Implacable Resentment

by Jann Rowland

  “On what do you base these claims, Mr. Collins? And before you answer,” continued he before the parson could reply, “I would remind you that the Church of England has strict definitions of what behavior warrants excommunication and that it is always preferable to redeem the sinner rather than to simply cut them off from communion with the church. We also expect our ministers to act with the highest of standards and do not look kindly on those who bring baseless accusations upon others for the purpose of revenge.”

  With these words hanging in the air, Mr. Forbes glared at Mr. Collins, and the latter looked upon him with horror, not to mention some confusion; he had obviously expected to be believed implicitly. “I ask again, Mr. Collins, on what do you base these claims?”

  Mr. Collins stared at his superior, and Elizabeth could tell that he was seeking for some way to retract his statement.

  “Do you still wish to accuse your wife, sir?” prompted Mr. Forbes with exaggerated patience.

  At Mr. Collins’s quickly shaken head, Mr. Forbes nodded. “As I thought. In the future, Mr. Collins, I would suggest that you think your statements through with great care, lest you say something which will put events in motion which you did not foresee. Do not attempt to defame another unjustly, as the consequences may be severe.”

  Surprisingly, Mr. Collins did appear to be suitably chastened, and upon assuring himself of that fact, Mr. Forbes nodded once, his expression becoming somewhat more congenial.

  “And as for your stated desire for an annulment, my purpose in journeying here today is to inform you of something involving that very issue. I have investigated certain irregularities with respect to your wedding to Mrs. Collins, and I have made my report. The matter is ready to be heard by the ecclesiastical court.”

  “Ready to be heard . . .” stammered Mr. Collins. “But I have not yet made any request for such a thing.”

  “No, you have not,” said Mr. Forbes with a pleasant nod. “But I have been investigating such allegations at the behest of your lady wife, and I have found more than enough evidence of improper doings with respect to your marriage that my recommendation to my superiors was that we allow the case to proceed. I have come today to inform you of the time and date of the hearing.”

  Throughout Mr. Forbes’s speech, Mr. Collins’s expression went from confused to amazed and then finally to an ever-increasing anger which left the man furious by the time the explanation was complete. And though Elizabeth knew Mr. Collins to be an ineffectual sort of man, she actually believed, by the time Mr. Forbes stopped speaking, that had she been alone with Mr. Collins, he might have tried to strike her.

  In rage, Mr. Collins turned on her and began to berate her, saying:

  “How dare you, Mrs. Collins! I agreed to marry you and gave you a home and the excellent patronage of my Lady de Bourgh, knowing your unworthy nature and miniscule portion would result in your never receiving another offer of marriage. I am appalled by your betrayal, madam. I should strike you where you sit!”

  “‘Another offer?’” jeered Elizabeth. “By my account, you never even directly made me an offer! Had you actually deigned to make any such offer to me, it would have been most soundly rejected!”

  If she had thought Mr. Collins was furious before, the redness of the rage on his ugly countenance told her that she had not known the levels to which his anger could ascend. He jumped to his feet and began screaming at her, saying, “You miserable, ignorant child—”

  “That is quite enough, Mr. Collins!” commanded Mr. Forbes, rising to his own feet and staring down the furious parson. “We are civilized people, and a gentleman does not stand and shout at a lady.”

  “She is no lady!” spat Mr. Collins. “She is nothing more than a common whore—”

  “Silence!” roared Mr. Forbes, stepping forward and placing himself in front of Mr. Collins, his eyes blazing in affront.

  The relative sizes of the two men alone should have presented a far different picture than the reality. Mr. Collins was heavyset, and added to that bulk was the fact that he was a rather tall man, though the certain stoop of his shoulders gave the impression of a lesser stature. Mr. Forbes, by contrast was rather diminutive and slender, giving the impression of a man who was in no way capable of enforcing his will physically. But in this instance, the smaller man clearly intimidated the larger, as Mr. Collins blanched at so being called to order by his superior and then dropped down onto the couch with haste, though his hateful glare at Elizabeth never waned. But to this, the overtone of petulance was now added, leading him to appear more the sulky child than the grown man who felt himself able to care for a wife.

