Author's Note: I hope you all will enjoy this chapter. Here, we have deviated from the events of Easter 1812, and went back several years to revisit a particularly painful time in Charlotte's life. It is, as you might well have guessed, the fourth and most reprehensible event of Charlotte's life - and the one that has shaped her the most. And, as such, it will affect how the rest of the story unfolds. To Jansfamily4, you are about to find out who the most beloved gentleman is...

And so, on with the story!

Merry Christmas!

Mr. Collins' Easter

By Winterspell1812

Chapter 6

As a child, having oft been tormented by others for her family's relative poverty, Charlotte had learnt to abhor the very thought of a life of poverty. The knowledge that she, through no true fault of her own, could one day find herself living in reduced circumstances – or worse still, forced to enter service – filled her with immeasurable dread. It should therefore be of little wonder that, given her precarious circumstances, her principal concern in life should be the question of her own security – or rather, the lack thereof. Nor that she should, in consequence, adopt a prudential view of life (if not, in some respects, a mercenary one).

Pragmatic to a fault, the erstwhile Miss. Lucas approached society with a shrewd and calculating eye; her acquaintances, connections, and indeed, even her friendships, often measured in terms of the advantages they afforded her. However unscrupulous such actions might have been, in Charlotte's instance they were necessary. For, without fortune, connections or beauty, the unfortunate young gentlewoman was left to navigate the dubious waters of the genteel marriage mart without anything to recommend her. Thus (having begun to suspect that none of the gentlemen she deemed suitable for her husband would regard her as a prospective wife), Charlotte sought to mitigate her circumstances as best she could. This, she accomplished by creating her own advantages wherever she feasibly could (which, at times, meant making herself appear at better advantage by keeping company with aging spinsters, ill-mannered girls, and ladies of poorer prospects than her own).

This was not to say, however, that financial security was her only wish in marriage.

No, indeed!

For, at the age of one and twenty (just as any other young gentlewoman her age and in spite of her every claim to contrary), Charlotte hoped not only for an advantageous match, but a love match as well. Indeed, for one such as Miss. Lucas (who had, throughout her life, been continuously assured of her own inferiority), the thought of being so cherished by a gentleman – of being loved in spite of all of the supposed defects which society attributed to her – was a strange and wondrous one indeed…

So long as it was rightly understood, of course, that said gentleman should be in possession of a fortune equal, if not superior, to that of her father's. Or, in failing that, should be the heir of such a fortune…

And, in the nephew of Lady Levinson of Netherfield Park, Charlotte Lucas had honestly believed that she had found such a gentleman.

It was the festive season of 1804, and as was their custom on the first night of Christmas, the Lucas family attended Mrs. Carson's annual supper party at Purvis Lodge. Following the bountiful repast, the hostess encouraged the young ladies present to display their skills at the pianoforte. Lady Lucas, knowing that Lady Levinson's handsome and eligible nephew was in attendance that very evening (and having begun to worry that her eldest daughter would well and truly become a spinster), eagerly seized the opportunity.

With hopes of securing Lady Levinson's nephew as a son-in-law, the matron thought of little else but of swaying that gentleman's attentions toward Charlotte. Indeed, if the lady had paused to reflect upon the matter, she might have opted for a different scheme altogether (one which might have reflected upon her daughter's advantages, rather than her disadvantages). Unfortunately, however, such was not the case. And, as a result, a hapless Charlotte was pressed into displaying her meagre skills at the pianoforte, knowing full well that she lacked both the talent and the technique to do so with any measure of dignity.

Needless to say, the young gentlewoman could do naught but bite her lip and suffer in embarrassment as she fumbled through her short and simple rendition. Until finally striking the last note in her abysmal performance, Charlotte made to quit the pianoforte. As she stood, however, what little hope that young gentlewoman once had of removing herself from her predicament with poise soon dissipated altogether. For her mother, blatantly ignoring the half-hearted applause her performance had produced, cheered in a most vulgar manner, and loudly proclaimed, "My dear, beautiful Charlotte! What a magnificent performance! Truly, the best piece of the evening!"

Blushing brightly at the bevy of snickers this declaration produced, Charlotte could only bite back her tears as she fled from the pianoforte.

In her haste to quit the room, however, the unfortunate young gentlewoman failed to take proper note of her surroundings.

Thus, Charlotte Lucas tripped over an unobserved footstool…

And, if not for Lady Levinson's nephew, who had reached out his hand to steady her, she most assuredly would have fallen, landing upon Mrs. Carson's sitting room floor in a graceless heap.

