Chapter 15
Two Daughters a Courting?
While the Bennets sat down to breakfast, a great ruckus was heard above stairs. None had ever heard Mr. Hill raise his voice in all the years he had been at Longbourn.
“You will not order me about. You are not master of this house. And I tell you this, beast. Given your mutterings about the Bennets and our dear girls, you had best find a new housekeeper and a man to help you. I will never allow my wife to serve so vile a man as you,” Mr. Hill said, pointing his finger at the offender.
“You cannot think I would let you compromise one of our dear girls. Are you that much of an imbecile?”
Everyone left the table. Upon reaching the first floor, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet both exclaimed at hearing so alarming a charge.
“After helping braid Lydia’s hair, Sarah saw him sneaking down to the girls’ rooms.” Mr. Hill explained with great feeling, not allowing Mr. Collins to move.
“What?” Mr. and Mrs. Bennet said this again in chorus.
“You would have no cause to sabotage me if one of your daughters were my wife.”
Now Bennet recognized the man’s father in Mr. Collins’s sneer. “By noon, all would know you had compromised my daughter, and you would be more despised than if you were high-handed. Should you harm any of my family, you would be ostracized.”
“’Tis a lesson I just learnt. Your worst deeds dictate how your neighbors first think of you,” Lydia said, spearing Mr. Collins with an intimidating glare.
Mary looked as if to murder the man.
“I sleep with a book, and it makes an excellent weapon,” Elizabeth said.
Bennet felt certain the man was unable to comprehend the notion of a lady defending herself against his intentions. But the thought of their needing to do so here in their own home whilst he was alive was unpalatable.
“You will not have cause to worry, Daughters. You are hereby dismissed from Longbourn until I am deceased, Mr. Collins,” Mr. Bennet said, motioning toward the stairs.
“The clock ticks, Mr. Collins. If any of his effects are still on this property five minutes from now, take them to the drive and burn them,” Mrs. Bennet said.
“I will see him packed and have his items out of this house, ma’am,” Mr. Hill said, striding to the guest chamber.
“I suspect Mr. Darcy will be seriously displeased when I tell him that his aunt’s parson intended to compromise one of us,” Elizabeth said, her anger not yet cooled. “I am certain he said he and Mr. Bingley planned to visit this afternoon.”
“But I must marry one of you, Cousin Elizabeth. Lady Catherine was precise in her expectations,” Mr. Collins exclaimed, mopping his brow with a shaking hand.
“Mr. Collins has no authority here,” Bennet said, stepping between Mr. Collins and his wife. He had never seen her so angry; Mrs. Bennet’s motherly instincts called out in the face of a threat.
“You cannot—”
“The right to tell me I cannot does not reside with you, Mr. Collins. Miss de Bourgh is the daughter of a gentleman, as are mine. By your own admission, you intended to compromise one of my daughters in my home. Therefore, I see every need to inform your patroness of this.” Bennet advanced on the man. “Now you have four minutes.”
“But, Cousin, I would not have harmed your daughter. I require a wife capable of aiding me in managing the estate, and you claim your daughters all to be more capable than I in this way,” Mr. Collins whimpered.
“You mean one of them might manage it for you since you have not the intelligence to manage your own selection of beef. My wife was forthright when she said our daughters were not available to you unless you and she were suited and both wished it. Fanny, take the girls to my study until this man is off our property.”
Less than two minutes later, Mr. Collins could be seen dragging his trunk and satchel down the drive. Mr. Bennet opened the door to the study and announced, “The wretch is gone.” All of the women under his roof, for this one moment, knew perfect harmony in laughing at the sight of Collins.
“Lizzy, bring your Mr. Darcy to the study as soon as he arrives this afternoon,” Mr. Bennet said, opening the door wide so his wife and daughters could return to the breakfast room.
“You are a good man, Mr. Bennet,” Mrs. Bennet said, patting her husband’s chest.
Mr. Bennet pulled his wife into his arms.
Closing the door on Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Jane said, “That is nice to see.” She and her sisters moved down the corridor to the family sitting room.
With his wife at his side and Elizabeth next to Mr. Darcy, Bennet illustrated to the younger man the cause of his cousin’s eviction that morning. “I suspect he caught the post coach near noon. He is not staying at the inn. I sent someone to inquire as I knew you would wish to know.”
“Thank you, Mr. Bennet. I had thought to…perhaps I should wait until I return from Kent.” Darcy looked at Elizabeth.
“Please, do not. Taking care of your family changes nothing on my part, only reinforces that you are the best of men,” Elizabeth said, imploring him to speak.
“Mr. Bennet, your daughter Elizabeth and I seek your blessing. She has done me the honor of accepting a courtship.”
“Thank the Lord. I thought it would never happen,” Bennet said, extending his hand to Mr. Darcy.
“If you feel you should go to Kent, you might make it as far as London today,” Elizabeth said, nodding at Mr. Darcy so he could see her understanding of its import.
“I will return to you as soon as I can, Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet, I am charged with asking you to wait a moment so that I can send Bingley in directly as agreed,” Mr. Darcy said, then left Longbourn after a quick word with Bingley, who went to the study with Jane by his side.
Whilst donning his hat and coat, Darcy could hear the jubilation coming from the same room where he had claimed his own future happiness. He departed with the satisfaction of knowing his friend had also been awarded a courtship with Miss Bennet.