Mr. Collins agreed with her, reminding the respectable lady that her son-in-law was anything but. He was debauched and untrustworthy, according to his own aunt, and would no more help a woman in need than he would dance barefoot on horseback.
As soon as he knew that Mr. Bennet’s deterioration was irreversible, Mr. Collins became Mrs. Bennet’s rock. Everything, from the confusing household accounts to the stocks which supported them, fell into the rector’s capable hands. He had a skill with investments, being more careful and focused than Mr. Bennet, and increased their income comfortably. He even added to the ladies’ pin money, no doubt to ease their minds during this difficult time. Mrs. Bennet was eternally grateful and could not understand her daughters’ avid dislike of the man.
Mr. Collins had indeed become the master of Longbourn earlier than the entail allowed, and he had made himself irreplaceable. Sometimes even Mrs. Bennet forgot that he had no right to the authority he demanded. She slowly fell under his spell.
Elizabeth’s marriage was a blip; Jane’s stubbornness was a minor hurdle. In fact, separating the two sisters was one of the best things that could have happened. Without the older girls protesting about their father’s gradual confinement, Mr. Collins had more freedom than ever before. In a few months his power over the family was unchallenged.
If only the distant voices could be silenced! The younger girls were coaxed away, and Mrs. Bennet realised that she must make a stand. Encouraged by the dreadful Elizabeth, they treated the goodly man like some kind of monster. Mrs. Bennet could not even think of her daughters without feeling sour. They were trying to spoil everything out of pure selfishness.
In short, she believed her delusions completely.
That was, until they all sat down together at Pemberley’s vast dining table. There, sipping exquisite wine from a beautiful glass, Mrs. Bennet was forced to watch in silence as Mr. Collins undermined and humiliated her. He was pompous and arrogant, demanding and snide, and gave the girls orders as if they too were part of the entail.
A woman has few things in her life that she can truly call her own. The raising of daughters was sacrosanct. In the past, Mr. Collins had respected this. He managed their behaviour via the mother. He made suggestions; Mrs. Bennet turned them into orders. Now, he had cast her aside. He spoke to his cousins as if he had complete power over them. Mrs. Bennet was sickened to discover that hedid.Of course he did. She had given it to him.
Mrs. Bennet was horrified by this revelation. She managed to protest, weakly, by overruling him. His rude retorts suddenly became clear to her, and she could see the disgust in everyone’s eyes. Was this the person that she had been defending for over a year?
Was this the man who she thought was good enough to shelter her in her dotage?
“How much are you willing to gamble on his good will, mother?”
Elizabeth’s words burned. Jane’s were worse. They stuck in her mother’s throat like gristle, choking tears from her eyes that she quickly dashed away. Mrs. Bennet would recall parts of it on her deathbed, she was sure.
“You have brought my poor dear mama down to this wretched remove, where even her youngest, dearest child cannot look her in the eye without fear. You have made a good woman lose her daughters’ love, which is a terrible thing, for the sake of your greed.”
Mrs. Bennet stared wildly around the table.
She bid Lydia leave with her, tempting her with pretty gowns and praise. Lydia was her favourite, her treasure, and they had always adored each other.
Theyhad.
Mrs. Bennet beckoned Lydia with treats, for she knew that love would not be enough. There was none left in her lovely daughter’s accusing eyes.
Why would there be, when her own mother’s heart had been empty for so long?
Chapter 68
The day of the ball finally arrived.
Darcy, Bingley, Jane and Elizabeth gathered in the library after luncheon. Jane and Elizabeth shared a settee, sitting so close together that their thighs were touching. Their arms were wrapped around each other’s waist, making them appear more like a single entity than two separate sisters. This was their last sanctuary. Outside of the soothing dark panelled walls, they could hear the servants making the final arrangements for the ball.
“Most of it is outside, now.” Elizabeth said, almost to herself. Stroking Jane’s arm, she added, “When the dancing starts the house should be almost deserted. If you need to hide, use the servants’ corridors. Everyone who is left in the house will help you in any way they can.”
“What of our luggage?” Bingley asked.
“Only take the minimum. If, for some reason, somebody goes into the yard then it will not look suspicious to have a carriage laden with boxes. The horses will need to be hitched on, of course, but that cannot be helped.”
“Then…”
Darcy held up a hand to stop Bingley’s worried question in its tracks. “The hostlers have been directed to tell people that the carriage is there to transport our guests home, if some emergency befalls their own transport. It is unusual, but not unheard of.” he flexed his fingers and looked down at them, frowning, “Collins is a cunning man and will be expecting some kind of trick. We must be cautious.”
“I am not afool,Darcy!” Bingley protested, correctly identifying the barbed note in Darcy’s voice, “I know better than to drag ten hat boxes through the middle of the ballroom!”
“Then why ask a question we have already discussed?”
“I wasconfirmingit, sir, not…!”
“Gentlemen.” Elizabeth interrupted them quietly, “You ought not quarrel now. In a few hours we will be separated. Would you like your last words to be so petty? You can do what you wish, of course, but I would rather spend the time saying goodbye to my sister - and the man I hope to soon call my brother-in-law.”
