Chapter 2 Sunday Services
“Lizzy, come down to breakfast. What is taking you so long?”
Mrs. Bennet’s shrill voice carried all the way to the second floor, bringing hot blood to Elizabeth’s cheeks.
Her mother was on a rampage. It had begun the night of the assembly, when she had seen that Mr. Collins had shown an interest in her least favorite daughter.
Thankfully, all day Saturday, Papa had kept the man occupied in his study, and then they had gone out in the gig to see the estate, so she had not come face-to-face with the rector until they sat down to dinner.
Now she faced an ordeal at breakfast and the further discomfort of being cooped up in the carriage with him on the way to and from church. She considered asking to walk, but quickly abandoned the idea. Her mother would only insist that her cousin escort her.
Elizabeth descended the staircase slowly, dreading what awaited her in the breakfast parlor.
And sure enough, the trap was set. Mr. Collins looked up at her and smiled.
She inclined her head in acknowledgment.
He was a handsome man; it was a pity he was so uncouth.
He might have made one of them a very eligible husband, but she was sure it would not be her, and her mother could not force her.
She had a little of her pin money saved and, if pressed, she would take the mail coach to London and throw herself upon the mercy of her uncle until she could hire herself out as a governess or companion.
“Elizabeth, take the chair next to your cousin,” her mother ordered.
Elizabeth did not reply. There was no point in making a scene.
He was to live among them for a month, and she did not wish to provoke him.
Evidently, he enjoyed troubling her. She kept her eyes lowered as she served her plate.
When she moved to the vacant chair, he rose and pulled it out for her before seating her.
She felt an urge to bat his hands away. He was clearly attempting to ingratiate himself with her mother.
Little did any of them know how coarse he could be.
She said nothing, but began to eat. The sooner she finished, the sooner she might excuse herself and flee upstairs to the safety of her room.
She heard a low chuckle. The blond titan leaned close and whispered in her ear, “You will not escape me, cousin. I shall sit beside you in the carriage, escort you into church, sit with you through the service, and afterward, I will invite you to walk home with me. And then…”
She glared at him. “I will do no such thing, so do not think it. You are improper, sir. You are no gentleman.”
Mrs. Bennet, catching Elizabeth’s angry expression, interjected sharply, “Lizzy, I will have none of your tricks. Comport yourself, you headstrong girl.”
Elizabeth turned away from her cousin and did not lift her eyes again until she had finished eating. Then she rose and asked to be excused. Mr. Collins rose as well.
“My dear cousin, would you walk out in the gardens with me while we wait to leave for church? I have not yet seen the orchard or the hermitage.”
Elizabeth turned slowly to face him and forced a smile, though her eyes were fierce. “Thank you, sir, but I must run upstairs and finish my toilet. My hair is coming undone, and I need to repair it. Excuse me.”
She deliberately plucked a pin from her hair, and a long curling lock tumbled down past her shoulder.
Mrs. Bennet looked at her. “How came you to do such a poor job of your hair, Elizabeth? You will make us late. Ring for Alice and have her dress your hair properly. Hurry on, you untidy girl, or you will make us all late.”
Elizabeth fled from the room.
The two youngest sisters had not yet gone down to eat, and the carriage was never called for before nine o’clock.
It was only eight now. She had time to repair her hair and spend the remainder of the hour reading safely locked away in her room.
So this is how the little foxes must feel during a hunt, she thought.
As forewarned, Elizabeth later sat crushed between Mr. Collins and Jane in the carriage. Mrs. Bennet was intent on fixing an attachment between the rector and her second daughter.
“Elizabeth, you will allow Mr. Collins to escort you into church. He is a stranger among us, and we must do all we can to make him feel welcome,” Mrs. Bennet declared.
Elizabeth raised her eyes to her father, seated opposite. He was studying Mr. Collins’s face and evidently did not like what he saw. She glanced up and found her cousin smirking at her. When their eyes met, she saw amusement flicker there. He was enjoying her discomfiture.
