Charlotte’s wedding day was everything a bride could wish for. The weather was perfect, and the man she was to marry was the best man in all the world. As they each spoke their vows to each other, meaning every single word from the bottom of their hearts, Charlotte was the happiest woman alive.
The new couple settled in London, though not in the most fashionable neighborhood. They sold Richard’s property, despite the fact that it likely could have been very profitable if they had chosen to build it up. It was simply too remote to manage properly when Richard needed to stay near London due to his responsibilities as a colonel.
Charlotte remained close friends with Elizabeth. She and Richard spent a month every summer at Pemberley, and the two friends enjoyed each other’s company frequently when Elizabeth came to London every winter.
Eventually, Charlotte and Richard had three children, all boys. Richard proved himself to be an excellent father, taking on a significant portion of the effort of educating them. He also willingly cut back on his spending to make certain he could provide formal education and livelihoods for each of them.
Years later, when all three boys were grown, and Charlotte and Richard once again had their home to themselves, the two of them were sitting on a sofa together after a long day. Charlotte asked, “Richard, did you ever regret giving up your freedom and comfort to be saddled with so much more responsibility than you ever wanted?”
Richard’s hair was almost completely gray, and there were heavy laugh lines around his eyes and mouth. Charlotte’s hair was well on its way to turning gray as well, though she had fewer wrinkles than her husband.
He pulled her into his lap and held her there as he kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck. Eventually, when Charlotte had almost forgotten she had even asked a question, he said, “I didn’t give up anything worth thinking of. It was a life of empty entertainment and pointless pursuits. You, my dear, have given me so much more. Far from regretting it, I cannot thank you enough. Our boys have been a joy to raise, and I expect that soon we will have the further joy of being grandparents.
“From the bottom of my heart, I can honestly say that meeting you at your parents’ party and eating your cooking for the first time was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Charlotte wanted to reply, to tell her husband that he had given her so much more than she ever expected out of life, but he prevented her from speaking by covering her mouth with a kiss, a kiss which led to much more. Charlotte never got the words out, but in the end, Richard received the message loud and clear.
Epilogue Part 2
Elizabeth sat on the edge of her husband’s bed and placed a cool, wet cloth on his forehead.
“You don’t need to be so worried, Elizabeth,” Fitzwilliam said. He reached up and smoothed away the worry lines that had appeared in the middle of her forehead. “It is a simple cold with only a mild fever. I don’t even feel that ill.”
She knew he was correct, but she could not help her concern. Ever since they had lost their oldest son to fever two years ago, she had nearly panicked every time someone got even the slightest fever. At least their other son and their two daughters hadn’t come down with the same illness.
“Despite my small fever, I am barely ill,” he said. “To prove my point, I want you to go fetch some papers from my desk. There are some letters I would like to read. Then, if you would be kind enough to take some dictation for me, I will need to make a reply.”
“Do you truly need to take care of these things even when you are sick?” she asked.
“It is not absolutely necessary, no,” he said. “However, you must see that I am energetic enough that I am nearly out of my mind with boredom just lying here all day. It would be something to hold my attention that doesn’t take a great deal of strength.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Very well. Just tell me where these letters are.”
He described which drawer in his desk they were in, and Elizabeth set off to find them.
In his study, she began rummaging through the indicated drawer, and she found one of the letters he wanted, but she could not find the other two. She began looking through the other drawers to see if they were there.
In the bottom one, she came across a much older letter which raised her curiosity. When she flipped it over to see who might have sent her husband a letter which he would have kept so long, there was no address. Perhaps it wasn’t a letter after all. Or perhaps it had been hand delivered.
The only kind of letter she could think of that would be hand delivered and that he would cherish for so long was a love letter, but she knew she had never written such a thing.
A tiny dragon of jealousy made itself known in her bosom. The letter was yellowed with age but not even close to falling apart. It could be anywhere from ten to twenty years old, old enough to have possibly pre-dated their marriage.
Fitzwilliam had always claimed that he had never loved a woman before Elizabeth, and she had believed him. She simply couldn’t imagine him lying about such a thing. Yet, if that was the case, why was he holding onto a letter from another woman.
She carefully opened it. Though the paper was still sturdy, the seams were fragile as if it had been opened and re-folded many times. Her jealousy burned brighter.
However, once the letter was completely open, her jealousy was completely doused. It was not a love letter. It was a legal contract. Why would he hang on to something like that unless itwas still in effect? If it was still in effect, shouldn’t it be in the safe?
She scanned the contents, and as she did so her eyes grew wider and wider. She rushed out of the study and headed back to her husband’s bedroom.
“Fitzwilliam, what is this?” she cried.
He gave her a soft, warm smile. It was an expression he only ever showed her. “I was half hoping you would find it. I have been trying to find a way to tell you about it for twelve years, but the timing never seemed right, and the longer I waited the harder it was to broach the subject.”
“That is fine, but it does not answer the question. What is it?”
“It is a contract I made with your father before he would allow me to court you,” he said.
