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Mr Collins was delighted as was her mother when he broke the news to the rest of the family. She could not contain her joy, “Oh dear Lizzy! Mrs Bennet exclaimed. “A daughter married; wait until I tell Lady Lucas. A daughter married! Mrs Collins, how well it sounds.”

However the rest of the family’s reactions were mixed, Mr Bennet was not nearly as pleased as his wife, Jane was confused, Lydia and Kitty were giggling non-stop and Mary was silent.

Elizabeth was called into her father’s study an hour later, after he had had a discussion with Mr Collins.

Elizabeth left Mr Collins and Mrs Bennet discussing the details of the wedding without her.

She was very relieved to get away from them, he had insisted on holding her hand most of the evening and it had reminded her that she would be expected to do more intimate things with him.

“Close the door Lizzy,” her father said from his seat by the fireside. She did as he asked and then went to him; she could see the grief on his tired pale face.

Mr Bennet looked up at her, his voice filled with concern. “Are you out of your senses, to be accepting this man? Have we not laughed at him and made fun of him from the moment he entered the house?”

“I wish there was another way,” she said, trying not to cry, “but I cannot see one. My sisters need a home and my mother-” She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

“I don’t think I can give you up to him,” he said slowly.

“Almost any other man in England, but him.” He shook his head.

“I should have taken better care of you all. But let me advise you to think better of it. I know your disposition, Lizzy. I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unless you truly esteemed your husband; unless you looked up to him as a superior. Your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage. You could scarcely escape discredit and misery. My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life. You know not what you are about.”

“I cannot see another path, not after-” Elizabeth replied.

She attempted to lighten the mood, saying, “I will be happy in my own way, the grounds around Rosings Park I hear are very fine.” Realising her attempt had failed, she continued more seriously, “And the knowledge that my sisters will be able to live freely and without shame will make it all worth it.” I must be content with my lot in life.

I must do everything in my power to see them happy and not allow us to end up on the streets. ”

His face seemed to grow older as she spoke, for he had failed them worse than he would have believed possible, and she had found a solution.

He rose unsteadily to his feet, “You are a far better person that I have ever encountered before,” kissing her forehead, blinking back the tears that were beginning to choke him up.

Elizabeth knew that she would have a similar conversation with Jane tonight, but she was too emotionally spent. She excused herself early that evening, claiming a headache from all the excitement, and went to bed.

As Elizabeth lay in bed that night, her mind raced.

She imagined her future at Hunsford - the daily tedium, Mr Collins’ constant presence.

A wave of despair threatened to overwhelm her.

But then she thought of Jane, of Lydia and Kitty, even of her mother.

Their faces, full of hope and security, floated before her.

She clenched her fists, stealing her resolve.

‘This is for them,’ she whispered into the darkness.

‘I must be strong.’ She lay in her bed staring at the ceiling for several hours before she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Thursday 28th of November 1811

Longbourn Breakfast Room - Elizabeth

The next morning dawned grey and cold, a fitting reflection of the sombre mood that had settled over Longbourn.

As Elizabeth descended the stairs, the usual morning bustle seemed muted, as if the house itself was holding its breath.

Breakfast was a strained affair, the clinking of cutlery against china plates unnaturally loud in the tense silence.

Mr Bennet, Elizabeth and Jane were all silent, Kitty and Lydia had begun to get over their giggles but said little, but within half an hour Elizabeth was wishing that they had not stopped giggling as their comments made her blush very deeply.

Mary was the only one of the sisters who had congratulated her older sister on her engagement. Jane had walked towards Elizabeth soon after Mary had congratulated her the night before, but had turned away to pick up a book. Elizabeth knew her reason, her eldest sister wanted to speak to her alone.

It had been decided, chiefly by Mr Collins and Mrs Bennet, that there should be no delay in the marriage taking place.

“I regret that I cannot remain at Longbourn until our happy day,” Mr Collins announced. “I must return to Kent to fulfil my duties there, but I shall return for the wedding.”

Jane and Elizabeth soon after breakfast declared that they wanted to go for a walk, alone, as they would soon be in different counties to one another, Mr Collins at first had wanted to go with his dearest Elizabeth, she shuddered slightly at the phrase, but Mary had reminded him that he needed to inform his most noble patroness of his happy news.

Jane smiled thanks to Mary. He agreed without pause.

And Jane and Elizabeth were left to their walk. They passed the first few minutes in a strained silence and then at last Jane finally exclaimed, “My dearest sister, please explain to me why you have engaged yourself to Mr Collins of all people?”

Elizabeth sighed, she had dreaded this conversation all night - in a sense it was to be worse than the one she had had with her father.

“I saw no other option.” She stopped under a tree and looked back at the house.

“My father is very ill and will not live much longer,” she said in almost a whisper, “and on his death if one of us is not married to Mr Collins, we would have no home, no money to live on, we would have nothing.”

“But my uncles and aunts-” Jane protested.

“Uncle and Aunt Gardiner have four children of their own, they could maybe take on one or two of us, but all six? Aunt Phillips does not have the space nor the money to take on five young women and their mother, even if Uncle and Aunt Gardiner did take two of us, where would the other four go?”

“But we could have worked something out,” Jane began again, her brow furrowed with concern.

“There is work to be had, we could have kept to ourselves.” Elizabeth shook her head, a sad smile on her face.

“We are gentlewomen, Jane,” she reminded her sister gently.

“Could you see anyone hiring Kitty and Lydia as governesses to their daughters? Or even Mary for that matter? And what about our dear mother? No, this is for the best. You will be able to live your life as you should without fear of what will become of you.”

“But you and I could get jobs and support the others…” Jane said hopefully.

“And where would they live? And Mama, what about her? You and I might find something respectable, but we would not be able to make enough to support them, and what sort of life would we have?”

Jane began to protest again, but Elizabeth knew she was beginning to see things her way, though she was not at all happy about it.

Jane pleaded, “Just promise me one thing.”

Elizabeth hesitated. “It depends on what that is.”

“If by some chance I find another solution,” Jane said earnestly, “will you break off the engagement, before it is made public?”

The two sisters finally returned to the house, Elizabeth having eventually conceded to her sister’s request. She did not see how Jane would manage to find another solution before the engagement was made known, but there was a little bit of hope. That was all she needed for the moment.