Mr. Bennet intervened. “No, Mrs. Bennet. I asked Elizabeth to escort me in. My gout is acting up, and she is strong enough to support me.”
He paused, then turned to his cousin. “On second thought, Mr. Collins can offer me his arm. He is much better suited to help an old man.”
Relief flooded Elizabeth. She looked at her father, hoping he understood her gratitude.
When they arrived, Mr. Collins hopped down and handed her mother and sisters out. Elizabeth turned to her father. “Papa, let me carry your prayer book, and I will hold your walking stick while you disembark.”
He handed both to her, and Mr. Collins assisted him down. Turning back to his daughter, Mr. Bennet reached out his hand and gave her a wink. She smiled in return as she handed him his walking stick.
“Come, cousin, our box is at the front to the right,” Mr. Bennet said.
Elizabeth followed behind and wedged herself between her father and the armrest. She kept her eyes lowered except during hymns and prayers, but she was aware of her cousin’s gaze upon her throughout the service.
When the last prayer was over, she took her father’s prayer book and handed him his walking stick. She nearly giggled when he affected a limp. He was quite good at it. He caught her eye, and she saw the glimmer of amusement there, which loosened the tightness in her chest.
Outside in the courtyard, Mr. Bennet turned to his cousin. “Collins, come, I will introduce you to Goulding. He owns one of the principal estates in the county. It is well for you to know him.”
Elizabeth remained half hidden near a garden wall, watching her father exert himself to introduce his fair cousin to every head of household present.
He was a good father. He had seen her distress and rescued her.
She wiped moisture from the corner of her eye with a gloved finger when she heard a sickening sugary voice at her side.
Miss Bingley.
“Why, Eliza, have you dust in your eyes, or are you crying?”
Elizabeth looked up at the slender, elegantly dressed woman who peered down at her.
“I cannot say I blame you for weeping,” Miss Bingley continued smoothly. “Mr. Darcy certainly offered you an affront at the assembly. And in such a public way. I doubt you will ever live it down.”
Elizabeth’s spine stiffened. She smiled coolly. “Not at all, Miss Bingley. It had never entered my mind. If I was tearful, it was only because I have such an affectionate, thoughtful father.”
She turned to look for him and saw that her father was introducing Mr. Collins to Mr. Watson and his wife. Charlotte stood with Miss Watson, and both smiled at Mr. Collins. He was a handsome man, and he would inherit Longbourn. Why could he not be respectable as well?
Her eyes narrowed. Miss King drew near to Mr. Collins and curtsied. Perhaps one of them will catch his attention and spare me any future attentions from him, she thought hopefully.
Miss Bingley broke into her musings. “I do not believe you. You are weeping because Mr. Darcy does not consider you handsome. My dear, do not trouble yourself. He is courted by the very flower of London society. Why, Lady Isabella has been pursuing him since Easter. She is a duke’s daughter.
Of course, an earl’s grandson cannot be tempted by the likes of you. ”
Miss Bingley then looked toward the fair-haired rector, now surrounded by several young women. “Your cousin is just the man for you, and if you do not hurry to his side, you will lose him to another. I hear Miss King has just inherited ten thousand pounds.”
Elizabeth’s brows rose, and she stared at the woman in surprise. How did Miss Bingley know such a morsel of gossip when her own mother did not?
“Ah, I see you are surprised,” Miss Bingley went on with a smirk. “I am sorry, Eliza, but you will lose the only eligible suitor in your limited circle. How can a woman of modest looks and no dowry possibly compete with a younger, prettier, well-dowered one?”
Elizabeth had heard enough. She curtsied. “I must look after my youngest sisters. They are barely out of the schoolroom and are still learning how to comport themselves in society. Excuse me.”
She fled. What a sour-faced viper.
It was a shame and a pity that the most handsome man of her acquaintance should have made her the subject of cruel jokes and unkind remarks.
Doubtless, others like Miss Bingley had reveled in the joke or, at the very least, pitied her.
