Darcy stepped away from his hiding stop in the curtain. "Mr. Collins, you have followed me all the way to Netherfield?"

Collins blushed again but seemed quite pleased with himself. "I saw from the window that you set off on your own, and I was concerned for your safety. I simply followed."

Of course. Darcy again fought the urge to lay him out on the floor right then. Looking up at him now, Darcy wasn't completely sure his current physical self could actually hit Collins hard enough, but what he lacked in strength, he might make up in passionate dislike.

Darcy's jaw tightened. "And you did not consider the impropriety of being in an empty house with an...unmarried lady?"

Collins giggled. Tee-hee-hee. Like a schoolgirl. "I did not forget your fine wit, Miss Elizabeth. However, I have been seeking an opportunity to speak to you alone about something of import."

Collins then reached one of his sausage fingers in the direction of Elizabeth's small hand but stopped short when Darcy's hand pulled back.

Darcy's stomach churned. How foolish he had been to slip away as a female alone. He was vulnerable no matter where he was, short of being home with his odious family. He took a single step back from Collin's leering smile.

Collins only smiled. "I wondered if you had come here to provide me the opportunity to speak to you alone."

Darcy pulled roughly away from Collin's. "I think not."

Collins simpered to himself. "I am told young ladies know not their own minds sometimes." He took another step toward Darcy.

"I can assure you I know mine." Darcy clenched his fist. How dare Collins speak so to Elizabeth? "I fear we must return to Longbourn immediately."

"Cousin, I know your modesty makes you behave thus, but almost since the moment of my arrival, I singled you out as the companion of my future life." He leaned toward Darcy.

"Mr. Collins–," Darcy began, and Collins righted himself.

"Perhaps I should state my reasons for wishing to marry." He inhaled as though he were going to begin a long sermon.

"Firstly, as a clergyman, it is important to set an example as a role model for society by being married. Secondly," he smiled smugly, "I am convinced it will add greatly to my happiness. My distinguished patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, urged me to marry. She said, 'Mr. Collins, you must find a wife of sense who can help you build a sensible life at Rosings Park.' I do think you see my point."

Darcy's left leg began to tremble underneath him. He automatically moved behind a sheet-covered dining table to put something between himself and Collins. It was not enough. Even with furniture betwixt them, Collins, leaned toward him, smiling.

"Now you must know why I have chosen you as my future companion…"

Darcy's leg trembled with greater temerity.

"Mr. Collins, please–"

"As I am fortunate enough to inherit this fine land and properties, I knew it was imperative to first look amongst my fair cousins to seek my bride." As he spoke, he moved around the table and right up to Darcy and grasped his hand.

Darcy attempted to pull off his grasp, but Collins held his hand surprisingly hard.

"I do know that affection is something that will grow between us. You may not feel much for me now, but you shall in time."

He lifted Darcy's hand to kiss it, while Darcy tried to pull it away. For a moment, they were locked in a battle of strength, Darcy pulling his hand back and Collins trying to pull it forward to kiss it. After a moment, Darcy yanked his hand away.

"Mr. Collins, please understand me when I say that I could never accept your proposal for marriage." Darcy restrained himself to keep his voice cordial.

Collins gave him an oily smile but only moved closer to him, his body pressing into Darcy's leg.

"Sir!" Darcy exclaimed and tried to back away.

"Cousin, nothing is amiss. We are quite alone. No one would deny an engaged couple a moment's intimacy."

Collins leaned toward Darcy, eyes closed as though he might try to kiss him. In horror, Darcy pressed his arms to keep him from approaching further. Collins' eyes opened in surprise at the obstacle, but he smiled again, as though his refusal thrilled him.

Darcy finally pushed Collins away and stood. "You forget yourself, Mr. Collins! We are NOT engaged. I have not accepted you. I could never accept you. I am returning to Longbourn now, and if you bother me again, I will tell my parents what has occurred here, and you will be turned out on your backside immediately."

Collins frowned, his face darkening into an ugly expression. "Now see, Miss Elizabeth. I daresay I giving you and your family a most generous offer. You will not find a better one. So you may come down from your high horse and consider who else will take care of your family now the Bingleys have returned to London."

Darcy truly wished to punch the other man, and vowed to do so the moment Collins stepped within his arm's width of him again. "Elizabeth Bennet would never have you. Not if you were the last man in the world. She's worth a hundred of you."

Collins cocked his head, smiling cruelly. "Tis a shame Longbourn is entailed to me and not you. But then," he pulled his collar straight. "I am a man."

Darcy felt as though he'd been hit though Collins did not touch him. The air rushed from his chest, leaving him hollow.

There, he would have to thrash him now. He had no choice in the matter.

He struck Collin's chest with his two hands, but he was more solid than he expected and, like a barrel full of port, barely moved against him. Then Collin's soft hands grasped Darcy's. "There, Cousin, you are my captive now." He said giddily and pulled Darcy closer to him, nearly pulling him off his slippers.

Darcy was horrified to find himself nearly in Collin's lap. He bent his elbows sharply into Collin's thighs and tried to pull away, but the reverend was surprisingly strong.

"I do think you will find me a man of surprising passion when we are wed." Collins said hoarsely into Darcy's ear.

