It was a mild winters day a fortnight after christmas and Catherine was sitting ,now eighteen years of age, with Harriet on her lap cutting ribbon for her sister Sarah who sat opposite hemming her bonnet . A year had passed since Henry's proposal and never had a year felt so long! As Catherine laid out another piece of ribbon her mind wandered and she found herself musing on what she was now almost certain would be . Yes, she was sure of it, next year she would be Mrs. Tilney. Eleanor's engagement had altered everything; it had appeased General Tilney's pride. A daughter married to a viscount was compensation enough for a son married to a Parson's daughter . Henry was to send confirmation of his father's consent to the Morlands and if Catherine was an accurate judge of the speed at which letters travel it should arrive today . She tried to wait patiently, tried not to look incessantly out of the window, not to start at every sudden movement, but in vain ! Catherine was on edge and she could not help it . She longed for some news, was anxious to have everything settled and above all to banish the fear of refusal that would not let her alone .

A knock at the door woke Catherine from her reverie with a start. She gathered herself, and tried to repress her hopes in case of disappointment, she needn't have bothered however as this was not a sensation likely to fill Catherine Morland at the sight of Henry Tilney . He had come to deliver his message himself . Catherine's countenance instantly changed from that of anxiety to delight, her cheeks coloured and her eyes were all animation . Catherine was obliged to sit still for the present as her mother exchanged her greetings.

" How nice to see you again dear mr. Tilney, do sit down and make yourself comfortable, we were not expecting you ,otherwise we should have tidied away these ribbons, Sally do be a good girl and see to it. I hope you are not tired from your journey Mr. Tilney, Oh but why am I bothering you of course you have come to speak to Catherine and she has been so looking forward to hear what you have to tell her!"

" Indeed I have come to talk with Catherine but I am not in such a rush that your kind civilities are a bother to me Mrs. Morland ."

Mrs. Morland left to call for tea, it was now Catherine's turn and it was with warm feelings that she extended her hand which was received with equal tenderness.

" How do you do Miss. Morland ? You are looking very well."

" Indeed I am, you do not seem to be out of spirits either , I trust then that you bring good news."

" Of course I am in good spirits, the sight of you cheers me beyond anything."

Catherine blushed, but wasted no time in her reply for she was eager to discover General Tilney's decision, and she had not yet been told .

" What does your father say Henry?"

" He says that the weather is very fine today and sends his complements to you all . "

" No, no that is not what I mean, has he given his consent?"

Asked Catherine who was growing worried at Henry's delay, if the General had given his consent why would Henry avoid the subject?

" Why, of course he has! Eleanor is to be married in less than a month."

Catherine's distress increased, she wished that Henry would answer her directly, Something must be the matter, General Tilney must have declined, yet Henry did not seem at all put out! Catherine was confused and upset , she felt an odd desire to burst into tears . Henry, seeing Catherine's real concern, took her hands in his, and spoke thus. " It is settled my father has given his consent, in addition, I met mr Morland on the road and he has most readily given his blessing ."

Catherine filled with joy and listened in contented silence to the remainder of Henry's speech .

" So Miss. Morland, nothing remains but for me to enquire as to your present feelings, have you changed your mind upon further intimacy with me, have I turned out to be a bore, a rogue or a scoundrel? If not, I most humbly beseech you to give the greatest blessing you can bestow on me, in short, to do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

I need not waste my ink by relating Catherine's reaction to this for it will be known to all those who know anything of her ,she accepted of course, for a second time, and with such elated feelings did she now turn her settled thoughts to a letter that Henry had brought her from Eleanor.

My dearest Catherine

Soon I shall be able to call you sister and I am so very glad of it! Henry could not have chosen a more estimable or gentle person, this is exactly what I have hoped for, and now you are finally officially engaged. We shall be able to share in each others felicity, for I believe we our both equally happy with our intended. I am sure that this time last year neither of us thought that our matches could possibly come about, what a joyful outcome for the both of us!

As Henry's fiancé and my dearest friend I would very much like you to attend my marriage. It is will be next month and as you are now part of the family there shall be nothing out of the ordinary in coming.

Your friend, soon to be sister,

Eleanor Tilney

Catherine was surprised at this invitation, she was not yet a Tilney, and weddings are such personal affairs, often involving only ones closes relatives , for a simple parson's daughter to attend the wedding of a viscount would be most peculiar! Catherine felt that she would be shamefully under dressed and as much as she wanted to go had never felt her inferiority of rank, the inequality of her engagement to Henry as keenly as at that moment. Catherine was by no means ashamed of her family and had never felt so in her life but she was beginning to realise what would be thought of the match by most of Henry's connections, perhaps even Eleanor's fiancé. It would be a terrible embarrassment to find oneself at a wedding if the man who was to be married did not wish one to be there. Such were Catherine's contemplations , nevertheless she would be most happy to be there to offer Eleanor her congratulations and to wish her well. In a few moments Catherine had gone from the brink of refusal to being sure that she would go, but such was the nature of her mind, she was not a person to sit still, her thoughts did not often stagnate, whether or not she wanted to ponder, to contemplate or to imagine was not a choice that was within her power, for her lively imagination and innate curiosity would forever get the better of her. If this trait is an annoyance or a blessing, it must be left to the reader to decide, it had certainly done Catherine Morland both good and bad in her previous existence.

' What does my sister say? If it is not an impertinence to ask.' inquired Henry who had not read the letter and had been watching Catherine's changing expressions, patiently waiting to be enlightened as to its content.

' Eleanor gives us congratulations and would like me to be with her on her wedding day.'

' Exactly what I suspected, you will go of course? I shall be there and you need not be afraid of my father, he is not that formidable, well perhaps he is, but the rest of my relations are pretty tolerable. My brother will be there to ruin the day and flirt with every girl he can set eyes on, he is so-' here Henry stopped short as remembrance dawned through his felicity, Catherine would not want to meet with Frederick Tilney, she felt that he had done her brother much harm, that he had spoiled his happiness. Henry did not quite agree with Catherine on this subject but he understood well enough why she would most likely miss the wedding purely to avoid his brother, and he felt great distress on Eleanor's account. Henry was accurate in many of his estimations but here he underestimated the bravery of his beloved, who it could be said was as kind and modest as she was fearless.

' I will attend.' Said Catherine in reply to henry's anxious glance, ' Eleanor wants me to be there so I shall be, it will grieve me to see your brother but everyone who has done wrong must be forgiven some time or other, especially one's own family, and your brother shall soon be mine also. He has behaved foolishly and shown great thoughtlessness but I wonder if in a lesser way my brother has not done the same. It is Isabella who has really inflicted all of the pain and I shall find it far harder to forgive her though I hope that in time I will.'

Henry was pleased by this rather unexpected reaction and his opinion of Catherine was raised, if it were possible, even higher. The couple parted reluctantly but nothing could dampen their spirits for whether apart or together they could now be sure of their future felicity and think on it with the utmost joy.

I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter, this is my first fanfiction! I'm really sorry if occasionally character names go missing, my iPad or my account, I'm not sure which, randomly deletes them, it's so irritating! I think most names are included. Thanks.