Thanks for all your feedback. It seems that I will have to tweak my story to ensure nobody thinks that Henry is a potential rapist rather than an opportunist.
I hope you enjoy…
~MoL~
Respect and Rescue
The sisters returned to Longbourn and were welcomed with all the warmth for which they could have hoped.
At the earliest opportunity, Darcy had a private conversation with Collins, where he bluntly stated, 'I have requested a courtship from Miss Elizabeth, and she has accepted.'
Darcy was astounded when Collins merely smiled and said, 'Congratulations. What took you so long?'
'You knew?'
'Only a blind man could have missed your interest.'
'You have no objections?'
'Why should I? I know that you are an honourable man and despite being a few months shy of her majority, Elizabeth is an intelligent adult who can make her own decisions. I hope that if you two decide to get married, you will be very happy.'
Darcy smiled and gratefully thought that this interview had gone better than he had feared. When Collins held out his hand for him to shake, he grasped the proffered hand and said, 'If Miss Elizabeth agrees to be my wife, I shall be pleased to have you as family.
~MoL~
While Darcy was speaking to Collins, Mrs Bennet asked if anything exciting had happened while they were at Netherfield.
Elizabeth contemplated leaving her mother in suspense but seeing the eager smile she could not hold back her news. 'Mr Darcy requested a courtship… and I have accepted.'
Mrs Bennet was ecstatic for her daughter. 'Just think how delightfully situated you shall be and with such a handsome husband.'
'Mama, we are only courting,' Elizabeth reminded her mother.
'Surely that is just a formality. The way that young man has been looking at you, there can be no doubt that he greatly admires you.' Mrs Bennet patted Elizabeth's hand. 'It is fortunate that you enjoy traipsing all over the countryside. With an estate as large as Pemberley is reputed to be, you shall be rather busy visiting all those tenants.'
At seeing Elizabeth surprised expression Mrs Bennet smiled in a very Lizzy-like manner and pressing a hand to her heart, exclaimed, 'Oh, my sweetest Lizzy! How rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! I am so pleased — so happy. Such a charming man! So handsome! So tall! Oh, my dear Lizzy! A house in town! Everything that is charming! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me? I shall go distracted!'
Mrs Bennet broke into happy giggles reminiscent of her youngest daughters. 'My dear girl, was that the performance you expected?'
Elizabeth did not have to answer as her expression did it for her.
Her mother sighed and squeezed her hand. 'Two years ago, you would have been correct. But now you girls now have respectable dowries, and I have a most excellent dower house. I am not so concerned about money as long as all my girls are happy and comfortable. I hope I too have learnt something of decorum, as well as being the mistress of an estate.'
In a lightening change of topic Mrs Bennet complained, 'Although I do hope that our cousin will stop dragging his feet and marry Charlotte Lucas. I cannot wait to hand those duties over to someone younger, who will enjoy them.'
~MoL~
Darcy and Collins were heading towards the parlour when Mrs Bennet could be heard loud and clear since the door to that room was not as stout as the one to the library.
They were just in time to witness the lady's effusions about pin-money and jewels.
On hearing this, Darcy's mien darkened, and he prepared to either storm into the parlour or out of the house. He could not have said which. He simply wanted to get away from the situation so very familiar to him.
Before he could move, he felt a restraining hand on his arm, and, with a shake of his head, Collins said quietly, 'Wait.'
Listening to the rest of the conversation, the tension went out of Darcy, until at the very end he grinned at the sudden chagrin sported by Collins.
'Miss Lucas?' Darcy asked quietly.
Collins, still looking uncomfortable, answered in the same way, 'I was waiting for the right time.'
'Of course.'
~MoL~
Darcy called at Longbourn on a daily basis over the next few weeks.
He usually spent the afternoons instructing Bingley on estate matters, as the young man could not get used to country hours. Despite his inability to rise early, slowly but surely Bingley did grasp the demands of estate administration.
