Page 24

Mr. Collins was frustrated. He had been unable to get close enough to Elizabeth to ask her to dance. It seemed as though every gentleman in attendance got to her before he could. Why did I not ask her before the ball ? he wondered. Next time I will know better.

Not only could he not get close enough to obtain her hand for a set, when supper came, she was surrounded by people, sometimes two deep.

Jane Bennet, Charlotte Lucas, and even Mrs. Hurst, along with all the gentlemen from Netherfield and two or three of the men of the neighborhood remained close by her side.

He decided to try after the meal. The food smelled very good and his stomach had begun to grumble.

He parked himself at a table with an empty seat and began to help himself to the delicacies laid out in serving dishes and on platters all down the center of the table at which he sat.

After a while and three helpings of the boiled potatoes from the bowl directly in front of him, Collins heard the orchestra begin to tune their instruments up.

He swiftly rose, wiping his mouth with his napkin, and turned.

He stopped dead, his jaw dropping open, to see the table where Elizabeth had been sitting completely empty.

He searched the now nearly empty room but could not find her. Oh, no, he thought. Where could she be?

He scurried from the dining room to the ballroom and began to make his way around the perimeter of the dance floor.

His eyes grew wide when he saw his prey walking in the same direction a few feet ahead of him.

He rushed toward her, in his haste forgetting his carefully laid out plan.

The only thing in his mind at that moment was to grab her and compromise her.

Upon reaching the young lady, he snatched her arm just above the elbow and spun her around, wrapping her tightly in his arms. His momentum pushed him forward and the lady staggered backward.

Her heel caught in her hem, which was just a bit longer than it should have been for a ball gown, and she fell, Collins falling with her.

They landed in an undignified heap with Collins on top.

Once his breath returned after his fall, Collins felt triumph fill him.

“Now, Miss Elizabeth, you will have to marry me. Your Mr. Darcy will not want you now, not after …” His voice trailed off as he looked into the young lady’s face and realized that she was not, in fact, Elizabeth Bennet.

His eyes rounded and his lips flapped as he stared at Miss Susanna Long.

Suddenly, hands lifted him off the young lady.

“See here, sir! You have compromised my niece! If dueling were not illegal, I would see you on the field of honor right this minute.”

“I, I, I did not mean to do it, I swear! Please, I have never held a weapon in my life!” Collins sobbed, holding his hands up in supplication.

“He will do the honorable thing, will he not, Husband? He is a clergyman. Are they not held up as an example of gentlemanly behavior?”

Collins looked toward the young lady, who was being helped up by an older woman he assumed to be his accoster’s wife. “I cannot marry her! I have to marry –”

“Now see here!” The gentleman, who Collins now realized must be Mr. Long, drew close, to within inches of his nose.

“I have connections, highly placed connections, in the church. If you do not behave honorably, I will go to town in the morning and visit the bishop myself. I will make certain that you are disciplined and refused any further livings.”

Collins swallowed. What am I to do? he thought.

If he goes to the bishop, I will forever be left with a black mark against me and no hope of advancement.

But … Lady Catherine! She will be exceedingly unhappy with me for failing in my assignment.

Will she also be so if the church disciplines me?

” He swallowed again, his eyes darting back and forth, searching for an escape.

“Well, sir?” Mr. Long growled the question.

Collins stammered for a few more minutes, but then noticed the circle of faces that surrounded them. None of them appeared pleased. He became afraid for his well-being. Suddenly, his choice became clear. His shoulders drooped.

“I will marry her.”

At the back of the crowd surrounding the Longs and Mr. Collins, Darcy and Elizabeth stood watching the situation play out. Elizabeth held a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. She looked up at her betrothed.

“He was going to do that to me; that was his plan.”

Darcy nodded and squeezed the hand that rested on his arm. When she tightened her grip in return, he entwined their fingers. “I would never have let that happen. Even if I had not been near you, Bingley, Hurst, or Madison would have been. We would have prevented it.”