  “I will not tolerate another outburst, sir,” said Mr. Forbes.

  As Mr. Collins’s attention was torn from Elizabeth, he must have seen something in the other man’s air which convinced him that matters would proceed very ill for him if he did not desist, as he nodded his head in a most aggrieved fashion.

  “Good,” said Mr. Forbes. “Now, I have some questions for you, Mr. Collins. I believe I have the facts, but I would like to hear your own perspective on the events which led up to your marriage.” He paused for a moment, looking intently at Mr. Collins. “The first question I have is: did you obtain a special license for the purpose of marrying your wife?”

  Elizabeth looked at him curiously, wondering what he could be about. Mr. Collins, however, merely waved his hand.

  “I have not the means to purchase a special license, sir.”

  Mr. Forbes’s expression became even more severe. “And your patroness did not purchase one for you?”

  “Of course not. Lady Catherine prefers to have the distinction of rank preserved in all things, and she would never outlay funds in such a frivolous manner for someone who is inferior to her exalted position in society.”

  Nodding, Mr. Forbes said, “I had suspected as much. And the matter of Lady Catherine’s actions in this parish must also be dealt with, but that is a matter for another time. Though I was not able to discover any hint of a special license, your ability to produce proof of the existence of one was about the only thing which may have salvaged this situation for your part.”

  Mr. Collins was clearly confused. “I cannot understand of what you speak, Mr. Forbes.”

  “You do not?” asked Mr. Forbes with an upraised eyebrow. “Surely you, having graduated from the seminary, understand the requirements of marriage. For the church to sanction a marriage between two participants, it must be solemnized in the parish where one of them is resident. The banns must be read in the home parish of each of the principals for three consecutive weeks, and only then may the marriage license be rendered valid and the marriage take place. The other option is for a special license to be purchased in lieu of the banns being read. If it is purchased, a marriage may take place at any time.

  “Tell me, Mr. Collins, were the banns read in Hunsford church before your wedding?”

  No answer was forthcoming, as Mr. Collins simply gazed at Mr. Forbes in equal parts fear and astonishment.

  “I can see from your reaction that they were not,” replied Mr. Forbes with a nod. “The testimony of your curate reflects that truth.

  “Now, what of the marriage? Did it seem to you that your bride came to the altar willingly?”

  “Her father promised her to me,” was Mr. Collins’s response.

  “I am very aware of Mr. Bennet’s actions in this matter. You did not answer my question. Did it seem to you that Mrs. Collins was there of her own free will, or did she appear reluctant?”

  Mr. Collins shot Elizabeth a poisonous glare. “She never told me that she did not wish to marry me. In fact, the first I knew of the matter was when she told me herself recently—amid improper words and actions not befitting a lady, I might add.”

  “Of course I did not tell you,” said Elizabeth with some scorn, feeling that she could be silent no longer. “My father did not permit me a choice in the matter.”

  “Surely you could have said something
to me to enable us both to avoid this situation,” said Collins, his voice stiff with indignation.

  “Would you have listened?” snapped Elizabeth. “I would have thought that a few moments of observation would have told you all you needed to know about my feelings, Mr. Collins. You certainly made no mention of marriage when you arrived, and you even spoke of being betrothed. How should I have known to say anything to dissuade you?”

  “You should have done so.”

  Elizabeth snorted. “I seriously doubt that would have changed anything, Mr. Collins.”

  His refusal to meet her eyes told Elizabeth all she needed to know about the truth of her statement. Mr. Forbes also seemed convinced of the matter.

  “Besides,” said Elizabeth, continuing when she knew she had best keep silent, “there are only two reasons why my father forced me to marry you. The first is because he wished to make some effort—however late and ineffectual—to provide for his wife after he passes on. I was the sacrificial lamb in that respect. The second reason is because he holds a grudge against me and thought it would be a punishment to tie me to a fool such as you for the rest of my life.”

