Chapter 40

Before long, the Bennet ladies were ensconced in the family sitting room, their eyes drifting over the elegant yet welcoming space. It was clear that the room had been decorated long before Elizabeth's arrival at Pemberley. The furniture, though timeless and clearly of fine quality, bore the marks of repeated use—there was faint wear on the arms of chairs and slight fading on the fabric of the well-cushioned settee.

The polished wood of the tables gleamed in the light from the sun, which was pouring in from the windows that faced northeast, obviously designed for use in the morning hours. A selection of books rested on a low table, as if they had been left there when the couple left the room to greet their guests. There was a large sewing basket sitting next to an arm chair, and a tail of yarn and embroidery thread was in evidence, as though it had been tucked away hastily.

A fire crackled cheerfully in the large fireplace, filling the room with warmth and a cosy glow. On the opposite side of the room, the windows showed a faint frosting from the chilly air outside, though the heavy curtains were drawn back to let in the soft natural light while preserving the room's inviting warmth. Above the hearth hung a lovely painting, and even Mrs. Bennet seemed to recognise that the painting had been chosen well to complement the room.

Mrs. Bennet, seated stiffly at first, gradually began to relax. "It is a very fine room," she declared, adjusting her shawl as she gazed about. "Not at all what I expected of such a grand house—though, of course, I have never seen its like."

Jane smiled gently. "It feels very... lived in," she remarked. "The kind of room where one might linger, rather than simply admire. It suits you, Lizzy."

Elizabeth nodded, her expression one of fondness. "That is precisely what I thought when I first saw it. Mr. Darcy spoke of how much time his family always spent in this room. It was his parents' favourite sitting room, and it remains much as it was in their time. He suggested that I might redo it, and while I think there are a few pieces that need some care, the room is lovely as it is."

Mary, her thoughtful gaze settling on the stacks of books scattered around the room, "It is, perhaps, not what one might expect from a house so grand, but it is a very comfortable room. As Jane said, it suits you, Lizzy, and you, Mr. Darcy. Lizzy has always been a rather comfortable person to spend time with."

Elizabeth laughed at that description of herself, especially when she looked at her husband's reaction to it. "I believe many might disagree with you, Mary, at least about me. However, I agree that Pemberley is indeed grand, but my dear husband has always thought of it a home, first and foremost, and I hope to continue that impression. Georgiana first brought me to this room long ago, and it looks exactly as it did then. I adored the room then, and now, I am delighted to call it my own. I have little interest in changing it just for the sake of change."

"But you will redo other portions of the house, will you not, Lizzy?" Mrs. Bennet cried. "Did you not tell me that Mr. Darcy's mother died some years ago. The house has not had the influence of a mistress in many years." She stopped suddenly, seemingly aware of what she had said. "Oh, do forgive me, Mr. Darcy."

He waved away her apology. "Yes, my mother did pass away many years ago and the house has been without a proper mistress for above a decade. Elizabeth and I have discussed the idea of updating several of the public rooms, allowing her to leave her mark on the house, and I have encouraged her to do so in her own time. We have been too busy with other things to worry about decorations as yet, but she has done a few things within her own chambers both here and in London," Darcy said.

Wanting to take the conversation away from decorating, for while Elizabeth loved her mother, she had little desire to have her give advice on decorating. Elizabeth's mother's tastes were very different than her own and Elizabeth had little interest in having an argument with her mother about the matter.

"Tell me," she said, "was there any news from Longbourn since I left? I know the Gardiners were expected for Christmas, and while I have received letters from both them and from you, I would still like to hear about the visit."

Surprisingly, it was Mary who responded first, surprising everyone with a giggle. "Mr. Collins arrived, just as you suggested her might. Mama told Papa he had an obligation to teach his cousin how to manage the estate, reminding him how he had planned to do so when he would have married Lizzy. Before we left, he was trying to convince Mama that he ought to marry Jane, and Mama placated him. However, she had said nothing to either gentleman about our plans to leave for Pemberley, and Papa was most upset when he realised that we were leaving him along with the gentleman."

