Elizabeth did not expect Mr. Collins to react enthusiastically to the offer. In fact, she was sure that he would decline. Yet, the man in front of her seemed to truly consider what Elizabeth had said, his index finger tapping on his chin as if he was deep in thought. Elizabeth felt bored almost immediately as the man contemplated what to say. She was sure his mind was filled with thoughts of the dowry she would provide, in addition to her status and the fact that no other sane woman in the entire country would marry him. It would be almost laughable if it wasn’t so sad.
It seemed as if Elizabeth’s plan had backfired. Mr. Collins slowly nodded his head. Elizabeth almost gasped at what she heard next.
“I agree to your terms.”
…
On the day of the wedding, family far and wide had arrived at the Bennet estate and had filled up the entire property with their presence. Even close family friends and neighbours had arrived to celebrate the solidifying of ties between Elizabeth and Mr. Collins. It felt odd to admit, but soon Elizabeth would have to respond to others around her calling her Mrs. Collins. She shuddered at the thought. Even in her wedding attire, she still could not believe that she would soon be at the altar recounting her vows.
Fidgeting with her lace gloves, Elizabeth exited her room and made her way to her family’s garden pavilion. It seemed that most of the wedding guests were far from the area, as they were all preoccupied with talking amongst each other or with the groom. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth sat under the shade of the pavilion roof. It felt like it would be a long, long day.
Resting her head against her shoulder, Elizabeth was startled by a sudden tap on the back. It was a light, gentle touch, that didn’t match the rough pats on the back her sisters would give to her or the hesitant taps that Mr. Collins would occasionally give out. No, this touch was almost too gentle, something Elizabeth had not experienced in quite a long time. Bracing herself for whoever was behind her, Elizabeth spun around, a few of her curls bouncing unceremoniously with the momentum. Almost as if she had expected the outcome, Elizabeth sucked in a deep breath. It was Darcy.
Although she knew he had been invited to the wedding at request of her sister’s acquaintance, Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth was unsure if he had actually come. Still, she avoided the main hall like the plague, as she feared if he truly had come, he would ruin her already-spoiled mood. And it seemed as if she was right, for there stood Darcy, a concerned expression plastered onto his face. Never in her life had she seen him show this sort of emotion before.
“Miss Eliza, may I ask what it is you are doing out here? Though I suppose you have your own reason for being here, as I assume a lady of your standing does.” Mr. Darcy inquired, seemingly adopting the same tone of voice he always had when addressing Elizabeth. It annoyed her to her wit’s ends. If only this man hadn’t shown up.
“What is that supposed to mean, Mr. Darcy? I don’t recall you ever having much interest in understanding my personal feelings.” The words were cold and Elizabeth knew they bit down harshly into Darcy’s feelings. Still, she could not help herself from relieving some of the stress and tension that had been building up for the past few days. She had to release her anger and it seemed that Darcy would have to take the short end of it.
It didn’t seem as if Darcy was offended. In fact, it was almost as if he had prepared for this outburst. Taking the time to examine Elizabeth up and down, he sighed. “Well, I suppose it did not hurt to ask. I am merely worried for your own health, Miss Eliza. Forgive me if I was intruding in your personal space.”
Stubbornly, Elizabeth got up from her seat, readjusting bits and pieces of her outfits that had become slightly off center when she had rested in the pavilion. Looking over Darcy’s shoulder, she made sure that there was no one that could see them. She worried that if the wrong relative were to see her, they’d make wrong assumptions. It would be the end to her family’s name, that was for sure.
As Elizabeth was distracted by surveying the rest of the garden, Darcy drew closer, closing the gap between their two bodies. Now, Elizabeth and Darcy were only inches apart, as Darcy looked over her with an almost menacing smirk. God, Elizabeth wanted to wipe the smile off his face with one swipe. Still, his gaze seemed to freeze her into the spot where she stood, making it impossible for her to escape. How odd it was that she was in her wedding outfit, yet still found the time to have such a conversation with a certain Fitzwilliam Darcy.
“I have heard from Bingley of a certain contract you have made with Mr. Collins… am I safe to assume that a position in your life has not been filled yet?” Darcy muttered into Elizabeth’s ear, causing her to flinch involuntarily. He was almost too close for comfort now.
“H-how did you hear? Dear me, I knew it was unwise to tell Jane…” Elizabeth mentally cursed herself. Although she trusted her eldest sister, she felt as if there would come a day where Jane could not help herself and would tell someone close to her. It seemed that this hunch was correct. The word had spread to Bingley and now, Darcy.
“Don’t worry. Miss Jane is not the kind of person to let this information slip so easily. You must trust me when I tell you this. Still, if you are so interested, Miss Eliza, I would be willing to take on the position of… your lover. Of course, only if you are so willing to, too.”
The heat that radiated from Darcy’s body was too much for Elizabeth to handle. In one quick motion, Elizabeth placed a hand on Darcy’s chest and pushed him away. He gave away with a slight stumble backwards, allowing for Elizabeth to pass by him and leave the pavilion. When she turned back to look at him, his expression was a bit disgruntled, but did not seem to be too bothered by the sudden push. With an amused expression, he chuckled dryly to himself.