Mortified by the succession of unfortunate events, Charlotte could hardly countenance facing her savior, much less the company at large. Thus, keeping her gaze firmly fixed upon the floor, a blushing Miss. Lucas curtsied, and offered the gentleman her gratitude. Eager to leave the whole shameful episode behind her, she made to quit the room. Lady Levinson's nephew, however, would not release her. Shocked, Charlotte looked up at the man, fully prepared to scold him for his audacity. As their eyes met, however, she was arrested by the sight of his deep blue eyes, which looked upon her person with a warmth and intensity she had never before witnessed…

With a gentle smile, sparkling blue eyes and a head full of curly blond hair, the Honourable Mr. Harold Cartwright of Emerson Hall was all that a young gentleman ought to be, and so much more. Indeed, as the heir of an estate worth 3,500 a year and of a Baronetcy, Mr. Cartwright made for quite the tempting prospect (especially so, when one considered that Lucas Lodge itself only produced 1,200 per annum). Captivated by his pleasing countenance, his elegant manners and his fine prospects, Charlotte could find no fault in that gentleman's person. His conversation, likewise intelligent, attentive and engaging, only served to charm her all the more. Thus, in short order, Miss. Lucas determined that, to be mistress of Emerson Hall would be something indeed.

But just as Charlotte concluded that Mr. Cartwright was all that she could ever want in a prospective husband, so did many of the other young gentlewomen of the neighborhood. Their mothers, likewise, were also beguiled by the fine opportunity the young gentleman presented. Consequently, within a day of Mr. Cartwright's arrival, several of the town's matrons brashly avowed the gentleman to be the rightful property of their daughter. Such an occurrence, predictably, resulted in many a squabble and ill feelings betwixt the neighborhood's leading ladies (and their daughters), all of whom were understandably offended to see their rightful claims challenged thusly.

Insensible to such claims, however, Mr. Harold Cartwright proceeded to shock the neighborhood at large by displaying a distinct preference for one young gentlewoman in particular…

Indeed, in the fortnight that followed Mrs. Carson's annual Christmas supper party, that gentleman diligently called upon Lucas Lodge, accepted several invitations for supper at Lady Lucas' table, and sought Charlotte's company at every social event he attended thereafter.

Lady Lucas, understandably, could not quite conceal her satisfaction at this development. Delighted with the prospect of such an advantageous match for her eldest daughter, the imprudent woman predictably boasted of Charlotte's conquest in all of the neighborhood's finest parlours. "Oh, Lady Charlotte Cartwright, Baroness of Edinston!" she would often cry out, "Oh, how well that sounds!"

This, naturally, came as quite the blow to many a matron's ambitions, and very few among them received the report with grace. Chief amongst them was Mrs. Bennet, who felt indignant that such a fine opportunity should be wasted upon the likes of Charlotte Lucas. Indeed, Meryton's most prominent matron felt certain that her own sweet, beautiful Jane could easily sway Mr. Cartwright's affections – if only Mrs. Bennet could convince her foolish husband to curtail Jane's visit with the Gardiners, and make the stubborn man sensible to the fact that it was perfectly acceptable for a girl of but fifteen to make her debut into society.

Charlotte, for her own part, took very little notice of the resentful griping of the neighborhood mothers, nor of the snide derision of their jealous daughters. With every expectation of her marital ambitions soon being met, the erstwhile Miss. Lucas spent her days in a blissful haze, dreaming of her life as the future Baroness of Edinston, and delighting in every indication of Mr. Cartwright's growing affections.

Convinced as she was that her dear Harold wanted only for a special occasion to make her an offer of courtship, if not an offer of marriage, Charlotte was delighted to learn that Lady Levinson intended to hold a ball at Netherfield Park. Believing that her crowning moment was soon at hand, Charlotte determined to prepare herself for the upcoming ball with the greatest of cares. For, as her mother often told her (and every other matron who deemed fit to enter her parlour), "Why else should Lady Levinson hold a ball at this most auspicious time, if not to honor her nephew's future wife?"

As such, with Lady Lucas' approbation, Charlotte spared very little expense in the making of her gown, the purchasing of ribbons for her hair and the preparation of her toilette. Her efforts, though painstaking and costly, were greatly rewarding. For, once groomed, dressed and primped, Charlotte appeared lovelier than she ever had in the past. Indeed, upon entering Netherfield Park that fateful evening, the fruits of her efforts were distinctly in evidence. For, not only did Mr. Cartwright gaze upon her with ardent admiration, but many of the young gentlemen of the neighborhood (very few of which had offered her any degree of attention in the past), turned to gaze upon her in stunned wonder. And, in those few precious moments as she made her way towards Mr. Cartwright, Charlotte felt as grand and as beautiful as the Baroness she truly believed she would one day become.

And here you have it, Charlotte's backstory! Or, at least, part one of her backstory. I wound up going into to greater detail than I thought I would. As such, I decided to cut it into two chapters (since I really wanted to give you guys an update today, but didn't have time to finish the whole of Charlotte's tale). I can't wait to see how you all react to this chapter. Although, you can have no doubt as to how the tale will eventually end, I'm curious to see if any of you can guess why it ends the way that it does. I could give you all a hint (since the idea for this particular tale stems from one of Pride and Prejudice's infamous quotes), but then I'm quite sure I will be giving the plot away. Thus, if you wish to venture any guesses, you'll have to rely on your own devices...

So, any guesses anyone?