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Longbourn, Drawing Room - Jane

M ary and Jane heard Lizzy’s raised voice and Mr Collins’ reply, so they had fallen silent. “Am I to understand that you, sir, have taken it upon yourself to arrange my father’s funeral for tomorrow? Without even consulting my mother on the matter?”

Kitty, who had been sitting by the window staring unseeingly into the garden, jumped and nearly dropped her cup.

A tense silence filled the room. Kitty got to her feet, her face pale. When Mr Collins spoke, his voice was slightly panicked.

“You must see the sense in what I have arranged. Your father should be laid to rest before we are wed, and we must be married as soon as possible-”

“Mr Collins!” Lizzy’s voice cut through his words. “You must allow me time to mourn my father. ”

“But Lady Catherine would advise-as she has often said in similar situations-that we must marry as soon as possible-”

“I am resolved,” Elizabeth replied, her voice steady despite her anger, “to act in a manner which will constitute my family’s happiness, without reference to Lady Catherine or any person so wholly unconnected with us.”

“My dear Elizabeth,” Mr Collins said, his tone growing more condescending, “you must see this is the wisest course. For us to continue living together at Longbourn, unmarried, without your father present-it will attract unnecessary attention-”

Lizzy’s eyes flashed. “Then there is only one course of action. You must return to Hunsford. We will mourn my father without you, thus avoiding any… unnecessary attention.”

“Miss Elizabeth,” he drew himself up to his full height, “I am your father’s heir and the new master of this estate!”

“And as such,” Lizzy replied, her voice as cold as winter frost, “you should respect his memory enough to allow us proper time to mourn his passing.”

“Of course I will allow you time to mourn your honoured father,” Mr Collins said, his words rushing together in his eagerness to appear magnanimous.

“He was a very proper gentleman. Once we are married, you may take as much time as you need to pay him the proper respect he deserves. The wedding and funeral will be over in two days.”

Jane, who had been watching the exchange with growing concern, felt her brief hope that Mr Collins might show some understanding fade entirely.

“Mr Collins!” Lizzy’s voice trembled with barely contained fury. “I have told you several times that what you are asking is impossible. I will not marry you until I have had proper time to mourn my father.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Mary sat frozen, her eyes wide, while Kitty leaned closer to Jane, whispering anxiously.

“Does that mean we will need to leave Longbourn?” Kitty asked, her face pale with worry. Jane opened her mouth to respond, but Mr Collins spoke first.

“I will not,” Mr Collins declared, drawing himself up with what he clearly thought was dignified authority, “be returning to Hunsford on my own. We will be married within the week, or I shall be forced to look for a bride elsewhere.”

“Then look elsewhere, sir,” Lizzy said, her voice quiet but firm. “For I will not be rushed to the altar while my father lies not yet cold.”

Jane watched her sister turn and leave the room, her own heart pounding.

She had never seen Lizzy look quite so pale, nor Mr Collins so thunderstruck.

The weight of their father’s absence pressed heavily upon them all, but in this moment, Jane felt it most keenly.

If only Papa were here - he would know how to handle this situation with his characteristic wit and wisdom.

She longed to speak up, to defend her sister or offer some compromise, but years of being the peacemaker had taught her that sometimes silence was the wisest course. When Lizzy disappeared through the door, Jane understood. Some battles were better fought after tempers had cooled.

Mary and Jane exchanged worried glances as they heard their sister’s raised voice from the hall.

Lizzy rarely lost her composure, but Mr Collins’ presumptuous plans for their future, delivered on the very day of their father’s death, had finally pushed her beyond endurance.

Jane’s heart ached for her sister-Lizzy had sacrificed her happiness to secure their future, and now even that small comfort was being stripped away.

* * *

Longbourn Gardens - Elizabeth

The garden had always been her refuge from her mother’s nerves, but now Elizabeth found herself seeking escape from a different kind of oppression. Mr Collins’ presumptuous plans echoed in her mind, each remembered word stoking her anger anew.

