ShemissedMr. Darcy.
It was that simple.
In love with him? No, Elizabeth would not confess to beingsofar fallen — if she was broken-hearted she would be an object of pity to herself. No, she simply missed a man who she admired enormously.
Certainly he had too many flaws for her tolovehim.
He had a great many.
Elizabeth simply liked him.
Monday afternoon, due to the unfortunate failure of a carriage accident to prevent him, Mr. Collins returned.
That evening they all went to a card party at Mrs. Phillips’s, including Jane who believed she had become strong enough to bear the carriage ride and evening company. Elizabeth wanted to sit by her sister the whole time, but Mr. Collins kept speaking and speaking.
Everyone watched and studied Jane, and she received many speeches of sadness at what had happened to her, but Elizabeth could not help but believe she saw a sort of pleased superciliousness in everyone.
Jane was beautiful, and she had lived a charmed life until this point. Other girls, who had always been jealous of her appearance, could now comfort themselves that at least they weren’t blind and jilted.
The need to keep up a pretense of sociability wore on Elizabeth.
She had never been so ill inclined for company — she had never been so inclined to forgive Darcy from her heart for his frequent ill temper in company.
Hour after hour; conversation after conversation. So many officers tried to talk to her. So many speeches from Mr. Collins.
Some men still crowded around Jane, as they always had. But there were fewer. Her beauty was unchanged, but her appeal was.
Then the next morning the event that Elizabeth had been unhappily awaited came about.
As soon as breakfast had finished, and Mr. Bennet had returned to his study, while the rest of the Bennet family went to the drawing room, Mr. Collins stood, and he announced to Mrs. Bennet, “Madam, I must beg from you an opportunity to have a private conference with your most lovely daughter.”
He looked meaningfully at Elizabeth, and smiled showing off his crooked teeth.
“Oh, oh! Mr. Collins. Of course!” Mrs. Bennet leapt up and started ushering her younger daughters out of the room before pulling Jane to her feet.
Elizabeth sighed. “Mr. Collins, I am sure that you can have nothing to say to me which you might not say in front of us all.”
“My dear cousin, you are too perfect! Too modest! But you must know why I wish to speak to you.”
“I have no idea,” Elizabeth flatly lied.
“My dearest cousin! Then you shall be delighted to hear!”
Mrs. Bennet dragged Jane, pulling her along. Her mother had not yet practiced guiding Jane and in her hurry she did not give Jane a proper chance to adjust her footing as she went over the doorsill.
With an ugly crash Jane tripped and went down, pulling Mrs. Bennet with her. Elizabeth rushed over to them.
Jane grimaced a little with pain, but Mrs. Bennet pulled her up again as she shooed Elizabeth back into the room. “Perfectly well. I am perfectly well. I insist Jane is as well. Back in there. Back into the room. Listen to Mr. Collins.” She shut the door on Elizabeth, closing her in with Mr. Collins.
Elizabeth sighed. There was nothing for it but to listen politely and then sweetly refuse his offer.
“From the moment I entered your house… that I must say,nearlyfrom the moment I entered Longbourn,” Mr. Collins said in a rehearsed voice, “I had selected you as the companion of my future life.”
“Mr. Collins—”
“No, let me speak before you engage in your expressions of joy. There is a proper order for these things. Where was I? Ah, yes. I have selected you as the companion of my future life. But let me first explain the reasons I have for marrying you…”
He droned on, and on.
