Charlotte observed Mr. Glouding's activities very carefully after Lizzy and Lydia had expressed their worries about him potentially being the perpetrator of all the incidents and abduction attempts. He would routinely come to visit Louise, her sister, and stay for about an hour. Unfortunately, he always wore gloves, so she could not examine his hands to see if there were any scars. Regardless, she took note of how he kept fiddling with his left hand's glove by using the thumb of his right hand—almost as if wearing the gloves made him uncomfortable.

Elizabeth had informed her of Mr.Glouding's plan to take a trip to London for a week or so, and Charlotte thought it would be an ideal opportunity for her to sneak into his estate, Haye-Park. If she wanted real proof against him, she knew it had to begin there. She went so far as to learn from their footman, Mr.Hayes, how to unlock doors using hairpins after pestering him about his involvement with pickpockets. He confided in her that he had attempted to be a pickpocket during his childhood but decided against it because he didn't want to end up hanging on the gallows. Charlotte reassured him that his secret would remain safe.

One day, Louise seemed particularly distressed, complaining about how she could have gone to London after her wedding if it weren't for the delay caused by the maid and her mother's carelessness in employing staff. Though Charlotte tuned out most of her rambling, she did pick up one important piece of information: Mr. Glouding was leaving for London the following day. This meant that if she acted quickly, the day after tomorrow would be the perfect opportunity to sneak into his estate.

As the sun rose, she retrieved her machete, and concealed it within the folds of her cloak. She excused herself for a morning stroll, knowing what she needed to do - not only for the girls who had been abducted but also for her family's honor. Her relations with Louise were strained, but she couldn't let her end up in the hands of a criminal who would abduct women and subject them to unspeakable horrors. Moreover, she couldn't allow her family to be associated with a ruffian disguised as a gentleman. She felt livid about the attacks that both Lizzy and Lydia endured.

Charlotte's pulse was pounding as she crept towards Haye Park. She had to be cautious so as not to seem suspicious while out on her morning walk. When she reached the main entrance of the estate, Charlotte found that it was barred. She decided to take a detour through the woods instead—where there would be no fences blocking her way.

Richard had ordered Carter to keep an eye on the estate, but his conscience was preventing him from crossing onto another's property. Richard was surprised that Colonel Foster deemed Carter the best of all soldiers. He couldn't understand how someone courageous enough to face so many perils in war could be hesitant about this task, yet understanding Carter's apprehension, he decided to make him stay outside as a lookout and enter the estate himself. After days of surveillance, his men informed him that the house was closed and its residents seemed to have gone away on a trip. Further investigation revealed it was the Haye-Park owned by Mr. Glouding.

Richard's interest was piqued. He had heard the whispers about Mr. Glouding's betrothal to Sir William Lucas' daughter, which Darcy had mentioned as being the younger sister of the same Miss Lucas who had given him those drawings. Richard opened up his senses of curiosity and decided it was worth the risk to find out more about this Mr. Glouding. He commanded Carter to remain there in case he needed backup.

As he made his way towards the estate, Richard noticed a figure emerging from the woods. At first, he thought it was one of Glouding's men, but as the figure drew closer, he realized it was a woman. She was dressed in a cloak, and her face was partially covered by a hood. He couldn't see her face clearly, but something about her made him feel uneasy. With her determined stride and the glint of her machete catching his attention, he immediately assumed she was a mischievous pickpocket. On the other hand, Charlotte, startled by Richard's sudden appearance and his weapon in hand, jumped to the conclusion that he was an attacker.

Richard held up his flintlock pistol and exclaimed, "Stay where you are, you rogue! I won't let you get away with your stealing!"

Charlotte brandished her machete in response, glaring at him. "Back off this instant, sir! I'm not intimidated by your sinister motives!"

Richard was taken aback. "Sinister? Me?" he asked. "Madam, I guarantee that my honor is unblemished. It looks like it's you who's carrying a rather menacing weapon."

Charlotte scratched her head in confusion. "Menacing? This machete is simply for self-defense! Who knew I'd run into a highwayman in Haye Park?"

He widened his eyes in shock. "Highwayman? My goodness! I'm an officer of His Majesty's army, not some ordinary crook like you. Put down that blade before someone gets hurt!"

Charlotte frowned. "I won't be disarmed by your false statements!" she exclaimed. "Sir, if you continue to threaten me, then brace yourself for the consequences."

Colonel Fitzwilliam chuckled. "Threaten? Madam, I swear that was never my intention. I would never attack a woman, even if she were a pickpocket."

Charlotte seethed with rage. "A pickpocket? How dare you! I am an honorable lady, and I will not tolerate such slander!"

Richard observed Charlotte with interest. He found her boldness entertaining, and admired her bravery for entering someone's property armed with a machete. His eyes traced the path of her clothing; from her clothes, it was clear that she was not of high birth, but she was a gentlewoman. She seemed far more courageous than Carter. Deciding to lower his pistol and de-escalate the situation between them, Richard tried to ease the tension.

