A Contractual Affair

by Catherine Wilmot

  Getting up from the loveseat, Darcy walked over to where Elizabeth was sitting. Bending slightly down, Darcy confidently grabbed Elizabeth’s chin and guided his lips towards his, capturing what little breath she had left. Planting a sweet, longing kiss onto her lips, he finally turned on his heels and made his way towards the door. Elizabeth was shocked. The kiss was nothing like she had experienced with Mr. Collins. It felt as if something had ignited deep within her.

  “Goodnight, Miss Eliza.” Darcy called out from deep in the hall. Unable to say anything, Elizabeth heard the distant sound of a door closing shut and knew that Darcy would return home for the night. The kiss had left a deep imprint into Elizabeth’s heart. It left her with a longing for something more.

  …

  When Mr. Collins returned home, he was surprised to see that Elizabeth had tidied the entire estate for his arrival, down to the most minute details that even a regular housewife would have skipped over. This seemed to please the man as he began to think that perhaps Elizabeth had begun to have a change in heart. Perhaps his return had been the reason she had changed so much- did Elizabeth really miss him this much that she would suddenly have affection for the man? In Mr. Collins’s mind, this seemed to be the only logical explanation for her sudden improvement in mood. It seemed that Elizabeth very much missed his presence.

  Ecstatically, Mr. Collins began to tell his close friends and family of this improvement, stating that his wife had become an obedient housewife after a simple mission trip. For the most part, his family members congratulated him and repeated words of encouragement that were mostly so that they could change the topic. For days, this was all that Mr. Collins could talk about. While Elizabeth still avoided him daily, there was just something that had changed about her, and Mr. Collins was glad so.

  Yet, a few days after his arrival back home, one of Mr. Collins’s acquaintances, Charles Bingley, accidentally revealed to him that Elizabeth and Darcy had begun to meet each afternoon that Mr. Collins had been out. The information came as a shock to Mr. Collins. Although he had entertained the possibility, he was sure that Elizabeth would never go to such levels as a God-believing woman. He had expected better morals of his wife, although he had not heard of any immoral practices that had occurred. Furious and more importantly, embarrassed, Mr. Collins stormed into Elizabeth’s room without prior acknowledgement. There, Elizabeth sat at her desk, reading the same book she had been when Mr. Collins had invited over his entourage of hungry guests.

  “Elizabeth! I cannot let you embarrass me any longer like this. If you refuse to respect me this instant… I… I will have no choice but to consider the possibility of divorce! Your actions are deplorable and-”

  Elizabeth crossed her arms, obviously annoyed that the man in front of her had entered her room without consent first.

  “And? Was it not you who agreed to my terms and conditions when we first were wed? Mr. Collins, must I remind you that you were the one who fully agreed to the words I said on the day we were betrothed? It would be very unwise of you to divorce me. I have done nothing wrong, while you, on the other hand as a clergyman, have done far worse.”

  There was no arguing with this point. It would have been extremely unwise of Mr. Collins to threaten her with divorce, as both of their lives would have been ruined at such a predicament. Admitting defeat, Mr. Collins sighed.

  “Could you leave the estate for a few days? I must arrange something with a few members of the church, and I fear you will not thrive in that sort of environment. You are free to return to the Lucas’s estate, if you may so please.” The request was simple and Mr. Collins’s voice came out as feeble and weak. Almost pitying the man, Elizabeth could not help but agree. Nodding, she began to plan for her departure. There, she would tell Charlotte of the arrangements she had made with Mr. Collins as she had no opportunity to even at her own wedding.

  Defeated, yet still prideful in his own tactics, Mr. Collins waited for the day that Elizabeth would leave. As he had prepared beforehand, there was no meeting with other clergyman but rather a meeting with a certain Mr. Darcy. If all things went according to how Mr. Collins had planned them to go, the meeting would result in Elizabeth’s name being cleared and Darcy out of the picture. Of course, that was not the case, as Darcy was far more prepared for this confrontation than Mr. Collins was. After all, both Darcy and Bingley’s worth was far greater than anything Mr. Collins would amount to be. They knew he had little to no capabilities that would ever surpass their own.

