This is a small sidestory to my larger Pride and Prejudice arc (available on my profile, and the only P&P I've written, so really easy to find) and tells us the story of Charlotte Collins, born Lucas. Like Lydia's story, I have seen a lot of very hopeful stories. This, however, is a little bit of a "what if she didn't get all the advantages she thought she would get by accepting Collins". Charlotte wanted her own home, family and children, and not be an old maid. In this story, she only got the one. (The main ark is not this depressing. Only the sidestories.)
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Charlotte Collins was a sensible woman. She prided herself on it. She did not lose her mind when the pigs escaped (like her husband did), lose her patience when her husband rambled, nor did she lose her temper when Lady Catherine got too involved in her private household affairs. Again. No, Charlotte Collins was a pillar of society, the priest's sensible wife.
Sensible, Moderate, quiet, dutiful. Got things sorted and done. Even Charlotte Collins, however, had her limits. Right now, for example, the woman who was once Miss Lucas was curled up on her bed in the fetal position. It should be safe enough: the servants knew not to bother her in here and her husband would still be gone for hours.
It was her time of the month. Unpleasant as that could be, that was not the real reason Charlotte was upset, of course. Rather, the existance of said phenomenon, was the reason she was upset. And its cause. Mrs Collins was not pregnant. Again.