely glad you love me, and I love you so much I wish you could be me for a moment to feel it for yourself.'

'Better give me a kiss instead, my love, or my heart will burst and then Lady Catherine will declare you mercenary.'

That breaks the tension a little, and Eric and Frederick laugh heartily. They do seem a bit affected, it must have been a little embarrassing to witness such a private moment, but Elizabeth certainly never expected to be handed such a gift so casually.

'You two are my measure for domestic happiness, Darcy and Elizabeth,' Frederick comments, and he doesn't even sound envious or disappointed to know he is not ever going to have a chance at anything like it.

Eric merely looks a bit confused. She'll explain some other time, now she needs to do her unpleasant duty and browbeat her cousin.

As they leave the little room, Fitzwilliam does not follow her out, but merely blows her a kiss, then seats himself by Eric, talking to him in a soft voice.

Frederick seems to know exactly what they are discussing.

'I suppose he's explaining what the document says, Elizabeth. Your husband wants Eric to feel at home here, and being the only one here to not know would certainly make him feel left out instead. I told Eric to look at it when he'd taken it from your cousin, but he refused. He's a truly righteous man, Mr Collins could learn a lot from him.'

Elizabeth merely nods, she is not looking forward to this at all, though she knows it is something she needs to do or hide behind Fitzwilliam's broad back forever. Just before they enter the study, Frederick takes her hand and turns her towards him.

'Remember, Elizabeth, what you yourself told us only a few days ago: you're not even of age yet, it's not a sign of weakness to find this difficult. You've been under your father's wings until you got married, and your husband has very broad shoulders to lean on. He's nearly a decade your senior, and his father practically raised him to be a figure of authority. I admire him for letting you do this, and I admire you even more for offering to spare him the aggravation.'

He embraces her and kisses both her cheeks with feeling.

'I've been wanting to do that for ages. Now, let's go in and teach that bigot a lesson he'll never forget.'

Elizabeth feels very much heartened, not just by Frederick's encouraging, and very true, words, but also by his matter-of-fact demonstration of his affection. He will be behind her all the time, but he will not interfere. He's more like a witness than anything else, well, and maybe a bit of a bodyguard. Even a man like Mr Collins may resort to desperate measures when cornered.

First they put the study to rights, which takes ten minutes, Mr Collins did not make a terrific mess, he must have felt quite secure to take his time searching those drawers. Then Elizabeth sits down in Fitzwilliam's office chair, Frederick seats himself on a chair behind her, but within easy reach. See, she wasn't imagining things, he's guarding her.

Elizabeth rings the bell, and when Johnson answers it, she politely asks, 'Will you escort our guest Mr Collins here? Do not let him out of your sight.'

To her surprise, the butler doesn't even object to his mistress requesting to bring her a man the master ordered confined to his room.

'Yes, Mrs Darcy, right away.'

'Thank you, Johnson.'

He bows in acknowledgement before he leaves the room, those conversations he had with Simon must have been rather serious to have changed his ways so nicely.

Within minutes, Mr Collins arrives, closely followed by Johnson, who shuts the door behind them as if he expects his charge to try to escape. Elizabeth addresses her butler first, ignoring Mr Collins totally.

'Thank you, Johnson, you can leave us.'

When the butler is gone, she directs her attention to her cousin. He is certainly stunned to find himself in his host's study, but with his cousin instead of her fearsome husband.

'Sit down, please, Mr Collins,' Elizabeth says with dignity.

He does. And he is back to humility, more than ever, more even than towards Lady Catherine.

'Cousin Elizabeth. I'm so exceedingly sorry for what I have done, words fail to express my regrets at having desecrated the sanctity of your home and your hospitality. I have not been able to find any sleep last night, having discredited myself by blaming you for my own weakness and depravity. You were so right to refuse my hand, you have proven to deserve better.'

He stops only to draw breath, he is one step from prostrating himself, Elizabeth suspects. Unfortunately, his insincere humility has always provoked Elizabeth, and she feels nothing but a slight aversion. No empathy, no sympathy. She realises she almost sounds like Fitzwilliam at his coldest as she replies.

'I refused you, Mr Collins, because I did not love you and was certain I could never love you, not because I thought you were in any way beneath me. And I am very sure I was always the soul of courtesy towards you.'

