2024 Tropes & Fandoms - Trope: Marriage of Convenience

Author's Note: I know that I am in the minority, but even as a lifelong Austen fan and scholar, I still really liked the 2022 version of Persuasion. I accepted it for what it was and, therefore, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed the modern language, themes, and humor of the adaptation. It was simply quite different from everything which had come before it...but that was fine with me!

At any rate, ever since I first read the novel, many years ago, I have always wondered about the relationship between Anne and Charles. After all, apparently they were close enough that he wanted to marry her at one time. However, nothing further than that, in either the novel or any movie adaptation explains what happened between them and/or why. Nevertheless, things never seem awkward between them in any version, either - especially the 2022 one! In fact, they seem perfectly friendly. Therefore, in order to answer my own questions, I decided to put my spin on the idea of what could have happened out there...in the same irreverent style as the 2022 adaptation, as well.

Warning: This story will probably not suit the taste of classic Persuasion fans...not unless they enjoyed the 2022 adaptation, as well.

Friendship or Marriage?

Anne sat barefoot on the large stone at the edge of the wooded pond that was located almost exactly between Kellynch Hall and Musgrove House. As she dangled her feet in the cool water, she sighed at the lecture about impropriety that she knew she would surely receive if Lady Russell were to somehow see that she was there in such a shoeless state – especially since her stockings were also piled up on the smaller rocks beside her.

However, since it was her own free-spirited mother who had shown her the spot and taught her such daring behavior when she was much younger...on the rare occasion they were able to sneak away from the Hall together...Anne could not bring herself to be too concerned about the consequences of such actions. She just sighed again as she realized that the high position of the sun in the sky meant that it was growing late in the day and that she should soon start to make her way home before the darkness began to descend.

Nevertheless, Anne did not rush to end her solitary comfort for she had no desire whatsoever to be back at Kellynch Hall – especially since her mother was no longer there herself. In fact, she doubted that her father and Elizabeth would even register her absence...not unless they had something unpleasant for her to attend to in their stead. Mary, however, probably would...but only when she needed somebody to listen to her complaints.

Such depressing thoughts helped Anne decide that she could afford to stay a little longer.

Despite her knowledge that she was alone in the wilderness so late in the day, she felt no concern at all when she heard the telltale rustling in the bushes behind her. After all, she knew exactly who stood there. In fact, they often met by the pond...either by design...or sometimes even completely by happy accident.

"Trying to catch me sans clothing?" she therefore asked cheerfully over her shoulder. "Hoping that I would be doing a little nude nature bathing, perhaps?"

The young man just chuckled as he set down the wicker basket he carried before he dropped to the stone next to her and unceremoniously removed his own footwear. "No need to hope. After all, I've already seen you without clothing many times," he reminded her as he put his much larger bare feet into the water next to hers with a sigh at the relief it brought to them after a day of tramping through the woods with his dogs.

At the irreverent comment, however, Anne playfully smacked his shoulder. "Only because our mothers used to bathe us together when we were children," she pointed out with a shriek of mock indignation at his insinuation.

"Still...the truth stands," he replied just as cheerfully as he smiled with the particular ease that only a lifelong friendship could cultivate.

After all, Charles Musgrove was just a year older than Anne. Plus, their mothers...due to the proximity of their estates and the close ages of their children...had been very dear to each other. Therefore, they had grown up together and had been friends for their entire lives.

However, such a history lent a greater degree of informality to their adult relationship than was considered normal...or proper...as Elizabeth often liked to point out.

Lately, though, their relationship had begun to change since Charles had recently decided that they should take their lifelong friendship to the next logical step: matrimony.

"Look," he had said on several occasions before he went on to point out one or more of the following points every time. "I know that you are still hung up on that navy chap that Lady Russell convinced you to send packing...no matter how much you try to hide it. However, you are my oldest friend and it pains me to see you hiding from the world and fading away in that mausoleum of a house with your so-called family. You know that you're not likely to meet any other suitors that way. Nor will you be able to inherit Kellynch since it is entailed to your cousin. Therefore, even though I know that you don't harbor any particularly romantic feelings for me, I really wish you would consider marrying me, anyway. At the very least, you will then no longer be at the mercy of your father and sister, you will have the security of a forever home, and it will give you the chance to have the family you deserve. After all, you know that my parents love you and my sisters have long wanted you to become their sister, as well. Plus, if you want children of your own, then I will be more than happy to give them to you. If not, I'll keep my hands to myself. It's that simple."