“But, what if he had succeeded? Would you have rejected me for it?” Elizabeth stared up at him.

“No,” Darcy declared. “I would never reject you. I could not. I love you to the depth of my being; you are stuck with me for the rest of your life.”

Elizabeth chuckled even as her eyes filled with tears. “You are the best man I know. Have I ever told you that?”

“No, you have not.” Darcy lifted a hand to caress her cheek. “Am I?”

“You are.”

His eyes drifted to her lips. “I would love to kiss you right now.”

“I would love it if you did.” Her eyes lit with mischief even as her lips lifted in a smile.

He swallowed, looking around as the crowd dispersed and Mr. Collins and the Longs exited through a side door. “It seems the time has passed for such things. I can no longer hide behind a bunch of people to do it.”

“Not that it stopped you before.” Elizabeth winked.

Darcy shook his head. He lifted her hand to kiss. “Behave yourself.”

“Must I?” She pouted.

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, my enchanting love, you must.” He leaned down to whisper into her ear. “At least until we are wed.”

“Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth pretended affront, but her grin gave away her lack of offense.

“Come, my dear. The orchestra has begun another tune. Will you dance with me again?”

“Happily. Lead on!” She giggled as Darcy turned them around and led the way to join the set.

Later, after the ball was over and the carriages were being brought around, Darcy and his betrothed stood near a window in the drawing room, looking out over the driveway. He was startled out of his pleasant contemplations of their last dance by the sound of Lydia’s voice behind them.

“I had hoped Mr. Wickham would be here. He is so handsome! Even though Papa said we were not to have the officers at Longbourn, I was hoping he would ask me to dance.”

Kitty replied, “I had almost forgotten about him! He would have been an excellent dancer, I am sure. Do you know why he missed the ball?”

“Something about an assignment in London, or so Mr. Denny said.”

“What a shame his duties called him away.”

Darcy snorted. When Elizabeth looked up at him with a giggle and a smirk, he looked down into her fine eyes, leaned closer and said, “What a blessing that was! I had enough to worry about with keeping you safe.” His heart skipped a beat when he noted the adoring look she gave him.

“I cannot help but agree.”

Half an hour later, the Bennet carriage pulled up. Mrs. Bennet had somehow finagled things so that her family was the last to leave. Darcy did not mind in the least. It gave him more time with his beloved.

Elizabeth turned to him after he helped her into her coat. “Will I see you later ?”

He took her hands in his. “You will, though I do not know when. It might be dinner before I can get away. Do not let my absence keep you from doing what you wish. I will find you wherever you are.”

Darcy saw the frown that she was quick to hide.

“Very well. I will stay near Longbourn, though, perhaps walking in the gardens if it is not too cold.”

He grinned. “I cannot see it being too cold for you, my dear.” He lifted both of her hands and kissed the fingers. Then, he took her gloves from her, put them on her hands, and tucked one under his elbow. He escorted her to the carriage, handing her up himself.

“I will be thinking of you the entire time we are apart. I love you.” He felt her shiver as he whispered the words into her ear. He knew she felt the same when she squeezed his hand before letting go to settle in between Jane and Mary.

~~~***~~~

Mr. Collins paced back and forth in his room.

On the table near the window sat his unfinished letter to his patroness.

He had begun writing it as soon as he had returned from the ball.

He could only get so far, however, before the import of what he had to report made him quiver in fear of the consequences.

He stopped in front of the table and looked at the paper and quill. He groaned.

“She is going to be furious,” he said to himself. He shook his head and turned to pace once more to the other side of the room. “How can I word this so it is not as offensive?” He thought a bit longer, his steps taking him back in the direction he had come from.

“It is no use!” He stopped and threw his hands up. “I would be much better to simply say it. I will flatter and exalt her, but lying would be impossible. Not to mention unwise.”

With a huff, Collins strode back to the table, seated himself, and finished the missive. He read it over once more, then sanded it, folded and sealed it, and wrote the direction on the outside.