Page 13 of Infamous Relations

It was Mr. Collins. Charlotte sighed again, stepped outside the door and closed it behind her, confronting him on the landing. “What is it, Mr. Collins?”

“Charlotte, my dear,” he gave her a greasy smile, dry-washing his hands. “I know, having had time to think things over, you will have come to understand what an untenable situation this is. Lady Catherine has ordered that Miss Bennet be gone from our home by nightfall.”

“Lady Catherine presumably did not know of Elizabeth’s injuries when she made such a preposterous demand,” Charlotte said firmly.

“Charlotte, my dear, you do not know what she has done. She has disgraced herself! Disgraced her family name! Oh, I knew those Bennets were a bad lot…”

“Mr. Collins, you do yourself no honour with such remarks!” Charlotte’s voice cracked like a whip. “I do not know if such talk comes from your spite after Elizabeth rejected you, but I will have none of it in my house!”

He cringed for a moment, and then straightened up suddenly. “May I remind you, madam, that it is my house! And in our marriage vows, you promised to love, honour and obey me! Now you will pack my cousin’s bags immediately!”

Charlotte stared at him for a long, silent moment. And then she curtsied mockingly. “I pray you give me leave now, then, Mr. Collins. If I must pack Elizabeth’s bags, I must needs also pack my own. For if Elizabeth shall no longer be welcome in this house, then neither shall I be. I will return to Hertfordshire at her side.”

After a few moments of tense silence as they stared at each other, Charlotte nodded slowly. “So be it.”

“No!” Mr. Collins cried out as Charlotte began to turn around, reach for the door handle. “My dear Charlotte – I beg of you! Do not leave me!”

“It is your decision to make, Mr. Collins! You must cease, at once, demanding that Elizabeth be removed from this house while she is so desperately ill. Her family have been alerted by Express, and will no doubt be on their way as soon as may be; they may even arrive tonight. You may take your grievances with Elizabeth up with Mr. Bennet upon his arrival!” She turned away abruptly and went back into Elizabeth’s room, shutting the door firmly in his face. She did not see how ashen his complexion had turned at her words.

“He will kill me,” Mr. Collins croaked out, stumbling around the corner and leaning against the wall, putting his hands over his face. Oh Lord, what have I done? Why has Thou forsaken me? Why didst Thou put such temptation in my way, in the perfectly luscious, sensual form of my cousin, and then make her proud and foolish enough to refuse me?

He had been standing there a moment or two, thinking angry thoughts of blame at everyone save for himself, when he heard Elizabeth’s door open again.

Charlotte had found the ice almost completely melted on Elizabeth’s hot brow when she returned to her side. “I’ll run down and fetch more ice,” she said softly, speaking to her friend even though she knew Elizabeth could not hear her. “And a cup of tea for my poor throat. I am sure Maria must be back by now, I shall send her to sit with you for a little while, Lizzy my dear…” She gathered a few things to take downstairs, placed the screen before the fire and left the room with quick, determined steps, unaware that her husband watched as she walked down the stairs.

Mr. Collins stood staring at Elizabeth’s door as Charlotte’s footsteps faded away. “How convenient it would be if my cousin simply never awoke,” he murmured quietly to himself, before tiptoeing across the landing and very quietly easing open the door.

For a long moment he stood looking down at the lovely young woman in the bed, at her long dark eyelashes resting serenely on her cheeks, dark curls tumbling around her. At her full, red lips, swollen and bruised.

“How foolish you have been, Elizabeth,” he said softly. “You brought this on yourself, you know, with your excessive pride, when you refused me. I, who enjoy the great condescension and patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh!”

And with that, he picked up a pillow that had fallen to the floor, put it over Elizabeth’s face and pressed down with both hands.

Chapter Ten

“Oh, where is Charlotte, Mr. Collins?” Maria’s innocent voice at the door made him jump, and he quickly tucked the pillow behind Elizabeth’s head, making it seem that he was just seeing to her comfort.

“Gone downstairs for a few moments, sister,” he said.

“Oh, I see. I am sure that you have more important things to do than keep Elizabeth company, Mr. Collins, will you not let me sit with her?”

“You have such a fine understanding for one so young, dear sister,” Mr. Collins bowed to her, and swiftly departed.

Maria took the seat by Lizzy and lifted her hand, stroking her fingers gently.

“Dear Lizzy – I do not think it would be quite proper for us to let Mr. Collins sit with you alone,” she murmured. “I dare not say anything to Charlotte but I cannot quite like the way that he looks at you – or me.”

Very young and quite silly, Maria had been badly frightened by Elizabeth’s accident. Seeing the older girl, who she greatly respected and admired, so still and silent, when Elizabeth was always so vibrantly alive, shocked her beyond measure. She was weeping a few silent, frightened tears into her handkerchief when Charlotte returned.

“Hush, Maria,” Charlotte’s gentle hand on her shoulder stiffened Maria’s spine. “It’s all right. Lizzy will be well again soon, pray do not distress yourself so.” She felt by no means as confident as she made herself sound, but her sister needed the reassurance just then. “I will sit with her, but please – I am sure that her family will soon descend upon us. Can I trouble you to check over the room that Father used when he was here, and ensure that it is ready to receive guests?”

“Of course!” Glad to be of use, Maria scrambled to her feet. “And my room too, Charlotte, for I am sure that Jane will come; shall I prepare to share it with her?”

“I daresay Jane will wish to stay with Lizzy,” Charlotte said gently, “but we do not know who will come from Longbourn.”

Maria bit her lip. “I hope Kitty and Lydia don’t come,” she said, very quickly, feeling disloyal to her friends. “I cannot think that either of them would be of much use.”

Charlotte looked at her little sister with pride. “Unlike you, dear Maria,” she said tenderly, kissing Maria’s cheek and embracing her. “You have been a very great deal of use.”