Page 43 of Mr. Darcy’s Fiery Passion

Mr. Collins followed them. "I am not discouraged, cousin. Not in the least. I shall naturally apply to your excellent father, whose authority..." He came round the end of the sofa. "Mr. Darcy, you will bear witness that my intentions are of the most honorable..."

Mr. Darcy said nothing at all. He looked straight ahead at the door.

Hop. "...to say nothing of the condescension of Lady Catherine..." Hop. "...who will, I am confident, approve your modest unwillingness..." Hop.

Elizabeth did not dare look at Mr. Darcy. She felt his arm shake once under her hand. It was not his burns.

They reached the door. Mr. Collins reached it too, one step behind, still talking.

Mr. Darcy turned his head at last and looked at him. "Mr. Collins."

Mr. Collins stopped.

"Miss Elizabeth has answered you," said Mr. Darcy quietly. "Twice. I heard her through the wall."

He took her out into the passage and the ten hops to the library, and in at its door. He set her in her chair by the fire and stepped back. His face was perfectly grave.

She looked up at him. He looked down at her.

Then his mouth gave way at one corner. Elizabeth put both hands over her face and laughed until she cried.

Her mother found her within a quarter of an hour. Mrs. Bennet came into the library with her cap ribbons flying. Mr. Darcy rose and bowed and went out. He left the door open behind him. Elizabeth heard his step go a little way down the passage and stop.

"Lizzy! Mr. Collins tells me you have refused him!"

"I have, Mama."

"Then you shall unrefuse him! I will make you know your own interest, you headstrong, foolish girl. Hill! Oh, Hill is at Longbourn. Somebody fetch Mr. Bennet!"

Somebody fetched Mr. Bennet. He came in from the breakfast room with his newspaper still in his hand. He looked round Mr. Bingley's library with distaste, then at his wife and his daughter in the chair. Mr. Bennet sighed. "Well, Elizabeth," he said. "I understand that Mr. Collins has made you an offer of marriage. Is it true?"

"It is, sir."

"Very well. And this offer of marriage you have refused?"

"I have, sir."

"Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is it not so, Mrs. Bennet?"

"Yes, or I will never see her again."

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth." Her father folded his newspaper. "From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins. And I will never see you again if you do."

Elizabeth smiled at him. She could not help it.

Her mother turned on Elizabeth with her face working. "Very well, miss! Go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way, and you will never get a husband at all. And I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead. I shall not be able to keep you. And so I warn you. I have done with you from this very day."

She swept out. Mr. Bennet looked after her, and then at Elizabeth, and went back to his newspaper.

Elizabeth sat with her hands in her lap.

I shall not be able to keep you.

She had heard it before, in other words. She had heard it at seven and at twelve and at fifteen. Five girls and no son. One day her father would die, and they would all live on somebody's charity.

She looked at the open door. The passage outside it was quiet. He had heard every word. She knew it, and her face burned.

The Lucases called in the afternoon to ask after the invalid. Charlotte sat with Elizabeth an hour and heard the whole story. Mr. Collins came in and attached himself to Charlotte, and Charlotte was civil to him. When the Lucases went home, Sir William carried Mr. Collins off to dine at Lucas Lodge.