Chapter 26 #2
As long as both you and Papa are sanguine with my marrying Richard, we intend to marry on the 12th day of February 1808.
My marriage to Richard will soon make Jane and the rest of the Bennet sisters and brother siblings-in-law to me.
This is due to the fact that on Monday, the day we departed Odendale to return to Hornby Castle, Jane accepted a proposal from Richard’s brother, Andrew, Viscount Hilldale.
As Bethie counts the Bennet offspring as her siblings; she says that will make her my sister-in-law as well.
Jane and Andrew will marry on the 19th of March.
That will give Richard and me more than enough time for a wedding trip before we join everyone in Hertfordshire for Jane’s wedding.
Given that Jane will be a viscountess, there will be more to do before the wedding—hence, the longer engagement period than Richard’s and mine.
Due to all of the above stated, Lord and Lady Meryton and the Phillipses will escort me home on the final Monday of this month.
We should arrive in the Meryton area by the first Friday in October, at the very latest. Please have Mr Pierce begin to have the banns called. Sir William will call the last one, if I am not in error. Richard has written to Mr Collins at the Hunsford parsonage to do the same.
The Bennets have made Netherfield Park available to us to have the wedding breakfast in the ballroom if you chuse to use it.
Lady Fanny said the same about Longbourn’s ballroom.
She knows how you fight to fit large crowds into the Lodge, so in my opinion, it would be ideal to use either of the offered ballrooms. (Longbourn’s is closer to both the church and Lucas Lodge.)
The Fitzwilliams and Darcys will be housed at Netherfield Park as Longbourn will be preparing for Jane’s wedding.
You see, Mamma, your worry that I will end up a spinster left on the shelf was for nought.
Enough teasing you, Mamma. Your first-born daughter is as happy as you have ever seen her. I am already counting the days until I become Richard’s wife.
With all my daughterly love,
Charlotte
Lady Lucas found that she could not fault her daughter for conducting her courtship away from Meryton. She was willing to admit that had she helped, she may well have caused the union not to happen.
She took her daughter’s epistle to Sir William so he could read it. He handed her the one he had received from Charlotte, delivered with his wife’s missive.
“I will, of course, send a missive with my blessings. Even if I did not know he was an excellent man, I would not have denied one from that family anything he asked,” Sir William told his wife when they had both completed reading.
“Our Charlotte has done very well for herself. We owe Lady Bethany a thank you for inviting our Charlotte to accompany her.”
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Anne Fitzwilliam was handed an epistle from her papa, and she felt the excitement build as soon as she saw it was from Harry.
He was permitted to write to her, but her missives to him and his to her were read by Papa first to make sure propriety was observed. She held the page with the broken seal to her heart for a moment before beginning to read.
28 September 1807
Granville
Nottinghamshire
My dear Anne,
You have my undying gratitude for respecting my need to mourn Father for a full year before we marry.
As I am sure you know, the year ends on the first Monday in October. Would I be asking too much of you for us to marry on either the 9th or 10th, the Friday or Saturday after that?
If your father has handed you this letter, I must assume that he does not object to the dates I propose.
By the time your reply reaches me, there will not be enough time to have the banns called before one of the two dates I mentioned.
As such, I will apply to the rector of Snowhaven’s church for a common license.
If you object to the timing, please reply. My courier will wait for your answer, good or bad.
Had I not entered mourning, we could have married in January of this year.
More than you will ever know, I respect your decision to not rush in and have a hasty wedding right before Father’s passing became common knowledge to the Ton.
Ninety-nine out of 100 women would have done so to secure their place as the next Lady Granville, but not my Anne, which is one of the many things I love about you.
You understood Petunia’s and my need to mourn Father as he deserved.
Even though I have hardly seen you in the last year, my love for you has grown even deeper. I cannot wait to have you as my wife, as my Lady Granville.
You, Anne, are the keeper of my heart. With all my love,
Your Harry
Neither of Anne Fitzwilliam’s parents objected to the dates her betrothed suggested. Hence, she wrote a heartfelt letter, and after Papa perused and approved of it, handed it to the waiting courier for delivery to her beloved.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It had been almost two months since Karen’s previous letter. Wickham had begun to have dark thoughts about how the twins had failed him, ignoring the fact that part of his plan was to see the Younges in gaol.
Hence, Wickham’s relief was great when an epistle arrived that morning. He tore it open and began to read.
12 October 1807
Kiveton Park
George,
My duties have kept me busy since the last missive, which explains why so much time has passed.
Although they have spent some time at this estate (I will relate all below), the Osbornes and their friends have been greatly occupied with family events.