Charles proposed to Mary after Anne, the woman whom he'd rather marry, rejected him. Charles is heir to a large fortune and grand estate, but is untitled with no aristocratic or titled lineage. This disappoints Sir Walter, who decides that it falls on his eldest daughter Elizabeth to marry someone of like lineage to an Elliot. Mary has at least two sons with her husband: Charles and Walter Musgrove. They have a rather rocky marriage, because Mary can be hard to live with due to her pride and airs, but they make it work. Charles and his entire immediate family always preferred Anne to Mary, but made do.