Sacrificial Lamb ~ by Cindy

Elizabeth Bennet, whose sister, Jane, had married their cousin, the Reverend Mr. William Collins, several months before, was traveling to Kent for a visit. Everything outside the carriage was new and interesting to her, and as soon as they left the main road for the lane to Hunsford, she searched for a glimpse of the parsonage. She had received several letters from Jane, but she would not rest easy until she ascertained her sister's supposed happiness for herself.

But how could Jane be happy? After all, she had married such a man! Not that Jane had much say in the matter. Their cousin had arrived at Longbourn before Michaelmas the previous year, had insisted on making amends for the family entail and had been married almost immediately to Jane. It had all been her mother's doing, with Elizabeth and her father trying their best to keep it from happening. To no avail... Both Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Collins had been insistent, and Jane was too sweet and felt too responsible for her family.

Now, Elizabeth was attempting to put this all in a good light. After all, Jane was settled, with her own household, and her husband had a decent, stable position in the church and in society. What more had Jane or their mother wished for? Nothing, really, and Elizabeth's good friend, Charlotte Lucas, considered Jane most fortunate, even if Lizzy did not. Jane insisted she was happy, but then Lizzy hardly expected her to say a word against their cousin, when she never said a bad word about anyone. The proof, however, was in the pudding, as they said, and Elizabeth would not be content until she saw her sister for herself.

When the carriage finally stopped at a small gate and Jane came to the door, Lizzy could not exit the coach fast enough, and fairly flew into her sister's arms. She was welcomed with the liveliest pleasure and was relieved to find herself so affectionately received.

Her cousin's manners had not changed upon his marriage; his formal civility was as it had always been, and he enquired after the family before they went inside for refreshments. Afterwards, Jane took her sister on a tour of the house, and Elizabeth marveled at the neatness and convenience of everything. "Most of this is according to Lady Catherine de Bourgh's advisement, of course," Jane said without flushing, not being the least bit concerned that her life was basically ordered about by her husband's patroness.

Lady Catherine was mentioned again at dinner, this time by Mr. Collins. "You shall have the honor of seeing my patroness Sunday in church, my dear sister Elizabeth," he said. "I have no doubt you shall be honored by the glimpse, at first, and surely honored by her attentions when services are over. She will, certainly, include you in the invitations she extends us, while you are here. Indeed, we dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed to walk home. One of her ladyship's carriages is regularly ordered for us."

"She is a sensible woman," Jane noted. "A most attentive neighbor."

The next day, Elizabeth was drawn to a front parlor window after Jane was summoned to attend a lady in a carriage in front of the parsonage, and was told by her sister after she had returned that the young woman was Miss de Bourgh, her ladyship's daughter. "She is a frail girl," Jane said sympathetically, "but she seems to enjoy my company."

"And who would not, dearest Jane! But why did she not come in?" Instead of leaving Jane to stand outside in the wind.

"She hardly ever comes in," Jane sadly noted. "I wish she would do so more, as I am bereft of all my sisters."

Lizzy hugged her for good measure. "But I am here now, and we have dinner at Rosings to look forward to." She had to admit, she was quite eager to meet this paragon, Lady Catherine.

A couple of weeks later, Elizabeth had more than enough of Lady Catherine. The woman told Jane how to dress, what to eat, where she needed to dust daily, and who must be visited in the parish. As if Jane did not have enough to do, Elizabeth thought, without trying to keep up with her majesty's dictates! Her sister was run ragged, but being Jane, did not complain. Lizzy tried to get her to admit that living in Lady Catherine's pocket was not only strenuous, but demeaning.

"She means well, Lizzy," Jane insisted. "And Mr. Collins thinks highly of her opinion. I could not disappoint him in that way."

Elizabeth finally gave up, and grew bored with the constant kowtowing to the Rosings royalty, as she secretly called the de Bourghs. On the third week of her visit, however, relatives of Queen Catherine's arrived at Rosings for Easter, and life became more interesting.

"Come here, Miss Bennet," Lady Catherine demanded when they arrived for one of their usual dinners at the manor house. "I must introduce you to my nephews. Darcy, Fitzwilliam, Miss Bennet. Miss Bennet, these are Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam."

Elizabeth eyed the two men with the interest two new faces deserved, especially in light of the friday-faced company provided by Lady Catherine and Miss de Bourgh, and Mrs. Jenkinson. Lady Catherine, knowing of Elizabeth's lack of talent in playing the pianoforte, asked that Miss Bennet perform something for the company. She agreed, not discomposed one bit to play badly in front of these strangers.