'You were, you were, my dear cousin, it was my own mistaken pride that read hauteur where there was none. Even your esteemed husband never treated me with anything but kindness and condescension.'

Severely, Elizabeth corrects him, 'Fitzwilliam never treats anyone with condescension, not even the maid who empties his chamberpot!'

That is a hit, either her calling her esteemed husband by his first name, or mentioning chamberpots.

'You know as well as I do that he gave you more respect than Lady Catherine de Bourgh ever did.' Even Mr Collins must be able to hear the rest, the bit that she doesn't voice: 'and you threw it all away.' And he does.

'Please, my dear cousin, I know the unforgivable crime I have committed, and I already regret my transgressions against Mr Darcy and yourself very much. It was a despicable thing to do, born of jealousy. I was jealous of your magnificent position in life, not just affluence, but respectability, too. The superiority of your family-circle, the approbation of the society press.

But what I didn't realise yesterday was that you shared it with me freely. You let me sit at your table, eat your delectable food, talk to your friends, listen to their exalted music, visit the concert and even go behind the scenes. I know Mr Darcy will never acknowledge my presence again, and rightfully so. He has ever been the most righteous of men, protecting his own from the evil in society, of which I am now part. But may I please beg you to continue to notice my dear Charlotte, and my children?

I had hoped our eldest would be a daughter, to grace our own humble abode with the hallowing sound of music.'

As Elizabeth feels herself soften against her will by her cousin expressing a wish for a daughter instead of the obligatory son to cut off the entail, a cold voice behind Elizabeth brings her back to reality.

'Even in your fall you stick to your pomposity and conceit, Mr Collins. Remember that you are being judged here, it behooves you to show true respect for someone who can reduce you to what may be your true stature.'

There is only one Frederick Manners, there really is, and Elizabeth is glad he is on her side. Even Fitzwilliam cannot deflate someone so totally and so quickly. She can almost hear Mr Collins shrivel like the windbag he is. He hangs his head and whispers.

'I stand corrected once again. I will not beg for mercy, I will await my penance in silence.'

He seems almost like a normal man, now. Elizabeth suppresses her discomfort passing judgement on a living, breathing person as if she has the right to.

'For invading our private space and stealing a very sensitive document whilst enjoying our hospitality, you will not be sued, nor will we inform your patroness. Unless you talk about it, of course. You are, however, no longer welcome in any of our houses, though your wife and children may visit as they see fit.

Mr Fielding has decided to forgive you for stealing from him, under the following conditions.

Since you are obviously unsuitable to be the head of your household, this role will from now on go to your wife. She will make the major decisions raising your children and running your household. You will adhere to her decisions.

If you do not, Lady Catherine will hear of your mistakes and undoubtedly take steps to correct them.

Do you agree with these conditions?'

Mr Collins shows nothing so much as relief, relief he will be spared the humiliation of being cast out of his current comfortable position.

'Yes, I agree, I agree. I will take Charlotte's advice, and let her decide on how to raise the children. I should have listened to her much earlier!'

Elizabeth rings the bell and Johnson enters immediately with Mrs Collins, as arranged.

In a strange reversal of roles, Fitzwilliam is supposed to have spent the last half hour telling Charlotte how they plan to turn this unfortunate event around so Charlotte may profit from it instead of suffering from her husband's idiocy. Hopefully it will work, there is no way to guarantee Mr Collins will keep his end of the bargain, if he does not Charlotte will have to risk her own future to complain. That is why she is here now, to see him brought down a peg or two so she dares take charge.

Charlotte comes in and sits down without waiting for permission, why should she, she's Elizabeth's best friend. She looks tired and her face is solemn, almost bleak.

'How is the baby, Charlotte, and how are you?'

For a moment her friend's tension lessens, and she replies, 'Both very well, Eliza, thank you so much for everything. Fanny is so sweet and helpful, and that midwife she advised is very knowledgeable. She felt my belly and listened to the little one's heart, and she says everything is just fine. There are probably no more than two weeks to go.

She said those pains were caused by the baby settling in deeper, it should be no problem to travel for a few hours in a good carriage.'

That of course brings them to the issue at hand, for Mr Collins will have to leave, whether Charlotte is ready to travel or not. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charlotte seems to enjoy browbeating her husband, for she sits back and sighs mournfully.

