Claudine Austen was not getting her way. And when she wasn't getting her way, she would find a way to get it. That much was for sure. She had held out hopes that things were going decently between her daughter and Mr. Carter, but once the plan of him meeting her in the market backfired horribly, she began to think that maybe she needed to take matters into her own hands again, just like she did with their initial meeting.
The issue? Vienne wouldn't listen to her, ever. Especially about this matter.
What was so difficult for her to understand was that her mother was just trying to help! That she was simply just concerned about her daughter! Or at least, that's how Claudine saw it.
But what really drove Claudine to all of this? Was it really concern that if Vienne didn't marry now, she'd be undesirable later? And if she didn't marry, would nobody take care of her? Or was it her drive to make sure the Austen family name was not forgottenâto continue grasping at the fame and infamy she had always grown up with?
Whichever it was, it was affecting Vienne negatively either way.
And if Vienne wouldn't listen, how could Claudine get her to listen? She sat up late in her bedroom, casting her eyes to the portrait of her late husband that hung on the wall. "Oh George, what am I to do?" She sighed hopelessly. "Vienne listened to you, but I can hardly remember a time she truly listened to me willingly. Everything is so much harder without you here, my dearest."
As Claudine sat contemplating, something came over her, a sudden realization. Since George's death, Vienne had really seemed to cling to her brother, the last family member she felt like she could trust.
That was it!
Vienne listened to Luis!
And Luis listened to his mother.
The gears in Claudine's mind began to turn as she thought about what she might do. Luis had always been obedient and listened to her, and Vienne listened to him. Perhaps there was a way she could use this in her favor in this situation. Since after all, she was getting rather desperate at this point.
She needed to find a way to convince Luis that Edward was the right man for Vienne. With that push, perhaps Vienne would be more lenient seeing that her older brother saw the same as his mother.
And at this point, Claudine was willing to do whatever it took to get her way.
***
The moment dawn hit, Claudine drafted up an urgent letter to Luis, explaining that she needed to speak to him immediately due to an emergency that had happened. There was no emergency; she just wasn't patient. But she knew if she got Luis worried enough, he wouldn't hesitate to return home and speak with her.
Which was exactly what happened.
Luis received the letter not too long after, and as expected, it alarmed him. He began to panic, believing something had happened to his mother or maybe Vienne. Claudine's vague writing left much to the imagination, so his mind began to produce some of the worst possible situations and outcomes.
He quickly explained to Elizabeth that something had happened, and he was off to the family home. But by the time the letter had reached him via owl, it was nearing dusk, and that wasn't ideal, but Luis needed to see his mother.
He entered the stagecoach, ordering the driver to go as fast as he could. He felt his heart pounding against his chest, and the rest of the ride felt like an eternity as the anxiety seeped into his heart and mind.
After what felt like hours, the stagecoach came to a stop in front of the Austen family home. Luis swung open the door and quickly got on his feet, not wasting any time.
Just as he entered the home, he immediately began to search for his mother. He checked the parlors first, calling out her name. Finally, he just asked a maid who was passing by where she was, and she answered that Claudine was up in her room and had hardly left all day.
Quickly, Luis made his way upstairs and to his mother's bedroom, giving a quick knock before opening the door. There he saw his mother sitting on the couch, and she looked very unwell and distressed. "Mother!" As quickly as the words left his mouth, he was at her side.
"Luis, you came." Claudine said, feigning fake surprise.
"Of course I came." Luis answered. He grasped his mother's hand; it felt cold and clammy, and that worried him. "Your letter was conveyed as urgent. What's going on?"
Claudine sighed, readying the façade she was about to put on. Emotional and begging for sympathy. "It's about a lot of things... mainly your sister."
Luis's expression changed at the mention of Vienne as he recalled the conversation he had with her weeks prior about her suitor situation. "Mother, if this is about her relationship status; you know I will not be able to change her mind and besides it's her choice." He spoke clearly.
Claudine's grip tightened on Luis' hand. "Luis, you don't understandâand neither does Vienne." She stated. "She's unmarried at twenty-two, rejected more than half of the men in this town, it feels. And if she does not take Luisâwho will take her?"
