Chapter 3

The next day was busy yet boring. I subjected myself to working on my dress, and managed to finish most of it. It would pass as a regular dress if I wore an apron over it. Other than the sewing, I didn't do much else. I didn't feel like attempting a rematch with the animals though as the pig was fat and the donkey had plenty of hay. They would survive.

Darcy arrived home early because of the guests we would be having over for dinner. When he arrived I was just starting to prepare the meal. It would be simple: beef, potatoes, and the spring peas that were just coming in. Neither Darcy or I said a word until the Collins arrived.

We both looked toward the open door as the sound of an approaching wagon reached us. Darcy's expression was that of annoyance and resignation. He quickly smoothed it into his regular uninterested, haughty look. I was momentarily startled as it was the most expression I'd ever seen on his face.

Darcy rose and walked out onto the porch as a wagon pulled up. A short man jumped down from the wagon and helped the lady down.

"Darcy!" The man said as the couple walked to the porch. "How good to see you again." His wife just smiled and nodded to Darcy politely.

"Likewise, Mr. Collins," Darcy said with a nod. He ushered them into the house. I rose from the table and slipped over to stand by the wall, trying not to be seen. It was no use though.

"Lizzy," Darcy said, turning and finding me immediately. "This is Mr. Collins, he runs the local rectory. And this is his wife, Mrs. Collins." Darcy introduced us, "This is Lizzie, the indentured servant Fitzwilliam purchased for me."

I felt my temper spike at Darcy's careless reference of me, as if I was just an item to buy and own. He was so full of himself, it made my blood boil.

Collins turned to me and bowed, and his wife dipped her head and smiled at me. I curtsied in return.

"So how are you enjoying life here, Lizzy?" Collins asked.

"As much as an indentured servant would be expected to," I replied curtly, but my open rudeness seemed to go right over the man's head.

"Fine, fine! Well it is a lovely piece of land here, although not nearly as nice as the garden surrounding our home and the rectory. Much of that is due to the fact that it is on the Lady Catherine de Bourgh's land of course."

"I think that we ought to sit at the table before the dinner becomes cold," Darcy interrupted Collins little speech. Mrs. Collins just smiled politely and I was beginning to wonder if Mr. Collins was like this all the time. I would soon get my answer over dinner, unfortunately.

The meal was quiet at first, the silence only being broken by the clinking of silverware and Georgie's noisy attempts at eating properly.

"What fine boiled potatoes," Mr. Collins said, causing myself and Mrs. Collins to jump a little at the suddenness of the comment. "It has been many years since I have tasted such an exemplary vegetable. You should indeed give the recipe to my wife, as she is in need of it I would think."

I stared at the man as I tried to collect my reeling thoughts. In one breath he had made a very unneeded remark, complimented me, and insulted his wife's cooking. Mrs. Collins merely turned a light shade of pink and continued eating. Darcy didn't even look fazed.

"I trust you have heard of the Lady Catherine de Bourgh?" Mr. Collins asked, addressing me. It was awkward timing as my mouth was full so I just shook my head.

"Well, I would not think so as you have only just moved here. My esteemed patronage the Lady Catherine de Bourgh has been very generous to me over the years. My small rectory ebucks her estate, and she often drives by in her little phaeton and ponies. She and her daughter, Anne, live at Rosings Gardens, which is a fine estate. They are originally from England, but then again, only the best are, you know."

He returned to eating for a few moments before he opened his mouth again and was about to launch into another speech when Darcy interrupted again.

"And how are you enjoying being the mistress of the rectory, Mrs. Collins?"

Mrs. Collins seemed as relieved as I was at the question. "Oh, I am enjoying it very much. It is such a small house and garden and so pretty, not difficult at all to keep in order." Mrs. Collins had a very pleasant way of speaking I noticed, quite the contrast to her husband.

Darcy managed to keep the conversation going lightly. He allowed Collins to speak, but kept him from monologuing. Mrs. Collins asked me a few questions, which I answered, but other than that kept silent. After the meal Mr. Collins and Darcy disappeared to the back of the sitting room. Mrs. Collins took Georgie out of her high chair and managed to keep her amused while at the same time helping me with the dishes. We chatted lightly, and I found her to be a nice woman, and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind or ask questions, but she had much more tact than her husband.

