The Ashes of Longbourn (30 page)

             
“Charlotte, do you wish to have a private discussion with Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Lady Lucas asked, praying desperately that this was the answer to her daughter’s future.

             
Shyly, Charlotte nodded her head. 
Had he come to ask for her hand? Would a man such as this, the son of an earl, truly wish to be married to someone who was in disgrace as she was, after her first attempt at marriage turned out to be such a disaster?

             
“Very well, you may use my study, if you wish.” Sir William stated.  “I insist that you speak quickly, for I will only allow ten minutes.”

             
“Thank you for your generosity, Sir William.  What I have to say will not take that long.”

             
Charlotte escorted Richard down the hall, to her father’s study.  It was a small room, with very few books on the shelves and only a chair and sofa for furniture, beyond a desk and desk chair.  Richard insisted that they sit on the sofa, and took Charlotte’s hand in his as soon as they were seated.

             
“Miss Lucas, I received the most unbelievable gift this evening, and I knew instantly, I must come to speak with you with regards as what the gift means.  My cousins, the Darcys, and the Bingleys gifted me with the estate of Longbourn.  Elizabeth and Jane felt that the estate should be given to someone in their family who would treat it with the respect that it deserves.  This means that I am free to resign my commission and become a member of the landed gentry.”

             
“Lizzy and Jane were quite generous.  I know how dear their family’s estate has always been, especially to Lizzy.”

             
“I plan to make improvements and give the estate the care that is needed to bring it back to life.  The ladies have a stipulation though, one that must be approached quickly.”

             
Charlotte was confused. “What stipulation could they place on the gift?”

             
“That, before next Christmas, I marry the woman who would bring my heart the greatest joy.” Richard lifted Charlotte’s hand to his lips.  “Miss Charlotte Lucas, since I have met you, my mind has been searching for a way to be able to offer for your hand.  I wish for you to be my wife, to be at my side, to bring love to my life.  We have not known each other very long, but neither of us is a child.  We can see love and mutual affect when we see it, even on a short acquaintance. Now that I have a way to support a wife and family, and have a home with which to offer, I came directly to speak with you.  Charlotte, would you do me the honor of consenting to be my wife?”

             
“This has all come about so quickly.  It is difficult to believe that it has happened.  Colonel, you are far too important to wish to risk your future with a wife such as me at your side.  Most people would believe you have taken pity on me after being taken in so abominably by Mr Storm.”

             
“I do not care what anyone else has to say on the matter.  No matter what happens in life, someone will always find fault in how one behaves.  The only thing that matters to me is that you are by my side. Please, Charlotte, I beg of you, marry me.”

             
Searching his face, Charlotte finally found what she was looking for, deep in his green eyes.  She found his heart was filled with love, for her.  “Yes, Colonel, I will marry you.” She squealed as she felt herself scooped into his embrace as he stood, twirling around the room with joy.  When he finally sat her down on her feet, Charlotte was laughing.

             
“No more Colonel, if you do not mind, Charlotte.  I am resigning my commission as soon as possible.  I will be simply Richard Fitzwilliam, gentleman.” He leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers. 

             
The touch of his lips sent a thrill up her spine.  “My Richard.”

             
                                          ~~ ** ~~

             
When the couple returned to the drawing room, it did not take words to make Lady Lucas leap to her feet and embrace her daughter.  “Charlotte, you are glowing with joy.  He offered for you, did he not?”

             
“He did, Mamma.  I am so pleased.” Charlotte whispered in her mother’s ear.

             
“Sir William, as your daughter is of age, she does not require your consent to my offer for her hand in marriage.  But I stand before you, asking for it anyway.  I promise to love and cherish your daughter, to care for her and any children we might be blessed with, every day of my life.”

             
“And where would you live, Colonel, with your family in Town or Derbyshire?

             
“Actually, I would prefer if you were to refer to me as Fitzwilliam, as I will be resigning my commission soon.  We would be living at the dower cottage at Longbourn until the construction is finished on the new house that we will build.”

             
Sir William was confused.  “Longbourn does not belong to Charlotte.  After the annulment, and the truth that Mr Storm was not the heir, Mr Collins, the estate reverted back to Eliza and Jane.”

             
“Forgive me, Sir William; I forgot to explain to you the very generous gift that the Darcys and the Bingleys gave me, just moments before I came here.  They gave me the estate of Longbourn, wishing for the estate to be cared for as they would.  And they knew that it would allow me to hang up my uniforms and follow my heart in choosing a bride.”

             
This news was astonishing to the Lucas family.  “So generous a gift, it is hard to believe that they would be so willing to part with the estate.” Lady Lucas stated.

             
“They will always be welcome at the estate, as they are my family.  Elizabeth is married to my cousin, and Bingley has been so close with Darcy, they might as well be brothers.  And, of course, Elizabeth and Jane are sisters. I can assure them of the care that will be well taken of the estate.  I was raised with much the same ethics as Darcy, and he knows that I will respect Longbourn, as he would.”

             
“We had wondered what they would do with Longbourn.” Sir William stated.  “We had thought that Mr Bingley would incorporate it in with Netherfield, making them the largest in the county.”

             
“As Bingley is still so new to being a landed gentleman, I am sure that he is more comfortable with the size of Netherfield being what it is. But we digress.  Do we have your consent and blessing for your daughter and I to wed?”

