The family rose late and separately, the morning following the ball. As each member descended, they entered the morning room and sat around the table breaking their fast near silently as more of the family made their way downstairs. As the last of them took their place, Mary stole a glance at Elizabeth before carefully picking up her teacup. Her eyes remained fixed on the tabletop as she gathered up her courage.
"Mr Collins," she said breaking the quietude of the breakfast table, for even the loquacious Mrs Bennett had said no more than necessary.
Mr Collins looked startled to be addressed.
"I was wondering, sir, if you would be interested in accompanying me after breakfast? I am to the Reverend's house with the poor basket. He was not present at the ball last night, and I do not believe that you have had the opportunity to speak to him. For myself, I would be happy to make the introduction. The Reverend Rufford had promised to look up a point of theology we were discussing a few days previous. Perhaps you might be interested in joining our discussion?"
Mr Collins gaped for a moment before casting a look around the table. Upon catching his look, Mr Bennet stirred himself.
"Be not afraid I shall prevent you from accompanying Mary sir. I should not stand in the way of two men of the cloth's discourse over scripture. If Mary is happy to make the introduction."
Mary inclined her head to her father before turning expectantly back to Mr Collins.
"I would be most gratified to make to make his acquaintance. You are all kindness cousin Mary. Your charity is to be commended. My patroness, the great Lady Catherine would indeed praise you for your condescension to those of lower standing, for she believes, most ardently, in the preservation of the distinction of rank."
Mary blinked and nodded. Jane then spoke up. "Elizabeth and I shall accompany you to the parsonage I have a jar of tincture to give Mrs Abbot for young Jenny."
The small party readied themselves for the walk and set off with Mary and Mr Collins leading the way. Mary holding the basket of work to be distributed to the poor. Jane and Elizabeth followed at a small distance, enough that a lower volume of conversion could not be easily heard.
"Oh, Jane, I wish Mary did not have this idea in her head. He is insufferable. He has not even offered to carry her basket for all that it is no burden. A man such as him? Mary would be a fool indeed to accept him."
"If she feels something for him. No Lizzy, if she does or, can, why should she not make the match? It is not for you she should choose a husband."
"No of course not, but Jane," Elizabeth gestured toward the couple walking in front of them. Mr Collins was clearly lecturing on some point, barely pausing to allow his companion to join the conversation.
"There are few enough that look at her and Mama will not promote her over Kitty or Lydia, and we are not yet married," Jane answered watching the couple.
"There are better men than Mr Collins to be found. You are courting now, and if that goes well for you and Mr Bingley, I shall write to our Aunt and ask that Mary take your place when we visit. I shall take on more with our cousins so that Mary might have the advantage of Aunt Gardiner's wisdom.
"Lizzy! Mary might not wish to go. You are becoming very autocratic, and while you mean well, should you not discuss any and all of this with Mary?"
"I shall," Lizzy assured her sister. "But why would she not wish to go? There are soirees we could attend, some of the music evenings must be more comfortable to participate in than a round of balls, and Mary only needs to get over her initial shyness. She can rattle on about music for hours, I just need to find her an eager young man."
"Lizzy!"
"Better my machinations than a lifetime of the officious Lady Catherine. Every woman should have the privilege of running her own home, and Mr Collins had already proven himself in her thrall."
"Mary seems to wish to discover if he is suitable and I wish you would not put either off. If she likes him well enough, she will need our support to help with Mama."
"And Papa," Lizzy added darkly. "He shall not think highly of her if she should choose him."
"Papa will let her if it is what she wishes. She will receive no more censure from him than she usually does."
Lizzy sighed but let the topic drop between them. They caught up with Mr Collins and Mary as they waited by the gate to the Parsonage.
"Shall we call for you on our way back?" Jane asked Mary. "We shall be no more than an hour I should think."
Mary nodded in agreement before wishing her sisters well and letting herself through the gate as Mr Collins showed no inclination to open it for her.
Jane and Elizabeth lingered with Mrs Abbot engaging her in conversation about her family and their health and playing with the two youngest. Finally, they took their leave and slowly returned to the parsonage. The maid showed them to the parlour where Mary, Mr Collins and the Revered Rufford were sat.
The arrival of the two eldest Bennet was received with an air of relief by both the Revered and Mary causing Elizabeth to slyly glance at Mr Collins. She could discern no outward sign of his mental state so turned her attention to Mary and the Reverend Rufford. "Have you decided your point, Mary?"
