A/N: All will now become clear re: Mr Bennet's will, and my comment yesterday about Mr Bingley's involvement.

26th November

As the clock on the mantle in the study chimed ten, the footman tapped on the study door and announced visitors. 'Mr Bennet and Mr Phillips to see you, sir.'

'Good, show them in, then find Mr Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam and ask them to join us. I think I heard them return from a ride not long since.'

After his visitors had entered and made the usual greetings, Mr Bennet said, 'He's had the night to think about it – more than enough time, I think.'

'He has indeed. When Darcy and Fitzwilliam arrive, we'll have him here back to finalise things.'

Mr Phillips was already laying out the paperwork. 'Bennet, I have here a new will for you to examine once the entailment is broken.'

'Ah, good. I must say, the thought of retaining Longbourn for my family has given me a new lease of life, despite the dreadful circumstances of it coming about. Thinking that it would pass out of our hands gave me no incentive to improve the income of the estate.'

As Mr Darcy entered the study, Mr Bennet continued, 'In fact, if it is not an imposition, Mr Darcy, I would like to pick your brains on the best ways I could begin to make improvements to the estate, once all of this is resolved.'

Mr Darcy looked a little surprised, but then replied, 'I would be honoured to be of assistance, sir.'

Once Colonel Fitzwilliam arrives, Mr Bingley asked the footman to bring Mr Collins to them.

Once the door was closed, they decided amongst themselves that Mr Bennet and Mr Darcy would lead the negotiation, Mr Darcy's link to his patroness being considered a major incentive for Mr Collins to comply with the request.

A short time later, Mr Collins was brought into the study once more. He was pale and appeared not to have washed or changed his clothing since the last time they had seen him. Despite all this, he attempted to look defiant.

Mr Bennet did not bother to conceal his disgust at the man, saying, 'So, Mr Collins, you have had the night to think on it. Will you now sign this agreement, or shall we call in the authorities?'

'I...' His gaze darted frantically about the room, as if to find someone sympathetic to his cause. Seeing nothing but anger, or disgust, he slumped. 'I will sign, although I do not see why I should. I will sign, but only if my cousin Lydia is made heir.'

Mr Bennet nodded and gestured to Mr Phillips. 'The contact is on the desk, and these gentlemen will witness your signature.'

Mr Collins slumped over to the desk and dropped into the chair. He read the document once more, then groped for a pen, dipped it in the ink and scribbled his name at the bottom. He dropped the pen and thrust the paperwork away from himself. 'I hope you are all satisfied now.'

Mr Phillips summoned the witnesses to add their signatures. All was now complete, apart from Mr Bennet's own and he could not help smiling as he added his signature to the document. The smile was wiped from his face when Mr Collins stood and addressed him with a greasy smile and a low bow.

'Mr Bennet, I ask your permission for the hand of your daughter, Lydia. God works in mysterious ways, it seems, and He has pointed me in this direction. I am sure you can only sanction my request, given recent events, and look forward to the closer ties between our families that such a union will bring.'

Colonel Fitzwilliam muttered an oath and started forward and Mr Darcy put a hand on his arm to restrain him, nodding to Mr Bennet as the only one to properly answer this further insult.

Mr Bennet was speechless for a full minute. When he finally found his voice, it shook with anger as he said, 'Mr Collins, you will never have my permission to marry any of my daughters and I pity any woman who does accept you.'

'B-b-but...'

'No more, Mr Collins,' replied Mr Bennet, his face near purple with emotion. 'You have had your answer and it was an unambiguous no.'

Mr Collins stammered, 'Bu-but Lady C-Catherine expects me to return with a w-wife. Mr Darcy, you know your Aunt is not to be gainsayed. I must insist I be allowed to marry one of the Miss Bennets.' He looked at each of the other men in the room in turn, pleading with them to agree with him, but they all refused to speak, Colonel Fitzwilliam even shaking his head with a look of disgust on his face.

Droop shouldered, he turned back to his cousin, and Mr Bennet said, 'Mr Collins, just one more thing.'

Mr Collins revived, a look of relief appearing on his face. 'Mr Bennet, I knew you would come to your senses…'

'If I ever see you again in this life or the next, it will be too soon.' Mr Bennet swung, his fist impacting just under the clergyman's chin, snapping his head back. He landed on the floor in an untidy sprawl at Colonel Fitzwilliam's feet. 'That was for Lydia.'

Mr Bingley called for the butler and footmen, 'Please escort Mr Collins back to his room.'

'Yes, get this mess out of my sight,' muttered Mr Bennet, shaking his hand to ease the ache.

Mr Bingley gestured to the open-mouthed footmen, who hauled Mr Collins to his feet and half-dragged him from the room. The butler followed, closing the door behind him, as he left.

The silence was broken by Mr Darcy, 'Mr Bennet, may I congratulate you on that tidy blow. That is the second time a Bennet has knocked him on his backside.'

'The second Bennet?'

'You were not there when Miss Elizabeth slapped him from his chair. It was most impressive and the hand print lasted a full half hour,' said the Colonel.

Mr Bennet laughed. 'I would expect nothing less from my Lizzy.'

'Is your hand well?'

Mr Bennet nodded, his face gradually assuming its normal shade.

'I cannot believe the gall of that creature,' sputtered Mr Bingley, gesturing at the door.

'He saw it as the only way to retain his inheritance, I presume,' Mr Darcy commented. 'If Miss Lydia becomes the heir, and he is married to her, he regains Longbourn as his inheritance.'