“Well, I suppose I deserved that.” He commented to mostly himself, looking around the garden as if there was something else that suddenly interested him. “But my offer still stands, Miss Eliza. Please think it over.”
Although Elizabeth felt dissatisfied with her current marriage prospects, it felt almost unnatural that Darcy would offer himself to her in such a manner. With furrowed brows, she stopped and looked back at him.
“Must I remind you of our first meeting together, Mr. Darcy? It was nothing more than unpleasant. I am not sure why you have even considered making such an offer… am I that amusing to you? Don’t you have anything else you could entertain yourself with- something your wealth could buy?”
Darcy seemed to think for a mere second, but already had a response in mind as he knew the subject would come up sooner or later. With a smile, he could only tell Elizabeth his true feelings on the matter. “I’m merely intrigued by your skills, Miss Eliza. Your desires and negotiating skills… it is something I have never seen in any woman before. You are the first of firsts, I believe. My offer is a serious one. I am not here to ridicule or degrade you. I am just as serious as you are.”
Frowning, Elizabeth turned her head around and stormed out of the garden. Though she would eventually try her best to ignore Darcy’s words, the more she tried, the more his words seemed to linger in her mind. Had what Darcy said been true? That seemed to be the least of her worries. For now, she would focus on her current situation- getting married to Mr. Collins.
…
To say that Collins was even worse as a husband than he was a suitor would have been an understatement. Elizabeth had been married for a little more than a month, yet constantly found herself dreading waking up each morning as she knew she would eventually have to face and talk to her husband when it came time to eat or when chores around the house needed to be done. Quickly, the couple had moved out of Longbourn and into Mr. Collins’s own private estate. Although they would inherit Longbourn as soon as Elizabeth’s father passed, Elizabeth suggested moving somewhere distant from her family. It would’ve been too embarrassing if they were able to come over at any time they so pleased.
On one particular day, Mr. Collins had invited a few guests over to their home. Although he had stated it would be a sim
ple event for friends only, Elizabeth knew that it was too “show off” his new prize, being Elizabeth herself. The thought of being displayed like a piece of game made Elizabeth gag. It was never her first choice to marry this man, nonetheless act as if she was a trophy to be showcased to a crowd of curious guests.
Taking on the role of a caring housewife for now, Elizabeth spent the entire day preparing for the guests, tidying up certain rooms in the house where she knew the guests would lounge, while also checking in on the kitchen from time to time to make sure that dinner plans would go accordingly. When the time finally came, Elizabeth greeted each house guest. Although she barely recognised the men and women who came through the front door, Elizabeth could tell they were either esteemed members of the clergy as Mr. Collins was himself, or had some relation with Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Collins’s patron. Whatever their status was, it seemed that Elizabeth could not care less. Almost half-heartedly she ushered them all inside and quickly set up the dining table. Mr. Collins observed his behaviour with a slight frown on his face. It didn’t matter to Elizabeth.
Once dinner had begun, it was expected that there would be questions. Elizabeth was unfortunately situated between Mr. Collins and a nosey cousin of his, who couldn’t seem to stop questioning Elizabeth’s distance from him.
“My dear Elizabeth, are you alright? You haven’t spoken much all night. Do you think you may have caught a cold, or…?” Whoever this cousin was, they had begun to get on Elizabeth’s nerves. Gripping tightly at the knife in her hand, Elizabeth clenched her teeth in restraint. She would not let her emotions get the best of her for now.
“She is a shy individual. I doubt Elizabeth here is sick, right?” Mr. Collins joyfully said, glancing quickly over to Elizabeth who only returned his glances with glares.
“Of course, of course. It is not uncommon for women these days to become shy once they have married.” Mr. Collins’s cousin delightfully agreed, turning their attention once more to the free meal on their plate. It disgusted Elizabeth with how easily these people seemed to take in the excuses fed to them. How easily these people could resort to such words to further fuel their own fantasies!
Standing up from her seat, Elizabeth excused herself. “I am feeling a bit lightheaded, however. I will join you all once more when I am feeling well, if you’ll excuse me.” Before Mr. Collins could question her once more, she exited the room and headed straight towards her own bedroom. For her, it was almost like a sanctuary. Perhaps it was the only room in the house that was truly hers to claim.
To pass the time, Elizabeth had selected a book from her ever-growing collection of novels and had begun to read at the study desk she had brought from her old home. Although she had tried hard to focus on the printed words, it was hard to do so when so many thoughts littered her mind. Had she gone crazy when she had struck this deal with Mr. Collins? It was unbearable living in such a household. Almost every day felt like suffocation to her. The man was absolutely horrible, although Elizabeth knew she had to be grateful. Other women would have given so much to be in her position, yet here she was doubting herself.
