Willingden,
October 1823
Charlotte had spent two months in Bath and, under the attentive eye of Lady Susan, had begun to truly flourish. She had been increasingly exposed to the sort of society that just a year ago had seemed an entire universe away from her little world in Willingden. Her wardrobe, of which formerly consisted loved and remade day dresses crafted by local seamstresses, now held a wealth of colours and fabrics and accessories beyond anything she had ever thought to call her own. This was of course following much convincing on Lady Susan's part.
The most important change though, could only be the growth in her character. From all these new experiences she had formed an ever deeper understanding of the world, and with deeper understanding of the world came deeper understanding of herself.
But for all she had enjoyed the diversions of Bath and the society to be found there, she was eager to return home to her family. This had been one of her many discoveries. Though she found she loved to travel, to explore new places and all the adventures to be had, she loved even more returning to her home and her family when her adventures ended.
And this, her latest adventure, was approaching its close. Tomorrow morning Lady Susan departed again for London and Charlotte would continue to Willingden from there. Two short days from now she would find herself back in her family's loving, welcoming embrace.
~•~
The journey to London had been long and uncomfortable for it seems the wheels of their carriage caught on every hole in the road surface that could be found. She had enjoyed a light dinner with Lady Susan at her London home and broken her fast long before the rest of the household was awake. Shortly she had been deposited in another carriage which would convey her for the remainder of her journey home.
She was, at this very moment approaching the point where a fork in the road would diverge their path from the village towards her father's modest estate. For indeed, when she looked beyond the confines of her conveyance, Charlotte could spy the great fir trees that marked the northern border of her home.
Not ten minutes later, Charlotte had been deposited into the waiting arms of her parents as her younger siblings clustered around them. Her oldest brother stood waiting to the side with her closest friend, Kate Bayfield, who would, in a matter of weeks become her sister. Her elder sister could be seen making her way along the path from Willingden with her husband and their daughter to hear tales of her travels.
Charlotte's remaining elder brother was the only relative not counted among her gathered family. She suspected he had been unable to get away from his work in town, and truly her return home was hardly so significant an event as to warrant a visitation from the busiest of her siblings.
Author's note
I would like to thank BstnStrg13 for leaving the first review. Your positive comments are hugely appreciated and I hope you enjoy these new chapters.
