I rolled my eyes. “Sorry to disagree, Charlotte, but if I thought it was a toad I would be meeting at the altar, I would fail to turn up.”
“I doubt you will ever have to worry aboutthat,“ she said.
“If you are suggesting what I think…”
“I never suggested anything,” Charlotte interrupted. “Did I, Jane? Just that you will not have to settle for a toad. Not everyone is that lucky, you know.”
I let my eyes linger on her for a moment. “Well, I mean to see to it thatyouwill be. Lucky, I mean.”
“Lucky, or just in possession of a very determined—and probably deluded—friend?” she shot back with a grin.
I smiled. “Why not both?”
2 January
“MissLucas,Iamastonished,” Doctor Abernathy said as he straightened from his examination. “The transformation is truly remarkable. It seems the change in diet has done wonders.”
Charlotte grinned, a small dimple appearing in her cheek. “Doctor, when you told me a week ago that spinach and liver would be my salvation, I thought you mad. And yet, here I am. My stomach has not pained me all day, and I can walk across the house without feeling faint.”
“It’s undeniable she looks better,” I admitted. “But it has only been one week, Doctor. Can such a profound change truly come from a dietary alteration?”
He opened his leather bag to replace his instruments. “Miss Bennet, the body has a way of healing itself when given the right tools. But I understand your caution. We must give it more time.”
“Oh, come, Lizzy, do let yourself hope a little. You were the one who was saying the same thing to me last week, remember? Besides, if all else fails, I’ve discovered a newfound appreciation for liver.”
I held my hand to my stomach. “You are the only one. I have had enough to last a lifetime.”
Charlotte cleared her throat. “So, ah, Doctor, with all these improvements, might I be allowed a little more… freedom? A chance to venture outside these walls?”
Doctor Abernathy stroked his chin thoughtfully, eyeing her with a discerning gaze. “Short outings, perhaps. Fresh air can often aid in one’s recovery. But nothing too strenuous or prolonged. What did you have in mind?”
I contemplated the invitations that had gathered on the table over the past week, an idea forming in my mind. “What about a sleigh ride with Mr. Van der Meer in Hyde Park? It’s leisurely, and she’d be seated.”
Doctor Abernathy nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, that shouldn’t be overly taxing. The brisk air might do you good, Miss Lucas.”
Charlotte’s lips quirked into a half-smile, a slight hesitation in her eyes. “That does sound delightful,” she began, her fingers fidgeting with the lace of her dress. “But if I were to dream a little bigger…”
I caught her drift immediately. “Charlotte, the Twelfth Night Ball? You cannot be serious!”
Her eyes were earnest, pleading. “I’ve a glamorous new gown, Lizzy, and where else would I ever wear it? And perhaps it’s silly, but I’ve dreamt of wearing it there, of feeling… normal, if just for an evening.”
Doctor Abernathy leaned forward, clearly weighing the matter. “Miss Lucas, balls can be quite draining, even for those in the best of health. Is that not how you came to the precarious state in which I found you?”
“But now I have found the meansbackto health.”
“And you are only partially on the road to recovery,” he said firmly as he closed his leather case.
Charlotte’s eyes filled with pleading. “I understand the risks, Doctor. But isn’t there a chance? Even a small one?”
He sighed, removing his spectacles and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I believe that listening to one’s body is the best guide. If you feel strong enough and promise to rest when you need to, then... I might be persuaded to consider it.”
“Surely not, Doctor!” I protested. “Oh, you cannot let her consider it. It means hours of dancing, socializing, and—“
“Elizabeth,” Charlotte interrupted softly, placing her hand on mine. “I promise I’ll be careful. I won’t dance more than once or twice, and I will rest as much as needed.”
Doctor Abernathy fixed her with a stern gaze. “You must swear to me, Miss Lucas, that you’ll not overexert yourself. At the first sign of fatigue, you retreat and rest. And if you feel it’s too much, you leave immediately. No arguments.”
Charlotte nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with anticipation. “I promise, Doctor. On my honor.”
