Page 41 of A Different Impression

“Really, Mr Collins, there is not enough room on this settee for three. Perhaps you had best sit over there,” Elizabeth said, indicating a chair several feet away that was empty.

“Mr Darcy, perhaps you might move to another seat so that I might sit next to my cousin?” Mr Collins requested.

“No,” was all the reply Darcy gave, fixing the rector with a hard look.

With evident reluctance, Mr Collins moved to the indicated chair, although he pulled it closer to Elizabeth before seating himself. He then attempted to engage her in conversation, which appeared to consist solely of speaking about his patroness and the Hunsford parsonage. He praised Lady Catherine’s constant attention to her daughter’s delicate health, including the physicians she consulted and the tonics she ensured Miss de Bourgh took faithfully.

Elizabeth listened patiently for a time before she interrupted and asked her father a question. “Papa,” she began as Mr Collins was speaking of Lady Catherine’s suggestion to install shelves in the closets, “Mr Darcy has with him some papers for you to sign. Might we go to your study to review them?”

At Mr Bennet’s nod, the three stood and exited the room. Mr Collins attempted to follow, but Mr Bennet turned and insisted the man stay where he was.

“Papa, what is that man doing here?” Elizabeth asked as soon as they were in the hallway.

“Exactly as he said,” Mr Bennet replied. “He has come to ‘heal the breach’ between our families and to look for a wife. All at the orders of your aunt, Mr Darcy. Since arriving yesterday, he has regaled us all with stories of his patroness.” He looked towards Darcy questioningly.

Darcy did not hesitate to answer the unspoken question. “My aunt loves to share her ‘expert’ advice on all subjects. I am not, nor have I ever been, engaged to my cousin Anne. My aunt never mentioned that idea until after my father passed away, and I told her then, and have repeated it many times since, that I will not marry my cousin. My mother made no such arrangement, and my aunt has likely taken an idle comment and attempted to force her wishes upon my cousin and me. Anne herself has no desire to marry me.”

“I was not worried, William, since we have discussed this before,” Elizabeth said, squeezing his hand.

He smiled at her before turning to her father to begin speaking. “I have the marriage articles ready for your review and, at your recommendation, applied for a common licence before we left for Town,” he told Mr Bennet. “We can make any changes you feel are necessary, but it is rather comprehensive. I modelled it upon my mother’s settlement.”

Mr Bennet read the document carefully, pausing several times to question Darcy about particular provisions. Nearly an hour passed before he signed all three copies and returned them. “You have made arrangements for every contingency, sir; I am impressed at how complete this is. You will do well by my daughter. Now, let us join the others. We must begin to plan a wedding, and I suppose my wife will have to be told.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “How long will Mr Collins be our guest, Papa?”

“A fortnight, my dear,” he replied. “He was disappointed to discover that Bingley had already claimed Jane’s first set when he delivered the invitation. I dare say he was not paying attention when I informed him that the two of you were engaged. He is after a wife, and I am afraid Mary will not satisfy his vanity since you are engaged, and Jane has a suitor.”

Elizabeth grimaced. “Can he or your aunt do anything to delay or prevent our wedding?” she asked Darcy.

“No, Elizabeth, my aunt can bluster but cannot actually do anything to prevent it,” Darcy reassured her. “My uncle knows about our engagement and has expressed his support for it. He and Lady Matlock will be here on the Monday before the wedding, and he will ensure that Lady Catherine cannot interfere. Both are well aware of her mistaken expectations.”

“That is good to know, William,” Elizabeth replied. “Let us go rescue the others from Mr Collins now. Is there any way we can send him back to Kent by saying we have too much to do to entertain him right now? Why did you not mention his visit before, Papa?”

“His letter arrived only yesterday morning. He had evidently begun his journey before allowing me the opportunity to refuse him.” Mr Bennet was clearly displeased by this, but did not say any more.

“That was inconsiderate of him, but based on what I have seen, I doubt he is able to comprehend that,” Darcy replied drily.

Mr Bennet and Elizabeth laughed wryly at this as they all left the study and returned to the drawing room. Mr Collins immediately approached Elizabeth when they returned, his attention settling upon the arm she had linked with Darcy’s.

“Cousin Elizabeth,” said he, “it is improper for you to cling to Mr Darcy in that manner. He is an engaged man. Come and sit beside me.”

With that, he seized Elizabeth’s arm and attempted to pull her towards him. Darcy immediately caught the man’s wrist and forced him to release her before placing himself between them.

“You will not lay hands upon Miss Elizabeth again,” he said, his voice dangerously low.

“I am well aware that Mr Darcy is engaged,” Elizabeth added from beside him, “but since he is engaged to me, I believe it is entirely appropriate for me to hold his arm.”

“You cannot be engaged to Mr Darcy, Cousin,” the man cried out. “Lady Catherine has told me her nephew is engaged to her daughter. She and her sister, Mr Darcy’s mother, planned for the union while the two were in their cradles. He cannot possibly be engaged to you.”

“I have already told you that I am not engaged to my cousin,” Darcy said. “Miss Elizabeth is my choice, our marriage articles have been signed, and the licence has been obtained. My uncle, the earl, is aware of the engagement and supports it entirely. You will not repeat my aunt’s false claims again.”

“But, Mr Bennet,” Mr Collins spluttered. “I came here to find a wife! I understood you had five daughters, but when I arrived, only two were present. One was away at school, and two others were in London. Now I find one is being courted, one is engaged to my patroness’ nephew—which she will not let stand—and the other two are too plain or too young to marry. What is the meaning of this?”

Darcy felt Elizabeth stiffen beside him. Mary had gone pale, while Kitty’s face flushed with indignation. Even Georgiana stared at the rector in open disbelief.

“Mr Collins,” Mr Bennet began, his expression darkening. “Remember that you invited yourself here. You were not invited to Longbourn, and you have not been encouraged to take your pick of my daughters. I do not know who told you about my daughters, but the mere fact that I have five does not entitle you to one. You are not obligated to marry one of my daughters, and I would frankly be surprised if any of them would have you after that speech.”

He paused, visibly mastering his temper, before continuing in a tightly controlled voice.