  Before Mr. Collins had the chance to speak up, Darcy placed an envelope into his hands. Opening the contents revealed a neat stack of dollar bills, enough to keep Mr. Collins more than satisfied for the month.

  “I presume you understand what I mean, Mr. Collins?” Darcy raised a single eyebrow, tapping his foot impatiently on the hardwood floor as if he had other, more important things to take care of.

  Mr. Collins swallowed nervously and nodded. “Of course I do, Mr. Darcy. And is it safe to assume that perhaps this will be a monthly payment?”

  Although Darcy had grown more than annoyed at the man’s greed, he could only agree with the man’s terms. “Yes. But we must let Eliza decide for herself how she wants to spend her attention. If we are both quiet, then it won’t be a problem for anyone. Don’t you think so too, Mr. Collins?”

  “Of course, of course…” Mr. Collins muttered, still counting the amount of bills that had been folded into the envelope. Satisfied with what he had been given, Mr. Collins let Darcy take his leave and prepared to send for someone to bring Elizabeth home. Although it was not his original plan, Mr. Collins had gotten what he had hoped for in the end, whether it had unfolded the way he hoped or not.

  …

  Months passed by and finally, Mr. Collins was called for another trip out of town. This time, his absence would be felt in the estate for a month’s time, rather than just being a few days or even a week. While Elizabeth was excited at the prospects of spending more time with Darcy privately, it was becoming increasingly hard to ignore the rumours that had spread throughout the town. Darcy was not necessarily a common man, as he served as a sort of public figure in the nearby neighbourhoods. He had slowly become a household name, rolling off the tongues of even the most common street-dweller.

  The first few days after their shared kiss, the atmosphere had grown awkward once more. It embarrassed Elizabeth to talk about it, nonetheless even think about it. Still, Darcy was a confident man and had pushed Elizabeth a number of times to talk to him, thereby slowly melting away the awkward air that had once lingered in the spaces they met in. Soon, their intimacy had grown to new heights as Darcy had begun to stay overnight at the Collins’s estate. As days progressed, Elizabeth and Darcy could even be seen out in town, as risky as it was. Though they managed to keep their emotions hidden deep inside and act as if they were nothing but close friends, rumours would not stop spreading. They were mostly harmless, taken as women’s talk and nothing else, but they were still widespread. There were rumours that she was even more friendly with Darcy than she was with Collins, a blasphemous statement in itself.

  Soon, word of the two’s relationship had reached Mrs. Bennet. Admittedly, it had been months since she had last seen her mother face-to-face, and furthermore it had been months since they had the luxury of having a heartfelt talk with each other. Lately in letters sent back and forth between the two households, Elizabeth had begun to grow weary of her mother. Her letters were filled with anxious advice, written without a second glance and sent with a tinge of regret. Elizabeth would quickly read over these letters and store them in a separate drawer to never be looked at again. It simply just wasn’t worth a second read.

  While on a simple walk to the street markets by herself in the morning, Elizabeth had coincidentally come across her mother. It felt as if the altercation had been planned, as Mrs. Bennet quickly took Elizabeth aside to a street corner where there would be less eyes on the pair. Mrs. Bennet looked absolutely furious. />
  “Elizabeth! I cannot have you tarnishing our family name like this. Do you understand how much we have sacrificed for you, yet you still continue to defy moral obligation? It is horrendous. I cannot believe you have done this not only to Mr. Collins, but yourself. Mr. Darcy? Do you even know if his feelings are true?” Mrs. Bennet exasperatedly exclaimed, her words flying out of her mouth with no restraint. It was times like these that Elizabeth wished her mother would think before she spoke.