That situation left Darcy's mornings to be more agreeably engaged with Elizabeth. When the weather was inclement, they stayed inside, and he discovered that Elizabeth could hold her own in a game of chess as well as conversation.
The first time Darcy lost a game to Elizabeth, he shook his head as he said, 'I should have known that you learnt to play chess. I have had few opponents of your skill. I shall look forward to many a pleasant evening at Pemberley when I can match wits with you.'
Elizabeth had been a little concerned about Darcy's potential reaction. In her experience, and her mother's often repeated lament, most gentlemen did not like intelligent ladies, at least not overtly so. The fact that Darcy had reacted with perfect equanimity to her win gave her great hopes for their future felicity… if a match should come to be.
On days when the weather was pleasant, they went for walks, indifferently chaperoned by none other than William Collins and Charlotte Lucas, cheerfully encouraged by Mrs Bennet.
~MoL~
After the conversation with Darcy, Collins had decided that it was indeed time he stopped procrastinating.
In the early days of his residency at Longbourn, he had been busy learning about his estate and repairing years of Bennet's neglect. He had too much to do to concern himself with other matters. But the repairs had been completed, the estate was well on its way to becoming more profitable than it had been in years, if not decades, and he was accepted by his neighbours. In addition, the ladies in his care were ready, or nearly so, to leave Longbourn.
He had therefore suggested a walk the first time Miss Lucas had come to visit after Darcy's challenge. Collins had thought it advisable to keep matters between them to ensure her parents would not put any undue pressure on her decisions.
They walked in silence for a while and Charlotte was getting nervous. She thought that they had become good friends and was hoping that they might be more. Yet never before had they had any trouble conversing. She wondered, was his reticence due to him wanting to let her know privately that she had been making a fool of herself because he had developed an interest in someone else?
While Charlotte could quite understand that he would want someone more beautiful, such as Jane, the idea inexplicably hurt. She was so lost in her worries that she almost missed his first words.
'Miss Lucas, I have come to greatly esteem you. Your intelligence, kindness and support have been invaluable to me since I arrived at Longbourn. I believe we have become good friends, and I would like to see if this friendship could develop into something more… if that is agreeable to you,' Collins asked nervously.
Charlotte could not suppress the beaming smile which more than words expressed her happiness. 'Mr Collins, let me understand this rightly. Are you asking me for a courtship?'
'That was indeed my intention, with a view to our eventual marriage. My apologies that I had not made that clear. It is my hope that in time you would be able to reciprocate my feelings for you.'
Charlotte stopped and faced him, suddenly feeling uncertain. Searching his face she asked, 'You have feelings for me? But I am… a plain spinster.'
'You are not plain, and I am exceedingly pleased that you are not married. If you were, I would not be able to court you.'
'But what about Mrs Bennet?'
'She already has a husband, even if he is absent,' Collins could not resist a tease to lighten her pensive mood.
'That is not what I meant, and you know it,' huffed Charlotte, although she could not help but be amused. 'I am concerned how she will feel as she has been the mistress of Longbourn for more than two decades.'
'You are concerned that she will be put out if you were to supplant her as mistress of Longbourn?'
'Indeed. She is the mother of my dearest friend, and I would not wish to slight her, but you cannot have two mistresses in charge of an estate.'
'Have you not noticed how pleased Mrs Bennet is with the dower house?'
'Yes, but that does not signify. Knowing she has security for the future is one thing, but that does not mean that she would appreciate being supplanted in her current role.'
Collins grinned as he had been amused to see the change in Mrs Bennet. 'I must point out that the lady has gone from clinging to her position as mistress of the estate to wanting someone else to take over. Ever since she has taken on the full duties, she can hardly wait to be gone.'
Collins took Charlotte's hands. 'But I did not wish to speak about Mrs Bennet. Changing the subject will not avail you again. I mean for you to give me an answer. Will you allow me to court you?'
Charlotte looked up into his eyes and could only detect sincerity. She took a deep breath and said firmly, 'I would be delighted to enter into a courtship with you.'
