| |
LIZZY SPENT THE NEXT six days confined to the cabin. The captain refused to allow her to leave it, though he did let Jane move back and forth between the cabin she shared with Charles and Lizzy’s to visit and bring meals. Lizzy expected Fitzwilliam to come see her, but as the days passed, it became more and more evident he wasn’t going to.
Feeling out of sorts and concerned, wondering if everything he’d told her had just been words he’d said to convince her to warm his bed, she fell into despondency. When they reached America, docking in Boston on the sixth day, she still expected Darcy to seek her out, but there was no sign of him. The captain kept them aboard awhile, with Jane telling Lizzy he’d sent word ahead to have Mr. Collins meet them. When he finally told them they could get off the ship, Jane was there to accompany her, as was Charles, and they disembarked.
She was about to ask Charles where Fitzwilliam was when a portly man, who bore a strong resemblance to Mr. Collins, approached and she realized he must be Thaddeus Collins, the younger Collins brother, who had not inherited Longbourn. She knew he was a successful merchant, and she was hoping he was nothing like his older brother, except in appearance.
He greeted them with an inscrutable expression. “You must be the Bennet girls? I got word you would be arriving via this ship.” He looked askance at the merchant boat. At their nod, he touched his hat. “I am most pleased to make your acquaintance, though I question your choice of vessel for the voyage.” His gaze turned to Charles, and it bordered on hostile. “Who might you be, sir?”
“He is my husband,” said Jane with a small giggle, still clearly delighted at being able to announce that.
Mr. Collins scowled. “Your mother did not mention you having a husband when you set out from London, Miss Bennet.” He seemed most displeased, disproportionately so.
Jane didn’t seem to realize, but Charles appeared to as he looked aghast. “We met aboard the ship, Mr. Collins. Your cousin and I have been married almost two weeks.”
“I shall require proof of that before I can allow you to take her into your custody, sir.” Collins drew himself up, and he was quite an intimidating sight, though most of his bulk came from excess weight rather than muscles.
If Charles was intimidated, he gave no sign. “That can certainly be arranged. I have the marriage license in my luggage, but the captain can also vouch for us, since he is the one who married us.” He raised his hand to gesture to the captain, who stood nearby. “Captain Darren, will you please confirm for Mr. Collins that Mrs. Bingley and I are properly wed by your hand?”
“Aye,” called the captain before turning away.
Lizzy wondered for a moment if Mr. Collins would protest, but other than drawing himself up with a bit of outrage, he nodded. “Very well then. You have permission to take her.” He turned his attention to Lizzy. “You will find a nice room waiting for you, and I have engaged a lady’s companion as well.”
Lizzy looked uncertainly at Jane and Charles, wanting to find Fitzwilliam. “I am afraid I cannot leave yet, Mr. Collins. There is someone I must speak with first.”
“Nonsense. I am in a rush, and your sister has my address.” He gathered her by the arm, pulling her along with him.
Lizzy didn’t want to go anywhere and started to resist. “You are behaving most peculiarly, Mr. Collins.”
He shook his head, looking disgruntled. “Is it no wonder? I thought I would have the choice between the two of you. I prepared myself to take on the guardianship of the other sister, for how could I not take care of my wife’s family?” He smiled after a moment, though his expression revealed little true pleasure. “Of course, you are a fine choice, but Miss Jane is much more attractive, as I am certain you must concede. You no doubt hear that often.”
Lizzy frowned. “I do, but I do not understand...” She trailed off as she realized suddenly that Mr. Collins had invited her and Jane here with the intention of wedding one of them and accepting the other as his burden, the price he must pay to wed one. She gasped and pulled away from him. “I shall not marry you, Mr. Collins.”
He glared at her. “You most certainly shall. Not only did I pay for your passage, but I advanced your mother a hundred pounds.”
Lizzy gasped, shocked at her mother’s actions, though she supposed she shouldn’t be. It was entirely like Fanny to send Lizzy and Jane into such a situation without warning them they were about to be married, whether they liked it or not.
When he reached for her again, she jerked away. “I cannot marry you, Mr. Collins. You see, I am already ruined.” She took great pleasure in revealing she had been stranded alone on an island with Mr. Darcy for weeks.
He flinched. “Mr. Darcy? Fitzwilliam Darcy, relation to Lady Catherine de Bourgh?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea about his relation to said lady, but it is Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
He scowled, his displeasure clear. “Since he is such a fine gentleman of quality, and my brother speaks highly of Lady de Bourgh, I shall overlook the indiscretion.”
Lizzy’s eyes widened. “You still wish to marry me even though I was marooned alone with a man?”
He scoffed. “There will be no marriage. I shall set you up in an apartment and keep you as a mistress. It shall be a fine living for you, and it will allow me to select a more appropriate woman while still fulfilling my obligations as agreed upon with your mother.”
Lizzy’s jaw dropped when she tried to wrench away from him and hissed with pain when he tightened his grasp. “I highly doubt my mother agreed to me being your mistress. I will not go anywhere with you, Mr. Collins.” She turned away, calling out, “Mr. Bingley, I need your help.”
He and Jane had remained a few feet away, appearing undecided about how to handle Mr. Collins, but as soon as she called for him, he sprang into action. Mr. Bingley rushed toward them. When he saw Mr. Collins holding Lizzy’s arm, he frowned in censure. “You will release her at once, sir.”
“This is not your business, sir.” Mr. Collins glared at Mr. Bingley. “I do not know who you think you are—”
“I am Charles Bingley, and that is my sister you are manhandling. You shall release her at once.” As he spoke, Charles reached out and grabbed Mr. Collins, evidently undeterred by his larger size. He shoved him away and took Lizzy’s hand, spiriting her away from their cousin. Lizzy expected the man to follow behind, but all he did was shout a few insults before he turned away, clearly disgruntled.
As soon as she rushed to Jane, she confessed what she had learned. The two sisters embraced, sharing mutual horror at their mother’s actions.
Mr. Bingley looked disapproving. “I shall ensure the man is reimbursed for the money he advanced your mother and the cost of your tickets, dear ladies. We have no wish for him to try to maintain any claim to either of you.”
She let out a sigh of relief, though she couldn’t help thinking this should be Fitzwilliam’s obligation, should he actually plan to live up to his promise to marry her. She looked around again, further confused. “Where is Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley?”
He frowned. “No one told you?”
She shook her head. “Told me what?”
“Mr. Darcy has been rushed to the hospital. He had a healing injury on his leg from a boar, I believe he said, and he acquired another one during our forced labor for the captain. It is infected, so he is with the physicians now.”
Lizzy had never been more relieved and terrified at the same time. Fitzwilliam hadn’t abandoned her or his promise to her. Yet he was in mortal danger, or so it seemed, and she grasped Charles’s arm. “I must get to him immediately. Will you see a hansom cab comes for me?”
He shook his head. “I shall do no such thing. I have a driver waiting already, and Jane and I will accompany you to the hospital.”
She smiled in gratitude, soon finding herself in the cab beside her sister. Jane reached out to hold her hand, offering silent comfort, as Lizzy tortured herself imagining how ill Fitzwilliam must be if he had not been able to see her off the ship, or to see her at all in the last six days.