"Please forgive me, madam; I didn't mean to offend you, " he said with a small smile.

Charlotte hesitated and lowered her machete, looking at Richard with suspicion. "Who are you, really? And why are you here?"

Richard straightened his posture and introduced himself. "I am Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam of the King's army. And what about you, madam? What brings you to Haye Park with that weapon?"

Charlotte faltered for a moment, not sure if she could believe him. "I'm Miss Knight," she started cautiously, "I just got lost in the woods while I was walking."

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Miss Knight? Lost in the woods with a machete? That's quite an unusual combination, if you don't mind my saying so, Miss Knight."

Charlotte shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling a bit uncomfortable under Richard's scrutinizing gaze. "I...I like to be prepared," she said finally, hoping that would be enough to satisfy his curiosity.

Richard nodded slowly. "I see. Well, Miss Knight, if you're lost, I can help you find your way. And perhaps you can help me with something in return."

Charlotte's eyes burned with rage as she glared at Richard, convinced he was taking advantage of her being alone.Her grip tightened painfully on the handle of her machete. With a hiss, she swung it like lightning, aiming to slice him in half. But Richard, swift and trained in battle, moved quickly, dodged the attack, and snatched her wrist with a vice-like grip. He spun around and pinned her against him, her machete clanging onto the floor. Her face contorted with rage as he held her firmly in his grasp, making it impossible for her to escape.

Charlotte's eyes widened in shock as Richard held her in a tight grip, preventing her from attacking him again. She struggled against his hold, but his strength was too much for her. She felt a mixture of fear and excitement running through her as she looked into his brown eyes.

Richard held her wrist tightly, but gently enough so as not to hurt her. He looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Are you alright, Miss Knight? You seem quite agitated."

Charlotte tried to pull away from his grip again, but he held her firmly. "I'm alright," she said through gritted teeth. "Just let me go."

Richard loosened his grip slightly, but didn't let go. "I can't do that," he said firmly. "You attacked me with a weapon."

Charlotte shot him an angry look; her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she spoke. "You called me a thief and then tried to take advantage of my being isolated - you rake ! " she spat back.

Richard's grip tightened again, and he leaned in close, so that his lips were brushing against her ear. "I am not a rake, Miss Knight," he whispered. "And I have no intention of taking advantage of you. I merely wanted to help you find your way and perhaps ask for your assistance in return."

Charlotte shivered as she felt his breath on her ear, and Richard's eyes softened. "I apologize for my assumption, Miss Knight," he said. "But I can't let you go until I know for sure that you won't try to attack me again."

Charlotte huffed in frustration but stopped struggling against him. She looked up at him, her eyes narrowing. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice cold.

Richard gestured to the estate behind him. "I was just about to investigate this estate when I stumbled upon you. Do you know anything about the owners of this place?"

Charlotte's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are you so interested?"

Leaning in closer, Richard's voice lowered to a whisper. "I have reason to believe that they may be involved in some real sinister activities."

Charlotte's heart pounded with excitement. "You're a spy, then?"

Richard chuckled. "Not quite, but I do have some experience in covert operations . And you seem to be quite an adventurous young lady. Perhaps we could work together to uncover the truth?"

Charlotte hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "I suppose I could. But what are you planning to do?"

Richard grinned mischievously. "Well, to begin with, we'll need to find a way inside the estate. And who better to help me do that than a wild cat with a machete?"

Charlotte glared at him. "Don't you have any sense of decorum, Sir?" she asked. "You can't just enter a private residence with an unknown lady."

Richard chuckled. "I don't see why you shouldn't!" he said. "You are no typical lady to be found wandering someone else's land with a machete in hand."

Charlotte sighed and shook her head. "Insufferable man."

Author's Note :

Jane is a subtly gray-shaded character, as Lydia points out in the first chapter. She is manipulative and materialistic, not as blatant like Miss Louise or oblivious like Miss Bingley. She wishes to marry a wealthy man, but she's not foolish enough to pursue one who isn't interested in her.

She is not well-read, but she has spent enough time with Elizabeth to know that if a husband doesn't like his wife, there are plenty of ways for him to express his displeasure.

When Darcy and Bingley initially arrived in Meryton, she had her eye on both of them as potential suitors; however, it soon became clear that Bingley was the only one who seemed to admire her enough for her to set her cap on him. During her visit to Netherfield Park, she felt insecure due to Miss Bingley's hope for her brother to wed well-connected heiress. However, she was determined not to lose another suitor. In order to ensure this didn't happen, she hatched a plan involving Mr. Wickham, whom she had noticed during Mrs. Phillips' card party due to his reaction to Miss King's inheritance, indicating he was motivated by money.

The full extent of her plan has not been revealed.