Elizabeth barely made it to the garden before her composure crumbled entirely.

Her hands were shaking as she paced the gravel path, fighting to control both her tears and her temper.

If she had stayed in that room a moment longer, she would have said something so pointed that even the clueless Mr Collins could not have misunderstood her meaning.

The nerve of that man! To arrange their entire future-her father’s funeral, their wedding, her sisters’ displacement-without even considering consulting any of the Bennets. And on the very day of Papa’s death! It was too much.

Elizabeth’s steps faltered as grief overwhelmed her anger. Papa was gone. The thought still felt impossible, unreal-as if at any moment she might hear his familiar tread in the hall, his quiet chuckle at some private jest.

She had agreed to marry Mr Collins to secure her family’s future after her father’s death-but now that moment had come far sooner than any of them had expected.

And what security had she purchased with her sacrifice?

Mr Collins would keep only Mary, and then merely as a nursemaid to his future children.

Her mother and younger sisters would be cast off to burden the Phillips’s or the Gardiners.

The hypocrisy of it all made her blood boil anew.

Mr Collins, with all his talk of Christian duty, dared to speak of children before her father was even laid to rest!

And now he expected her to proceed with the wedding immediately after the funeral, as if her grief were an inconvenience to be hurried past.

After what felt like hours but must have been only minutes, Elizabeth forced herself to return to the house.

She paused outside the sitting room, her hand raised to open the door, but at the sound of Mr Collins’ voice within, she turned away.

She could not face him again-not yet. Instead, she made her way quietly upstairs to her room.

* * *

Longbourn Drawing Room - Mr Collins

Mr Collins paced the sitting room, more than a little concerned.

His lovely bride did not seem at all pleased about his plans, though he could not fathom why.

They should already be man and wife-he licked his lips at the thought.

As the new master of Longbourn, it was not merely his right but his duty to make such arrangements.

His dear Elizabeth was, as any delicate female should be, deeply affected by her father’s death and thus not thinking clearly.

Such emotional distress was no reflection on her character-indeed, her sensitivity spoke well of her filial devotion.

She would thank him later, he was certain, for managing everything so capably during her time of weakness.

And once they were married… He smiled to himself, anticipating how her passionate nature might be better directed.

No, he would pay no mind to her words-she could not mean them, overcome as she was with grief.

Once she had calmed herself, she would surely see the wisdom in his choices.

Glancing out the window, he spotted her in the rose garden, but decided against following.

Better to let her collect herself while he joined her sisters for tea .

Besides, he thought with satisfaction as he turned toward the drawing room where Jane, Mary, and Katherine sat quietly, Lady Catherine would surely commend his handling of this delicate situation.

He could already picture that glorious day when he would sit beside his noble patroness with his lovely wife at his side, both ladies expressing their approval of his sound judgment.

Upon entering the drawing room, he found Katherine sitting close to Jane, as if seeking comfort, while Mary attended to the tea service with methodical precision. The sisters looked up at his entrance, their faces carefully composed.

“Ah, my dear cousins,” he declared, drawing himself up importantly as he approached them, “please allow me to inform you of the arrangements I have made for our future comfort.”

The sisters exchanged glances, but remained silent. None of them, he noted with satisfaction, showed the same rebellious spirit as their wayward sister Elizabeth. Yes, he thought as he prepared to outline his plans, Lady Catherine would definitely approve of how he was handling this situation.

Lady Catherine’s wisdom had never led him astray before. Surely she would approve of his swift action in this matter. A proper gentleman must take control of such situations, and as the new master of Longbourn…

* * *

Longbourn Gardens - Kitty

Kitty had grown bored of the conversation-or rather, lack thereof-as Mr Collins droned endlessly on. While Mary and Jane continued their polite listening, she slipped away to the garden .

There were only so many times she could endure Mr Collins reciting Lady Catherine’s suggestions for changes to Longbourn.

Though Kitty found it odd that this great lady would make recommendations about an estate she had never visited, she supposed that someone who owned an estate as large as Rosings must know something about property management.