Chapter 21 Country Life 15 Lightning "Proposal"
One of Heather's biggest flaws is her extreme fear of embarrassment and trouble. She is afraid of being embarrassed herself, but she is also easily embarrassed for others.
So now she was very reluctant to face the topic of what might happen next.
But now, nothing could stop Major Brown from speaking his considered thoughts.
"Ma'am, I think you are so astute that you may have guessed it, or perhaps you are not ready to face it. However, I think it would be disrespectful to hide it since I have such an idea."
He adjusted his military cap and continued, "As you can see, I really admire you. Whether it's your decisiveness and intelligence, or... your appearance."
Heather wasn't sure if she was smiling politely, because she hadn't experienced such a scene in more than twenty years of her life, so her soul seemed to have been wandering around for a while.
"Actually, I should have started by inviting you to the dance and chatting with you daily, like those guys did, to win your favor. But firstly, I'm sure you're not interested in the dance, nor do you have much interest in chatting with strange men. Secondly, I think we're no longer young people who pursue passion and put feelings first. So after much thought, I decided to express my feelings directly."
He paused, waiting for Heather's reaction. So Heather could only say dryly, "You're right, I really don't like dancing..."
Major Brown paused, unable to judge what mood Heather was in, and had to continue speaking as he had planned.
"I suppose you don't know my personal situation yet. I'm a major in the militia. My annual salary isn't as high as that of a regular army officer of the same rank, but it's still around 400 pounds. I have a good relationship with my superiors, and my salary will increase every year in the future."
"Also, my father is a Hampshire squire. Although I'm the second son, I can still inherit a portion of the property. Land, real estate, and government bonds give me an additional fixed income of one thousand pounds per year. Besides that, I also have some experience in financial management. I..."
"That's enough, Major Brown." Heather had to interrupt him. If he continued like this, he might have to explain his grandmother's dowry or the horse he raised in his hometown. "You have said enough about the property issue. As everyone says, I don't have a huge fortune. But..."
"But I still have a daughter!" Major Brown said first. "I was married once, but my wife died of illness three years ago. I have a five-year-old daughter who is now being cared for by my mother. Next week she will be sent to Meryton to live with me for a while. She's very obedient, but a little introverted due to lack of maternal love. I think she'll get along well with you."
After he said that, he carefully observed Heather's expression, worried that she would mind.
Heather could no longer maintain her false polite smile. She waited a moment, making sure that Major Brown had finished his words before preparing to respond.
Her voice became cold and emotionless. In fact, she was neither angry nor happy, and even the embarrassment disappeared.
"Major, your financial situation is not a problem for remarriage, and it's normal for you to have been married and have children. After all, nowadays, it's almost impossible for a man in his thirties who is not in a bad financial situation to have never been married, unless he has a physical problem or is too picky."
Major Brown was not immediately happy because Heather seemed too calm and did not accept the sweetness and shyness of the confession at all.
Sure enough, she continued, "But if, as you say, we are no longer at the age of pursuing passion, then marriage is a combination of mutual needs and interests. I am simply confused. You need my talent and beauty to add interest to life, and your daughter needs a decent mother. So what can I get from this marriage?"
Since she has an older sister who talks about getting married all the time, it is actually difficult for Heather to completely stop thinking about this issue.
But she still couldn't figure out whether it was necessary and meaningful to get married if it wasn't for love, given that she had enough wealth and a large number of relatives.
Heather is not opposed to marriage, but she is sure that it is difficult for her to fall in love no matter what era she lives in. She is easily pleased by her relatives, friends, and some small things in life, but she becomes extremely difficult to please any man who may develop into a marriage relationship. This seems to be a kind of subconscious emotional isolation and self-protection.
However, this question did not stump Major Brown. He was a rational and mature middle-aged man, and this serious atmosphere close to academic discussion was more comfortable for him than flirting and ambiguity.
"I think you do need a new marriage, and I'm a fairly suitable candidate. On the one hand, you'll definitely need companionship and care in your later years to maintain a good quality of life and the necessary psychological support. On the other hand, even now, you need a husband to prevent unsatisfactory men like Davis from disturbing your life. Furthermore, I believe that family life can bring irreplaceable joy and happiness, and that love isn't entirely driven by passion."
