Page 46 of A Life Diverted
That the man was one of her brothers was an added bonus.
If things occurred the way she hoped they would, Charlotte would be her sister.
That way Elizabeth’s two best friends in the world, Jane and Charlotte, would not only be her sisters, but they would live close to Willowmere.
In Jane’s case, sister a second time over.
So it was when Barney had come to tell her where he was going and the reason for his call, Elizabeth could not shoo him out of the house soon enough.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Barney was shown into Lucas Lodge by the housekeeper and told the master would see him. He bowed to Sir William when he was ushered into the study. The courtesy was returned by the slightly portly gentleman.
“Welcome young Wendell, to what do I owe this honour? Unless I am blind, I am not the Lucas you would like to see,” Sir William said jovially.
“I request your permission to address Charlotte…Miss Lucas in private,” Barney explained. “I am well aware that she is of age, Sir William, but I thought it proper to seek your consent before I address your eldest daughter. ”
“Go to it; I do not object,” Sir William allowed. His wife had begun to despair that at six and twenty Charlotte was on the shelf, but William Lucas had steadfastly believed that for every pot there is a lid.
Even when his dear wife had doubted, he had believed that He would not allow an intelligent, compassionate lady of good character to go without a husband.
Some of the jealous harpies in the area called Charlotte plain, but she was not.
As Fanny Bennet had pointed out, rather powerfully, one night at a card party at the Philipses, Charlotte was a pretty girl, and any man would be lucky to have her as a wife.
Mrs Ravenclaw had made the mistake of denigrating Fanny’s second daughter’s best friend in her hearing.
The petty woman had found that invitations for her and her family had slowed to a trickle after her mean-spirited, and patently untrue, utterances.
Even before Charlotte had met Lizzy’s second eldest brother, Sir William had told his wife to have faith. He was about to be proved right. This was one time he knew his Sarah would relish being wrong.
After another bow, Barney left the study.
He entered the drawing room and bowed to Lady Lucas, her sons, and daughters.
The two Lucas brothers had returned two days previously, and Barney had enjoyed meeting them, notwithstanding their aversion to Cambridge.
“Miss Lucas, if you agree, I have your father’s permission to address you in private. ”
Before Charlotte could reply, her mother stood. “Boys, Maria, please join me in the dining parlour,” Lady Lucas commanded. She led the other three out of the sitting room like a row of ducklings. She closed the door.
With a blush of embarrassment, Charlotte walked to the door and cracked it. “I am sorry; I am sure Mama did not intend… ”
“Charlotte, you have nothing for which to apologise. Your mother is only concerned for your felicity,” Barney interjected.
“It seems that there have been many other advantages to Ellie being discovered.
David is engaged to Jane, and I met the first and only woman who has made me want to know her better.
In case it influences your reply, Ellie was almost as keen for me to come see you today as I was.
“I am not sure if I am in love with you yet, which is why I am here to request a courtship with you. I am sure it will not be long before I am in love with you. That being said, Charlotte Sarah Lucas, will you grant me a formal courtship?”
“Given that I have enjoyed spending time with you and have begun to develop tender feelings for you, the only answer I can possibly give you is, yes. Absolutely, yes! I will enter into a formal courtship with you,” Charlotte responded as she glowed with pleasure.
Barney took each of her hands into one of his own. He started with the left, turning it over to expose the wrist. He bestowed a warm, lingering kiss over the pulse and repeated the action for the right hand.
Charlotte felt the warmth radiate out from where his lips touched her skin to every corner of her body. The sensations were repeated when he bestowed a kiss on her other wrist. She felt so lightheaded Charlotte was concerned she would swoon, but she managed to keep her head.
“Should we go to your father?” Barney enquired. “I know you are of age, but would you not want his blessing?”
“Indeed,” Charlotte managed. She was not sure she would have been able to say more. She was pleased that Barney had said we should go to see Papa and not just him. It boded well for the future, if things arrived at the expected conclusion.
“Come,” Sir William called when he heard the knock.
“Sir William, I have requested, and Charlotte has granted, a formal courtship. I, we, request your blessing, and although not required, we would like your consent as well,” Barney stated.
Seeing the bright glow of pleasure on Charlotte’s countenance, Sir William said nought about the young man using his daughter’s familiar name.
If he made his eldest daughter so happy before they were even married, then there was only one reply Sir William could make.
“You have my unreserved blessing and permission to court. Just always treat my girl well.”
“That, Sir, is something I can easily pledge. I will always treat Charlotte as well as, if not better than, I expect my own sister to be treated. If you know anything about me, then you will know I will honour and protect your daughter no matter what,” Barney vowed.
“You will do, Son. Come, let us go inform the family,” Sir William said.
He came around his desk and hugged his daughter.
“I knew how it would be, you could not be such a wonderful person for no reason,” he stated softly next to her ear.
Then he shook the young man’s hand and led the way out of the study to the sitting room.
Lady Lucas was beside herself with joy. Franklin and Johnny did not issue too many warnings about what would occur if Wendell hurt their sister, and Maria shyly added her congratulations.
When Barney arrived back at Longbourn, he was met with joy and wishes for happy, the most from Ellie.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
Two days after the man read the article about the recovery of Ellie Wendell, Miss Caroline Bingley, who normally only read the gossip and society pages—even though she had been banished, she still wanted to know the goings-on of members of the Ton —came across the page which broadcast the discovery of Miss Elizabeth Elaine Wendell .
As the days passed, Miss Bingley had convinced herself that she had been ill-used, and she had not done anything so very bad.
She certainly had done nothing for which she deserved the scorn of, and ejection from, polite society.
It had been the work of a few hours to transfer the blame from her own actions to the hated foundling.
All of this, her brother once again active in trade, her not being married to the man of her choice, and her not being a member of the Ton , could be traced back to the damned foundling.
She had already convinced herself that Mr Fitzwilliam had been wrong about the hoyden being a member of his family.
That was until she saw the bloody broadsheet.
Although Miss Eliza Wendell was in fact related to the Fitzwilliams and Darcys, it did not change the fact that she was the one to blame for all of the ills which had befallen the Bingley family since they were at that benighted estate in the backwater of Meryton.
In Caroline Bingley’s mind, if she could find a way to discredit or injure the former foundling, all of her own problems would be over. She knew not how yet, but Miss Bingley was determined to extract her vengeance and restore her position in society.