"Mother, I'm sure there's someone out there." Luis spoke, trying to ease her worries.
"There won't be soon!" Claudine protested. "If other men see that not even Edward Carter himself had a chance with Vienne, they won't even make an effort to seek her out. I'm worried, Luis, and for good reasons!"
Luis understood where his mother was coming from, but Vienne was an adult, and there were still plenty of men outside of the town anyway. He knew Claudine worried herself over just about anything, but this wasn't the end of the world. "And what are those reasons, mother?" He inquired, genuinely.
Claudine let out a heavy sigh. "You see me, Luis. Clearly, I am unwell. Grief-stricken and stressed, constantly trying to take care of your sister and give her the life George would have wanted for her. It's a lot on my conscience, my mind, and my physical well-being." She explained.
Luis furrowed his brows. "Mother, what are you trying to get at?" He questioned, slightly concerned.
Claudine shook her head. "I'm getting older, my dear. I'd say I have some good years left in me, but with your father's sudden death and everything else, I feel as if I've aged ten years. And Vienne's defiance when I am just trying to do what's best for her has not been helping in the slightest."
Luis's eyes widened in surpriseâwas she being serious? "Mother, don't say things like that! You have plenty of good years left in you!" He exclaimed, heartbroken at even the thought of losing his beloved mother.
"The doctors said the same thing about your father, and he was dead by the next morning." Claudine reminded, her voice heavy with grief.
The room fell silent, her words weighing heavily in the air. Luis vividly remembered the doctor saying those exact words. And he vividly remembered his mother's scream of horror when she found George in bedâdead. It was a sound that would wrack his soul forever. He remembered the tears and the pain that came immediately after. Nobody could explain what took his father's life, but it had affected the family greatly.
"You see, Luis, I won't always be around." Claudine finally spoke up after the long silence, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're always so busy dealing with the family affairs and your own familyâand that's honorable, really. But when I'm gone, you shouldn't have to worry about Vienne as well. If she's married, it will lighten the burden for you."
Luis could hardly believe the words that his mother was saying. Did she truly believe she may pass soon? He surely hoped not. But grief was a terrible thing and could change one's physical and mental health significantly. He had tricked himself into thinking that his father was going to survive once he had fallen ill, and now, he had seen where that had gotten them. Clearly, anything was possible.
For a moment, he didn't even know how to reply. His mother was talking about her death, insisting on getting Vienne married off, and all these other things. It felt so overwhelming, making his mind race. Where could he even start?
He took a deep breath. "Mother, I understand where you are coming from, but there is nothing to worry about." He tried to insist. "There is someone out there for Vienne; there is no need to force it. And you are going to be okay, I promise." Or at least he hoped. He was more so trying to convince himself by saying that than his mother.
Claudine soon realized that her tactic was not working as well as she had hoped, and the conversation was not shifting in the way she wanted it to. It was clearly time to switch things up.
The tears that were once welling up in her eyes were now freely streaking down her face, creating an image of distress that would certainly wrench Luis' heart. "Is a mother not to worry about the well-being of her daughter? For the wellbeing of her family?" She questioned. "I see things, Luis. Things you do notâthe way Vienne acts, the way she speaks about these matters!"
"Mother, of course you are allowed to worry!" Luis rushed his words out, anxious that he had accidentally upset her as the tears poured down her face. "Butâ!"
She leaned just a bit closer, cutting him off: "I've heard others question everything about our family, about her. The last thing I would want is for her image to be tainted and to ruin any chance of success she has in this life!"
The revelation that people were speaking about his sister in a negative wayâways that were untrueâmade Luis quite upset. If there was one thing he cared about, it was his family. "W-What?" He stammered. "Why on earth would they do that?"
"They think she's reckless and irresponsible." Claudine sighed; her fingers pressed against her temples. "Time is running out, Luis. Would you rather Vienne be set safely for life, never having to worry about her, or would you rather people continue to slander her name in private? The choice is yours."
Luis furrowed his brows once again, still confused. "How is this my choice?" He questioned.
