London,
October 1825
Charlotte once again found herself settled within the drawing room at Lady Susan Berkley Square residence. She had returned to London to visit Lady Susan and Little Cathy as the family had taken to calling young Catherine. Little Cathy would see her first year complete in just a few short weeks and Charlotte found great delight in helping to plan the celebration. Her other godparents and the King would, of course, attend the event, and though he and Lady Susan had parted as lovers shortly after the babe's birth, they remained on friendly terms. Charlotte knew her friend was vastly relieved not to face the same public shaming the King's wife had so many years previously.
Esther, from whom Charlotte had received word that her family, too, would soon be growing was also to attend, and Charlotte suspected this was more for her own benefit than any other's. Several of Lady Susan's other close friends and some of her family members would likely put in their own token appearances and Charlotte could only hope Little Cathy would not grow up to find herself scorned by these people for being born on the wrong side of the sheets. Charlotte supposed however, that the identity of her father would keep all but the most determined of detractors from her sight or hearing.
Charlotte shook herself from her musing as Lady Susan asked her opinion on colours for the event and directed her attention back to the palettes of fabrics and ribbons that would soon be decorating much of the house. Charlotte's eye was caught by an elegantly patterned jacquard in a beautiful autumn sienna and a delicate cream silk with embroidered gold vines which she pointed out to Lady Susan as the preparations continued.
Cambridge,
January 1826
The Christmas period was drawing to a close at Walcot Hall where Charlotte and her guests were making the final preparations for their return to London the following day. They would be dining with Sir Lewis, a squire who resided in the modest estate neighbouring Charlotte's own, that evening alongside his own guests to see Christmas ended and a new year begun.
Charlotte made her way down the hall to wait for Lady Susan, Lord Worcester, Esther and Lord Babbington to join her that they might make their way to the carriage and depart for the evening. She did not have to wait long and soon the party were comfortably ensconced in Lord Babbington's spacious carriage, for between them he had the largest, and were pulled through the gates by the team of horses attached.
They arrived at Ufford Hall in a timely manner and the ladies were handed down from the carriage by a cordial footman as another stood by to take their pelisses and gloves while the butler waited to show them to a formal parlour where Sir Lewis and his family awaited their arrival.
Charlotte halted a step into the parlour as she caught sight of Mr and Mrs Parker seated on one of the several chaises scattered throughout the room. Mary Parker had glanced toward the door as she noticed the abrupt movement and her lips parted in shock to see Miss Heywood in her aunt and uncle's parlour, but she smiled at the opportunity to converse with the younger woman she had become so fond of during her stay with her husband and herself in Sanditon.
"Miss Heywood, how lovely it is to see you. You are well? And your family is well too? I must declare it is a surprise to meet you here! I was not aware you were in the area or that you had become acquainted with my Mary's uncle. But it is splendid, utterly splendid." Her husband of course had noticed their new guests too and, as was usual for him, made the first greetings in his typically excitable manner.
Charlotte smiled and stepped further into the room having realised her idling meant her own guests were forced to loiter in hall outside. Sir Lewis had been surprised to learn if her acquaintance with his niece and her husband but quickly stood to greet the rest of his guests who appeared also to know Tom and Mary and so no introductions appeared to be needed.
"Yes, Mr Parker, I am well and so is my family as I hope your's also are? It seems that I shall often be found in the area in the future as I have recently come into the ownership of the estate neighbouring Sir Lewis'. I imagine you must be familiar with Walcot Hall if you have spent any degree of time here?" Charlotte greeted Mr Parker in return but quickly turned to Mary to ask after their children. Mary replied that they were all very well and should be pleased to see Charlotte this evening as the older girls were to join them for dinner before retiring early as children do.
"I am very pleased to know that Walcot shall finally know the love of a tenant after so long a period of abandonment though I confess I do wonder how it came to fall into your own hands? The last news I heard of it was that the estate had been obtained by the crown some years ago." Charlotte smiled as Esther and Lady Susan abandoned their husbands to their conversation with Sir Lewis to join the ladies by the comfort of the fire and upon their settling themselves allowed Lady Susan to impart upon Mrs Parker the knowledge of how Charlotte came to own Walcot Hall.
