It is Friday again, which means, another new chapter for all the PP addicted :D
Thanks to all of you who took the time to review my last chapter, You guys are the greatest. Now without further ado...
The shrill voice of my mother ruined our moment and made Henry take a step back.
"We should go!" I nodded and watched Henry lifting the chest from the ground.
"You only packed books?" he groaned, because of the weight of the chest.
"Almost." I admitted sheepishly, but Henry just shook his head carrying the chest downstairs, where my shocked mother instructed the two maids to take it from him.
I had to smile, even though I felt a little bad, watching the two women struggling to drag the chest outside, where our small carriage was waiting.
As a second thought I turned to Henry and asked:
"How long do we need to reach Charlton Park?"
"Considering the carriage and it's pace. I think five days." I bit my lip to keep myself from groaning, five days with my mother, Kitty and my father in one carriage. That seemed to be my worst nightmare coming true. But it was a price I was willing to pay for Henry. He was willing to endure my family for weeks until our wedding so I could put up with their chattering for a few days.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Henry asked worried but I just shook my head and smiled up at him.
"No, don't worry." My mother, Kitty and also my father were already inside the small carriage and I followed their example.
"Where is Lizzy?" I asked as soon as I took my seat beside Kitty.
"Oh, she left, she said she is waiting for an invitation to your wedding though." My mother replied and I nodded slowly. It still was like a dream to me, that I would actually be Henry's wife in a few weeks.
Thinking of him I turned to see him mounting his huge dark horse. I could see the muscles in his back working and let my eyes roam over his handsome face. I still didn't quite understand why a man like him was interested in me. As if he felt my eyes on him he turned his head and returned my look. He smiled brightly at me before he ran his horse and the carriage soon followed.
I leaned closer to the window, trying to ignore Kitty's voice, I just kept my eyes on Henry's broad shoulders so I always knew why I was doing this.
A tingling sensation ran through my whole body, I would be his wife soon!
"As soon as we leave the forest you will be able to see Charlton Park." Henry informed us five days later, steering his horse closer to the carriage.
I smiled relieved because the last five days had been really stressful. My mother had told me so much in those five days, it was more than she had said to me in all my life before. It seemed that after Henry's proposal I was now her favorite daughter. I was sure that I didn't like that very much.
So I kept looking out of the window. I couldn't wait to see my new home. After Henry's description weeks ago, I imagined it to be beautiful, but I was curious how beautiful it really was.
I bit my bottom lip when the forest began to thin out and only moments later I saw it. My new home and it was even more beautiful than everything I had imagined.
It was sitting on a small hill, overlooking the pure nature surrounding it on three sides and the park to it's left. The white stone was shining in the light of the sun.
Henry had been right, it was more beautiful than Pemberley, though I had thought it would be impossible.
"It is wonderful." I whispered and Henry smiled at my words, both of us in our own little world, ignoring my screeching mother and Kitty.
"I am glad you like it!" he replied, his eyes never leaving mine.
"You were right with what you said about Pemberley."
Henry furrowed his brows, obviously not quite sure what I meant, but before I could explain it to him he laughed and nodded:
"Of course I was."
The street led towards the entrance, there was a staircase and at it's end was a huge double winged door. Just as I watched the entrance, the door swung open and dozens of people hurried out of it. Most of them were dressed in servant uniforms, they formed a line beside the staircase and waited for us, obviously.
"Home…" Henry smiled when the carriage stopped in front of the stairs, immediately two men hurried towards us, one took the reins of Henry's horse and the other one opened the door of the carriage. But before he 2could help us out of the carriage, Henry appeared by the door and held his hand out for me. I laid my hand in his and smiled, grateful for his help.
"Come with me, my mother wants to meet you!" he said, then he turned to my family and continued: "The servants will show you to your rooms and my mother is looking forward to meeting all of you at dinner, but before that I will take Mary with me to meet her."
I was surprised that my mother didn't even protest, but it was probably because of his status, he was an Earl after all.
But that thought quickly became irrelevant when Henry led me into the wonderful house and my heart started to pound in my chest, what if she didn't like me?
"What is worrying you?" Henry asked after a few steps into the entrance hall. I couldn't keep myself from smiling, because he just knew me too well.
"What did your mother say when you told her that you want to marry me and not Camille?"