The effect on Mr Collins is astounding. He falls to his knees and rests his head against her skirts.

'Can you ever forgive me for endangering our future, my dear Charlotte?'

Then, a lot less pathetic, 'Did something happen to you or the baby last night, my love? Are you really all right? You look tired.'

'I am tired, Mr Collins,' she replies frankly. 'I should have stayed at Hunsford, so close to my time, but I didn't dare because I was afraid you would make a public spectacle out of yourself. Instead you did something much worse. I am very much afraid, and very tired. Carrying a child is very hard work.'

'And I have made it so much harder for you. There is nothing I can say to make it better, I have endangered everything I promised you in my offer to you; to love, cherish and protect you. I deserve neither you, nor the precious baby you carry. From now on, I will listen to your advice, as I am bound to.'

Charlotte is affected, that is so easy to see. She strokes his head without revulsion, and he looks up at her with what seems to be true devotion. Blinking once, Elizabeth still sees the same picture of a man who loves his wife, and his wife who tries really hard to reciprocate. Blinking twice, nothing has changed, except Mr Collins' expression. Instead of relief and, yes, Elizabeth cannot find another word for what he showed than love, he now looks up at his wife in horror. She seems beyond caring, Charlotte needs rest most of all.

'Oh my goodness!' her cousin expresses his terror, 'it's not over at all! I thought the danger had passed, but it has not! There is still a year mate, and indeed Mr Manners, they did all pick on me, who can ruin me. Will ruin us, my dear Charlotte, for there is no way I can pay him.

A whole bunch of us cheated on a test, someone had stolen the answers, I don't know how, I just knew I wouldn't pass without buying them. Anyway, this one man found out and now he threatens to tell Lady Catherine about it.'

Well, if that's all. That fellow must have been very pleased to find one victim who didn't laugh in his face when he tried to extort him. Even Charlotte is not put out, she merely strokes her chubby husband as if he's a dog sitting at her feet, his head in her lap.

Checking out Frederick, she does not find him looking on in contempt, or even amusement at Mr Collins' foolishness. He looks positively soft. Elizabeth sends him a smile and a fat, juicy wink, to let him know she's seen through his act of popular tough leader of a college clique that is not above applying its own justice, right into the heart of a tender-hearted sentimentalist.

Suddenly, Mr Collins looks up at Charlotte, then at his two executioners, face filled with wonder, anxiety and shame forgotten for a few moments.

'Charlotte, she kicked me! The baby kicked me!'

Two weeks to go, and he never felt that before? That is kind of sad, and the very reason why Elizabeth never even considered marrying Mr Darcy when she still hated him, despite her bleak prospects in life. What is a marriage without love? How can children from such a union ever grow up to be sensible adults? Well, in fact she is one of them, and Charlotte now seems to have every chance to make sure hers will turn out as well as Elizabeth and Jane did. In fact, she bends over with a little difficulty, takes Mr Collins' chubby cheeks in her hands, and kisses him. On the forehead, but that may be because her huge belly prevents her from reaching any lower.

Nonetheless it has an effect.

'All right, all right, I admit it. I am a hopeless romantic! Never mind the fellow from school, Mr Collins. Just give me his name and address, and I'll make sure he keeps his quiet to your Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I'll threaten him, or find something on him, it's not a grave sin to cheat in a test. Merely very foolish and a bit shabby. I'm actually quite sure your patroness will forgive you if you confess in a suitably humble manner. You just mind you treat your missus well!'

And just like that it's done. Elizabeth rings and has Johnson bring an early lunch for four to the study. She is not going to let Charlotte leave on an empty stomach. Frederick saves her from Mr Collins' attentions by telling him some stories of his friends' exploits at college, one of whom is actually a clergyman, too, Elizabeth seems to remember. Apparently it is nothing out of the ordinary to cheat a little on one's tests, something that probably has eluded only this one silly, self-centred man.

Charlotte seems a bit distracted, not miraculous considering what she has been through last night and this morning.

During lunch, Johnson enters and respectfully announces the carriage has arrived, and immediately after they finish their meal, Charlotte kisses Elizabeth and observes quietly, 'Thank you for letting him get away, Eliza. I think I would have had him deported to the colonies myself. And thank you for the rest, too. He seems to really have some feelings for me, I didn't know that, I will make use of that knowledge to improve things at home. Maybe I have been too accepting of his peculiarities, it seems he is not altogether insensitive to corrective measures. I'll apply them when called for. Frankly, I could get used to having him at my feet.'

