“We sent notes but allow us to congratulate you on little Sarah’s birth in person,” Elizabeth said with a wide smile. “I know we will be with Charlotte soon, but how is she, and howis Lawrence now that he turned two on Sunday?”
“Are you waiting until Charlotte is churched before he has his party?” Mary added before their uncle could answer any of the asked questions.
“My Charlotte is doing very well. Like me, she is very pleased we have a son and a daughter now. At his age, my lad does not realise his party was not on his birthday. As long as he has a party and his mama and the rest of the family are there, when it is, it matters not,” Phillips replied. “So yes, Mary, the celebration will be after Charlotte has been churched.” Phillips paused and then grinned. “If Charlotte thinks I have delayed her friends, she will not be pleased. You had better go.”
Each sister bestowed another kiss on their uncle’s cheek and then made their way into the residence. They climbed the stairs to the first floor, where they found Lady Lucas in the sitting room with Lawrence.
The three greeted Lady Lucas and hugged the little boy. “Mama feedin’ Sawah,” Lawrence informed his cousins.
“Charlotte will join us as soon as she is done with the feeding,” Lady Lucas stated. “She is in the rocker that Sir William gifted her when she was increasing with Lawrence. My granddaughter is so pretty.”
“Me pwetty, Gwanmama?” Lawrence demanded.
“You are the most handsome little boy,” Lady Lucas enthused. She picked the lad up and kissed his cheek. His reaction was to throw his arms around Lady Lucas’s neck and give her a very moisture-filled kiss on her cheek.
“My boy does give the best kisses,” Charlotte stated as she entered the sitting room, her new babe in her arms.
After greeting their friend, the three Bennet sisters crowded around Charlotte to get their first look at her daughter. She was sleeping, her little puckered lips sucking inthe air.
“Your mother has the right of it, Charlotte. Sarah is a very pretty babe,” Elizabeth remarked. “She has your colour hair. I know we have to wait to know what her eye colour will ultimately be until she is older than six months.”
Once the other two Bennet sisters had cooed over Sarah, Charlotte rang for Nurse and handed her slumbering babe to the matronly woman.
Charlotte sat, as it was still hard to be on her feet for too long. It would be another sennight to a fortnight until she was back to how she was before she birthed Sarah. She did not follow what many in high society did by remaining abed in a darkened and heated chamber for some weeks. She believed, as did a growing number of women that getting up and moving as soon as possible after the delivery aided in, not impeded, the recovery.
“Now I want all the news. I know from Frank that all three of you are being courted. Oh, before I forget, Mary, has Mandy told you that she has entered a courtship with Franklin? I doubt it, it only happened on Saturday afternoon and yesterday was the Sabbath,” Charlotte revealed.
Mary was aware that her best friend, Mandy Long, who was a year older than her, had long had a tendre for the Lucas heir. She was happy her friend had gained her heart’s desire.
“I will have to call at Long Meadow on the morrow and give Mandy my best wishes for her future with your older brother,” Mary stated.
“Another daughter, especially one as nice as Mandy, will be very welcome,” Lady Lucas added. “Maria and Mandy are good friends too, although she is closer to Cara than Mandy due to their ages.”
“Mama, have you warned Maria about the officers?”Charlotte enquired.
“Yes, Charlotte, we did,” Lady Lucas responded. “We used what Frank told us about those below the rank of major not being able to afford a wife, and we explained that not all of the men have honourable intentions. It is hard when I am not home to supervise her.” Lady Lucas rubbed her hands together nervously. She could not understand how it was that Maria had the largest dowry in the area, but all of the eligible men still flocked to Longbourn.
“You should go home, Mama,” Charlotte decided. She held up her hand to stem the forming protest. “You have been a great help to me and have got me through another birth, but I am well on my way to being recovered, and as you said, you need to be home to oversee Maria’s management. She is only slightly older than Lydia, and although she is not technically out, Maria has all of the freedoms that one who is out has, save attending the assemblies. I love having you here with me, Mama, but I cannot be selfish and keep you here when you are needed at home. I am sure Papa will welcome you back with open arms.”
Lady Lucas knew that Charlotte had the right of it. “I will send a note to your father and have him come to collect me. But Charlotte, if you need me, you will let me know, will you not?”
“Of course, I will! And, Mama, you must know how much I appreciate all of your assistance. I could not have done this without you at my side,” Charlotte said gratefully.
With moist eyes after her daughter’s very kind words, Lady Lucas first wrote a note to her husband and rang for the lone manservant to take it to Lucas Lodge. Thereafter, she made for the bedchamber she had been sleeping in for the last while and began to pack.
“Our time is almost passed, but we will come back in thenext day or two at the most,” Jane said as she stood.
“We are meeting some of those from Netherfield Park in order that they may explore the town. They should arrive in about ten minutes,” Elizabeth stated. It struck her that she was falling in love with William. When he was away from her, it felt as if a piece of her heart was missing.
“All is well. I need to go rest, and it is time for this little man’s nap. Any of you, and that includes Louisa, are welcome here any time,” Charlotte insisted.
The three Bennet sisters all hugged Charlotte, making sure not to apply any pressure to her tender belly. They descended the stairs, donned their outerwear, and exited the house by the door which did not go through Uncle Frank’s offices.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Wickham had gone to the tearoom and ordered some tea and pastries—which were fresh and very good. However, not one person to whom he casually brought up the Bennets told him anything. It was very frustrating; not even his much-used charm had induced anyone to speak to him about the Bennets. There seemed to be a mistrust of outsiders asking about one of their own.
What he did not know was that he was being watched by two of the Kingston sisters—Florinda and Lucinda—and although they hated the Bennets, their mother had told them that unless an officer was at least a colonel, he would not have enough money to keep them as they should be. They had heard the man introduce himself as a lieutenant, and they were aware that rank of officer earned a pittance; hence, they did not approach the exceptionally handsome man.
