Page 35 of The Wager
“Mr. Collins, please desist from touching me. I am perfectly capable of walking on my own.”
“I am only trying to escort you properly, Cousin Jane.”
“I will ask you again to call me Miss Hamilton. I amnotyour cousin. Lizzy and I are not Mr. Bennet’s daughters.”
“It is evident you both hold my cousin Bennet in some affection. As my future wife, you would also become his cousin by marriage.”
Jane’s eyes narrowed at his pompous declaration of a pending marriage. If it were any of their younger sisters being importuned by the bumbling parson, Elizabeth would have stepped in and taken a strip off of his smarmy hide, but she stayed quiet, knowing Jane was well able to defend herself and leave him writhing in the dust, metaphorically speaking.
“There is no understanding between us, Mr. Collins.”
“That may be so, but I like to flatter myself your dear mother would wish nothing better than to have one of her daughters secured in a most fortuitous marriage. When Mr. Bennet passes, God willing not for many years, you will be mistress of Longbourn.”
Jane opened her mouth to speak, but he blundered on, oblivious to her reaction.
“Miss Elizabeth, would you please give Miss Hamilton and me some privacy?”
“Lizzy will remain, Mr. Collins.”
Mr. Collins pursed his lips, plainly aggravated with Jane’s unwillingness to speak to him privately.
“Very well, I shall proceed, but trust me when I say that Lady Catherine will hear about this behavior.”
He then straightened his posture, clasped his hands behind his back, and rocked on his heels.
“You can hardly doubt the purpose of my attentions, they have been too marked to be mistaken. As soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. To fortune, I am perfectly indifferent as the living I have been so graciously awarded brings in almost five hundred pounds a year and if you prove yourself industrious in other matters, extra income can be found with selling of eggs and preserves. Therefore, I shall make no demand of that nature on your stepfather, since I understand it could not be complied with as your mother’s portion is so pitiably small and, by necessity, spread amongst five daughters. On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach of your near poverty shall ever pass my lips when we are married.”
Elizabeth shuddered as Mr. Collins’ words,when we are married, washed over her like dirty laundry water and looked at Jane, to gauge her reaction. Even her serene sister could not stop a ripple of revulsion from crossing over her face. Before either of them could speak, he continued.
“Marriage to me would raise your status from an orphaned ward to a gentleman’s wife. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is very conscious of the distinction of rank, would approve most heartily.”
Jane held up her hand when he paused to take a breath.
“Mr. Collins, if this disgusting diatribe is a marriage proposal, I decline your offer.”
He gasped audibly, his face paling before morphing into a mottled red.
“You are rejecting me?”
“I am and I urge you to look elsewhere for your future happiness.”
“You must give me leave to flatter myself that the idea of you refusing my addresses is nothing but the insincere protestations of an elegant female. My situation in life, my connections with the family of de Bourgh, and my relationship with your adopted family are circumstances highly in its favor. Also, your portion is so pitifully small, that any man would be hard-pressed to look past your loveliness and amiable qualifications. I must therefore conclude you are not serious in your rejection of my future proposal.”
Elizabeth could not stay silent any longer.
“You have importuned my sister in this manner far too long, sir. Please leave us in peace or we will be forced to take this matter to our step-father.”
“I do not know why you are still here, interfering in a private matter.”
“My sister remained at my request, Mr. Collins,” Jane began in a firm voice. “Furthermore, I shall not marry you, and care not what your esteemed patroness has to say on the matter as she will never meet me in person.”
“Do not think I will allow you to remain at Longbourn when I become master.”
“Regardless of what you have heard, or what you believe, my sister and I are not destitute.” Jane cut a glance at Elizabeth who gave her a slight nod, inherently knowing what her sister was about to impart to the arrogant fool who stood blustering before them. “Come the new year, Elizabeth and I shall move to our brother’s estate.”
“You have a brother?”
Mr. Collins’ eyes widened and his mouth gaped open in astonishment, confirming Elizabeth’s belief their step-father’s cousin had not listened to a word any of them had spoken in the past twenty-four hours, having been too busy giving all glory and praise to his esteemed patroness.