"We shall never be wed!"

"You are strong-willed, cousin. It does your modesty proud."

At that moment, something crashed, and Darcy leapt away from Collins. Another crash, like a door flying open-and a yellow flash–-and the groom's errant Great Dane zoomed into the room, barking at Collins.

Mr. Collins screamed and fell backwards from the dog. "Do not let it kill me!" He cried. He fell into a cowering ball on the library floor, covering himself with his arms.

Darcy wondered for a moment what to do. "Titan!" he called to the dog, who looked at him and waved his tail expectantly. "Do stand down." The giant dog sat down patiently.

"Call him off," Collins cried.

The dog barked at him again. Collins whimpered.

Here Darcy smiled to himself. "He's not accustomed to strangers, I'm afraid. He can be territorial. He does not know you are not a stranger."

The dog barked again and the power of it rattled Darcy's chest.

Collins slowly stood, crossing his arms around himself protectively. "I am not proficient with large animals."

"I do think it best if you left, Mr. Collins. He can be excitable with new people."

Collins sniffed, but nodded quickly. "Yes, I do agree. I hoped to accompany you back to Longbourn…" Titan barked at him again, silencing him.

"I shall leave," Collins said quickly and immediately departed from Netherfield's library. "Do hold him back now."

From the window above, Darcy watched Collins nearly run the field back toward Longbourn. He smiled and he patted and scratched the dog's great head. "I shall have to get you a whole pig's ear for today. Maybe a meaty marrow bone. You have quite earned it."

Darcy sighed, now quite exhausted from his day. He led the dog toward the door of the Netherfield's library, aware that the sun would be setting soon. "We should leave," he said more to himself than the dog. The dog stopped and sniffed at the bottom of an overstuffed bookshelf, his enormous black nose sniffing under the shelf. Darcy glanced out the window, aware that the sun was beginning its slow ascent.

"Let us go, boy. It will be dark soon."

The dog pawed at the bookshelf again, which made something there catch Darcy's eye. Something white. A small, homebound book.

It couldn't be.

He leaned down, careful of his skirts.

There, under the bookshelf, the slim, white book lay, half hidden. Darcy picked it up, dusted it off. Scottish Incantations and Other Magick.

He placed the book in his skirt pocket, heart beating. He happily scrubbed the dog's head with both hands. "You, my boy, are getting whatever you wish from Longbourn's larder tonight." He said and planted a very un-Darcy-like kiss on the dog's head. "I promise."

Mrs. Bennet stood outside the gate at Longbourn as Darcy and Titan cheerfully headed downhill to the house. He nearly stopped and turned around when he spied Mrs. Bennet, wringing her hands with Jane. He could tell instantly from Mrs. Bennet's furrowed brow, something was amiss. Jane even chewed a thumbnail ragged.

"There you are!" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed when she saw him. "Where have you been, Miss! Traipsing around the countryside without a care in the world, I suppose?"

Darcy swallowed. It was a wonder Elizabeth Bennet had not run away from home far earlier. Surely almost any husband would have been preferable to her Mama and the lack of privacy.

"I took a walk, Mama." He had to force himself not to choke the last word.

"I will wager you did more than that. Have you spoken to Mr. Collins today?"

"Yes." He stopped walking.

Mrs. Bennet crossed her arms. "So it is true? Have you rejected his suit?"

Did she not realize her daughter deserved so much better than that little frog man? It was true Elizabeth did not bring much in terms of wealth to a marriage, but she had sense and taste, and beauty and she had them in spades.

"I think when time has passed you shall see that I have done you a favor." As soon as Darcy said the words, he watched her face collapse.

"A favor?!" Her eyes turned bloodshot and her mouth fell open for a long moment. "My child, when you are the mother of five unmarried daughters in the sleepy countryside, you may begin to tell me what a favor may or may not be."

"Mama," Jane murmured.

Darcy fought to not roll his eyes. These girls deserved an award for tolerating this woman day in and out.

Mrs. Bennet turned to Jane, her arms flailing. "So it is true, Jane. She has rejected Collins. We may as well begin packing now as we will be in the hedgerows before we may help it."

"Mr. Collins is a small, unkind man. He would not do for any of the girls."

From Jane's bosom she shrieked. "He is the inheritor of Longbourn, who shall turn us all out!"

"I shall not let that happen," Darcy said lowly. "But we must get us all off the road before we become spectacle."

Mrs. Bennet laughed. "Oh? Who are you to stop it? The Queen of Sheba? Jane, I need my smelling salts."

Jane took Mrs. Bennet's hand. "Mama, let us get you to bed and give you one of Hill's cordial. That helps you feel better."

Darcy could see the older woman needed assistance. He immediately came to Mrs. Bennet's side while Jane took her other. "Here, Mama, take hold of my arm."

By now Mrs. Bennet was beside herself, somewhere between crying and churlishly muttering. Darcy helped guide her back slowly to the main house. Once all this mess was straightened out, he needed to be mindful and speak to Mr. Bennet about the entail and be sure there was some something set aside to take care of the Bennet women. He was not sure how, but he would have to set up something discrete with Collins and Mr. Bennet. He had always been able to apply logic and good sense to any serious obstacle he had encountered before. Surely an entail could be no different.