             
Sir William looked to his wife, then to his daughter.  He could see a spark that had never been in his daughter’s eyes before, a piece of her she had always kept under the surface.  His eldest child, his first born, was in love with a man who loved her in return.  What a wonderful development this had turned out to be.  “Charlotte, if this is what you wish, then, yes, I give my consent and my blessing to this marriage.  I am certain that you will be happy together.”

             
“Thank you, Papa.  I know that we will be.  And you will have a standing invitation to dine with us at least once a week.” Charlotte said as she leaned towards her father, kissing him on the cheek.

             
“Oh, my, I forgot to tell you that Jane, I mean Mrs Bingley told me she was sending an invitation for your family to dine at Netherfield tomorrow evening.”

             
“That is kind of Jane.” Charlotte stated. “Do you approve, Mamma?”

             
“We would be pleased to have dinner at Netherfield Park tomorrow, Colonel…Mr Fitzwilliam.”

             
“As I am to wed your daughter, I believe it would be best that you call me Richard.”

             
Clapping Richard on the shoulder, Sir William laughed.  “Thank you, dear boy.  I will be pleased to call you Richard and to have you as a son.  Now, it is quite late, and I am sure that your family is at Netherfield, awaiting word of your success.  So you should be off and allow us to find some sleep.  We will see you tomorrow.”

             
Taking hold of Charlotte’s hand, Richard led her to the foyer as he prepared to leave.  “Until tomorrow, my dearest Charlotte, and may you have the sweetest of dreams.”

             
“They will all be of you, Richard.” Charlotte said, smiling at the man who had made such a difference in her life, in such a short time.

             
Richard leaned down, carefully kissing her lips in a chaste fashion, knowing that her family was most likely peeking around the corner to witness the scene.  “I love you, Charlotte. I will see you as soon as possible, tomorrow.”

             
                                          ~~ ** ~~

             
Upon his arrival at Netherfield, Richard thought he would make his way quietly up the stairs and to his room.  He wished to write a note to his parents so that it might be sent express the following morning, as he desired his family to know his joyous news. 

             
But Richard was not to escape his cousins so easily.  Darcy came to the drawing room door when he heard his cousin on the first steps.  “Richard, you did not intend to leave us with no news, did you?”

             
“Actually, I did.  I would have thought you and your charming wife would be in your bed chambers, as everyone else would be in theirs.  It is becoming quite late.”

             
“I am aware of the time, and do not think, for one moment, that you will delay telling your tale to us tonight.  I have even allowed Georgiana to remain downstairs with the rest of us so that she could hear your news.”

             
“I will be happy to tell you all tomorrow, for I am quite fatigued and wish to prepare for bed.” Richard continued to edge a little further up the stairs.

             
Elizabeth’s voice rang out from inside the room.  “Richard, you had best join us now, or we will come to you bedchambers and gather around your bed until you tell us what happened.”

             
“And you know my wife well enough to know that she would do so.” Darcy said with a smile.  “Lizzy can be an even bigger pest than I can.”

             
“I heard that, husband.  Remember, I have yet to give you your gift.”

             
Finally, Richard resigned himself to the inevitable.  Walking behind his cousin, he was soon inside the drawing room.  “Fine, I am here. Now, may I go to bed?  I wish to be up early to send word off to my parents.”

             
“Tell us what happened, and you are more than welcome to make your way to bed.” Elizabeth said with a determined look at her cousin.

             
“Very well, I asked Miss Lucas to marry me, and she has accepted.  Sir William has given us his consent and blessings. Oh, Mrs Bingley, Lady Lucas has accepted the invitation to dine here tomorrow night.”

             
“Richard, this is wonderful news.” Darcy said as he shook his cousin’s hand.  “It will be a pleasure to soon welcome you to the ranks of married men.”

             
“How is Charlotte?” Elizabeth asked. “Was she surprised?”

             
“Yes, though I believe she was pleased.  We were both surprised with your gift which made this all possible.” Richard leaned over to place a kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek.  He then turned to Jane and placed a kiss on her cheek.  “If it had not been for the two of you, Charlotte and I would never have been able to even consider marriage to each other.  Neither of us had any property to bring to a marriage, per se.  But now, we will be able to live comfortably, and raise a family.”

             
“And you will take care of Longbourn as our father would have wished.” Jane said.  “That is why we made the decision, you and Charlotte will care for the estate and the people who will make it thrive. Next week, we can begin to discuss the plans for the building of the main house.  We will also need to find tenants to tend the fields in the spring.”

             
“Mrs Hill will be able to put out word that we are looking for new tenants, and I am certain that we will have more than enough apply for a place.  Many of our tenants, who moved to places here, at Netherfield, have relations who would also wish for a place.” Elizabeth smiled.  She knew that their tenants had always been treated fairly and it was rare when there had been a section be vacant for long.  “Well, I believe I am ready to make my way to my rooms.”

             
Everyone bid goodnight and made their way to their own rooms.  Darcy delivered his wife to her dressing chamber with a promise to return for her in half of an hour.  Elizabeth was excited, as she planned to present her husband his gift this very evening.

             
                                          ~~ ** ~~

             
Betsy assisted her mistress into a sheer, pale pink, silk night gown, with a matching robe.   A coverlet was folded and placed over Elizabeth’s lap and legs.  Her long chocolate locks were brushed out and left loose about her shoulders.  Just as Betsy finished her work, Darcy knocked on the door to the dressing chamber.