Mrs. Bennet sniffed as though she expected to be challenged. "Mr. Bennet has barely stirred himself to do anything for the estate in months. At least Mr. Collins might be able to assist in some way, but in truth, he will be the master of the estate one day. It is best that he have some sort of understanding of matters before he inherits," she muttered, waiting to have someone tell her she was incorrect.

She was surprised when both Elizabeth and Darcy laughed. "How did Mr. Bennet react to that?" Darcy asked. "Mr. Collins does not seem like a particularly diligent student, and I doubt Mr. Bennet will tolerate his particular brand of foolishness for long."

Mrs. Bennet blinked at her new son-in-law, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and disbelief. "Mr. Bennet protested our going, of course," she began, her tone laced with irritation. "But what could he do once we were in the carriage? Truly, I thought he might not even notice our departure until well after we were gone. And even if he had, I doubt he would have stirred himself to come after us. Not only that, but since Mr. Collins is not what one would call an early riser, I ensured we left long before that man even thought of stirring so he could make no protest."

Her voice rose slightly as she continued, the absurdity of the situation fueling her mounting frustration. "How that man could still think he might marry my Jane, I simply cannot comprehend. I told him in no uncertain terms that the marriage contract Mr. Bennet signed was invalid—completely invalid—since you, Lizzy, were already married when he finally did bother to show his face at Longbourn!"

She threw her hands up dramatically, the full force of her exasperation spilling over as her voice rose in pitch. "He had the nerve to suggest that he might have made a good match for you, Lizzy, had your Mr. Darcy not arrived when he did. Can you imagine? But no, it gets worse! That fool thought his patroness could somehow force you to annul your marriage, as if Mr. Darcy would just step aside. And why? So he could swoop in and marry you himself, under the preposterous guise of 'saving your reputation.' Saving your reputation, indeed!"

She paused, catching her breath, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of indignation and the sheer silliness of recounting such nonsense. "The arrogance of it all," she muttered, shaking her head. "It is a wonder Mr. Bennet ever entertained that man's presence in our home, but now he is saddled with him, and good riddance, I say. I feel no sympathy for the man who hatched this nonsensical plan in the first place and did not permit the two of you to wed years ago."

Mrs. Bennet turned her gaze back to Lizzy and Darcy, the latter watching her with a mixture of bemusement and thinly veiled amusement. "You must admit," she said with a sniff, "the man is utterly impossible."

"He is, Mama, but please remember, Mr. Collins and I would have never been a good match. I am glad you are no longer entertaining him as a suitor for any of your daughters. After marrying Fitzwilliam, I am an even stronger advocate for marrying for love, not for any other reason, and I will encourage my sisters to follow my example. My sisters will always have a home, even if they do not chose to marry. Fitzwilliam has also promised to provide for you, should it be needed, when Mr. Bennet eventually dies," Elizabeth said sympathetically. She recognised that her mother had come far already, but she still had a ways to go.

Mrs. Bennet huffed at her daughter's assurances, though she could not deny the truth in them. It was clear that Pemberley thrived under Mr. Darcy's stewardship, and it was equally evident that providing for his wife's mother and unmarried sisters would hardly strain his resources. Yet, the thought rankled her. It should not have to be his duty, she mused, her indignation mingled with a flicker of unease.

For the first time, a tinge of regret crept into her thoughts. She realised that perhaps she and Mr. Bennet might have done more—much more—to secure their daughters' futures. Instead of pinning all their hopes on the idea of Jane's beauty attracting a wealthy match, they might have focused on equipping each of their daughters with skills and accomplishments to better their prospects.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she considered the years spent encouraging Jane to rely on her looks alone while overlooking the opportunities to prepare the other girls more thoroughly for the world. It was an uncomfortable thought, but one she could no longer ignore. Of course, now that she had a rich son-in-law to care for her as she grew older, the idea of marrying all her girls off so quickly felt less urgent. Perhaps Mary or Kitty would choose not to marry and would always remain with her.

Author's Note: Mrs. Bennet has had some time to realise a few things, and has hopefully become at least a little more thoughtful. It won't change the habits of a lifetime, but perhaps settle her down a bit.

And yes, Bennet has no obligation to house Collins. I haven't figured out the details yet, but I like that Bennet will have to put up with his cousin, especially after he tried to force Elizabeth to marry him.