Chapter 27

"Is this really necessary?" Collins asked as he sat atop their horse, Mustard.

"Yes," Elizabeth reassured, watching the groom lead the horse by the reins as her husband gripped the pommel so hard his knuckles were turning white. "You must relax, do not squeeze with your legs so sight. Mustard will be more comfortable if you are relaxed."

The horse whinnied and threw backs its mane, causing Collins to scream out. The groom calmed the horse down, and the lesson resumed. Elizabeth looked on in some amusement, though she was doing this for his own good. Who ever heard of a country squire not knowing how to ride a horse?

"Once you can ride we can inspect Longbourn's lands much faster."

After a quarter of an hour Elizabeth felt her husband had suffered enough, and she motioned for the groom to help him down. Collins walked to her with knees bowed, but smiling none the less.

"How did I do?" He asked.

"Very well, indeed." Elizabeth smiled, allowed him to kiss her cheek, and together they walked back home.

When Mr. Collins returned from Hunsford Elizabeth wasted no time in informing her husband of the straits Longbourn was in. She reassured him that they were far from living as paupers, but that with some better management they could bring in close to 200 pounds more. She explained a neighboring farm was owned by a simple farmer who was getting on in years and had no wife or children to inherit. If they raised enough capitol they could offer to purchase his land with the condition he could remain in his little cottage rent free until the day he died.

Collins was astonished at his wife's knowledge and her goals, as she called them. Was it right for women to do that which fell under the purview of men?

"Elizabeth I was a woman and ruled all of England," Elizabeth countered, and unable to provide a rebuttal, Collins remained silent.

The months passed and Elizabeth had heard very little about the Darcy's, except what she read in the London Times. She longed to know whether he was feeling better, hoped he had found some happiness in his life. Miss Darcy was still single, and much talked about as becoming a very sought after friend during her time in London, and a also of being a paragon of fashion.

The weather turned cold and the goals Elizabeth had for her first months at Longbourn were realized. She managed to restrict her Mother's and Lydia's spending strictly to that which her dowry brought in, refusing to budge even a little bit. The roofs of the tenant farmers' dwellings were repaired in time for the rains, and money was being saved for the purchase of more land.

Little Will was walking and babbling at whomever would care to listen to him. Mrs. Bennet took quite the shine to her grandson, always referring to him as "Young Master William." Lydia didn't care much for her nephew, especially after her threw up on her. Mary was the only Bennet who seemed to sink into the shadows and one night as the house was retiring for the night, Elizabeth saw the light on in Mary's room. She placed her head to the door and thought she heard muffled crying.

"Mary," Elizabeth called through the door. A sudden pause, then a scrambling and Mary opened her door.

At once Elizabeth could tell she had been crying by her red eyes and puffy face.

"My dear, whatever is the matter?" She asked, entering the room and ushering Mary to sit on the bed where she joined her.

"I do not know," she whispered, clasping and unclasping her hands.

"Is this about Father?"

Mary shrugged her shoulders, "I do not know. I simply am sad."

"There, there," Elizabeth took Mary in her arms and let her silently cry on her shoulder.

"Sometimes," Mary said between sobs, "I think I shall shrivel up and die right here in this bed."

Elizabeth pulled away so that she could look into her sisters eyes, "What makes you think that?"

Mary groaned. Did she really have to spell it out for her sister? "I am not pretty like Jane, or clever like you. I'm not as jovial as Kitty or Lydia. Jane even preferred Kitty to me!"

Elizabeth felt shame. She should have at least convinced Jane to take Mary along with Kitty. It truly was unfair that Mary should have been left behind, as if her feelings didn't matter. Elizabeth rocked her sister until tiredness overtook her. She gently laid her in the bed and blew out the candle.

There must be something I can do. She thought to herself as she retired for the night.