Sometimes, he would even approach it from the other angle. "Marrying you would also be good for me because it will get my mother off of my back. After all, she means well, but now that I have taken over Musgrove Lodge, she insists that it is time to marry and she has made it clear that she expects me to choose either you or one of your sisters in order to honor her friendship with your mother. Therefore, you really must take pity on me, Anne, and say yes...because Elizabeth, of course, is entirely out of the question!"

Charles would then pause to shudder at the thought of marriage to her older sister...and Anne completely understood why. After all, even as children, the eldest Elliot sister took after their father. She had always been haughty and proud and refused to play with the others because she thought of the Musgroves as a country family who were beneath her station. Casual cruelty was her specialty.

The man would then heave a heavy sigh as he continued. "And Mary is...well...Mary."

Anne had to smile at that, as well. After all, it was obvious that the youngest Elliot sister had long harbored affection for the handsome Musgrove boy. However, she had always made such a nuisance of herself by tagging along with Charles and Anne on their young adventures...and then feigning weakness or illness in order to draw his attention to herself...that she had made him wary of seriously considering her as his future partner in life. He did not seem to particularly dislike her in any other way, however.

Truthfully, his relationship with Anne was just much more comfortable in every way. Even though it had always been more sibling-like in nature, as well as much more friendly than what he felt for the other Elliot sisters, he still thought they could make it work as husband and wife, as well. After all, even though they were not in love, they still actually liked each other and enjoyed one another's company. Both of them knew that there were many married couples out there that did not have such a luxury!

Anne was not nearly as certain about the whole marriage situation as Charles seemed to be, however...even though she had to admit that all of his arguments had merit. After all, she understood that what he was obviously suggesting was a marriage of convenience and a solution to both of their problems...rather than a romantic match. On one hand, it was a very attractive offer with very little in the way of a downside. Nevertheless, on the other one, she could not help but to feel cold when she compared what their married life would be probably be like...even with the bedroom activities required to conceive children...to the emotional passion she had once shared with her Frederick.

Frederick was gone, however, and ultimately...even though she had been reluctantly convinced by Lady Russell that it was the right thing to do...it was by her own request. She had regretted it every moment since then, but she could not believe that he would ever voluntarily return to the woman who had already rejected him once or to the place where it had happened.

That was why Anne knew that even if she could not seem to move on...hence, the scrapbook she still kept about the man and his accomplishments in the Royal Navy...Frederick had probably already done so long ago.

Therefore, when Charles brought up the subject of marriage again while they sat together in such a companionable way by the pond on the current occasion, she knew it was time for her to seriously consider his very reasonable proposal.

Before she could say anything, however, the basket next to him began to shake and Anne eyed it warily.

"You didn't bring me another snake, did you?" she asked and her eyes narrowed at the memory of the last time such a thing had happened.

Charles just laughed, however. "I was ten...and she was such an unusual color. How did I know that you would scream and throw her so far? I never did find her again, by the way." The grown man pouted at the childhood memory for a moment before his usual goodnatured smile returned to his face. "You are partially right, though. I did bring you something. In fact, it's why the dogs aren't with me. I was afraid they would scare it and give chase. At any rate, a friend of mine raises these and I thought that...until you feel able to give me an answer about the whole marriage thing...you might want to at least have a friend with you in that cold, lonely house."

With those words, he opened the lid to the basket and a little wriggling black nose protruded over the edge followed by black rimmed eyes and long black ears.

"Oh, Charles! She's adorable!" Anne cried out joyfully as she lifted the speckled bunny out of the container and into her lap. To her surprise, it seemed perfectly content to sit there and allow itself to be petted. Anne was truly charmed, then...both by the animal and the friend who had given her such a thoughtful gift.

Anne was well aware that Charles was too good of a man to have to deal with her fickleness. Therefore, she knew she had some serious thinking to do, so that she could finally provide him with an answer. After all, it was obvious that he needed to move forward with his own life...even if she decided that she was not yet ready to do so for her own. He would make a good husband for somebody. She just did not know if that particular somebody should be her.

Friendship or marriage?

That was the most important question. Anne still did not know the answer, but she did vow that day that she would soon give Charles a definitive response, anyway. She owed him that much for always being such a good friend to her.