Sunlight peered through the trees in the backyard of the Austen estate. Three young children played around in the grassy area. A couple of yards away, sitting around on the veranda, were three women. The mother of the three children, Elizabeth Austen, her mother-in-law, Claudine, and her sister-in-law, Vienne Austen.
Elizabeth looked at her three children-her two sons and a daughter who were roughhousing around with one another on the grass. "Don't get your clothes filthy!" She called out to the three of them. "They're quite handfuls." She spoke.
"Ah, but it's all worth it, isn't it?" Mused Claudine as she took a sip from her teacup.
Every Thursday afternoon, Elizabeth came over and brought all three of the children. That afternoon was practically reserved for gossip between Elizabeth and Claudine. Vienne, however, wasn't too fond of gossip. She'd listen in but hardly comment anything. She knew her mother was a nosey one. Elizabeth really wasn't that bad; however, Vienne could tell that she'd hop in on the gossip to please her mother-in-law. She had been doing anything she could to please Claudine ever since she entered her relationship with Luis, the oldest of the two Austen children.
It was slightly disappointing to Vienne to see Elizabeth stoop so quickly to gossip just to please her Claudine, but she had given up ever opposing anything. Merlin knew her mother couldn't be stopped.
So, Vienne accompanied her outside, but she was nestled into her seat with a book in her lap. Her legs were propped up on the side, something that her mother would usually scold her for. But at the age of twenty-two, she had learned to care less about her mother's odd dislikes. No guests were around, so why should she act like it?
"Aren't you a little old to be sitting like that, Vienne?" Elizabeth asked, looking at her sister-in-law over her shoulder.
Vienne looked up at Elizabeth. "It's comfortable." She replied simply. "And it's easier to prop up the book this way."
Claudine looked at her daughter, clearly unamused. "Why in Godric's name do you even have a book out here? Come join the conversation. It's good to be sociable." She urged, her ever-stern expression on her face.
Vienne sighed, closing her book. "I would, however, hearing the two of you mindlessly gossip about Mrs. Gretchen's failing garden all the way to Mr. Jocie's failing marriage is not exactly the kind of conversation I'd like to invest myself in." She replied. She spoke plainly, but her intentions were clear.
Claudine scoffed, shaking her head, although she didn't continue on with the conversation. Elizabeth, however, allowed her curiosity about one thing in particular to leave her mouth. "Speaking of your age... Didn't you just turn twenty-two a few months ago?"
Vienne nodded her head, slight confusion written on her face. "Yes, why?" She asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "I'm just curious." She replied. "How come no suitors have come your way? You're well over the age to be married."
Vienne shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her legs, which were once propped up on the arm of the chair, were now properly sat, and her hands were on her lap. She wasn't exactly sure how to answer the question. Claudine, however, felt entitled to answer the question. After all, she wasn't exactly ecstatic with the fact that her daughter was not married yet.
"She's too picky; she won't give anyone a chance." Claudine spoke, accompanied by a little scoff. "Every suitor I choose for her, she just pushes them aside." She slightly eyed Vienne off to the side. Her explanation was surely riddled with condescension.
Vienne let out a sigh, now knowing she'd have to speak up. "I'm not picky, Mother. You just pick the worst possible suitors on this side of town." She sighed. "They're all just so boring. Not to mention they're all practically the same men; they just look different. Rich, snobby, and no good."
However, that description she just gave seemed to fit Claudine herself well. So it was no surprise she was picking men who echoed her personality and values.)
"What do you mean they're not good? They'd certainly keep you more than comfortable. You won't have to worry a day in your life with how much money they have." Claudine spoke up, raising her brow a bit. In her eyes, Vienne should be lucky her mother was finding these men for her.
"I'm not too worried about money, Mother." Vienne spoke. "Father left me more than enough to support myself for life."
There was a slight silence after that. Any mention of Mr. Austen left a heavy feeling in the air. George Austen, Vienne's father, had unfortunately passed just a couple of months ago. His passing was what pushed Claudine to finally press Vienne to get married. However, with the money George had left his daughter, Vienne didn't seem to see the need unless she actually fell in love with a man.
