Impatience is a Virtue

Mrs. Bennet's Great Vexation

"Elizabeth Bennet, come to the drawing-room immediately!" a shrill voice called from the bottom of the stairway.

"I will be there shortly mama!" the lady in question replied, trying desperately not to yell, or grimace at the thought of what was to come.

Mr Collins had requested her company, and she dreaded having to spend the next half an hour showing him around the garden unchaperoned. Mama had flown into her room at an ungodly hour, which made Lizzy incredibly suspicious as her mother rarely rose before ten o'clock, insisting she wear her best dress – "not the one from last night, mind you" – and come downstairs as soon as she had finished.

Lizzy's stubbornness forced her to take an enormous amount of time more than she usually would, and she made sure to wear her most unbecoming brown frock with copious amounts of lace, and frills along every hem exposed to human sight. To compliment her decidedly dull outfit, she instructed Beth to fix her hair in as unflattering a style as possible, at which the dear girl of just about seventeen dissolved into a fit of giggles and stated "You best be calling Hill when you go, Mrs Bennet won't be taking yer appearance with great ease."

"ELIZABETH!!!" another yell shook the very foundations of the house, and forced Lizzy to at last walk down the stairs as slowly as possible without further infuriating her mother. At least, with Mr Collins' imminent proposal mama had forgotten to be angry at Jane. Elizabeth dreaded the conversation they would no doubt have once she returned from refusing her annoying cousin.

"Mama, I'm coming!" said she, as she stepped into the drawing-room to a series of reactions that greatly tried her ability to not guffaw like a madwoman and collapse into the nearest chair.

Mrs Bennet turned a bright shade of red and stared angrily at Lizzy as she stood with utter innocence in the doorway. Thankfully Mr Collins was already seated on a chair near the pianoforte, and so Mrs Bennet's verbal abuse would have to wait until after their walk.

Mr Collins, the poor fellow, gaped at the sight before him with wide eyes, his mouth opening and shutting like a fish out of water. Lydia and Kitty, who sat pretending to embroider handkerchiefs, simultaneously let out a "Lord" and then had coughing fits as they attempted to hide their laughter. Even Mary and Jane's eyes started to shimmer as they tried, with varying degrees of success, to conceal their mirth. Mary of all people! Laughing! the thought made Lizzy's struggle to maintain an air of innocence quite nearly impossible. She had forgotten this dress was the first Lydia and Kitty had attempted to alter, and they had sewn on so many patches of lace in such skew patterns that the whole outfit had been thrown into the back of the cupboard. Saved for a day such as this! thought Lizzy triumphantly, no longer able to hide her smile.

"Shall we, Mr Collins?" she managed to squeak out as Kitty rushed from the room and her giggles could be heard skipping down the hallway.

"Why, uh, yes, of course, dear Cousin Elizabeth." the poor man stuttered as he rose from his seat and collected his walking stick.

The two made their way along a path that led to the border between Netherfield and Longbourn. Mr Collins remained awkwardly quiet for the better part of fifteen minutes until finally, with a loud cough, and an even louder "uhem", he stopped near a large tree and turned to face Elizabeth.

-

At Netherfield, the morning had been no less chaotic. Bingley, still upset from the evening before, had decided to heed Darcy's advice and leave to London that very morning. Mr Darcy himself had made known his wish to stay behind under the pretext of settling a few more matters with the newly appointed steward, and at learning this Caroline begged Louisa to persuade Mr Hurst to remain as well. She would not leave Mr Darcy alone in this savage country if she could help it!