  “Mother… I no longer carry the Bennet name. As you have made clear before, I am no longer Elizabeth Bennet, but Elizabeth Collins. You need not worry about the concept of preserving the family name… If you mind, I must go back home soon. I am supposed to prepare dinner for the rest of the night and I fear I may not get back home in time if I am to be holed up here. Thank you.”

  In a fit of anger, Elizabeth roughly brushed past her mother and continued on her way back home. Not even sparing a glance behind her when her mother called her name, Elizabeth stormed her way back into the Collins estate. Passing by Darcy sitting in the drawing room, he looked up from the book that sat in his hands. Curiously, he set down the book and followed her into the kitchen. There he found Elizabeth furiously chopping at tomatoes, obviously bothered by something that had happened at the market.

  “Is something wrong?” He asked cautiously, making sure he was not bothering her cooking in any way. Turning to face him, Elizabeth could only pout. She needed a place to vent and it seemed that Darcy was the best person to vent to.

  “I do not understand my mother anymore. I think the talk of the town has truly gotten to her head- how can she believe such meaningless talk! And furthermore, she only seems to be concerned about her image. I never knew she would act like this. I suppose I cannot be too surprised as society has shaped her like this… but can I not be at least a bit hurt? I’m not sure how I can even face the rest of my family members like this. I know she has most definitely told my family what she thinks. Oh, how horrible this all is!” Elizabeth groaned, setting down her knife to bury her face in the palms of her hands. As she did so, Darcy walked over and comfortingly began to rub her back. While she continued on her rant, rambling on and on about her worries, he patiently listened and digested every word that escaped her lips. This was the least he could do for her.

  Once Elizabeth was done, Darcy had already formulated an idea. Shrugging to himself, Darcy offered his own advice once Elizabeth had calmed down enough.

  “Why don’t we just leave? It is as simple as that. I have more than enough resources that we may move out. I suppose we could even move to the Americas, if you’d like.”

  “Leave? For how long?” Elizabeth was confused. What did Darcy mean by that? Now was no time for a casual vacation to a faraway place. She wished to be rid of the societal burden that haunted her every move forever.

  “No, I mean we move away from here. Away from where these words will continue to hurt you. I cannot bear to watch as you suffer from even your own family members. Don’t you think it will be better if we just leave altogether, Eliza? I… I long to be with you forever. I don’t think I will be able to handle watching you get hurt even more than you are now.” Darcy bit down on his lip. This kind of vulnerability was seldom seen, especially as he tried his best at all times to remain calm and composed. Yet this offer was genuine and pulled from deep within his heart. It was a new side of Darcy that Elizabeth had yet to see.

  While the offer had come at a surprise to Elizabeth, she could feel how much Darcy meant what he had said. Letting Darcy wipe away a few stray tears that had rolled down her cheeks, she nodded. If it meant being happy with Darcy, she would agree to what he said. Still, preparations would have to be made. It would not be an easy task to move away so quickly.

  For the next two months, both Elizabeth and Darcy devoted their time to saving up enough funds to successfully move, all while keeping their actions hidden from their family members and away from the prying eyes of Mr. Collins. Although Elizabeth had begun to learn how to tolerate the man, it seemed that the more time she spent with him, the more of his true colours he began to show. It was painfully evident that Mr. Collins only saw Elizabeth as a mere dowry, if not, a trophy. She had no real purpose in his household, though her cleaning and housework was always mentioned as if to solidify her position as a caretaker and nothing more. Attempts at consummating their relationship were brought up from time to time, but Elizabeth would strictly decline each time.

  Slowly, Darcy shifted his own funds and fortune to an estate he had inherited in Ireland. The location seemed like the perfect place for Elizabeth and him to live, as it wasn’t too far from their home in England, but it was far enough that it would take a bit of time for word to travel to their new home. Once everything was confirmed and plans were set in place, Darcy sent a letter to the Collins estate and let Elizabeth know. Finally, it was time to leave the town forever.