"She told me that she would accept every woman I thought was good enough for me. So you do not need to worry, she will accept you and more than that she will love you." Henry explained to me and I smiled, because he was very good with words and I wasn't as nervous as I had been just a few moments ago. My heart was still beating rather fast, but I didn't feel like I would faint anymore.
We walked through the entrance hall, which was huge, with high pillars that supported the ceiling, right through a door into an elegant salon. The sunlight fell through big windows into the spacious salon. It was furnished with a lot of comfortable armchairs and lounges, as well as a small coffee table in the middle of the room. Beside the fireplace, without a fire in it, in a red armchair sat a woman. It just had to be Henry's mother, as she had the same blond hair and blue eyes. Despite her years, it was obvious, that she was beautiful. A few grey strands could be seen in her pinned up hair. She wore an elegant blue dress that brought out the color of her eyes.
"Ah Henry, you are back." she smiled and got up from her chair. Henry let go of my arm and walked over to her. He gave her a short kiss on the cheek and answered:
"Yes, it is good to see you too."
That was all the two spoke and Henry's mother turned to look at me.
"So… this is her." she asked with a small smile and made a step towards me. My heart started pounding again.
"It is an honor to meet you." I remembered my education and curtsied, that obviously amused her, because she laughed a little and said:
"No need to be this formal, we will be a family very soon. Just call me Joana." I was surprised by her friendliness. Wasn't she at least a little angry that her son decided to marry someone like me?
She obviously saw my confusion and put a hand on my shoulder while saying:
"Henry, would you give us some time alone?" He looked just as surprised as I felt, but nodded and offered me an encouraging smile before he left the salon.
"Sit, there is a lot I want to tell you." Joana said and led me over to one of the lounges, she sat down beside me.
"You may think I was surprised by Henry's choice or even angry, as Camille's family has a lot of influence and money, but to be honest with you, I was relieved when he told me that he found a woman he wants to marry."
"Really?" I asked, I couldn't understand why she would be relieved.
"Yes, because I married for all the wrong reasons and was unhappy with my life. I don't want my son to live the same life, or make the same mistakes." She explained and looked a little sad.
"Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change a thing if I could because it gave me Henry and I love him more than anything else, that is why I want him to do whatever makes him happy. I have never heard him talk about a woman like he spoke about you. You already make him happy, so how could I be angry with him, or you?"
I was at a loss for words, this woman was remarkable and it must have been great having her as a mother.
"You have feelings for him too, right? This is not about his money or his title, is it?" she asked only moments later looking disturbed and almost angry.
I hurried to tell her that this was not the case.
"Yes I do. It is crazy, as I don't know him for very long, but I have never felt anything like this and even though I am still a little overwhelmed that he has feelings for me too. I promise you that I don't care a bit about his money or his title…but.." I hesitated, should I tell her about how my mother felt about this marriage? Maybe it was better to tell her now myself before my mother said something stupid that made Joana doubt my motives.
"But what?" she asked curious, though she smiled again.
"My mother, she is… well, a difficult person. For her money and titles are very important and she may even tell you exactly that. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about everything…" Joana raised her hand and silenced me by doing so.
"You don't have to tell me more. I heard a lot about your mother not only from Henry, but from various people I know. I don't think anything she can say, will make me think less of you, because what I have heard about you so far impressed me and it is obvious that you have feelings for my son too."
Was it? I wondered, was it really that obvious? Had Henry known it all along, because I was not good at concealing my feelings? I thought until now, that I had been rather successful in hiding what I felt.
"No need to blush. It is quite alright, my dear." Joana laughed and took my hands in hers. I knew my cheeks were turning a deeper shade of red now, which appeared to amuse Joana even more.
"So how would you like getting to know the house, and seeing your room?" Joana changed the topic and I was rather grateful for it.
"I would love it." I answered honestly, I hadn't seen much of the house yet, but what I had seen was beautiful and I couldn't wait to see more of it.
"Good, and I think it is time to let Henry back in, I am sure he is pacing up and down in front of the door." Joana answered and when she opened the double winged door of the salon it turned out that she had been right. But Henry stopped pacing when he saw us.
Tada... that's it. I thought the story needed a nice, understanding mother. Someone who likes Mary for who she is.
After all she deserves a break, growing up with Mrs. Bennet as your mother, must be exhausting :D
Alright-y I hope you like it. Just press the button below and tell me in a REVIEW!
See ya next week! ... More or less^^