Page 54 of A Prudent Engagement

It was established that Mr. Darcy would offer to rent Longbourn from Mr. Collins once he arrived and that he would also put forth enough money to pay for most of the servants—though their establishment would be a little curtailed from what it had been in Mr. Bennet’s day.

Both her mother and Mr. Darcy were satisfied, though Elizabeth could not help but note that Mr. Darcy sincerely wished to keep her mama, and at least some of her sisters, several days’ journey away from being able to disturb his peace.

It was a little like her papa retreating to the library but on a larger scale.

When Mr. Collins arrived that afternoon, having called first at Lucas Lodge to collect Charlotte, he was in a disturbed mood. He immediately accosted Mr. Darcy with, “Sir, sir. Explain to my wife that she is severely mistaken. You cannot possibly mean to marry my cousin Elizabeth. You must tell her that you are promised to Miss de Bourgh.”

“I am not,” Mr. Darcy replied. “And before I left, I made clear to Lady Catherine that I will never marry her daughter, no matter the circumstances.”

“Oh my. Oh, oh. My poor lady! Oh! Have you no heart? Did not your soul quail when you sought to deliver such disappointment to a woman who is so wise, so condescending, and who has done so much good to others?”

“It did not.”

Elizabeth perceived that despite the short replies Mr. Darcy gave, he was amused by Mr. Collins.

“My lady has been in a foul mood these last days. She has been full of temper, and she went to each of the cottagers on her estate and ordered all of them to wholly change the arrangement of their dressers.”

Elizabeth said, “The poor cottagers.”

“You might better say poor Lady Catherine,” Mr. Collins replied. “But, Cousin Elizabeth, you cannot be happy, no matter how exalted the station that you will enter, to defy the preferences of the noble and honourable aunt of your intended. No, no. Cousin, as your nearest male relation, I insist that you end this engagement. You do not have my permission.”

It was impossible for Elizabeth not to smile at this declaration, though she made a great effort to hide it from Mr. Collins.

Mr. Darcy’s eyes showed him to be equally aware of the absurdity and thankfully amused by it rather than offended.

Both Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Phillips were in the room as they wished to speak with Mr. Collins about estate matters.

Upon hearing the declaration that it was his position to either give permission or not, Elizabeth’s uncles shared a look between themselves, and Mr. Gardiner stepped towards Mr. Collins and said firmly, “As the brother of Elizabeth’s mother, I am her closest relation by blood, and of even greater importance, Phillips and I were named as the girls’ guardians in Mr. Bennet’s will. Your permission, given or not, has no bearing on whether Elizabeth can marry Mr. Darcy. Our permission, which was required, has already been given.”

“Oh. But—I thought—” Mr. Collins appeared at a loss. “But my noble Lady Catherine will be unhappy.”

“That,” Mr. Darcy said, “will be of great sadness to her, but you seem to be overlooking important matters of pressing business. Mrs. Collins has informed me that you intend to let out Longbourn. Is that still your preference?”

Mr. Collins blinked. “Oh yes, certainly. Lady Catherine told me how difficult it can be to find suitable tenants, and I do not mean to send Mrs. Bennet and her family off until one has been selected. But if Miss Elizabeth will marry you against Lady Catherine’s wishes, I do not know whether I can be so accommodating.”

“Mr. Collins, I shall rent this house from you for the Bennet ladies to remain in. I would like a lease drawn up immediately.”

“I do not know whether Lady Catherine would approve.”

Charlotte said, “Once she has survived the first shock of the news, she will think that you could have no better tenant than the relatives by marriage of her exalted nephew. And the respectability of the Bennet family cannot be doubted.”

“But I ought to ask her first. I would not wish to rent my estate to those whom she sets herself against,” Mr. Collins cried.

Mr. Darcy looked at Mr. Collins with such frank astonishment that it greatly amused Elizabeth.

Even though he had seen how toadying the clergyman was towards his patroness, Elizabeth rather thought that he had not even considered that Mr. Collins would extend this abasement towards a matter of serious business such as renting out a manor house.

“Mr. Collins,” Elizabeth said, “perhaps you ought to hear what sum Mr. Darcy will offer, and then, after you have given it due consideration, you may decide what your devotion to Lady Catherine requires you to do.”

The named amount provoked a complete change in Mr. Collins’s perspective on the matter. The two gentlemen, with the help of Mrs. Collins and Elizabeth to smooth over any minor points of difficulty, reached agreement upon the price and all of the terms within another twenty minutes, and Mr. Phillips then sat down at the breakfast table, with a large piece of fine paper, to draft out the contract in his lawyer’s hand for them to sign.

Mr. Darcy looked towards Elizabeth, and she grinned at him.

That brought him close to her, and he took her hand. “I hope you are pleased.”

“Very pleased.”

“I only wish to make you happy. It gives me pleasure to care for you.”