Over the months, they became closer, and shortly after Charles became engaged to Kate, something Caroline supported, Franklin requested a courtship, and Caroline replied in the affirmative. Her brother had bestowed his blessing.
When she had written to Lulu, her older sister could not have been more pleased for Caroline.
Franklin had asked Caroline to marry him a fortnight before the planned wedding between Kate and Charles. The two were in love, and Franklin was aware Caroline had a healthy dowry. That was not, however, his motivation for wanting to be with her. Her fortune would enable him to purchase additional land and expand Lucas Lodge’s income.
Shortly after the engagement Caroline had mentioned what a pity it was there could not be a double wedding. Unbeknownst to Caroline, Kate had heard her sister-to-be.
Kate spoke to Charles, and he agreed to delay the wedding so they could marry in a double ceremony with his sister and Lucas. This was the reason why everyone had come together—to celebrate the weddings which would be solemnised on the first Friday in April.
Caroline was aware that many of those she used to denigrate, and two men she set her cap for, would be present at her wedding. She was nervous they would disdain her. When she was finally introduced to the Fitzwilliams, Carringtons, several of the Chamberlains, and the Darcys, she found she had nothing to worry about. They judged her on her behaviour now and not how she used to act. Caroline took the opportunity to apologise for her former behaviour. She was forgiven by everyone.
Lulu pointed out the irony that Caroline had been accepted by some of the leaders of theTonby being herself and not by trying to put on any airs and graces.
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Since Elizabeth and William had married in May 1809, there had been many changes.
Shortly after Mary came out in February 1810, Lord Winston Chamberlain, the Marquess of Hertford, requested a courtship. As he was only two and twenty, it was agreed between the families that he would not propose until he turned four and twenty in November 1811. The day after his birthday, Winston had come to Holder House and proposed to Mary. By the time they married in February 1812, Mary had celebrated her twentieth birthday, and Edith had been granted her wish that her youngest daughter would not marry as young as her previous two.
When Lady Mary married, Mrs Annesley’s services were no longer needed. She had been offered an extremely generous pension by Lord Holder. However, not feeling ready to retire, she accepted the position of companion to Miss Darcy instead.
Before Mary and Winston married, Jane had delivered a daughter, in early 1810, who had been named Anne Edith. Anne was for the former Anne de Bourgh, thus making it so there was another Anne living at Rosings Park. By the time the Fitzwilliam’s travelled from Kent to attend the double wedding, Jane had felt the quickening for a second time.
Before the end of 1811, Charlotte and Jamey had been blessed with a daughter who they named Sarah Edith after her grandmothers. With the warming weather, and Sarah having reached four months of age, Charlotte, Jamey, and their two children would attend the wedding.
Elizabeth and William had been married a year complete before the former suspected she was with child. Bennet Robert William Darcy had arrived in the world in April 1811. Both had agreed that Carrington as their son’s first name was not acceptable but had settled on Bennet to honour Elizabeth’s birthfather who had loved his daughters and done everything he could to try to protect them.
As Ben, as he was called by all, approached his first birthday, he was doted on by his Darcy grandparents. It was not that his Carrington grandparents did not dote on him, but Ben was their fourth grandchild, so they had to spread their love between all four of their grandchildren.
Since they had no more children at home, when Holder did not have to be in the Lords, he and Edith spent much time with each of their four children’s families. Thankfully, when they were in London to attend Parliament, one or more, usually all, of their children and grandchildren were in Town.
Elizabeth and William were the only ones without their own home in London. They had decided that it would be an unnecessary extravagance to purchase their own when they had standing invitations to be hosted at five houses. When in London, they mostly split their time between Holder and Darcy Houses.
In early March 1812, a month before the double wedding, Mrs de Bourgh succumbed to a bout of influenza. Since her commitment to Bedlam, her insanity had only deepened. Her brother and sister had visited a single time. They both owned that the creature they saw was not their sister. Hence, they never returned. Her being taken had been a kindness to her as she had no idea who or where she was. As a final boon to her, Mrs de Bourgh’s remains were transported to Snowhaven where she was interred near her late parents.
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