Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 129

Anne is enjoying herself hugely at the little parsonage. She has held baby William for half an hour, amazed how such an unattractive father and plain mother can get such a beautiful little boy. Of course there is no way to know how he'll grown up. Mrs Collins has received a lot of presents, happy with all the nice little things they got the baby, but almost ecstatic with the three new dresses Elizabeth brought for her.

'Eliza, new dresses as well as all these lovely gifts for little William? I can hardly believe it! And how do you know they'll fit?'

'They're ready-made, Charlotte, you can adjust them a little with a sash. But you're slimmer than I expected, so I may have to fit them myself, we can just manage tomorrow before we leave, I do need daylight. And then you can stitch the new seams at your leisure. It'll give you something to do when Will goes to see Lady Catherine.

Oh, I'm sorry, Charlotte, I didn't know you mind that so much or I wouldn't have joked about it.'

'Dear Eliza, you can't help it. It's just that, you know, he hates to go there these days, he didn't want to go just now, he's so afraid of her and he thinks she knows Miss de Bourgh is here because your driver is staying at the Arms and Mr Darcy's team is unmistakeable, people hereabouts know it because he used to stay at Rosings very often. I told him Lady Catherine won't expect Anne to be here but he just fell apart on me. But I so much wanted to spend the evening with you, not have him around all the time, fawning on Miss de Bourgh. He is also a bit afraid of you, Eliza, says he never knows what you are thinking, like your father. But seriously, Eliza, Miss de Bourgh, Will is very unhappy here, and I beg you that if you hear of a living becoming available anywhere else, be it very modest, please think of Will, to spare him a life spent in perpetual fear.

He is wonderfully reformed and almost pleasant to be with, I don't love him and I don't think I ever will, but he adores me and little William and he'd do anything for us. He knows I don't love him and it hurts him, even more so since I have little William in a crib in my bedroom and he has his own room. We have not been intimate since William's birth, I cannot face the possibility of conceiving again, I need time to recover from the last nine months. If he was happy otherwise I think it would be easier for me to refuse him that other thing, now he keeps watching me like a big, fat puppy looking for a safe place to hide. If only he would stand up for himself just once I think Lady Catherine would respect him a little, but he cannot seem to do it, it's his youth, his father broke him before he had a chance to grow some backbone.'

Well, Anne cannot fault poor Mr Collins for being afraid of her mother, she never dared stand up to her either. Of course she was weak and tired, maybe she'd do better now. If she got the chance, with Nick ready to give his life for her. Imagine being afraid of intimacy with one's husband. Maybe she should tell Charlotte about ways to prevent conception, but how would she explain knowing about it?

'I cannot promise anything, Charlotte, but I will keep your request in mind,' Elizabeth says with feeling. Anne knows Elizabeth dislikes her cousin intensely, but of course Charlotte used to be her best friend, she must wish her to be happy. Anne herself may be able to do better once she's actually married.

'I will talk to my uncle, and to Frederick. I think he may be your best option, he knows a lot of people and most of them are landed. Don't despair, yet, Mrs Collins, something may come up, though I guess mother will never change.'

And then they talk of babies, and embroidery, and Georgiana's wedding, and Anne's engagement and their coming move to Pemberley. Mrs Collins calms down visibly, her baby on her lap and her presents all about her. It was the right thing to do to come here, just mailing those presents wouldn't have been half as nice.

The door opens and closes and Anne feels a little thrill, that must be Nick coming back, it's too early for Mr Collins to return, it's not even half past nine. But when an overwrought Mr Collins does come in and throws himself at her feet, Anne feels a little twinge of worry, where is Nick?