"Vienne will not listen to me. She never has and never will. And it gets worse as she gets older; there is no possible way I can get through to her and have her see my side and that I'm only trying to help her." Claudine explained. "She listens to you more than she ever has to me. And as the handler of the family affairs, I believe you should be the one to try and convince her that this is indeed a good thing for her."
"Me? Mother, you can't be serious. I can't force her!" Luis exclaimed.
Claudine stood up, beginning to get frustrated. "There's no forcing if she realizes that this is the correct decision for her!" She spoke up, asserting her point. "Mr. Carter is wealthy, a good man, and a good name behind his family! Vienne would be set for life with a man who desires her, who loves her without her even needing to reciprocate. It cannot get any better than that, but she doesn't seem to realize it!"
"I hardly know anything about Edward Carter. How in Merlin's name am I supposed to convince Vienne to marry him?" Luis asked.
"Just speak to her. Try to get her to understand why it's a good decision." Claudine explained. "I know Mr. Carterâpersonally. I know his family, and they are very respectable people... I trust him, Luis. I trust him enough to marry my daughter. And my trust should be good enough for you to trust him as well, should it not?"
She made sure to look him right in the eyes as she spoke, attempting to get her point across and to make him feel like he needed to agree.
"O-Of course, mother, I trust you and your judgment." He stammered. "I just... I feel as if I am forcing her into something she may not want. I don't want to be the reason why she's unhappy ten years later."
Claudine sighed, retaking her seat beside her son and grabbing his hand again. "Luis, you are not forcing her. She will naturally want to make the choice. Edward loves her; she will be happy." She spoke firmly, not allowing any bit of protest. "She just doesn't quite see that yetâshe doesn't realize that that is what she wants. She's caught up on everything she thinks she wants, but that will never benefit her later."
"You're married; you have three wonderful children. They're doing well; they're healthy, and you are handling our family's affairs so well." She said gently, as if trying to get through to him through compliments. "You didn't always think your life would shape out like this, or maybe you didn't think you wanted that. But look at you now; you're happy, and things are going well for you."
Her words did seem rather convincing. After all, outside of that one conversation he had had with Vienne weeks ago, he knew nothing about the situation aside from what his mother was telling him. Claudine liked to twist things to get her wayâto make things seem a lot worse than they were, convincing the person that it was urgent. That they needed to act now. And that's exactly what was happening here.
She sniffled, fresh tears pooling in her eyes again. "And remember, I could go at any moment. We can never be too sure. And the last thing I want for Vienne is for her to be cast aside and unwanted."
Her expression, her mannerisms, even down to the tone of her words, everything set in on Luis and his heart. Part of him didn't want to intervene and to let Vienne figure things out for herself, but the other part of him was genuinely worried over everything that she was saying.
"Edward is a good man, Luis. Vienne will never have to worry about anything with him."
Her words rushed in his mind, conflicting with his feelings on the matter. The last thing he wanted to do was to worry his mother more than she already was. He had to put an end to her suffering over this matter.
"Fine." He spoke, finally. "I'll speak to Vienne."
For a brief moment, Claudine's façade almost fell through, but she managed to keep it together. "Oh Luis, thank you." She spoke, her voice full of relief.
"Of course." He replied, yet he was still questioning things in his mind.
There was a beat of silence between them before Claudine took a deep breath. "Well, I'm feeling rather exhausted, and it's getting late. I should be getting some rest, and you should be heading home before it's too late." She said, emphasizing her words with a small yawn.
"Yes, yes, you need some rest." Luis agreed, standing up.
He helped his mother over to her bed, her exhausted and distressed expression still on her face and the tears that were shed earlier drying down on her skin. Once she was situated, he knelt down beside her bedside, taking her hand again. "Mother, I love you. I truly do, and I want you to be healthy and happy... And if this makes you happy... I will try my best. But I cannot make you any promises about what Vienne will choose." He spoke calmly.
Claudine placed her hand on her son's cheek. "My darling boy, things will go the way they need to." She stated. However, there was an eerie feeling to her words for some odd reason. Her expression certainly didn't help with that.
Luis then bade his goodbyes, leaving the room. The moment he left, Claudine's expression fell to annoyanceâher usual demeanor. Finally, she could stop begging for sympathy to get what she wanted.