'Over my dead body, and even when that comes to pass, it will never be. Brother, amend my will to say that Lydia is heir to Longbourn as we discussed, but add that if she marries without the permission of either you or I, Mr Gardiner, or if you or I, or Gardiner are no longer living, my two eldest daughters and their husbands, if they be married, Longbourn goes to the eldest unmarried daughter. If all are married, then it goes to a grandson, whichever of my daughters has the oldest second son. If I die before the heir is of age, it shall be held in trust and managed by Mr Gardiner, Mr Bingley - once he marries my Jane - and whoever my Lizzy marries. Finally, Mr Collins is never to inherit Longbourn, either directly or by marriage.'

'I will amend it as requested and bring the new will for signing to Longbourn. I first need to register the dissolving of Longbourn's entail with the appropriate authority.'

'Is it possible to legally sever any familial ties with Mr Collins?'

'I will look into it for you, Bennet.'

'Gentlemen, I do not want the terms of my new will being spread around the neighbourhood, it will attract the worst sort of fortune hunter, no doubt. Mr Wickham comes immediately to mind… along with a whole regiment of impecunious red coats who would only be interested in gaining an estate. I would be grateful if this discussion were to be kept between us. I will inform my family of the broken entail once we are all together again at Longbourn, but I will not be informing them who is the heir until it becomes necessary.'

'I have no issues with keeping this matter secret,' said Mr Darcy, 'I have one stipulation though. When you tell your daughters, I would wish that you tell them you or Mr Phillips came up with the idea of breaking the entail, and not mention that I was involved,' said Mr Darcy.

Mr Bennet's brow furrowed. 'Is there a reason you would not want your share of the credit for this?'

Mr Darcy glanced at the others in the room and looked uncomfortable. 'There is, but I would prefer to explain privately.'

'That can be arranged, cousin,' said the Colonel with a huge grin. 'If everyone apart from Darcy and Mr Bennet would care to come with me to the drawing room…?'

Once the room was cleared, Mr Bennet looked at Mr Darcy with a raised eyebrow. 'So, Mr Darcy, what is so delicate that you need privacy to explain it to me?'

'I… Well…' He rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced.

'Come now, man. It can't be that difficult to say?'

'Very well. I am in love with your daughter, Miss Elizabeth. Her opinion of me is not… high, however. I wish to change that but would prefer, if she does indeed change her opinion, that it not be from gratitude.'

'I have to say some of what you say is not a surprise.' At Mr Darcy's sudden look, Mr Bennet said, 'I have noticed the way you look at her. I see that I need to speak with her.'

'Please, sir, let things go on as they are without any interference. I suspect if she is pushed one way she will push right back.'

'You are quite right, she is stubborn. I do not mean to interfere, but I would wish to discover her current thoughts about you. She was very angry and upset after the Assembly, despite the fact she chose to laugh publicly about your comments. If she is still set against you, I will have to ask that you desist with your suit.' He held up a hand at Mr Darcy's sudden movement in protest, 'Not forever, be calm, but only until other issues are resolved. She has a lot on her mind at present, most especially with worry about Lydia and her mother. I know my daughter, Mr Darcy, and I can see the strain in her eyes, the toll this is all taking on her – not that she would ever admit to it. I simply do not wish anyone to add to her burden. I would not have her broken.'

Mr Darcy nodded, looking a little downcast. 'Very well, sir. I will continue being a friend to her, and will provide support whenever I can, until I hear from you.'

'It is difficult you know, trying to behave normally so that none of my family become suspicious, when all I want to do is rage and beat that animal to a pulp. Even with those who know what happened, I am downplaying the event, so they do not succumb to more remorse than they already feel. Lizzy, especially, would pile more guilt on her own head, as Lydia was in her care.' He shook his head, sorrow evident in his eyes.

Mr Darcy held out a hand, and in silent understanding they shook on their agreement.

A/N: I'd originally written as far as Wickhams return from London (there was no Kitty/Wickham storyline), and had several scrappy unconnected scenes written (including the broken entail discussions, the talk with Wickham at the barracks, Caroline's comeuppance, Mrs Hurst death and Lydia's courses arriving) but I wasn't sure exactly where to go next. Then an idea for another story popped into my head and would not let go, so I just had to write it - this became the Christmas Carol crossover. Still, it gave my mind a break and time to percolate ideas.

So, I decided to start posting the story on here - after rereading and editing as I uploaded each chapter - for three reasons. 1: to see if anyone was interested in reading it - and thank you so much to everyone that did, I am flabbergasted actually; 2: hoping that anyone who did read it would point out bits that were not working for them for whatever reason, so thanks again for those who did just that; and 3: to hopefully prod my mind into letting my fingers write the rest of it.

As you can see, I have managed to find a pathway through and now know what comes next, (including the arrival of Lady C at some point, but not in her usual exhausting manner), so a new chapter should be along soon. It will be in the New Year though, as I'm taking a break from uploading over the holiday period. I'll still be writing and it will give me time to organise the story line the way I want it (I usually write scenes out of order and then slot those I write later into the appropriate spots).

For those that think I was too cruel, I was already in two minds about the situation with Lydia and Mr Collins, but I thought that to have him simply found in her room would probably not be serious enough to terrify him into signing the contract that costs him his future inheritance, so in the end it had to stay - for now anyway. He has more woe to come in the future, so there's no way he's getting off lightly.

I hope those of you that celebrate this time of year, find the enjoyment and/or peace you are looking for.