Pity was almost worse. She had endured it for nearly a year after Nicholas abandoned her, and now this was fresh fodder for gossip.
She scanned the company and found her two sisters standing in a corner, giggling together. They were, thankfully, on their best behavior. As she drew nearer, she heard Lydia whispering about a Mr. Wickham.
“He is so handsome,” Lydia gushed. “And he winked at me. I giggled, and then he came over and said the others, especially Denny, had wagered he could not make me fall in love with him. So he decided to prove them wrong and show that he has looks and address enough to please any woman.”
Kitty giggled. “What did you say to that, Liddie?”
Lydia gave a loud, coarse laugh. “I told him I would help him win, but he must share the winnings with me since I am to help him.”
Elizabeth’s blood ran cold. The man is a scoundrel, she thought. He is after her virtue. She must speak to her father and to Uncle Phillips. Between them, they must save Lydia from herself.
She took a step forward, but a hand closed firmly around her elbow.
“My dear cousin,” Mr. Collins drawled, “where do you run off to now? Your father may be in league with you to put me off, but I assure you, your little game has only increased my interest.”
Elizabeth looked up into his eyes, unable to conceal the terror she felt. This man meant to have her, and he was enjoying the hunt. She must leave for London as soon as possible or be caught in his web. She tried to pull her arm free, but he only chuckled and tightened his grip.
He bent his head and said in a low voice. “Dear cousin, you cannot openly struggle with me in the church courtyard with the rector looking on and all your neighbors eager to see what comes next.”
She glanced around and saw a few busybodies watching them narrowly. She forced herself to relax.
“That is better,” he murmured. “Now smile, before people think you have something to hide. After all, we are living under the same roof.”
Her face drained of color. If he wished to compromise her, all he need do was whisper the smallest lie, and her reputation would be ruined.
Her vision darkened, and she felt weak, close to fainting.
“Miss Bennet,” a familiar voice said, “I have not yet had the pleasure of being introduced to your cousin. Will you do me the honor?”
For a moment, she could not think. Nausea and terror gripped her. Collins meant to have her, even if he must ruin her to do so.
His hand dropped from her elbow. Elizabeth bit the inside of her lip hard. The pain cleared her head. She curtsied to the elegant gentleman.
“Mr. Darcy, may I have the honor of presenting my cousin, Mr. William Collins, rector of Hunsford Parsonage in Kent?”
She then turned to her cousin. “Mr. Collins, allow me to present Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire, at present a guest of Mr. Bingley’s at Netherfield Park.”
Both men bowed.
Darcy asked with polite interest, “Hunsford Parsonage? So, you are the new rector. My aunt, Lady Catherine, wrote that she had finally engaged a qualified man.”
Collins answered stiffly, “Yes, Mr. Darcy. Lady Catherine is my patroness. I am much obliged to her for the gift of the living.”
Elizabeth scarcely heard the rest of their exchange. Her mind was on Lydia’s foolishness and Collins’s threats. She had heard the menace in his voice and seen the wicked intent in his eyes.
Mr. Darcy’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Miss Bennet, you look very pale. Pray, allow me to escort you to that bench. It is in a sheltered corner, and the sun will do you good.”
He did not wait for her reply. He took her gently by the elbow and guided her to the little bench. It was only large enough for one, and he stood behind it. She glanced at his face. The tall man was frowning at Mr. Collins as if daring him to approach her.
What was he about? If he were typical of gentlemen of the upper circles, then they were far too perplexing for her to comprehend. She remained in her quiet corner until her mother called her daughters to the carriage. Then Mr. Darcy handed her up and saw her seated between Jane and Mary.
She looked up at him. He had known she was distressed and had intervened to save her from her cousin. Why would he do so after the public set-down only two days past?
Elizabeth was now certain of two truisms: men were not to be trusted, nor were men easily understood.
She had learned that lesson early from Nicholas Jones, but the lessons from Collins and Darcy were proving far more severe.
She determined once again to remove to London as soon as it could be arranged.