Mary's eyes tightened slightly. "The Reverend was quite gracious in his explanations, and Mr Collins put forth an alternative view which we had not considered. In all, it has been quite enlightening."
"Indeed. I have always thought you are an excellent teacher Reverend, you have explained many a passage to me that I have needed clarification on. It does you credit, sir." Jane said warmly to the older gentleman.
"I am a shepherd Miss Bennet, to each of my flock I must tend. No member is more or less important."
Elizabeth glanced at the Reverend in surprise at the sharp tone and noticed his gaze was fixed firmly on Mr Collins. Perhaps she mused Mr Collins had invoked his patroness once too many times for the Reverend's liking.
"We have been at the Abbots," Elizabeth ventured in an overly bright tone. "The youngest two seem to have grown so fast."
"Yes, Miss Elizabeth," the Reverend responded, his tone once again its usual jovial warmth. "Children are wont to grow. It has not been so many years that yourself was a small child. I have had the advantage of seeing all the Bennet's grow into charming young women. If I may, I hope that I might have the opportunity of witnessing you make worthy matches. Ladies as generous to the poor with your time and skills as you are, are deserving only the best of men."
The Reverend shot another glace towards Mr Collins and Elizabeth had to bury her nose in her teacup to conceal her expression. She had no idea what Mr Collins had done to provoke the ordinarily mild-tempered Reverend. Elizabeth could not tell if Mr Collins had taken the slight as it was intended but she was thankful for it. Mary had always regarded the Reverend's opinion highly. If he didn't like Mr Collins, then perhaps Mary would consider refusing the match.
They lingered only as long as a cup of tea before making their excuses and returning to Longbourne. Mary took up her position by Mr Collins but refused to let her sisters fall behind. Instead, Mary kept them involved in a conversation that Mr Collins was blessedly silent upon.
At their return, the sisters divested themselves of their outerwear and joined their mother in the parlour where Kitty and Lydia were pouring over the latest fashion plates from the circulating library. Mr Collins hesitated in the doorway before making a choice and joined the group. Mary took up her book and buried her nose in it after exchanging an alarmed look with Elizabeth.
Elizabeth and Jane sat together and quietly discussed the likely next opportunity to see Mr Bingley after his return. So engrossed in their speculation, it was a surprise to both of them when the sound of a throat being cleared loudly drowned out their conversation.
"Mrs Bennet, I wondered if you would grant me the privilege of a private conversation with my fair cousin Elizabeth."
A pin could have been heard should it have been dropped. Elizabeth fixed her gaze on her sister. Mary for her part allowed her hurt to show on her face before stoically hiding it and shaking her head slightly at Elizabeth.
"Elizabeth?" Mrs Bennet asked. To her credit, her confusion was showing. She had apparently not missed the attention that Mary had paid Mr Collins.
"Yes indeed," Mr Collins replied sending a simpering glance at Elizabeth which she cringed back from.
"I assure you Mama that Mr Collins can have nothing to say to me. Indeed, his attention to Mary has been quite marked. I would not wish to cause a discord of sisterly affection by intruding."
Mr Collins spluttered at Elizabeth's words, his mouth gaping open and close in an unattractive manner. Elizabeth took the opportunity to continue. "Did you not accompany Mary this morning on her visits for the purpose of spending time with her? I assure you that Jane and I were certainly given the impression that you favoured Mary's attention. Is that not the case sir?"
Mr Collins gathered himself and smiled weakly. "Forgive me, Mrs Bennet, I misspoke. I do wish to speak to Miss Elizabeth but perhaps cousin Jane might stay in the room to be assured of no impropriety?"
Mrs Bennet looked more confused. "What sir, is it you need to speak to Lizzy of? If you are paying your attention to Mary, I will hope you to be constant. My girls are not to be trifled with, sir. Mr Bennett will not stand for such behaviour under his roof and nor should he."
Mr Collins looked around the room as if seeking an escape. "I meant no offence Madam to any of your lovely daughters or yourself. If perhaps it would put your mind at rest, then you would also remain?"
"Mr Collins," Elizabeth cut in. "I feel that perhaps it would be best if this situation is avoided all together least unintentional offence is given. I am sure that even your noble patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh would admit, in such a situation as this, a successful retreat to allow you to remain upon the ground you have already claimed, would be the better stratagem to follow. Do you not think so Mr Collins?"
Mr Collins nodded, almost automatically agreeing once his patroness' name had been invoked. With that Elizabeth rose from her place at the table and escaped the room. Upon her heels were Jane and Mary followed by a giggling Lydia and Kitty who upon seeing the three older sisters paused outside the door, burst out in fresh giggles and ran down the hall to the parlour.
