The Grand Plan

Chapter 9: The Long-Awaited Invitation

"Charlotte," Baroness Riverion asked, "are you truly not thinking about marriage?"

Charlotte, that had been laughing at Victoria's silly flower crown, was too stunned to speak. She was too preoccupied by her funny 12-year-old sister.

"It's not like that, Mother," Charlotte tried to ease her mother worries.

Charlotte understood her mother's worries. She was 23 years old without a lover nor fiancé. Some of her peers were already married, planning their wedding, or even had their first baby. And Charlotte? Still busy helping the family business.

"I will get married, but maybe not now. Surely, you understand we need to stabilize our family finances first, before thinking of marriage."

"I'm just afraid you are too busy with work that you cannot meet other people," Baroness Riverion held her daughter's hand and spoke seriously. She understood the family closed many businesses, but the trading still gave them a great deal of income. Closing business was only to prevent more losses in the future.

"Mother," Charlotte raised her voice, not disrespectful toward her mother, but more in jest, "your daughter is beautiful and smart. Men waited in line just to meet me. I will take my time to choose and give you the best son-in-law."

"Alright, I believe you are wise enough to choose your own spouse," Baroness Riverion let Charlotte's hand go to smell the daisy on the side.

"Charlotte, my dear," Baroness Riverion called again.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Just a piece of advice. Don't cook for any men that court you."

"Mother!" Charlotte protested.

Charlotte took her mother's right arm and linked it with her own. She practically dragged her mother to continue their walk and pleaded not to make fun of her cooking. She was fully aware that she was a bad cook and almost poisoned Emma with it.

After lunch, Charlotte began creating plan to compensate the workers. She calculated everything needed to help them. She noticed that this was a hard time for everybody. She wished this compensation could help people who had worked hard on the Riverion business.

Although being kind, Charlotte also worked on the plan to punish people that harmed her father. At first, she intended to punish them by law. However, her father disagreed because paying fine would be very hard on them. Instead, Mr. John discussed with them, and chose to settle on the punishment of getting their severance pay cut.

When her proposal to add some compensation was finished, she planned on getting Mr. John's opinion on this. She put the documents in a brown envelope, then called Emma.

"Emma, could you please call Will..., I mean, Sir Wilson?"

Charlotte had been so used to calling Wilson informally that sometimes she had a slip of tongue. She always corrected herself in respect of her childhood friend hard-earned title.

"I am sorry, Miss Charlotte, but Sir Wilson took a leave today," Emma answered.

"A leave? Wilson, the workaholic, who always work even on weekend?" Charlotte was extremely stunned that the envelope in her hand fell to the table.

"Yes," Emma nodded, "As far as I know, Sir Wilson had been going out often."

"Do you possibly know where he had gone?" Charlotte's curiosity now peaked up. Did her childhood friend somehow get a lover?

"I don't know exactly, but I noticed he always gone every Wednesday night. I heard from another knight that he saw Sir Wilson going to tavern."

Emma's stories make Charlotte even more confused. Going to tavern every week when he hated even the smell of alcohol. For sure, Wilson didn't go out to meet the love of his life. Whatever! Charlotte didn't wish to work his friend to death, he could have his own life too.