After the dishes were finished we went outside to the front lawn and continued to keep Georgie amused. She was thrilled with the attention, and took full advantage of it, making us play dolls and constantly making us run after her. While Georgie was running around the house, a button popped off of her dress and I didn't notice it until we were back in the front lawn. Mrs. Collins, who had given me permission to call Charlotte, kept Georgie occupied while I went in search of the missing button.

I walked slowly, combing the grass around the house. I found the button under the window of the sitting room, and as I bent to pick it up I could hear Darcy and Mr. Collins talking inside.

"It just is not proper Darcy. You are out here alone, living with an unmarried woman," Collins was saying.

"I do not see what business it is of yours," Darcy replied, his tone sharp.

"It may not be my business, but propriety must prevail. It is not right in the eyes of God and what will the neighbors think?" Collins argued.

All thoughts of going back to give Georgie her button had been completely forgotten. I stayed crouched under the window, frozen and listening.

"What of her character, though? I do not wish my wife to be stupid, and is she even fit to be married?" Darcy challenged.

"What do you mean?"

"She doesn't even know how to feed a pig or donkey without letting them escape. And the dress she arrived in, she's nothing more than a common whore. You would have me marry that? Not to mention her manner of speaking, and that she isn't the most attractive of women."

I was shocked, how any person could be that shallow was still completely beyond me.

"This is all true, but for propriety's sake you don't have much of a choice, Darcy," Collins tried to reason.

Darcy sighed, then. "I'll think about it, and give you my answer tomorrow."

"I'll come by for it, if the answer is yes then we will have to do it as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes. I only said that I would think about it," Darcy said, irritation seeping into his voice.

I clutched the button in my fist and darted back to the front lawn, wishing that I had dreamed that whole conversation. Marry Darcy. Marry. Darcy. The two words didn't even belong in the same sentence, the same thought, or conversation! I realized that I had to pretend that I hadn't heard it though, so I plastered on a smile and rounded the corner of the house toward Charlotte and Georgie.

"Found it!" I said, holding up the button. I handed it to Georgie just as Collins and Darcy came out of the house.

"Come Charlotte! We must get started if we want to get home before it gets dark," Collins called to his wife.

Goodbyes and thank-you-for-comings were exchanged, and then they were gone. I turned to look at Darcy, and all the rage that I had kept down came flooding to the surface. I quickly turned and walked into the house.

For a while, Darcy stayed at his desk in the sitting room and I tried to finish my dress in the kitchen. Georgie toddled between the two rooms, chatting the whole way. She eventually sat down on the rug in front of the fireplace and fell asleep there. When she did, Darcy came into the kitchen.

Darcy seemed extremely uncomfortable as he began to speak. "I was talking with Collins after dinner, and I think that, for the sake of propriety... you and I should get married." He said all of this while facing the front window, away from me. He then turned to gauge my reaction.

"Why would you want to marry me? I'm obviously too stupid a whore to even know how to feed the livestock correctly," I bit back, but tried to keep my voice innocent.

Darcy started and turned to face me completely. "Well then consider it a marriage of convenience then."

"At whose convenience, mine or yours? Because I assure you, Mr. Darcy, nothing about this arrangement has been convenient for me in the least," I said angrily, all pretense of being polite dropped.

"And what, may I ask, would be so bad about marrying me? It would secure you a solid future, not to mention that this is probably the only offer of marriage you will ever receive," he said, just as angrily.

"From the first moment I saw you, your arrogance and conceit and disdain for the feelings of others made you the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon to marry." We were now both standing face to face.

"Thank you for making your opinion of me so clear," Darcy said.

"Likewise," I replied, and turned to sit back down at my dress.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. Darcy went back to his desk and I didn't see him again for the rest of the evening. Once it got dark, I put Georgie to bed, and then fell into bed myself. I lay there for quite some time though, thinking about everything that had happened that day. Marry Darcy? Be stuck to him more legally and morally than just a bill of sale? The idea made me want to vomit. On the other hand, he was right about it securing my future. My thoughts were still an unsolved jumble when I finally drifted off to sleep.

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