Mary, Jane and Elizabeth exchanged confused and shocked looks. The sounds of movement in the room the had just exited had them moving down the corridor towards the still room where they could be assured of privacy and time to discuss the happenings.
"Are you well?" Jane asked of Mary as they took their places around the large work table.
"I, I hardly know," Mary replied faintly. "I did not expect any of that, I know that one evening and morning cannot be considered a great deal of time, but I thought myself quite forthright. Perhaps overly so in my encouragement. For Mr Collins to indicate his preference is still Lizzy is galling to my own vanity, but perhaps I should be unsurprised. I do not have Lizzy's wit or charm, and Mama has always believed that men prefer lively women for their wives."
"You were not very attached though were you Mary? You had only last night considered that he might be suitable."
"No, I was not very attached," Mary agreed dispiritedly. "Our time at the parsonage this morning was more illuminating on areas where Mr Collins could improve himself rather than the conversation of two people coming to an understanding. Perhaps we would not have made a good match, but I think I should have liked to be at least considered."
"He was very cruel," Elizabeth said reaching for Mary's hand. "He should not have behaved in such a way it was cruel and unkind that he disregarded your feelings in such a way."
"I do not think from his reaction, he was aware that I might have feelings to disregard," Mary corrected.
"If you still wish it, I am sure Mama could encourage him to come to the point," Jane offered gently.
"I do not. I do not think I could be happy in such a marriage. I should wish to be at least chosen first and for myself. I have that much pride."
"He did not declare why he wished to speak to Lizzy, perhaps he only wished to convey his apologies that he may have given rise to an expectation, which he would not fulfil if he were considering you Mary," Jane replied.
"Jane! Even for you, that is a stretch. I have given no indication that I am expecting his address or would welcome it. For him to ask to speak to me alone like that, no I feel that on this occasion you have it wrong," Elizabeth declared.
"Would a gentleman risk such a misunderstanding arising?" Mary asked of Jane. "Surely it is more prudent to secure the object of your affections first. If Lizzy had been open to his suit perhaps an apology might be fielded after, but before would only lead to a situation such as we have just witnessed."
Jane subsided acknowledging Mary's point. They picked over the herbs preparing them in comfortable silence broken by the door suddenly being opened.
"Girls! Here you are, how you vex me hiding away like this. Now I must speak to you." Mrs Bennet bustled into the room closing the door behind her, closing off any avenue of escape.
"What is it, Mama?" Jane asked.
"Why Mr Collins of course! I have no notion of whatever that was in the parlour but no mind. He has retreated upstairs, and I wish to speak to you girls."
"Mama," Elizabeth said. "I cannot see what there is to say. I have not encouraged him."
"That I have no doubt of Miss Lizzy! You have no notion of your duty or my poor nerves. Mr Collins intends to have one of you and with Mr Bingley quite set on Jane why should he not look at you." She sniffed eyeing her daughter. "Though you seem to think yourself above considering him." She turned to Mary. "I will speak to him, do not worry my dear I am sure that he was only confused this morning. We can get this all sorted out, and oh Mary, just think you shall be mistress of Longbourn. We are all saved."
"Mama! Why should you think Mr Collins will offer for Mary? He certainly did not give that impression, and why should Mary accept him if he does. He is a ridiculous man."
"You Miss Lizzy would do better to learn your place. When your father dies, Mr Collins can throw us into the hedgerows and then where will your vanity get you? Why would Mary refuse him? She hardly has any other prospects, and she is at least a dutiful daughter. Why she would refuse?"
"Mama, Mr Collins has no preference for me, and I have none for him. I do not wish to marry him," Mary said quietly but firmly.
"What?"
"I do not," Mary said again. "I should very much wish to marry a man who esteemed me, which Mr Collins does not. The Reverend does not approve of him either."
"The Reverend? What do I care for him? Mary you must marry him. I will have words with your father. Mr Collins will be made to come to the point and you, Mary, will accept him when he does." With that pronouncement Mrs Bennet whirled and left the room the door thumping closed smartly behind her.
"Do you think..."
"No Mary," Jane came around the table wrapping an arm around her sister's shoulders. "Mama cannot make you accept him, and she has, after all, no assurances that Mr Collins will offer."
"But..."
"No Mary," Elizabeth joined her sisters. "Papa would not make you marry where you did not wish to."
"He might not force you, but I do not think I hold that level of his regard," Mary said glumly.