After the silence, Claudine composed herself. "Of course he left you more than enough; he loved you very much. However, that money won't last forever unless you keep being smart with it. The only way you can completely make sure is if you find a partner to support you." She spoke firmly. She was getting rather irritated with this conversation already.
"A partner who loves me." Vienne reminded gently.
"And what are you going to do? Wait around until a suitor you actually like comes around like some fairytale prince?" Claudine asked. "You read far too many of those ridiculous fairy tales." She scoffed.
Vienne glanced over at Elizabeth, whose facial expression seemingly showed that she regretted bringing up Vienne's relationship status. She had no idea Claudine would get so frustrated with the situation so quickly.
Vienne, however, knew there was no use in arguing with her mother about the situation for the one thousandth time, so she slid the book off her lap and stood up. "I'm going to go play with the children now." She said, leaving no room for debate.
She turned her head so she could roll her eyes without her mother seeing it before descending down the stairs of the veranda towards her niece and nephews.
Claudine let out a frustrated huff as she watched her daughter leave to go play with the children. "I have no idea what I'm going to do with her. I swear, that girl is going to drive me mad." She huffed, looking over at Elizabeth.
"Surely there's someone she'd be willing to marry around here." Elizabeth spoke slightly sheepishly. On one hand, she felt bad for Vienne; on the other, she was stuck in this constant loop of trying to please her mother-in-law.
"I honestly don't think so. She's so picky. With every man I've ever introduced to her, she finds some excuse not to be involved with them at all. I've introduced her to some of the most perfect men. Rich, charming-anything a girl could want, really. But she still somehow finds a way to shoot them down like she always does. I'm beginning to think she'll never marry." Claudine ranted on exasperatedly.
Elizabeth looked over at Vienne, trying to think of the reasons why she would shut down these seemingly "perfect" men. The Austen's were a very prestigious pureblooded family, and perhaps she didn't like the pressure of it all. Since birth, she had been pressed to marry another pureblood man, keeping the bloodline going. However, she had never necessarily agreed with that practice, and perhaps that was the reason why she wasn't eager with any of the suitors her mother had chosen.
"Perhaps she simply just doesn't agree with everything you want." Elizabeth suggested.
"And what in Godric's name does that mean?" Claudine asked.
Elizabeth tilted her head a little. "Well, for as long as I've known her, she's never exactly agreed with your insistence on her marrying another pureblood." She explained. "I'm sure she'd be fine with it if she was in love with him; however, if she feels as if you're forcing her to do it, she might not be so bright about the idea."
Claudine narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth; if there was one thing she would not be challenged on, it was her beliefs on blood purity. A ridiculous practice that many still clung to. Claudine happened to be one of those people. Elizabeth immediately regretted her words, knowing she had frustrated the woman.
"She's always been rebellious about it, but that is one thing I will not tolerate in any form." Claudine said firmly. "I've taught her that practice for years; it is what our family does. There is no if, ands, or buts about it."
Claudine's tone was enough to make Elizabeth stop trying to take Vienne's side. She loved Luis; however, dealing with his mother all the time was not the most pleasant thing.
"I-I'm sure she just needs a man who can catch up to her speed, if you understand what I'm saying." Elizabeth spoke, almost backtracking herself. "She's a well-mannered girl and very polite; however, she's not always like that, so perhaps she just needs a man who will match her as such."
Claudine let out a laugh. "As if that would work out. Any more enabling to her silly endeavors would turn into madness. I've seen the way she acts from time to time. I've tried to tell her that that's no way for a proper young woman her age to be acting, but she just doesn't listen." She stated. "I'm sure it's from all those times when she was growing up that George banned me from scolding her over it. He always told me to let her live a little, as if that wasn't going to let her think she could do whatever she wants!"
"Well, the children seem to enjoy that side of her." Elizabeth said with a small chuckle, seeing Vienne run around with her niece and nephews.
Claudine's frustrated expression slightly faded at the sight of her daughter playing with her niece and nephews. Part of her was happy that she was spending time with the grandchildren, but the other part of her was still frustrated. "Yes, I suppose they do. She practically spends more time playing with them than the nannies do these days." She said. "But she truly needs to start acting like a proper young woman sooner or later. Her youth won't be around forever."