  Mr. Collins bristled at her words, but Mr. Forbes inserted himself into the conversation again to calm tempers. “I believe that we should leave such speculation out of this discussion; it truly serves no purpose.”

  Though she could not repent of her words, Elizabeth inclined her head and apologized. Truly, all she wanted was for this farce to be over. Whatever came afterward could be dealt with at that time.

  “Mrs. Collins makes a valid point,” said Mr. Forbes. “Did you not think it strange how she acted that morning? I have discovered that she did not even speak the words to allow her consent to the marriage; rather, her father spoke in her place. Did this reluctance not tell you that something was amiss?”

  Again, no response was forthcoming, as Mr. Collins merely stared at his superior with an expression akin to that of hare when it realizes that the fox intends it to be its next meal. And Elizabeth knew the answer to the question. Mr. Collins had not noticed it because he thought entirely too well of himself to imagine for a moment that she would object. She, a young lady of little fortune and few prospects as the daughter of a country gentleman, would undoubtedly be grateful for his condescension. No other consideration would have mattered.

  “It appears to me that you never took the trouble to find out the lady’s feelings,” said Mr. Forbes. “And I shall tell you this: regardless of how our society works and how fathers are responsible for their daughters and may, at their discretion, enter them into betrothals for the advantage of their family, there are still certain forms which must be observed. The banns must be read or a special license sought, and it is generally accepted that the man, whether he is entering an engagement of his own free will or due to a contract, will actually propose to the lady in question, even if her refusal is not in doubt. You may wish to remember this if you have occasion to marry again, Mr. Collins.

  “In this instance, it is clear that you behaved badly, though the bulk of the blame must be placed at the feet of her father. The church does not consider women to be chattel, to be married off without their consent. Mrs. Collins has been treated quite badly throughout this entire fiasco.”

  His words hung in the air like the blade of a guillotine waiting to fall, and for the first time since the interview had begun, Elizabeth saw signs of true fear on Mr. Collins’s face. It was just as well, she thought; after all, if he was censured and his life made difficult by Lady Catherine, then perhaps he would face sanction from the church. Though she would not wish for vengeance, she could only applaud such an eventuality, given how poorly the senseless man had conducted himself in this matter.

  “The annulment hearing will be held on Tuesday at ten in the morning at the chapel in Westerham. I suggest you both arrive well before the appointed time.”

  “My . . . my father will not be present, will he?” asked Elizabeth, a trace of unease passing through her.

  “He will not, Miss Bennet,” said Mr. Forbes in a kindly tone. “Though his behavior has not been beyond reproach, this is a matter of whether this marriage is to be sanctioned or struck down. It was deemed pointless to involve Mr. Bennet now.

  “There is one final matter,” said Mr. Forbes, looking at both of them in turn. “I apologize for speaking so freely of so delicate a matter, but can I assume that this marriage remains unconsummated?”

  At the question, Elizabeth noticed a positively cunning expression come over Mr. Collins’s face, and it did not take any great insight to know where his thoughts tended at that moment.

  “It has not been consummated,” said Elizabeth quickly, not wishing for the man to begin to plot. “Nor will it be.”

  “That is well,” said Mr. Forbes in a deliberate fashion. He turned to look at Mr. Collins. “It would be best if it remained that way. The matter is in the hands of the ecclesiastical court, and it would not do for there to be any more untoward behavior to complicate matters further.”

  Though the man was a dullard, Mr. Collins obviously understood the reference, for he nodded sullenly to his superior. Elizabeth could only breathe a sigh of relief. Perhaps she would not have to worry about what he would attempt.