"My aunt tells me that Mr. Collins is your cousin and his wife is your sister," Colonel Fitzwilliam said, joining her at the instrument.

"Yes, they are." Elizabeth chose something light and airy and launched into it with enthusiasm, if not perfect skill. "She is a most beloved sister. Do you have any siblings?" That sparked a lively conversation between the two of them, which seemed also to attract Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth gave him an inviting smile as he neared the pianoforte.

"What are you talking about, gentlemen?" Lady Catherine suddenly demanded.

"We are speaking of families, Aunt," the colonel told her.

"Families! Speak louder, then! I must have my share in the conversation, if you are speaking of families! There are few people in England who have more true enjoyment of families than myself, and if Sir Lewis had lived longer, I should have been a great proficient in providing him more of one! And so should Anne one of these days, if her health will allow it." She turned back to talk to Mrs. Collins and ignored them once more.

Elizabeth, however, was amused, and tried not to laugh, and her dimples, as well as eyes brightened by good humor, did much to attract the gentlemen even further.

Jane was quite impressed when the two gentlemen from Rosings came calling the next morning, both asking for Miss Bennet. As the days progressed, she spent many an hour keeping her husband out of the way while Lizzy might get to know both these gentlemen further, although she had it in confidence from Lady Catherine that Mr. Darcy had been betrothed to Miss de Bourgh from the cradle. If so, then the sickly daughter of her husband's patroness was quite in luck, because Mr. Darcy was a handsome man, with dark hair and flashing blue eyes. His cousin, the colonel, was fairer in countenance, but also seemed to possess a pair of eyes the color of a summer sky. Either one would be acceptable in income and social status to her mother, should he approach Mr. Bennet for Lizzy's hand, but she wondered if either would be considered by Lizzy or their father.

Jane did not discuss any of this with Mr. Collins, because he would immediately turn around and tell Lady Catherine, bringing her ire down on all of them. And Jane did not like confrontation any more than she did saying something bad about a person.

She did, however, talk it over with Lizzy.

“The colonel is an amiable visitor to Rosings,” Jane said one day as they sat in her private parlor, the one that Mr. Collins had set aside for her own use and never entered. “I wonder what he looks like in regimentals.”

Elizabeth grinned. “You sound like Mama! But I confess I have often wondered that, as well. It is a good thing she, Kitty and Lydia are not here, or there would be nothing left of the colonel.” They laughed.

“Mr. Darcy seems nice, as well.”

“Yes, he is a bit more distant than his cousin, but I do not find that disagreeable, and he speaks less nonsense than the colonel when he does open his mouth.”

“He is, I believe, destined to marry his cousin. Miss de Bourgh,” Jane clarified.

“I did not think you meant the colonel,” Lizzy teased.

“They seem to call here a great deal, and I do not think they come for my biscuits,” Jane continued.

“Would you stay a moment longer than necessary in Rosings?”

And that was that, for the moment.

After Easter, the gentlemen returned to London and life at Hunsford parsonage returned to normal. Elizabeth returned to Hertfordshire in May, the family of Lady Catherine all but forgotten. Besides, one of the members of the militia in Meryton, Mr. Wickham, caught the attention of Elizabeth. He tried to tell her about Mr. Darcy once he learned where she had been for several months, and with whom, but she could not believe his words, and chalked it up to jealousy.

Lydia was to go to Brighton with Colonel Forester of the militia and his wife, however, tragedy had befallen Jane and plunged the family into mourning: Mr. Collins had died. Word from Jane was that it was apoplexy, and she was coming home, being bereft of a home in Kent.

Only Mrs. Bennet complained that Jane had not the good sense to be increasing and thereby securing the entail, but was calmed down when it became known that Mr. Collins was the last male member of the family, and now Longbourn was saved from passing hands at the death of Mr. Bennet.

A year later, Jane and Elizabeth were both surprised when a Mr. Bingley let Netherfield, and his close friend Mr. Darcy accompanied him up from London. Mr. Darcy was more than happy to introduce the widow Collins to Mr. Bingley, and they quickly fell in love. And the name Wickham was never mentioned, thereby avoiding any reasons for misunderstandings between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

Sadly, or so it seemed to Jane, Miss de Bourgh’s health took a turn for the worse, and she, too, died, leaving Mr. Darcy to marry where he pleased. He pleased to look to Elizabeth for a wife, and it was with great joy six months later that she and Mr. Bingley, and her sister and Mr. Darcy were both married the same day in the Longbourn church.

Lizzy would sometimes complain that Mr. Collins had set their lives back a year or so, but Jane knew that sometimes making a sacrifice for one’s family was well worth the effort.

The end

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