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The journey home for Charlotte was filled with much trepidation and anticipation. She had detailed her romance with Sidney in letters to her sisters, but they did not yet know of her engagement.
She was not officially engaged yet. Sidney wanted to speak to her father but, in his words, “I can only imagine that Miss Charlotte Heywood has a strong opinion for herself if she would like to marry me.” She had been ecstatic when Sidney had proposed on the beach where she had first stumbled upon him sea bathing. It felt as though their relationship had come full circle.
Mary and Tom were accompanying them on their return to her home. It was for the sake of propriety and for the “jolly good news” as Tom had put it. Mary had also expressed her desire to return her to her parents just as she had been taken away. But Charlotte was not the same young woman who had left. She had fought, adventured, explored, suffered a broken heart, and fallen in love. It was quite a different young woman who returned home now.
She looked across the carriage at Sidney. He gave her the sideways, close-mouthed smile that she had come to love, while Mary and Tom shared a knowing look. Charlotte was full of such joy. They had been detailing their childhoods to each other for the journey and Charlotte wanted to show him around the familiar trods of her childhood. She could just imagine him smiling with only his eyes and saying “Mmm” in response to her ramblings.
However, Charlotte was also worried. She had prepared Sidney for her family the best way that she could. Her mother was the epitome of a caring maternal figure. Mrs. Heywood would embrace Sidney almost immediately upon meeting him. Charlotte was sure she would not hear one unkind word of the man. Once she heard the particular of Charlotte’s attachment to him, Mrs. Heywood would become even more protective of her future son. Charlotte had warned him of her effusion. Sidney had said, “I have missed my own mother since her death. I think I would like to share your mother.”
Charlotte could only beam in response.
Her father, however, was another matter entirely. Mr. Heywood would be all suspicion of the man who was engaged to his daughter. Her father was a rational man; his dislike would come from her history with Sidney. As much as she loved Sidney, she would be unable to keep the whole truth their courtship from spilling forth when tête-à-tête with her father.
“Are you certain he is a man worthy of you, Charlotte?” Her father would ask in his gruff but loving tone. Charlotte would be sure to reassure him.
Mr. Heywood would still test Sidney at every turn. Charlotte new her fiance would acquit himself admirably. It had still made her nervous.
“Do not worry, Charlotte,” Sidney had told her during one of their rare moments alone. “As I have shown you, I am perfectly capable of making a good impression.”
Charlotte had refrained from pointing out that the beginning of their relationship was marred by bad impressions. But the smirk on his face told her he knew exactly what she was thinking. In the end she knew that her father would come to see him as another son. They would fish together and share the newspaper. They were men who had similar opinions on many things. And Mr. Heywood thought highly of his daughter's intelligence. If she loved this man, Mr. Heywood would not question it.
Aside from her father and mother, there were her siblings to think of! Those mortifying beasts! They would tell every terrible story of her childhood, such as when she had ruined Christmas dinner by dropping the goose in the frozen lake. It was such a dreadfully long story that involved an extremely petulant little girl.
Looking at Sidney now, sharing smiles, she was not too terribly frightened. She loved him and he loved her. They could face all manner of trials together. Even her family.