It is undeniable that Major Brown's remarks sound convincing, and of course this is also the generally recognized mainstream view.
However, Heather was somewhat disappointed by this unoriginal and conventional view. She had already refuted these arguments in her heart, and they could not convince her to enter into marriage.
In the common people's class, a widow without children might find it difficult to survive, but in the aristocratic class, widowed noblewomen were not uncommon.
If they have enough money, they can choose to live in adjacent houses with their siblings, which allows them to stay quiet without being completely isolated; some will also choose to raise a nephew or niece, leaving most of their property to them and letting them take on the responsibility of providing for their old age.
As it happened, Heather had plenty of money, reliable siblings, and a host of nieces and nephews to choose from.
At least if Mrs. Bennet heard that she was going to take a niece to London to live a good life, she would definitely be overjoyed and even want to go there in person.
Major Brown did not know Hessel's true financial situation, so his judgment was reasonable.
He was most likely a man of good character, and he was not greedy for the dowry income that would come with marriage. Instead, he was more concerned with the other person's temperament and talents. After all, the fact that Heather only had 3,000 pounds was more widely spread than she had imagined.
Heather had no intention of telling him about her upcoming inheritance, nor did she intend to accept his advances.
To be honest, if you have neither emotional impulse nor any interest needs, it would be a real disadvantage to share a large sum of money you just acquired with someone you are not familiar with.
Heather didn't explain too much. "Well, after listening to your opinion, I don't think I have a clear need for marriage at the moment. My brother in London once told me that he would try his best to ensure a stable life for me while he and his next generation are alive. I won't say more about other things."
Major Brown stood there in a daze for a few seconds. He had never expected that Heather would reject him so coldly and decisively. He subconsciously took off his military cap and put it back on. He was silent for a while before speaking.
"So you're rejecting my proposal?" He smiled bitterly. "But I really don't understand what went wrong."
"If this counts as a proposal, then yes, I reject it. As for why it's inappropriate, I'm not quite sure myself, but I'm certain of the conclusion."
They fell silent again, neither of them finding what to say next.
Heather once again began to feel unbearable embarrassment, and she now really needed super powers like teleportation.
Major Brown's horse was still in the stables at Longbourn, so they would have to walk back together. Hazel couldn't imagine how agonizing the journey ahead would be. If she had known, she would have asked Major Brown to get to the point sooner, so that they could get home faster!
At this moment, the clanging sound of carriage wheels suddenly came from the distance.
Heather turned her head and saw that it was an ordinary country carriage, without any fancy decorations or special markings.
But the coachman sitting in front of the carriage looked very familiar. He was a servant of Sir Lucas's family, usually responsible for guiding guests to park their carriages. Hazel had seen him several times when she followed Mrs. Bennet.
The carriage came slowly.
Perhaps it was a bit strange for two people to stand still on the side of the road in such weather, so the owner of the car curiously pulled open the sunshade curtain on the glass window and looked outside.
It was Miss Charlotte Lucas.
There is help!
When Heather saw who was coming, she immediately raised her handkerchief and waved to the carriage with joy. She walked towards the carriage without even bothering to say goodbye to Major Brown who was left behind.
The carriage stopped in front of her, the window opened, and Heather met Charlotte's surprised eyes and said, "Miss Lucas, if it's convenient, could you give me a ride? It's too hot and I really can't walk."
In her mind, Charlotte admired Mrs. Lawrence's beauty for the umpteenth time. If her big, watery eyes showed a hint of pleading, no one could ruthlessly refuse her.
Heather got in the car, breathed a sigh of relief, and expressed her gratitude sincerely.
Charlotte had good emotional intelligence and upbringing. She only glanced at Major Brown when the carriage passed by the roadside and did not ask Heather any questions.
Heather followed Charlotte's gaze and watched the car move further and further away. Major Brown's figure became smaller and smaller in the small glass window at the back of the car until it became a blurry mass.
Although Heather believed that rejection as soon as possible was the best way to deal with the situation, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty when she saw a good person being abandoned and disappointed.
At this time, Charlotte asked, "Mrs. Lawrence, are you going home? I'll ask John to drive over first."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
