Page 10 of The Best Of Relations

Mr Darcy found himself smiling at her again. “Miss Elizabeth, I may well take you up on your offer, though you may find that you have taken on a far greater task than you ever imagined. Too, you shall have to spend all evening at least at my side, so that you may pass on your pearls of wisdom.”

“A suitable penance for me,” Elizabeth said, and then took a deep breath. “Mr Darcy, I owe you an apology too.”

He blinked and looked surprised. “I cannot imagine what for, Miss Elizabeth, it is my behaviour that has been at fault. You have been impeccably gracious, even when severely provoked.”

“Not entirely, sir; I am at the very least guilty of thinking the worst of you, on no more than the word of a slight acquaintance.”

Darcy cocked his head, and then he sighed. “Wickham.”

“Yes, sir, and my aunt has shown me the error of my ways. I have always thought of myself as being easily able to discern a person’s character, but I was sadly mistaken in both yourself and Mr Wickham. I believed the very worst of you, solely because he flattered my vanity and you did not, and I must apologise for so misjudging you and allowing my prejudice to colour my opinion.”

“I believe we have already agreed that my insulting remark was the first offence,” Darcy said after a moment, “and so any prejudice you might have formed against me as a result of it was quite justifiable. As for Mr Wickham, he is a practiced schemer with the happy knack of making friends easily, unlike myself, as we have already established. Far older and wiser heads than yours have been taken in by his charm, not least my own most estimable father, who never could see the wickedness in him.”

Elizabeth ducked her head. “I have learned a valuable lesson today,” she said in a low voice, “and been humbled by it. I have only now to be ashamed of my own violent and unjustified prejudice.” To her very great surprise she felt him squeeze her hand as they passed in the dance.

“We have both learned a lesson from our mutual relative,” Darcy said quietly, “and no doubt it is her hope that we shall continue to learn, and become better from the learning.”

The dance ended then, and on that serious note they both bowed to each other. Darcy offered his arm for Elizabeth to lead her from the floor, only to notice Mr Collins bearing down on them with a greasy smile. He felt Elizabeth’s fingers tense on his arm.

Chapter Five

“Perhaps a little arrogance could be used for good purposes,” Darcy murmured, softly enough that only Elizabeth heard him, and as Mr Collins neared, drew himself up and glared very hard at the parson.

Mr Collins, thinking only of getting as close to Elizabeth as he could manage, could not ignore the tall, noble gentleman staring so hard at him, even if he had not been the nephew of his patroness.

“Mr Darcy, how gracious of you to condescend to dance with my cousin,” Mr Collins grovelled. “Of course Miss Elizabeth cannot in any way match the grace and loveliness of your fair intended, Miss Anne de Bourgh, but it is good to know that in some small way she might be able to console you for your cousin’s absence tonight…”

“You dare to insult Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy said in chilly tones.

“No, of course, Mr Darcy, I meant no offence, merely to assure you that Miss de Bourgh is the fairest jewel of England and you are an exceedingly lucky man…”

“You dare to look admiringly at my cousin?” Darcy’s voice chilled further. Elizabeth almost expected to see ice crystals begin forming on his breath. Mr Collins, on the other hand, was sweating ever more profusely.

“Oh no, of course, sir…” Mr Collins floundered. “Merely congratulating you on your good fortune, sir, in a match that will unite such great estates…”

“Good God, any minute now this uncouth idiot is going to start talking of the size of my cousin’s dowry and my annual income,” Darcy said, disgusted. “A man of God should be above such worldly concerns, sir!”

“Of course, sir – that is why I am here in Hertfordshire, to extend an olive-branch to that part of my family which is less fortunate than myself, by preferring one of the Bennet daughters to a most appropriate situation, as future mistress of Longbourn by means of condescending to offer my hand in marriage.” Mr Collins smiled toothily at Elizabeth. She did not manage to suppress a shudder, and Darcy felt it through her slender hand still laid upon his arm.

“Mr Collins, you are mistaken,” Darcy said. “The Bennet family is being exceedingly gracious in welcoming you to their home. Mr Bennet is a gentleman, and his daughters are the equal of any outside the peerage, and certainly above the touch of a humble clergyman, whatever his possible future prospects may be. I know well the parsonage-house at Hunsford and the value of that living – I have been looking after my Aunt de Bourgh’s financial affairs for some years, after all. Can you even afford a cook and a maid, once the expense of maintaining a wife is added to your budget? You could not possibly expect a daughter of Longbourn to cook and scrub her own floors!”

Startled, Mr Collins blinked, looked at Elizabeth, and back at Mr Darcy. “Well – I – a useful sort of girl, Lady Catherine advised me to choose…”

“A girl who can do her own housework, I daresay she meant,” Darcy said. “I am sure Lady Catherine did not understand Longbourn’s worth, sir, nor the Bennet family’s situation, when she suggested you look for a bride among your cousins. You might as well seek to wed Miss Anne de Bourgh yourself, you look so far above your station!”

Among Mr Collins’ sputtered, horrified denials, Elizabeth could hear the whispers spreading out from around them.

“… can’t afford a cook or maid…”

“… asking a Miss Bennet to scrub floors!...”

“… inherit Longbourn one day, but Mr Bennet is only five and forty, and very hale…”

“… would never allow my daughter to marry into such a situation…”

That last remark had come from Lady Lucas, who was staring at Mr Collins with wide, horrified eyes.

It was John Lucas, a very old friend, who stepped forward and bowed to Elizabeth, ignoring Mr Collins entirely. “If you are not engaged for the next, Miss Elizabeth, would you do me the honour?”