The truth was, Vienne could hear their entire conversation. Although she tried to ignore it and tried to focus on the children, it was hard to ignore them talking about her just a few feet away. She knew this wouldn't be the last time this would happen, so she chose not to care. It was her life, not theirs.
***
If there was one thing about Claudine Austen, it was that she had more than enough women to share her gossip with. It was practically an addiction of hers, one that had seeped so deeply into her life she didn't realize how badly it was affecting her relationship with the people around her.
And because she didn't see that, it never stopped.
"I try to tell her it's for her own good, but she just doesn't listen." She spoke exasperatedly to her friend, Violet Darcy. Mrs. Darcy had been a good friend of hers for years. And a common interest between the two of them? Gossip. "I'm simply just trying to find someone she'll be content with."
Of course, Mrs. Darcy had heard about this ever-growing problem Claudine seemed to have with her daughter for ages now. "Well, we have an event coming up, do we not?" She spoke. "Introduce her to a suitor there and be loud about it. The social pressure might do something."
Claudine seemed to consider this for a moment as the idea was beginning to become pleasing to her. "Hm, now that I think about it, that might just be a good idea." She said. "I'll find a good suitor; introduce the two of them there. Since they'll be out in the open in front of people, perhaps Vienne would be more inclined to accept whatever offers he makes."
Mrs. Darcy made a humorous noise, taking a sip of her tea. "Who do you have in mind?"
Claudine thought for a moment before her face lit up. It was almost as if you could physically see the idea pop into her head. "I was thinking about Mr. Edward Carter the other day. He's around her age too; surely she'll be much more willing to be interested in him. He's a charming young man; his family is certainly wealthy, and I know their views on blood status align exactly how I want them to be."
If you didn't know her, you'd think Claudine Austen was crazy.
(Oh, wait, she is.)
Mrs. Darcy nodded her head in agreement. "Surely." She said, agreeing with her friend. "Those two would fit together rather well."
"He would be the perfect suitor for her, far better than any other young man I've introduced to her." Claudine spoke with a hint of determination in her voice. "I truly believe she'll like Edward. Though there's always a possibility she'll still somehow find something wrong with him too."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with a little... push in the right direction." Mrs. Darcy suggested, her tone obvious to what she meant.
A small smirk appeared on Claudine's face. "Perhaps I could be a little more... insistent when introducing the two to each other. I mean, I have to if I want to see my daughter actually get married." She said, a slightly wicked look in her eyes.
The worst part was, she saw no fault in any of this. She truly believed what she was doing for her daughter was right. Vienne had no issues with getting married, but she wanted to get married to someone she loved and someone who loved her too. And she didn't think that was at all unrealistic.
Her mother had told her all throughout her childhood that love could be made in a marriage, but it wasn't the most important thing. Stability and status were seemingly more important to Claudine Austen than anything else. Sometimes that made Vienne question how much her mother truly loved her father.
Did she marry George for the status? The money? Vienne couldn't tell. She knew her father had been deeply in love with her mother, but it hurt to think that maybe her mother didn't always reciprocate that.
But the one thing that gave her hope was her brother's marriage. Luis had somehow found love even under his mother's deathly grip on her values she pushed on them. Elizabeth was a wonderful woman, despite having no backbone to defend herself. Thankfully, Luis was a bold man and had no issues defending his wife, even if it was against his own mother.
Despite their six-year age gap, Luis and Vienne were very close, and she looked up to him as her role model. He was more tolerant of their mother than she was, but he also had a strong sense of justice for his younger sister.
Vienne knew her mother was right to some extent. Her youth wasn't going to be around forever. But she would gladly wait even a thousand years until she found a man who truly loved her.
She had no idea, but luckily for her, she wasn't going to have to wait all too long.
A/n: And we are back!! Yay!! If I'm gonna be real, Claudine annoys me so bad and I'm literally the one writing her. So sorry to inflict this character on y'all LOL. Well I hope you enjoyed and thank you so, so much for reading! Every time you read or vote on chapters, you're supporting me and encouraging me to keep writing and really appreciate that. Love you all xoxo <33
(p.s. came down with strep throat today LOL. the writers curse is already after me ð)