As her thoughts continued to wander, Elizabeth suddenly remembered the words that Darcy had exchanged with her the day of her wedding. It felt almost immoral that he had proposed such an offer to her on the day of her marriage, yet it almost fit with Darcy’s pompousness. Of course he had teased her like that, showing no respect for character or dignity. Still, he had seemed quite serious about the prospects of becoming her lover. Would she believe him? Even now, weeks later, she found herself pondering the idea presented to her. What would Darcy even be like as a lover?
Elizabeth was awoken from her daydreams by a slight knock on the door. Calling for the guest to come in, Elizabeth set her book down and opened the door. There stood Mr. Collins, obviously a bit out of breath and flustered at the predicament he was in. With the most stern voice he could muster, he began to berate Elizabeth’s behaviour.
“Must you always act like this in front of our guests? I would understand you feeling sick if you had actually been truthful, but you cannot continue these games, Elizabeth. As your husband, I demand you respect me as I have respected you. It is only natural- it is God’s Law.”
Internally, Elizabeth groaned. Only Mr. Collins would have brought up such horrible points. Feeling her right eye begin to twitch in annoyance, Elizabeth crossed her arms. She would not let this man into her room at any cost.
“You are not my master, Mr. Collins. Do I need to remind you of this again? I am free to do as I please, as this is also my home now. I was not lying about feeling lightheaded, as I truly do feel this way. If you mind, I was resting in bed when you came to check on me. I appreciate your concern, but please, I’d like to rest a bit more if possible.” With these words, Elizabeth closed the door in Mr. Collins’s face, ignoring the feeble protests he made from the other side of the door. Soon enough, his words died out and Elizabeth was sure he had retreated back to the dining hall to entertain his guests further. In the end, Elizabeth would never be his priority. She was merely a trophy head for him to place upon the wall and marvel at.
Frustrated not only with Mr. Collins but herself, Elizabeth did not return to her reading but rather sat on her bed. How could she continue on, living like this?
…
A few weeks later, Mr. Collins announced that he was to leave for a week as ordered by the church he served under. Elizabeth paid no attention to this announcement, as it did not matter if he was present or not. Most of the time she kept herself busy with household chores in order to avoid talking with the man. While it seemed to work, occasionally he would find her and begin his tangents on his spiritual work, sparing not a second to ramble on and on about his good deeds. There was no escape once he had gotten a hold of Elizabeth.
Yet, a few days before Collins was to leave, an idea had struck Elizabeth in the middle of her daily chores. Once Collins had left, she would invite Darcy over. It would be nothing special, as she would constantly remind herself, but rather to update him on her life living with Collins. She knew the two men were acquaintances, so as to convince herself more and more that it was a modest thing to do, she drafted a letter and quickly sent it to Darcy. Two days later, Elizabeth received a reply. Darcy would come over the day after Mr. Collins would be gone.
The days quickly passed by and Elizabeth found herself sending Mr. Collins off while also anticipating Darcy’s arrival. Just as he had said in his letter, he arrived punctually late in the afternoon, and had shared a glass of wine with Elizabeth. If she was being honest with herself, their first meeting was painfully awkward. The two did not know how to have a proper conversation as this was the first time they had been alone since Elizabeth’s wedding, and the idea of Elizabeth being a married woman was a concept foreign to the both of them. After only an hour’s conversation, Darcy had made an excuse and left the estate. Although it saddened Elizabeth to a degree, she knew not to let it get to her. There were other things to worry about.
Surprisingly, Darcy arrived the next day. He had come back with a better bottle of wine and very quickly, the pair seemed to hit it off. They began to meet every noon, sharing drinks while also trading their concerns and criticisms of life. Elizabeth had misjudged Darcy. It seemed that they both shared more in common than she had first been led to believe. Scoffing to herself, Elizabeth smiled. Perhaps the alcohol was getting to her, but did she really admit to enjoying Darcy’s presence? It was almost nice. She doubted that she would have been able to have the same conversations with any of her immediate family.
On the sixth day, the day before Mr. Collins was to arrive back home, Darcy brought what he declared to be his “best bottle” of wine. Although to Elizabeth, it tasted exactly the same, it seemed to be a favourite of Darcy’s. With more than the usual glass or two, Darcy downed every last drop of the drink and was embarrassingly splayed across the drawing room loveseat. Like a schoolgirl, Elizabeth could not help but giggle at the sight. And
to think the ever-pompous Mr. Darcy was in her home, looking like he had just had his first drink in his life.
“Miss Eliza… I’ve enjoyed your company very much these past few days.” Darcy’s words were slightly slurred, but Elizabeth was sober enough to understand what he was trying to say. “Would you mind if I stayed the night? Of course, only if it does not bother you. I would be very appreciative.”
The thought of having Darcy over for more than a few hours flustered Elizabeth. This was made evident as her cheeks flushed a deep red, but thankfully, it seemed Darcy was too drunk to notice. Shaking her head, Elizabeth could only decline. The possible repercussions seemed too great to risk it.
“I am sorry, but I don’t think I have the space for you to stay over tonight. I thank you, however, for your companionship these past few nights. I am grateful for the immense happiness you’ve managed to install into this empty house.” Elizabeth smiled, for once, a genuine smile that was directed at Darcy.
A Contractual Affair Page 2