Chapter Text
As Charlotte and Alexander were slowly walking towards Heyrick park, she clung onto his arm even tighter than she had since the cliffs. She felt her knees trembling and a single tear slid down her flushed cheek.
Alexander, feeling her sudden grip stopped and turned towards her, encouraging her to speak, with the warmest of smiles and a look filled with tenderness.
Charlotte found herself dumbfounded by her own happiness, unable to contain neither express her joy in intelligible words. She had to though.
"I... "She stuttered.
"Go on, my dear Charlotte" said Alexander lovingly.
As overwhelmed as she was, Charlotte found comfort in the gentleness of his voice.
She sighed, and the words abruptly poured out of her in absolute truth. She bared her soul to him and he took it all in as if it was the most precious present he had gotten in his lifetime.
"Alexander, twice you have confessed your love to me, and twice I have felt my heart almost burst with fear and burned with an ever lasting flame I knew nothing could ever extinguish. I almost let fear win over me, over us today. I thought I had lost you, and simply ran away to Ireland in hope I could find a cure to my affliction.
- But Charlotte, you didn't run away, I wouldn't have let you. I would have done everything, anything to have you.
- I know this now, and you did. But Alexander, please. Let me explain why I did so and express the depth of my feelings. I buried them too deep for too long and it resulted only in more pain and loss."
As she was now shivering, Alexander pulled her to the side of the alley under a big oak tree and tied Hannibal next to them. He then proceeded to remove Charlotte's belongings he had strapped onto his horse's back. The black stallion stood peacefully near them, nose buried deep into the grass, while Charlotte collected her thoughts.
" You made me realize I was going to marry Ralph for all the wrong reasons and condemning both of us to a lifeless marriage. But he knew about my feelings for you. How could he not know when all I see is you whenever you are near me ? When I am irresistibly drawn back to you, yearning for your embrace ? We released each other from our engagement, and by doing so from the guilt of disappointing my father. I would have hurt him so much more by marrying him wishing he had been you all along. I came to Heyrick park the other day to express my own feelings to you, hoping- hoping you would still want to make a life with me. But I was led to believe otherwise, as I had put so much effort in pushing you away."
Alexander stayed silent, as she keept on, gushing with emotions she had never expressed out loud until this day.
"I have been freed from my promess, but I wasn't free from my fears. It is those fears that made me believe you were engaged to Miss Montrose and prompted my departure."
She choked on these words. Charlotte took a deep breath, and resolved to resume her story, baring herself entirely to this man she had so much faith and trust in. She knew he would listen, she knew he would understand. Morsoever, she knew he would mend whatever was broken before and embrace her past like her future.
" I once loved a man. A young woman's first love, flawed, perhaps naïve but sincere. We almost - but couldn't..." Her voice broke recalling this painful story.
" What happened was a cruel turned of events. I wished only happiness for him but he didn't even get to have it, as he died not long after, alone and sick in Antigua. I was left with an unfullfilled young girl's love and the fear of loosing again embedded into my heart. I mourned this love in what feels like a lifetime ago. Yet this scar ran deeper than I thought it did. I was once robbed of my love and happiness, I thought It would be the case once more with you marrying another. And it was more than I could bear".
Her voice broke again on this last sentence.
Alexander reached out to her, as gently as possible cupping her face between his palms.
_ Charlotte, you don't owe me this story, you don't owe me your past. I want today and all the tomorrows. They're enough for me.
_ And you will have them. Because you earned every one of them when you gave me hope again.
_ I told you you brought life back into my life, Charlotte. And I meant every word, he assured.
_ And you brought light into mine. You trusted me and valued me like no one before. We surely argued, but you always listened. You made me feel like I belonged here, with you. I fell more and more for you every day, getting to know the man of honour and principle you are. I fought against it, but I lost the battle and you won my heart over. "
She took his hand and placed it on her cheek as he stared into her gleaming eyes.
She kissed his hand and whispered :
" I completely, utmostly adore you Alexander Colbourne. I love you like I've never loved before, with all my being"
He leaned in and touched her lips with his as softly as a butterfly's wings brushes a flower.
" You taught me to let go of fear and guilt and to allow myself to feel again. To live again. And you couldn't do it for yourself ? But I could never have been happy without you. If not with you, with no one.
_ I am for ever in your debt, you waited for me on top of those cliffs, keeping me from doing the worst mistake of my life.
_ I would tell you you don't owe me anything once again but you seem determined to say so. So I will hold you to your word and ask for payment now."
She laughed. Now that all of what she had to say had been said, she could breathe again. Let what had just happened sink in.
"Which kind of payment, Mr Colbourne ? She asked cheekily.
_ The kind with interest miss Heywood. I am afraid it may cost you my lady.
_ Be a gentleman and name your price !
_ I will erase this tremendous debt if you give me your hand.
_ here it is.
She gave him her hand as if it was to start a dance.
He smiled amused by her sudden confidence, took the hand she gad given him and pressed it against his lips. He touched her palm, then her wrist and pulled her to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, looking straight into her eyes, taking her breath away once more.
" Will you Marry me, Charlotte Heywood ?
"Yes, I will marry you, Alexander Colbourne".
She answered in one short breath before grabbing his vest, offering her lips to his.
They were interrupted by the loud barking of two hounds and Leo calling them from afar.
"We should go now " hissed Charlotte, out of breath.
Alexander parted from her, not without wrapping her in the most loving yet daring look and responded "We should or I shall loose all sense of time and manners" .
Charlotte Gasped as both the dogs and Leo were reaching out to them.
She jumped into Charlotte's arms screaming with excitement:
"Is it true you are to be my mother miss Heywood ?
_I am, if your father will allow me.
_ He allows it with all his heart"
Leo threw herself at her father and Alexander welcomed his daughter's embrace with both surprise and bliss.
As everyone within the household had now stepped outside to welcome the newly engaged couple, Leo ran back to them yelling ouf of her lungs :
"They're engaged ! They're engaged !"
A statement received by a run of applause Heyrick park had never witnessed before.
Samuel leaned towards lady Susan
"I hereby solemnly declare you, my lady and me your humble admirer sanditon's best matchmakers.
_ we are on a streak of success !
_ who's to be our next cause ?
_ This season is not entirely wrapped, we might find another pair in need of our guidance"