  It was only a few more minutes before Mr. Forbes took his leave, and Elizabeth walked him to the door and thanked him; he demurred, stating that it was only his duty. As Mr. Collins stomped to his library and closed the door with a thunderous crash, Elizabeth was left to her own devices for the rest of the day. Since the air in the parsonage was now a mixture of stifled rage, petulant ill use, and injured feelings, she determined at once to leave for a long walk and revel in the fact that she would soon be free from the captivity of her marriage.

  She entered the woods of Rosings soon afterward, clothed in all the winter accoutrements necessary to ward off the mid-December chill, feeling more at liberty than she had in months. And then, reveling in her newfound freedom, she did something that she had not done since she was a small child—she hiked up her skirts and ran through the woods, joyously feeling nothing but the wind through her hair and against her feet and listening to the harmonious sounds of the forest through which she ran.

  It was a full five minutes later by the time she slowed to a walk, the stitch in her side and her great panting breaths forcing her to stop before she would have wished it. For a moment, she leaned against a tree, her breast heaving with the exertion and the emotions of the moment. She would soon be free—free to follow the dictates of her heart and to remove herself from the oppressive presence of the parson and his patroness. The air had never tasted so sweet nor the sunlight felt so bright as it did at that moment.

  After her breathing had calmed, Elizabeth opened her eyes, only to see the form of her beloved, standing and watching her, looking like a prince come to rescue a damsel in distress. Elizabeth would never understand what made her act the way she did, as she was not accustomed to being so forward, but before any conscious thought intruded, she swiftly closed the distance between them and reached up to kiss Mr. Darcy full on the lips.

  His surprise was evident in the way he stiffened, but he soon responded, enclosing her in the circle of his arms and responding to her kisses with a passion of his own, his tongue dueling with hers in a needful and breathless sharing of himself. Reason reestablished itself quickly—much more quickly than Elizabeth would have wished!—but it was a poignant harbinger of delights to come.

  “I am sorry, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth as she pulled away from him. “I forgot myself.”

  “Am I to repine such a passionate reaction to my presence?” asked Mr. Darcy with a raised eyebrow.

  Elizabeth laughed delightedly and, taking his arm, pulled him down the path further into the woods of the park. As they walked, Elizabeth was unable to keep a girlish giggle from her lips.

  For his part, Mr. Darcy looked at her fondly, asking, “Am I to infer that there is some reason for your current, dare
I say, giddiness?”

  “You may, indeed, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Collins and I have been the happy recipient of a visit from Mr. Forbes this morning.”

  “And I suppose the results of his investigation have confirmed that you shall enjoy a happy and prosperous marriage with your Mr. Collins?”

  Delighted that Mr. Darcy could tease her, Elizabeth said, “Oh, indeed. There could not be a happier creature than I to be shackled for the rest of my life to such a man.”

  They both laughed together, and Elizabeth squeezed his arm with affection. “In fact, the ecclesiastical court is ready to hear the annulment case. We are required to go to Westerham on Tuesday.”

  His responding smile was all Elizabeth could have wanted. “And Mr. Forbes seems to think that the chances of obtaining an annulment are good?”

  “He questioned Mr. Collins quite closely concerning the details, and though he had already discovered them through his investigations, he was not pleased to hear what Mr. Collins had to say for himself. Though I am attempting to maintain an even temper and know that something might still prevent the dissolution of this marriage, I find that I cannot help myself. The thought that I shall soon be free of him fills me with a delighted feeling of freedom which I have not felt before.”

  “And you shall be free, Miss Bennet.” Mr. Darcy stopped and stood in front of her, looking down on her with an expression of utmost tenderness. “I believe that I had asked you a question before this business reared its ugly head. You answered in the affirmative, as I recall, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to meet with you as a suitor, as should have been your right for the past month.”

  “I am anticipating it most keenly, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth, a lump in her throat.

  They continued to walk, and though Elizabeth tried, she could not suppress a feeling of excitement at her impending release from bondage.

  “Miss Bennet,” said Mr. Darcy, once again capturing her attention, “have you given thought concerning what you will do should the marriage be annulled? Surely you cannot return to your father’s house.”