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Mr. Collins could not be evaded. The sisters were just going out the door when he came running down the stairs, crying, “Wait for me! I shall spend the morning with you!”

“Not with me,” Lydia said, and she hurried away.

The others watched her disappear with envy, but good manners kept them from following her example. Mr. Collins had to be endured, but listening to him all the way to Meryton was a great trial.

Elizabeth noted that his discourse was particularly directed toward Jane. Evidently their mother had been right to think her efforts at discouraging him unsuccessful. He appeared to have made his choice and was now set upon pursuing her poor sister.

Aware, as he was obviously not, of Jane’s discomfort, Elizabeth made some effort to converse with Mr. Collins herself. But he could not easily be distracted from his purpose.

However, once they arrived in Meryton, Jane was neglected in Mr. Collins’s eagerness to comment upon the style of the buildings, the number of people to be seen in the street, and the goods upon display in the shop windows.

Then they encountered two of the officers, which necessitated introductions and an explanation of the regiment.

Before he could recollect his attempted courtship, further relief came on the scene in the form of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy.

It would have taken a stupider man than Mr. Collins not to see that Mr. Bingley only had eyes for Jane.

Elizabeth perceived that he did see, and was displeased.

This had the happy effect of him saying very little as more introductions were made.

Unfortunately, he had regained his tongue by the time that the group moved on, with all the gentlemen choosing to accompany the ladies to their aunt’s home.

To Elizabeth’s horror, Mr. Collins decided to address his babblings mainly to Mr. Darcy, who appeared very much taken aback, and justifiably so, at being the recipient of extensive information about a stranger’s ordination, the living which had so fortunately come into his possession, and the parsonage of which he was so proud.

“All of this was the generous gift of the most amiable and condescending patroness. A noble lady of illustrious descent. A person of exceptional taste and judgement. Her name—”

But they had reached Mrs. Philips’ house, and now she threw open her front window to announce that she had been watching their progress down the street and they must all come inside.

Fortunately, Captain Carter and Mr. Denny had somewhere they needed to be, and Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley departed with them.

The honour of hearing Lady Catherine’s name and a great deal more praise of her generosity, her character, and her home fell to Mrs. Philips, who was highly impressed.

Thank goodness Mr. Darcy had escaped because he would have detested such flummery.

To reciprocate Mr. Collins’s confidences, Mrs. Philips boasted to him of the frequency with which the officers dined at her home and their appreciation for a nice plain supper followed by a few hands of cards.

“As it happens, they come to us tomorrow evening. And that gives me a splendid idea. You girls must come for the evening, and we shall enjoy a comfortable, noisy game of lottery tickets. And you as well, Mr. Collins.”

“I shall be delighted to attend,” he eagerly declared.

“I know that Lady Catherine would not disapprove. A quiet, private party is just what she thinks suitable for young people. And she makes no objections to officers, provided that they are gentlemanly, a quality which I have already observed in the two I met this morning.”

“You shall only meet the most superior company tomorrow evening,” Mrs. Philips assured him. “And that puts me in mind of another notion. What do you say, girls, to asking Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley to join us?”

Elizabeth almost cried out in shock. Much as she enjoyed any time spent with Mr. Darcy, this idea had too much potential for causing her embarrassment. But she managed to calmly say, “Unfortunately, that won’t be possible. I happen to know that they already have another engagement.”

“That is a pity. They would have made an excellent addition to our group. But another time, hopefully.”

Elizabeth hoped that her aunt would never be so presumptuous as to extend them an invitation.

Mr. Collins looked disappointed, but after declaring that the loss of two such illustrious gentlemen was indeed a tragedy, he managed to rally enough to ensure Mrs. Philips that he still anticipated great pleasure in the engagement.

Turning to Elizabeth, he said, “I am not familiar with the game, but I shall sit at your side and you can explain it to me.”

Obviously he had decided that she was to be his wife instead of Jane. Elizabeth had been thinking the evening could be agreeable, but now it was going to be torment. Worse than sitting next to Mr. Wickham and hearing his complaints.

On the walk back to Longbourn, Mr. Collins was making his intentions even more obvious by putting into practice this notion of staying by her side. As he prattled on, Elizabeth contemplated finding some reason for remaining at home on the following evening.

Unfortunately she had no patience for feigning illness.

And as her parents were quite enthusiastic about a plan for spending the evening playing backgammon together, she could not make any excuse of being necessary to her mother.

So, on the following evening, she was preparing herself to go out when her mother came into the room.

Mrs. Bennet’s purpose was to express sympathy for all that Elizabeth might endure at the hands of Mr. Collins.