  In the middle of the night after Collins had long fallen asleep, Elizabeth crept out of her room, making sure to pack any important belongings she had brought with her after her marriage was confirmed. There would always be a sense of longing to return back to England, but the positive aspects of moving severely outweighed the negative aspects that she would have to suffer if she continued to live there. This way, she and Darcy would be able to stay together without any more societal pressures in their way. This way, they could finally be happy.

  “Before we leave,” Elizabeth murmured to Darcy in their carriage. “We should say goodbye to Charlotte and Mr. Bingley, yes? After all, they have helped us out quite a bit.” It was true that they had assisted with the move, acting as correspondence between the couple when Mr. Collins was induced to fits of rage or whenever writing letters had begun to grow tricky. The two were extremely thankful for their friend’s help, and it felt only natural that they should say farewell before moving away to Ireland.

  Darcy agreed. “Yes, it is only fitting. We shall go now, when we still have the opportunity to.” And so they arrived at both households, where Charlotte and Mr. Bingley had both expected them to come. After a few tearful send offs, the couple returned back to the road. Without looking back, Elizabeth and Darcy shared one final kiss in the darkness of the night as they left their hometown together.

  …

  FIVE YEARS LATER

  “Oh dear, you’ve gotten such a mess on your dress, Alice.” Elizabeth chided her youngest daughter, observing with a worried expression at the amount of mud that had gathered at the bottom of her daughter’s dress. “I wonder what your father will say about this. Were you outside with your brother again?”

  Alice looked up at her mother with a bright smile, seemingly taking in nothing of what Elizabeth was saying. Ignoring the mud that was slowly beginning to harden and solidify around the lace trim of her dress, Alice jumped into her mother’s arms. Although Elizabeth had been cooking only moments before, she welcomed her daughter warmly, planting a kiss onto her plump cheeks. There would always be time for Elizabeth to spend with her children, no matter the task at hand.

  Moments later, Darcy walked into the kitchen, a small boy sitting held steady as he sat on his father’s shoulder.

  “Again, again!” The boy shouted, pounding his fists in the air as if the motion would somehow get his father to repeat whatever action he had just done. “Throw me up again! Please, daddy?”

  With an amused expression, Darcy tried his best to adopt a stern tone. Looking up at his son, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Charles, but I simply cannot do so at home. Perhaps later today, when your mother has finished cooking and your sister has cleaned up. In fact, I should be reprimanding you for influencing your sister so. You know how hard your mother worked cleaning up that dress just so you could tarnish it.”

  Charles crossed his arms, obviously indignant to the sudden accusations thrown his way.

  “It was Alice’s fault anyways! I did nothing of that sort. Maybe if she was a bit smarter and didn’t fall step right into
the mud, then she wouldn’t have dirtied mummy’s hard work.” Being the stubborn child that he was, Elizabeth chuckled. It felt as if she was seeing a much, much younger version of Darcy. It almost made her regret not knowing Darcy when she was much younger, though she surmised that she probably would have hated the man ever more if she was to know him at that age.

  “Now, now. I don’t think that’s the proper way to talk to your mother and sister like that. I know you meant well, right Charles?” Darcy took a hold of his son and set him down on the floor with ease, towering over the boy so as to establish his power over his own son. Feebly, the boy nodded. Though it was mainly a joke and nothing more, many still cracked under pressure just at the mere sight of Darcy’s face. It was definitely something to be feared if you were not confident in your own arguing abilities.

  Looking back on the past few years, Elizabeth was glad that things had turned out the way they had. For the first few months they had arrived in Ireland, the situation was tough. It was a new, foreign place for the both of them. Although Ireland hadn’t seemed too different from England at first, there were a plethora of cultural differences that the couple had to get used to. Their accents were different and so were their tastes in food. In the neighbourhood, the two were seen as the English couple, but thankfully nothing more. It would take a few more years for word to spread that Darcy was in fact a rich socialite, but it was nothing that Darcy hadn’t been used to back in England. At least in Ireland, the people had started off with a fresh image of who they were. There were no preconceptions that would have tainted their point of view.