Willingden,
November 1823
Charlotte had been home not three days when her sister, Anne, had found her weeping, tucked away within one the many hiding places in which they had dwelt and played as children and swept her up into a comforting hug.
"Oh dearest, won't you tell me what troubles you so? You have been so out of sorts since you returned home from Sanditon. I had hoped this trip with your new friend would have gone some way towards raising your spirits but you only seem more down-hearted."
Charlotte sniffled wiped her watering eyes on the sleeve of her morning gown. "I did not realise heartbreak could hurt quite so much or last so long as this." She quietly confessed with a whisper. Anne, sighed and pressed a kiss to Charlotte's head. She had suspected her sister might be broken-hearted, but had hoped she was mistaken in her suspicions.
"Little Charlotte, it pains us to see you this way. I had hoped, perhaps, you only missed all the things Willingden lacks." Anne shared as she pondered how to comfort her sister. She had no experiences of her own with heartbreak to draw guidance from. " I will not say I know how you are feeling, Charlotte, for you know I do not, but even I know love hurts sometimes. I cannot tell you it will get better because I do not know that it will. What I do know, is that you are strong and that you will not let sadness settle and end all your happiness."
"But how, Annie? I loved and lost and didn't even know until it was too late. How am I to move on from such a thing?"
"You will wake every morning as you always do. You will smile and play and read and find humour where you may. And perhaps, with time, your soul will hurt a little less and your smiles will grow a little brighter and your happiness will feel less like pretending and ever more real. You'll be happy again, Charlotte, you will."
Charlotte could only sob and press closer into her sister's embrace and hope that she spoke the truth.