She scoffed, shaking her head. "That took longer than expected." She mumbled, wiping the tear stains from her cheeks. It was embarrassing to her, really, but she was doing whatever it took to get her way, even if it meant going a little overboard.
The truth was, she was in perfect health in every way possible. She was stressed, sure, but she was the reason for her own stressânot Vienne. She worked herself up so high over any little thing her daughter did that she disagreed with. She was her own enemy, but she never saw it that way.
She was never wrong. She always had everything right and everything figured out.
And to her, Vienne would marry Edward Carter, with protest or not. She would see how her mother was right and how she should've just listened to her all along.
"It's a pity she doesn't see that, really." Claudine spoke to herself as if there were another version of herself listening in. "She could've avoided getting Luis involved if she had just simply listened to me from the start. Now her brother is involved, and she'll have to deal with those consequencesâhe controls everything in the family, after all."
Luis was usually the middle ground between this mother and his daughter, but his anxiety over all of Claudine's theatrics of trying to gain his sympathy was overtaking his confidence in Vienne. He was slowly starting to believe all the things that his mother had said, for better or for worse.
Claudine lay back in bed, an almost cruelly gleeful look in her eyes and her smile. Certainly not something you'd want to see in the middle of the night.
"Things will go my way. No matter what the cost."
***
When Luis returned home, his mind was still racing with everything his mother had said to him earlier; it was overwhelming. Claudine had said she wanted to lighten the burden on him, but for some reason, he felt even more burdened now.
Like if he wasn't able to convince Vienne that Edward was right for her, he'd somehow be failing his mother.
But he was also conflicted about that. He hardly knew Edward at all and had hardly spoken to him over the course of several years. He wasn't even sure if Edward was right for Vienne, but Claudine swore he was, and so he was trying his best to trust her.
When he returned home, it was late, and he was exhausted. The home was deathly quiet as he made his way upstairs. Of course, all three children were neatly tucked into bed, sleeping peacefully. He went into each room and kissed them goodnight, even though they were already fast asleep.
Once he finally got to his own room and closed the door, he let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the wood, plagued by everything going on.
"You're home rather late." The voice of his wife, who was currently in bed, snapped him out of his deep thoughts.
Luis looked over to see Elizabeth in the bed, covers pulled up to her waist. She looked as if she had just been woken up. "My apologies, dear. I hope I didn't wake you." He said, moving towards the bed with heavy steps.
Elizabeth simply shook her head. "No, you're fine. I was trying to wait for you anyway." She spoke gently. "How's your mother? How did everything go?" she asked, remembering the supposed urgency of Claudine's letter.
"It's..." He trailed off. "Everyone is fine; it's just a lot." He sighed, shaking his head.
Elizabeth sat up, scooting just a bit closer to Luis so she could place her hand over his. "Whatever happened, you can tell me."
Luis let out a heavy sigh. "It's just a lot, all of it. My mother says she wants to relieve the burden on my shoulders, but it feels as if she's just added to it with our conversation." He answered, shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked, tilting her head.
"She's worrying me about her health, telling me I need to be the one to convince Vienne about the suitor Mother had picked out for her, all while saying she doesn't want me to worry." He sighed with a little groan. "It's my fault; I'm probably taking this all the wrong way, but I can't help but be worried."
Elizabeth shifted so her arms could be wrapped around his shoulders, leaning her head against his. "It's not your fault, my dear." She said gently. "None of this is your fault, I promise you. Please don't worry yourself over it." She pleaded, knowing how he got when he was anxious. It was never easy when he got caught up in his head.
"Come get in bed... sleep off your worries." She insisted, giving him a little squeeze.
Luis nodded silently; sleep would be very good. "You're right." He let out a breath.
He knew sleep would not come easy to him that night since everything was still heavy on his mind, but he was hoping that at least it'd give him a moment of peace in a time that now seemed chaotic rather than relief.
A/n: Sorry that this took literally sixteen days to get out LOL. My laptop had issues and I had to rewrite all of this and with all the holiday stuff going on, I just put it off till now. I hope you all can enjoy!