“But I am rather glad that he has chosen you.” This sounded rather ominous until Mrs. Bennet added, “Not that I want you to accept his proposal. But I believe that of all my daughters, you are the most capable of making him comprehend that you won’t marry him.

I knew you could not be so obstinate for nothing. ”

Trusted to repel Mr. Collins. How the times had changed. Elizabeth was chuckling inwardly all the way to Meryton.

Mrs. Philips greeted them with great excitement.

“You will not believe our good fortune! Mr. Philips spoke to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, just in case you were mistaken about their plans, Lizzy, and it seems that you were. They are at this very moment in the dining room with your uncle and the officers.”

Elizabeth found herself thinking so many things at once.

Horror at learning that her aunt had indeed invited them.

Delight at the expectation of seeing Mr. Darcy in a moment.

Surprise that he had accepted. Although he had said the other day that he felt able to do anything.

But could he really be comfortable spending an evening in her aunt’s company.

And how much more of Mr. Collins could he tolerate?

Mr. Collins, at that moment, was busy telling Mrs. Philips more about Hunsford and Rosings.

He had so far neglected his plan of attaching himself to Elizabeth, who was glad of any reprieve.

But she feared that he was soon going to be keeping her from enjoying Mr. Darcy’s company.

And mortifying her with the obviousness of his attentions.

While she was contemplating what might be done about this, the gentlemen came into the room.

Mr. Darcy immediately took an empty space beside her, securing Elizabeth’s comfort for the moment.

He chatted with her over coffee, oblivious to reproachful glances from Mr. Collins, who was flapping about, not knowing what to do with himself.

When the card tables were set up, Mr. Collins called out to her. “Cousin Elizabeth, you must—”

But he was cut off by Mrs. Philips, who wanted him to make up the numbers for whist. And Mr. Darcy was offering Elizabeth his arm to escort her to another table, where he was the one who spent the entire evening by her side, laughing and joking, and not at all discomposed by having Lydia on his other side, enthusiastically placing her bets and claiming her prizes.

When supper put an end to cards, Mr. Collins did not attempt to make any claim upon Elizabeth.

He did not bother sitting next to her in the carriage, and all the way home, he talked only of his losses at whist, the civility with which Mr. and Mrs. Philips had treated him, and the dishes which had been served at supper.

None of this was particularly directed toward Elizabeth, who was happy to deduce that he had given up his notion of marrying her.

***

Mr. Darcy had indeed been astounded by Mr. Philips inviting them to dinner, and dubious about spending an evening in company with Mrs. Philips.

Especially after her contribution to the recent incident.

His old self would have swiftly turned down the invitation.

But that was not consistent with his resolution to accept, and even embrace, everything connected to Elizabeth.

So he had gone to dinner with her relatives even though he had no idea that she and her sisters would be joining them afterwards. Mr. Philips had only spoken of dinner with some of the officers and a few hands of cards afterwards.

This had not sounded like a particularly exciting evening, but Mr. Darcy had found it pleasant enough.

The cooking was quite good, conversation with the officers had been amusing, and Mrs. Philips only twice said something which made him wish he was miles away.

More importantly, he had found himself able to endure this without grimacing.

But upon entering the parlour, Mr. Darcy was delighted to see Elizabeth. Her presence cast an entirely different light on the evening.

Unfortunately the irritating Mr. Collins was also present.

Mr. Darcy saw that the man was wanting to interrupt his conversation with Elizabeth, but he realized that Mr. Collins was waiting to be acknowledged before speaking, so the obvious solution was to do nothing which might remotely appear to be acknowledgement.

It was useful that he had lately learned a trick or two from Mr. Madison in the way of avoiding eye contact.

When the card tables were set out, it briefly looked as though Mr. Collins was wanting to make a claim upon Elizabeth’s company.

But then Mrs. Philips saved the day by encouraging him to play whist.

By the time they broke up for supper, Mr. Collins no longer seemed interested in gaining either Mr. Darcy’s or Elizabeth’s attention, which was a very satisfactory development. At the end of the evening Mr. Darcy made it his job to hand her into the carriage, and Mr. Bingley did the same with Jane.

As they were on their way home, Mr. Bingley said, “I was thinking this evening that we haven’t seen Mrs. Bennet for a while. The last two times we meant to go to Longbourn, we never made it that far. I hope she isn’t feeling that we have been neglecting her.”

“I expect she has been too busy preparing for company and entertaining Mr. Collins to give us much thought,” Mr. Darcy said. “But we should indeed go tomorrow.”