Below find summaries/shorts for a Collins is the Boss of Lady Catherine. They were inspired by the following message I received from Jansfamily4 and this is posted with her permission: "I had to tell you about a dream that I just had! Just think about this...I was telling two friends about a FF book that I was reading. Lady C had to marry Mr Collins to keep her money and Rosings. I woke up and thought about you! Don't ask me how this happens, but I bet no one else has come up with this idea. Maybe it's one of those dumb stories where she wakes up and it's just a dream. Or, in this case, a nightmare. I just had the thought, what if Collins (before he married anyone, of course),...ACTS as if he will be her husband soon. Very proud and bossy to her. Anyway, you are who I am sharing this thought with." I tried to talk Jan into posting her own short (as I have before when she has told me ideas she has) and provided three possible ways this could work, but declined to write this story myself because as I told Jan, I have three WIPs; I also mentioned that if she didn't want to write it, maybe someone else would. She liked my prompts but told me again that she is a reader and not a writer, but thought it was a good idea to throw these ideas out if anyone is so inclined. That is how we got here.
BTW, for any of you young people, "Who's the Boss?" is the title of an 80's sitcom in which Tony (played by Tony Danza) takes a job as a housekeeper for Angela, a successful ad executive divorcee (played by Judith Light). Samantha (played by Alyssa Milano) is Tony's feisty daughter and Tony serves in a stay-at-home fatherly role to his daughter and Angela's son. It is a pretty silly show, but I thought the title worked here.
Who's the Boss?
(1) Collins has done his research and is scary smart. He acts the obsequious buffoon to gain the living from Lady C, with the sole purpose of compromising Anne to get her inheritance as he knows that she is the heiress of Rosings. But something goes terribly wrong and he accidentally compromises Lady C instead in a very public way that necessitates their marriage if Lady C. doesn't want her daughter to be tainted by association. He is angry that he won't get Rosings in the end, but lords it over Lady C. to humiliate her because he is determined to live it up while he can.
(2) Collins is the product of Mr. de Bourgh's first wife (the one he never told Lady Catherine about). He comes to Rosings with proof and as the new master of Rosings enjoys lording it over Lady Catherine. She is forced to obey him or will be exiled from Rosings. He is actually very kind to Anne, and becomes a true brother to her.
(3) Collins is a tool who is used by Wickham. Wickham decides he will make his fortune by marrying Anne (they've secretly been exchanging letters but she does not have the guts to elope with him). Wickham needs to get Lady Catherine out of the way. He convinces Collins that Lady Catherine needs to be taken in hand because her bossy actions are an affront to God (she is not an appropriate, meek God-fearing woman), and to save her soul, Collins needs to marry her. At a service, Collins tells the whole congregation that he and Lady Catherine are engaged, and when in a rage she runs forward to confront him, he seizes her and lays a big kiss on her in front of everyone while grabbing her in a way that will not let her escape. She is angry, but knows she really has no choice but to marry Collins or lose all face and condemn Anne. He enjoys living it up and bossing her around, and taking charge of Rosings (and perhaps in the bedroom, too). Because he is now in charge, Anne approaches him about marrying Wickham. Collins scolds her that if someone wants to marry her, that such a man must talk with him. For once Collins is smart and talks the whole matter over with Lady C. Together, they must work to keep Anne safe and in the process Lady Catherine gains a grudging respect for her husband and their marriage becomes one in which they can both be reasonably happy.
A/N: Now it's your turn. Take up one of these prompts or invent your own for a "Who's the Boss?" Collins/Lady Catherine pairing. Short or long, we want to read it. For a short summary, go ahead and post it in the comments; for an actual story, post your own story and mention the "Who's the Boss?" prompt.