Don't Look Back

Chapter 63

Charlotte shook as she read the post from just outside of London days later. Written not in Sidney's hand but dictated by him.

"What is it, my dear?" Lady Susan asked.

Charlotte felt tears of relief and grief stream down her face.

She shoved the letter at Lady Susan and went to the child on the floor, scooping her up as her sister looked on in confusion.

"What is it?" Allyson asked suddenly.

Lady Susan blinked and read the letter swiftly as Mrs. Claudet entered.

"What has our dear Miss Heywood in puddles?" she asked, bringing a tray of tarts in.

Lady Susan had just finished reading the letter and folded it. "Mrs. Claudet, will you inform the staff to pack our things."

"Pack your things?" she asked. "Should the whole staff go?" she asked.

Lady Susan sighed and nodded. "Well, you and our ladies, maids, but we will be keeping the house for now," she said, so just my personal staff.

Mrs. Claudet curtsied and left as she put the plate down after almost forgetting to leave it.

The little girl stood up.

"Can I have a tart?" Flora asked.

Charlotte sniffed, and her eyes were tearful. "Of course, my dear," she whispered. "Have all the tarts you want."

Allyson snorted. "You spoil her."

"You would spoil her too if you knew what the contents of this letter were." Lady Susan said as Charlotte wept.

Allyson blinked. "He is not," she shook her head and covered her mouth to hide her whispered words. "dead?"

Charlotte shook her head. "No, but..." her mouth could not utter another word.

"We must leave before the rumors. She should not hear of it here." Lady Susan said as Flora ate her tart now in the other room with her toys. "This place is far too easy to catch wind of such terrible gossip." Lady Susan said suddenly. "My country house just outside of London will do. It is where my horses are bred. She will enjoy being around horses, and it is also very near to Lord Babington's family seat since Mr. Parker is there."

"But he told me not to come to him," Charlotte whispered.

Lady Susan shrugged. "Wounded men say silly things." her voice was final. "You will go."

Charlotte nodded and felt she owed it to Flora to be reunited with her father. After losing her mother.

"We will go tonight." Lady Susan said swiftly. "I think it not necessary to go to the Parkers and take our leave. They will have no doubt received a similar letter recounting this horrid tale."

Allyson's eyes looked near to bug out. "What has happened?"

Charlotte looked to Lady Susan. "She can read the letter." her eyes went to Flora. "I will tend to Flora myself."

Lady Susan nodded. "Alright, my dear, but we will eat presently if we are to embark soon."

Allyson looked at the letter and shook her head. "But what about Mr. Stinger?" she asked.

Lady Susan frowned. "What about him? I dare say he will be here when you return."

The young woman looked confused but resigned to the woman who was at present her benefactor.

"I have few things. I can be packed up in but a moment," Allyson went for her bonnet. "But I simply must see Mr. Stringer first."

Charlotte looked up from the floor she was now sitting down to.

Lady Susan went to persuade the girl to stay, but Charlotte shook her head.

"Let her go." Charlotte sighed and wiped at an errant tear as Flora looked up.

"Miss Heywood, why are you crying?" she asked.

Charlotte smiled through her tears. "Oh, I am just sad we won't have forever to play," she whispered. "You will go back to your papa soon."

Flora smiled. "Yes, but I know papa likes you."

Tears streamed down her eyes at the words from the girl's mouth. What would the girl think of her when she grew up? The opponent in her father's affections for her mother.

Charlotte shook her head. "Shhh," she whispered. "Little dear, I am no one of consequence to anyone. But you sweet, perfect little one..." she sighed. "You have the look of your mother."

The little girl stiffened.

"Mama only likes that I look like her," Flora said with anger. "I wish I looked more like papa."

Charlotte wiped at her face. "Oh, your mama is very beautiful," she whispered.

Flora blinked and nodded.

"So are you, Miss Heywood," she said and smiled at her.

Charlotte gestured for the nurse to come to Flora as she was now overwrought with emotion and went to Lady Susan, who stood in the hall with open arms.
"Come, have a glass of Sherry." Lady Susan whispered and prepared it herself now that the house was in the throws of activity.

"Sidney faces rumor in London despite being certain of not even being in London at the time of her murder, and witnesses too," Charlotte said as the drink was pushed into her hand.

"Drink." Lady Susan commanded.

Obeying, she did as commanded.

"Now breathe," Susan said, taking her hand. "You always seem to forget my levels of influence."

"But Lord Sellac is here now, in Sanditon," Charlotte said with a furrowed brow. "Preparing for his upcoming nuptials as if he had not a care in the world."

Lady Susan nodded. "Well, he would not if he had good men under his employ to claim he was somewhere else entirely." she sighed. "We may not be able to prove Lord Sellac the murderer, but we must exonerate Mr. Parker. It seems from the letter he is quite incapacitated."

Charlotte's face fell as she focused on that piece of information and pondered it. He was always so full of strength. How could he be less than that?

"We can be patient and deal with Lord Sellac later." Susan patted her hand. "Now have another sherry, and then let us go ready ourselves for a long night."

Charlotte nodded. A sherry would help her sleep for the long carriage ride they would take that night.

She was not proud of it, but the stress of it all was making her a woman deep in her cups, it seemed. Mrs. Claudet seemed to find it funny.

Stumbling into the carriage, they all bundled up together, and she tried to sleep, but for the frequent bathroom breaks, she regretted the four sherries drank to calm her concerns.

How was he? What was so wrong that he did not wish to be seen?