Some people in the neighbourhood would later say that Longbourn had been cursed those few spring and summer months of that year, loosing two masters within a mere three months. Charlotte had not been saying anything, really, when they brought back her husband, fallen from his horse, choosing to merely act instead.
Charlotte had been rock solid through it all, moving back to Meryton and having to deal with the rumours of her lack of a child, then her husband's demise because he was such a supremely bad horseman. In the letters she exchanged with her best friend Elizza, a friend who rather regained all respect she'd been losing for Charlotte because of how she handled things, she shared her struggled but also her hope.
There was something about Charlotte as the widdowed misstress of Longbourn. Somehow, she truly came into her own during those distressing months, and by the time when autumn came, she was a changed woman in all the best ways.
She kept the estate running well on her own, and as the years started to pass, like they always do, it became the norm as if Longbourn had always had a mistress and no master.
Elizabeth would have said that Charlotte seemed content enough, but that there was something clearly missing for her friend.
This something would arrive on a quiet day in town, when a retired redcoat looked to Meryton for an occupation. Elizabeth never heard the details of how Charlotte actually met the man, but she did hear of his romantic nature and the flutter in her friend's chest that Elizabeth could easily recognise herself, but Charlotte had never felt before.
None of the sisters Bennet would have thought they would ever return to Longbourn, certainly not for such a reason, but four of them, as well as one former Miss Darcy, was there in attendance as Charlotte married for the second time.
She was happy, but more than that, she was also revenged, because within a year of this marriage, she gave birth to her first daughter. For all that she might have been blamed before, it was Collins who was to blame, and Charlotte raised seven children at Longbourn, with her loving new husband, with whom she had actually found love at last. It might not always be, but sometimes? Happy ever after is actually the truth.
This is the end of this mini-exploration about Charlotte. I hope you have all enjoyed it, as well as the other two pieces of the series. Thank you all for reading, and a special thank you to all of my reviewers!
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