When Collins raised her hands to his lips, her smile returned in full force, causing him to hope it would not be too long before he could ask the next question.
~MoL~
Colonel Forster had taken Elizabeth's teasing about a ball to heart and hired the assembly hall for a dance to which all the leading citizens of the area and their families were invited.
While it was not the most elegant affair, the lack of decorations was made up by the number of officers willing to partner the local ladies.
Darcy and Collins had ensured that they would have the first and last sets by requesting them ahead of time from their respective ladies.
Colonel Forster was pleased that rank had its privileged and he secured the first set from Jane. They were leading the line and for once the floor was quite crowded.
~MoL~
Kitty looked around frantically for any member of her family or close friends.
She had allowed her friend Maria Lucas to convince her to attend the ball since she had managed quite well all the last few functions she had attended, where everyone had been gently supporting her.
Kitty had enjoyed her dances with John Lucas but when she had a coughing fit just as the set ended, he had urged her to take a seat while he fetched her a drink. When he did not return, and feeling somewhat better, Kitty decided to look for her family or friends.
She had taken only a few steps when she was stopped by Lieutenant Pratt, who requested her next set.
Other than having been briefly introduced at Lucas Lodge, Kitty did not know him and felt uncomfortable in his presence. She therefore replied nervously, 'I am sorry, Lieutenant, but I do not feel well and was on my way to join my sisters.'
'You look quite well to me, Miss Kitty. Surely a dance with me would set you to rights in no time.' He smiled in what he thought was a charmingly roguish manner.
'I truly do not feel well enough to dance,' Kitty reiterated and tried to step around him, but he was to quick and blocked her way.
'Now, Miss Kitty, that is not a very friendly way to treat me,' Pratt admonished her. He had thought Kitty to be a pretty little thing on those couple of occasions he had seen her but had not had a chance to do more than greet her. Tonight was not an opportunity he was going to miss to overwhelm her with his charm.
He reached out to grab her wrist to pull her to the dancefloor when suddenly Charles Bingley stepped between them, holding out a glass of wine to Kitty.
'My most abject apologies for my tardiness, Miss Catherine. There was quite a crush at the refreshment table. Shall I escort you to your guardian?' he asked with a bland smile and a wink which the Lieutenant could not see. When Kitty took the wine, he offered his arm.
'Thank you, Mr Bingley. I had quite given up on you and was just on my way to join my family,' she said with a relieved smile and promptly took Bingley's arm. As Bingley led her away from Pratt, she said over her shoulder, 'Goodbye, Lieutenant.' Nobody would be able to fault her manners.
They were halfway across the room when Kitty, after a quick glance behind them to ensure Lieutenant Pratt was not there to overhear, said, 'Thank you for your timely recue, Mr Bingley. How did you know that I needed assistance?'
'I was just passing by to take this wine to my sister when I heard that cad importuning you.' He gave her a lopsided smile. 'I may not be much of a gentleman, but I object to any man who refused to take no for an answer.'
'Mr Bingley, you may not be a landed gentleman, but with this attitude you are more of one than some who claim the title.'
As they reached Collins who was standing with Charlotte and Jane, Kitty said, 'Thank you again for your assistance, Mr Bingley. I shall be fine with Jane.' She held out the glass to him. 'Perhaps you should take this to your sister. I believe she has waited long enough for her wine,' she said with a small smile.
'I can get her another one,' Bingley offered.
'I am sure you could, but you see, I do not particularly like wine.'
'In that case, I shall relieve you of your burden,' he said with a bow taking the glass, and with a cheery smile went to look for Miss Bingley.
Jane and her companions watched the interaction with curiosity. When Bingley had gone, in response to Jane's question, 'What happened? Why did you need Mr Bingley's assistance?' Kitty related the incident.
Collins looked into the direction where Bingley had gone and mused, 'It seems there is hope for him yet.'
~MoL~
~MoL~
Master of Longbourn (working title) by Sydney Salier, Copyright © 2023