Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Jennifer Becton
Authors: Jennifer Becton
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you would never love him. That you loved another. He has pined for you since your first meeting, Maria. You could have let him down more gently. How would you like to hear those things from the person you loved most in this world?"
"So I deserved all this censure?" Her voice cracked with emotion.
"No, certainly not. Mr. Card has made his share of mistakes in this matter as well. Not the least of which was confiding in that odious Constance Farmington."
Maria sighed. "What a disaster this has turned out to be."
"Yes, and now we are left to deal with it as we might."
Maria collapsed on the settee with tears streaming down her cheeks and cried silently with her sister's arms around her.
• • •
The next morning, Maria did not come downstairs, so Charlotte went to her bed chamber to summon her. She lay unmoving beneath the covers, despite the sound of her sister's movements as she threw open the drapes, allowing bright morning light to flood the room.
Maria groaned.
"Get up. We are going to town."
"I certainly am not. Everyone despises me by now."
"Listen, sister." Charlotte sat on the side of the bed. "It is best to deal with matters such as this directly. You must go out and meet your fate."
"Last night you told me it was the time for discretion," Maria said, her face still covered.
"That was last night. You were in no condition to deal with this situation rationally."
"Nor am I now."
"Today, you must be. You must not hide. You must acknowledge the wrong you did to Mr. Card and make amends. It is the only way you will regain your status in society."
"Urgh," Maria said. She threw the blankets back, giving Charlotte the first good look at her face. Her skin was pale, her hair matted, and there were swollen, dark circles under her eyes.
"Did you sleep at all?" Charlotte's tone was softer.
"How could I sleep?"
Charlotte stroked her hair. Her fingers caught in the knotted strands, and she dropped her hand.
"I did behave badly to Mr. Card, did I not?"
Charlotte paused, pleased to see that the morning sun had brought with it a measure of mental enlightenment. "Yes, I am sorry to say you did."
Maria sighed and turned her head toward the window. "I was so nervous, and I simply wanted him to leave. I focused only on avoiding the issue, so when he proposed, I had no idea what to say. I had no thought in my head at all but to avoid the matter entirely. So I blurted the first thing that came into my mind."
"It is always wise to consider for a time."
"I know, and that is why I simply cannot go into town. I have no defense against my behavior."
"I really think you should face the world as soon as possible. If you hide away here, people will only have more fodder for their gossip."
Maria pulled the covers back over her head. "Charlotte, please do not make me. I am far too embarrassed."
Charlotte looked down at the lump in the bed that was her sister. Her sister, who was giddy and sweet, thoughtless and silly, but who loved society above all else.
"I will not make you do anything, Maria, but I am going to the bakery for some cream cakes."
"Let me know if you see anyone."
"I shall."
"And do bring me a cream cake."
• • •
Charlotte walked to town, vaguely saddened that her sister had elected to remain at the cottage, and she felt quite dreary in spirits although the sun shone brightly.
As she walked, she felt the stares of the others she encountered. Not a one spoke to her, although she could hear snippets of their conversations, which were focused on Maria's poor behavior. Torn between anger at her sister's stupidity, pity at the situation into which she had put herself, and fear at her own tenuous position in society, Charlotte picked up her pace, her sturdy boots crunching on the ground beneath them.
Turning the corner beside the Circulating Library, she found herself face to face with Jonas Card.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Collins." His voice was polite, his manner chilly. He tipped his
"So I deserved all this censure?" Her voice cracked with emotion.
"No, certainly not. Mr. Card has made his share of mistakes in this matter as well. Not the least of which was confiding in that odious Constance Farmington."
Maria sighed. "What a disaster this has turned out to be."
"Yes, and now we are left to deal with it as we might."
Maria collapsed on the settee with tears streaming down her cheeks and cried silently with her sister's arms around her.
• • •
The next morning, Maria did not come downstairs, so Charlotte went to her bed chamber to summon her. She lay unmoving beneath the covers, despite the sound of her sister's movements as she threw open the drapes, allowing bright morning light to flood the room.
Maria groaned.
"Get up. We are going to town."
"I certainly am not. Everyone despises me by now."
"Listen, sister." Charlotte sat on the side of the bed. "It is best to deal with matters such as this directly. You must go out and meet your fate."
"Last night you told me it was the time for discretion," Maria said, her face still covered.
"That was last night. You were in no condition to deal with this situation rationally."
"Nor am I now."
"Today, you must be. You must not hide. You must acknowledge the wrong you did to Mr. Card and make amends. It is the only way you will regain your status in society."
"Urgh," Maria said. She threw the blankets back, giving Charlotte the first good look at her face. Her skin was pale, her hair matted, and there were swollen, dark circles under her eyes.
"Did you sleep at all?" Charlotte's tone was softer.
"How could I sleep?"
Charlotte stroked her hair. Her fingers caught in the knotted strands, and she dropped her hand.
"I did behave badly to Mr. Card, did I not?"
Charlotte paused, pleased to see that the morning sun had brought with it a measure of mental enlightenment. "Yes, I am sorry to say you did."
Maria sighed and turned her head toward the window. "I was so nervous, and I simply wanted him to leave. I focused only on avoiding the issue, so when he proposed, I had no idea what to say. I had no thought in my head at all but to avoid the matter entirely. So I blurted the first thing that came into my mind."
"It is always wise to consider for a time."
"I know, and that is why I simply cannot go into town. I have no defense against my behavior."
"I really think you should face the world as soon as possible. If you hide away here, people will only have more fodder for their gossip."
Maria pulled the covers back over her head. "Charlotte, please do not make me. I am far too embarrassed."
Charlotte looked down at the lump in the bed that was her sister. Her sister, who was giddy and sweet, thoughtless and silly, but who loved society above all else.
"I will not make you do anything, Maria, but I am going to the bakery for some cream cakes."
"Let me know if you see anyone."
"I shall."
"And do bring me a cream cake."
• • •
Charlotte walked to town, vaguely saddened that her sister had elected to remain at the cottage, and she felt quite dreary in spirits although the sun shone brightly.
As she walked, she felt the stares of the others she encountered. Not a one spoke to her, although she could hear snippets of their conversations, which were focused on Maria's poor behavior. Torn between anger at her sister's stupidity, pity at the situation into which she had put herself, and fear at her own tenuous position in society, Charlotte picked up her pace, her sturdy boots crunching on the ground beneath them.
Turning the corner beside the Circulating Library, she found herself face to face with Jonas Card.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Collins." His voice was polite, his manner chilly. He tipped his
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