That certainly promises well for Charlotte and her new baby, and Elizabeth feels a little less guilty letting her travel after such a night.

'Please don't feel bad over this, Eliza, your Mr Darcy explained exactly what Mr Collins did and I agree with him he should feel it. We planned to leave today anyway, and next time I visit I'll leave him in Hunsford. We'll have such a good time! Frankly, I'll be glad to be home, I can't wait to start changing some things in the house. Bye now!'

Elizabeth takes leave of her cousin with a mere nod, though she's never felt more like kissing him than just now. Still, it's not a pleasure she regrets to forgo, and there is no real urge to touch him in any way. She still dislikes him very much.

Mr Collins slinks away like a beaten dog, but Charlotte leaves in a much better humour than she arrived.

'I'll write when the baby's born!' is the last thing Elizabeth hears as the carriage pulls out.

'I bet you're glad to see the last of him,' Frederick comments dryly.

Slowly, Elizabeth realises she is. She has never seen anything humorously in her cousin, he has always irritated her. While she still cannot blame him very much for disliking her, it will not be hard to let go of any connection to him.

'I am. And I have some hope that Charlotte will manage him better from now on.'

'Oh, she will,' Frederick observes with humour, 'she certainly will.'

'I'm going to see to Fitzwilliam, Frederick. I think he feels bad about this. He once told me his good opinion once lost is lost forever. Do you think he is being vindictive? I don't like my cousin but he's mostly silly, not really malicious.'

She really feels a need for an adult opinion, she loves and admires Fitzwilliam, but isn't this resentment bad for him as a person?

An arm on her shoulder gives instant relief.

'Don't worry, dear Elizabeth, no harm will befall your beloved over this. Your cousin not only offended you, he was truly spiteful. I myself would have thrown him out like the common thief he proved himself to be. But there is more, though it will sound overbearing to you. Your cousin behaves as if he is one of us, as if he has a right to act like one of us, look down on those he considers beneath us and thus himself. But he has nothing to recommend him.

You've seen how Eric has been received, you've been welcomed by the queen's ladies yourself. You both have a right to be one of us, you have proven yourself worthy.

Your cousin has done the reverse. Darcy has borne with him admirably, has acknowledged him as a relative, has given him great honour without your cousin having anything to offer except being your relative.

Thus, when your cousin turned against you, he threw away the only reason Darcy had to allow him close. And on top of that he abused his hospitality and tried to harm the two people who have really earned their place among us, Eric and you. I don't blame Darcy for what he did, and I don't think he overreacted. I would have done the exact same thing, except I might even have sued him and offered Mrs Collins a divorce. Though just now I thought there may still be some hope of their affection becoming mutual when they have a baby to connect them.

Do not worry, Elizabeth, your beloved will be just fine. Just take him to your own room and give him some loving attention, he deserves it, and it will make him feel a lot better.'

Elizabeth decides to do exactly that, she does find Frederick's reasoning overbearing, but he is from the same class as Fitzwilliam so he is bound to know what drives a man like him. To think she is allowed to be one of them, it's rather arrogant, but somehow she cannot hold it against Frederick either. Besides, Elizabeth's father is a gentleman, she is a lot less below Fitzwilliam than Frederick's lover is beneath him, and Elizabeth doesn't have a single doubt he'd take his beloved into public life if only he were a girl. That realisation makes him a lot more human, and he did offer Mr Collins to solve his other problem for him. He is a good man, and his life is not easy.

As they enter the drawing-room together, they find Georgiana and Eric practising Georgiana's pieces openly, but Fitzwilliam is not there. Where can he be at this time of the day? She tries his study first, because that is closest, but without success. Then the dining-room, maybe he is still reading the paper there. But he isn't.

The library, no Fitzwilliam, their bedroom, no-one there. Where can he be? The stables? Or did he go out? On the stairs, she meets Simon, who merely says, 'The master is in the stables, Mrs Darcy.' Then he turns around to go back down.

'You came to tell me he's in the stables?'

'I did, I guess I was a little late, though. Seems you've looked everywhere already, sorry ma'am.'

'Never mind, Simon, you cannot be everywhere at once. I'll go see him.'