A/N: I'll admit the commenters expressing surprise at Mrs. Bennet are completely valid. I thought of it the day before I wrote it, so there was no foreshadowing or groundwork laid. It was fun and, I think, arguably possible. What ripple effects will it have? And the other changes? Let's find out together!

Also I think the reason that in cannon nothing happens between the Collins marriage and the Easter visit is likely due to Lent.

——

The next day, Elizabeth was heading out the door before breakfast for a walk when Mr. Collins came down the stairs that he was so proud of.

"Cousin, surely you are not going out!"

Her hand was on the doorknob and she was dressed for the weather. As such, rather than replying, she raised one eyebrow and held his gaze with a challenge in her countenance.

"Indeed you are not on this day, Easter Even, where we reflect upon Christ's Harrowing in Hell. In this household, these traditions are venerated, and as such we will fast and be silent until after the service."

With that he swept into his book room with what he must have thought was an air of confident authority. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but removed and put away her outerwear, she should not antagonize the man. She figured a few mornings of discomfort would be worth it if she were able to do anything about the situation, although with her hope for Mr. Bingley being instrumental in her solution were dashed once and for all.

The Easter service was nothing out of the ordinary. The congregation was dressed brightly in stark contrast to being draped in black like the altar three days ago, which was unveiled to signify Christ's rising from the tomb. It was less moving as the words were read by Mr. Collins with his usual tone of over exaggerated piousness. The whole party was, while exiting the church, instructed to come to Rosings that evening for dinner.

Mr. Collins, upon walking up the drive to the main house, could not contain his enthusiasm, "There are thirty-two gardeners, and other gardeners. Mark the windows; there are sixty-four in all. Sixty-four. And I have it, on good authority, that the glazing alone originally an excess of six hundred pounds."

Jane replied, ever patient, "It is a very handsome building and prettily situated, sir."

"and by no means lacking in windows." Elizabeth chimed in. Her father smirked, Mr. Collins looked like he had taken her comment seriously, and Jane held Elizabeth's eyes communicating disapproval and a gentle warning.

"No, indeed." The rector continued, "and my noble Patroness is being visited by her honorable nephews Mr Darcy, who is destined for Miss Anne de Burg, as well as his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, the youngest son of the Earl of Matlock. It is astonishing her condescension extends to sharing her Easter dinner with us despite her elevated company. She is kindness itself!"

Learning that Mr Darcy was staying at Rosing should not have been as shocking as it was. Why else would he be in the county with all his personal business and meddling in that of others? It dawned on her that she would be required to be civil to the man that was at least marginally responsible for the precipice Jane had been placed on regarding her future, and by extension, that of her family.

Upon entering her presence, Mr. Collins introduced Mr. Bennet and the girls to the gentlemen and Lady Catherine and was greatly surprised they already know Mr Darcy and could talk of naught else for a good 5 minutes. At this display, Elizabeth and her father exchanged a glance of exasperation and amusement respectively. She turned back to the conversation, or rather Lady Catherine who was currently monologuing about something not even adjacently relating to anyone in the room but herself, and caught Mr Darcy had been observing the silent exchange between herself and her father. As usual, she could not read his face and was left to blindly guess his thoughts as he was unlikely to speak at all if he could help it.

Lady Catherine had a commanding voice and presence, "Your cousins appears to be quite a gentile, pretty sort of girls, Mr Collins. Her father's estate is entailed on Mr Collins, I understand."

"Yes, Ma'am, and I am, believe me—"

Mr Darcy turned as if looking for a window, but there was not one in this room, so he had to settle for gazing at a large and excessively grandiose painting. This behavior, at least, was somewhat predictable to Elizabeth. He was looking away from the principle people in a room if not a majority of the time at least as often as he could get away with it, not caring how anyone felt about it so long as it did not constitute lowering his own opinion of his behavior. She was unsure if there would ever arise a situation in which the latter would ever occur so it was surely some act of God that he spent any of his time away from windows while in company.

"Do you have other children, Mr. Bennet?"

"Yes, in addition to the two you see before you, Mrs Bennet and I have three younger daughters." Mr. Bennet replied

"Your wife must be very responsible not to come here herself and leave the girls to their governess." Without waiting for a reply, which was for the best as even Elizabeth knew it would not do to have her father discredit her mother in such company, Lady Catherine turned towards the sisters who were seated side by side, "Are any of your younger sisters out?"

Jane managed to speak first, "Yes, Ma'am, all of them."

"All?! What, all five out at once? The younger ones out before the older are married? Your youngest sisters must be very young."

Mr Bennet replied, "Indeed, the youngest is not sixteen."

Seeing how this statement was received by all outside of her immediate family, especially as it seemed Mr Bennett disagreed if his tone was anything to go by, but had done nothing in his own house to ensure their respectability, Elizabeth hasted to add,

"She is full young to be out much in company. But, really, Ma'am, I think it would be really hard upon younger sister, that they not have their share of society and amusement, simply because their elder sisters have not the means, inclination, or suitable men to marry."

"Upon my word, you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person."

Seeing this as an indication the his Patroness was displeased and in a bid to prevent any further damage, Mr. Collins steered the conversation to safer topics. Elizabeth saw this for what it was, but she had no desire to actually antagonize the man, so she did nothing to prevent this, taking as much amusement from the frivolous nature of the discussion between parson and patroness. A servant soon announced dinner was ready to be served and the whole group repaired to the formal dining room.