𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Eleven

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 forgotten—to 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.