With respect,
Patrick Elliot, Vicar of Pemberley, Kympton and Lambton
“As long as he loves and cares for my daughter, I cannot see an objection to him,” Lady Lucas said, while almost forgetting that she was holding her own letter from her oldest child.
“What does yours say, Sarah? Let us hear it and then we can decide how we will react to this momentous news.” His wife’s hands were shaking as she opened her missive and began to read it to her husband:
Pemberley
Derbyshire
10 July 1812
Dearest Mama,
I am sure that like Papa read my letter to you, you are reading this to him.
As that is the case, I want to assure you both that I am marrying for love.
His name is Patrick Elliot and he hails from Shropshire. He holds the livings of Pemberley, Kympton (yes, the one that man lied about), and Lambton. He was previously married and has a delightful five-year-old daughter, Grace or as we lovingly call her, Gracie, with whom I am already very close and love like a daughter; she accepts and loves me as her Mama. You and Papa will become grandparents; my brothers will be uncles and Maria an aunt the very day I share vows with my husband.
His first wife passed over three years ago after a long illness, and like I once was certain that I would never fall in love, neither did he believe that he had the capacity to love again.
We were both proven wrong and love each other deeply. He is not marrying me for my fortune, as we never discussed wealth or lack thereof until after he had proposed and I had accepted. As it happens, he has far more than I, plus an estate, Riverdale, in his home shire.
He is the third son of a Baronet, Sir Everett Elliot, whose estate is but five miles from my betrothed’s. His mother is Lady Ilene and he has no sister. His oldest brother, the heir to Elliot Dale, is living at and running the estate with his father. His middle brother has read the law and practices as a barrister in Liverpool. Besides his fortune, which by happenstance is invested with Gardiner and Associates as mine is, the three livings leave him with a very healthy annual income.
I share his situation with you, Mama, so you can rest easy. I have found love, and without looking for it, I have also found security. In the end I will still be mistress of an estate one day, and already have a child to love and be a mother to. We hope and will pray to God Almighty for more blessings.
My wish is that you partake in my joy and not worry about what people will say about the length of my mourning period. As I told Papa, I am now officially in half-mourning.
As much as I love and respect you, if you cannot reconcile with my decisions, I will cease all contact with you; it is your choice. I would miss and always love you, Mama, but it will not cause me to defer my happiness now that I have found it. If you are struggling with my determination, take a moment with Mary Bennet and ask her what she would do if anyone threatened to cease contact unless she gave up her Marquess. Rank and wealth are not what matters, and I now understand why the Bennets have always espoused that they never were.
Your loving, and in love, daughter,
Charlotte
P.S. If you have not heard already, Eliza is marrying Mr Darcy and Mary’s betrothed is a cousin to Queen Charlotte, though again, that would not factor into her answer, in this I can assure you, mother.
Once the shock of the postscript wore off, Sarah Lucas ruminated for a minute, recalling the abject misery that her oldest had suffered to become mistress of her own home. Lady Lucas reached a decision.
“We will support her fully, William!” She said in a tone that left her husband no doubt about her resolution to carry her point. “I will not lose my daughter over this, and I, we, will do nothing to hamper her joy!” She would go and wish the Bennets joy over the news about Eliza later when they were to call on Longbourn, as she had heard that the family had taken up residence at that estate again.
“To what are you referring, Mama?” Maria inquired as she had just returned from the haberdashery in Meryton. Before Sarah could answer, Lucas interjected to answer his wife.
“Yes, Sarah, I agree we will embrace her joy and offer any support she needs or wants and we will assist even when she says she can do it on her own. Not only that, but we will invite her to marry from Lucas Lodge so there are no questions as to our support. I amsurethe Bennets will support us, and if they do, no one will dare raise a voice against our girl or us.”
“I dare say even were Bennet to try suggest a month longer, he would have to face Jane, Eliza, and Mary. No man I know would risk the ire of those three.” Sarah laughed with the relief of knowing her first born was so happy she would defy even her parents to claim it. Fanny had said they had not dared to gainsay Mary or they may have had a hard time regaining her trust, and Mary was quieter in her affections, but when she was with her Marquess, they were never more than a few inches apart. If that was the kind of love Charlotte had found, what more could a mother hope for? What joy to be a grandmother in but a few months! The nursery needed some new toys and books, some new bedding, and a new doll for the bed. Lady Sarah Lucas was already behaving as a new grandmother.
Trying to contain her excitement as her thoughts ran around all the wonders soon to be gained, Lady Lucas explained what had happened and what would soon occur to Maria, who stared at her mother in such surprise her jaw had dropped at the explanation that Charlotte was cutting her mourning in half. Her brothers joined the family discussion and were no less surprised than their sister.
The Lucas patriarch went to his study to compose an express to his oldest child expressing their full-throated support and the hope that she would marry from Lucas Lodge. He stopped midway through his response to reread the missive from his son in law to be and found it contained many similarities to the words Charlotte had offered in hers. He finished the express to his daughter and added a separate sincere welcome to the family to Mr Elliot with a specific passage to his soon to be granddaughter Grace. It was moments like this when a man is reminded the heart has no limits. The organ had an unlimited capacity to love and Sir William came to the realisation that even before he met her, his granddaughter already owned a piece that he had not known he had in his heart.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
A little later at Longbourn, the express for Lady Elizabeth Bennet, which had originally been directed to Bennet Park had just been read by a mystified and joyful Elizabeth. Suspecting what it was, she had read it to herself first, taking a moment to just be Charlotte’s friend and feel the happiness the news had gifted before she shared it with all those present as they had gathered at Longbourn for the first time in the new family sitting room.
“Everyone here will support her decision to go into half mourning and marry her Mr Elliot whenever she chooses, Lizzy,” Mary stated emphatically before everyone else did. “I am certain the gentlemen will help him procure a special license should he want one so they can marry even sooner. That buffoon she was married to was misery incarnate and she has paid her dues. If Sir William will not let her marry there, you will tell her she can marry here with us, will you not, papa?” she nodded at Elizabeth and turned to lock eyes with her father.
