Page 59 of To Love And To Cherish (Pride And Prejudice Variation #3)
Charlotte could not speak at first. Her breath caught in her throat as Mr. Bertram stood before her, his words still echoing in the quiet lane. What my daughter needs is a mother. Miss Lucas, would you do me the honor of accepting my hand in marriage?
The proposal had come with no fanfare, no poetry, and certainly no declarations of love. It was the plain truth of a weary man overwhelmed by the charge of raising a willful child. And yet, the simplicity of it rang with a sort of honesty that struck Charlotte deeply.
She took a slow breath, gathering her wits. This was no love match. It was a practical arrangement born of need. Mr. Bertram was clearly flummoxed by his daughter’s high spirits and unchecked will. He was at a loss, and she had offered sensible advice. For that, he had proposed.
Still, Charlotte could not ignore the warmth that had stirred in her chest the moment he had asked.
She had always wished to marry, to have a home of her own, to raise children.
She had watched others marry for affection, yes, but she had also known more than one couple whose parents had arranged their match, which had grown into affection and then love. Could that not be her fate as well?
Mr. Bertram was respectable, well-spoken, and wealthy. He was a handsome man, and he plainly loved his daughter, though he did not always know how to manage her. That he cared enough to seek help, to admit his failings, moved her. In time, might he come to care for her? Might she come to love him?
She believed so.
And as for Miriam, Charlotte felt a flicker of fondness already. The child was motherless and difficult, but Charlotte had love enough for her, and for any others that might come in future years.
She lifted her gaze to his, steady and sure. "I would be honored, Mr. Bertram."
Relief softened his expression into a smile, and he placed her hand upon his arm, covering it with his own.
"Well then," he said. "Let us go and notify your host."
They walked together back toward the parsonage, through the little garden gate they had only just passed. William and Mary looked up from their work, their eyes falling to the hands clasped on Mr. Bertram’s arm, and then to Charlotte’s face.
Mary’s smile bloomed instantly. She understood.
Mr. Bertram bowed slightly. "Mr. Bennet, Miss Lucas has accepted my offer of marriage. We would like to set a date."
Mr. Bertram turned to Charlotte. "Would one week from tomorrow be too soon?"
She smiled back. "One week from now would be perfect, Mr. Bertram."
William, ever practical, nodded. "Today is March the eighth. You would like to be wed on March fifteenth? Shall we say ten o’clock in the morning?"
Mr. Bertram turned again to Charlotte. "Is that a suitable date and time for you, Miss Lucas?"
"Yes, sir. That will do very well." She paused. "I assume you are planning to obtain a special license?"
"I am," he said. "I must go to London to see my solicitor and give him directions to draw up the marriage settlements. I shall obtain the license while I am there, and then travel to Hertfordshire to obtain your father’s signature."
Charlotte shook her head. "Sir, I will write to my parents today. They will travel here for the wedding. My father can sign the settlements upon his arrival. That will save you time. You need not be away from your daughter longer than necessary."
Mr. Bertram inclined his head. "Then it is settled."
He looked at her again, more intently this time. "Miss Lucas, would you be willing to stay in my home with my daughter while I am away this week?"
William’s brows rose to his hairline, but Mary laughed lightly. "It would be perfectly proper. Mr. Bertram will be in London. We can drive Charlotte over."
She turned to him. "If Charlotte writes to her parents today, they can arrive tomorrow. If you will open your home to them, they can chaperone Charlotte during your absence."
He smiled. "Of course."
Charlotte could hardly believe it. She would be very well married in one week to a gentleman of fortune, a principal estate owner, a respectable, handsome man whom only yesterday she had mourned as lost to her hopes.
And now he had proposed a marriage of convenience, one she sincerely hoped might, in time, become something more.
Charlotte dared to hope.
The wedding was simple, yet elegant. The service, performed by Mr. William Bennet, was dignified and well-executed.
The groom appeared genuinely pleased, and Charlotte, resplendent in a pale green silk gown gifted by Elizabeth and never before worn, was near to bursting with quiet joy.
She looked not only elegant but pretty, and her expression of contented anticipation softened her features in a most becoming way.
Sir William and Lady Lucas had travelled from Hertfordshire to attend the ceremony, and it was they who volunteered, as a gift to their daughter, to remain at the Bertram estate for a few days to care for young Miriam while the newlyweds took a brief wedding journey.
Mr. Bertram had presented Charlotte with the funds to arrange the wedding breakfast, which was elegant and exceedingly well attended.
The food was plentiful, the company agreeable, and the weather mild for mid-March.
In the week preceding the wedding, while Mr. Bertram was occupied in London with the business of the marriage, Charlotte had taken it upon herself to give Nanny Wilkins a well-earned visit to her family. In her stead, Charlotte herself had overseen Miriam's care.
By the sixth day, the child had been gently but firmly introduced to a new regimen.
Bedtime was established at half past seven.
Meals were to be eaten, not flung across the room, and tantrums, if indulged, no longer resulted in thrilling games of chase or impassioned theatrics from a frazzled nanny.
When Miriam collapsed into tears or fury, Charlotte calmly informed her where she would be waiting when the child wished to speak respectfully, then removed herself. It worked.
By the time Mr. Bertram returned, he found his daughter asleep in her bed and his betrothed reading quietly by the fire.
Charlotte explained the changes with gentle firmness and recommended that Nanny Wilkins be given a pension and replaced with a trained governess accustomed to strong-willed children.
He agreed to everything.
On the morning of his wedding, Mr. Bertram felt more than satisfaction; he felt hope.
In Charlotte, he saw a woman of good sense, composure, and warmth.
He was already developing a tender regard for her, and as he watched her moving through the crowd of guests, serene and elegant in green silk, he thought perhaps love would come in time.
It might already have begun.