Return to Sanditon - A Novella

~ Twenty-Eight ~

Somewhere on the road out of London

"How did you become caught up in Mrs Campion's machinations, Edward?" Charlotte attempted conversation with her erstwhile kidnapper, "I know why she dislikes me, but you? I thought we always rubbed along together."

"Don't try to come up sweet, Miss Heywood. It won't work. This has been a business transaction, nothing more. Don't take it personally." Edward sat back against the squabs and closed his eyes, "She wanted me to do away with you permanently, Miss Heywood, you do realise that? You ought to show some gratitude. I only intend to keep you hidden away for a time - until they say, 'I do'. After which, I shall be on the first boat out of this godforsaken country."

The carriage raced along at a fast clip. They had left the city some time past, and Charlotte tried not to imagine the worry her disappearance would cause to Sidney, to Alison, to Susan. What a disastrous day this had been. She would take a little comfort in the fact that Sir Edward did not have the stomach to do anything too dastardly.

"Where are you taking me?" Charlotte asked.

Edward grunted, "None of your concern. You'll know soon enough."

"Can I at least open the curtains? This darkness is oppressive," Charlotte pleaded.

Edward waved his hand dismissively, and Charlotte took that as a tacit sign of agreement. She rolled up the curtains and tied them back, allowing light to penetrate the gloomy carriage. There was a musty smell that lingered in the air. The squabs were old and travel-worn. A hired coach, perhaps. She cast her gaze out of the window. They were travelling through open countryside. It looked vaguely familiar, though she supposed all roads looked similar and dismissed the thought. That was until they stopped at a coaching inn to change horses. The Nags Head was on the westward road. The road they took when travelling to Sanditon. Surely not, she thought. Edward refused to allow her to leave the carriage during the change, instead, paid a stable lad to fetch ale and food. Before long, they were back on the road again. They drove through the night, much to Charlotte's unease, and arrived at their destination the following morning.

"Denham Place?" She shook her head and muttered. Of all the places to abscond to, she thought, he chose here. Hope surged through her; as incompetent a kidnapper he had proven to be, the search for her had undoubtedly been made a great deal easier.

Meanwhile,

Sidney arrived at Beechwood House, after a breakneck ride across town. He threw his reins to a stable hand who rushed out at the sound of hoofbeats. Racing up the steps, and just before he could knock, the door was opened by Babington's butler.

"Where is His Lordship?" he yelled, in obvious distress.

Hearing the ruckus, Babington appeared closely followed by Esther.

"Sidney? Good god, man. What's happened?" Babington took in his friends' haphazard appearance and wild, panicked eyes.

"Come," he ushered Sidney into his study. Babington poured him a brandy and implored him to tell all.

Sidney downed the drink and closed his eyes. Composing himself, he relayed what little he knew.

"I had just arrived home and was sorting some correspondence when Arthur and the ladies arrived home in a blind panic," He took a shuddering breath. "Georgiana had been walking with Charlotte in Hyde Park when they met Sir Edward Denham. He relayed some sort of message to Charlotte and bundled her into a carriage. They drove off at pace, and no one has seen or heard from them since."

Sidney looked at Esther, "What business would Edward have with Charlotte? Where would he have taken her? Why would he take her?"

Esther shook her head, not knowing how to respond. Shocked, she replied, "I should never have suggested that you seek him out."

"Wait. I saw Denham the other evening at Vauxhall," Babington moved swiftly to the study door and spoke to his butler in a low voice, "Send a footman to fetch Crowe. It's a matter of great urgency."

A short while later, Crowe walked through the study door and was quickly apprised of the situation.

"After our talk with Denham, the night we found him in the hells," he explained, "I have been concerned by his apparent willingness to help our cause for what was, in fact, minimal immediate gain. I watched him from the moment of our arrival at Vauxhall three nights past and was surprised to see him leave accompanied by Eliza Campion. I never really thought he stood a chance of capturing her interest." He shook his head in disbelief, "So, I arranged for one of my men to watch his lodgings and this morning, I received a report that he had quit his rooms and left in a hired carriage. The previous day he had been seen coming out of Mrs Campion's townhouse." He paused and looked around, "Coincidence?"

"Wait. You have 'men' Crowe?" Babington asked in surprise. Crowe smiled benignly.

Sidney got to his feet and started to pace, "Whether Eliza is involved or not, we are wasting time. We need to ride after them. They have an hour at most on us, we can still catch them."

He walked to the door, "Can I count on your support or do I ride alone?"

Several hours later, Crowe and Sidney had ridden along the Great North Road, having stopped at every coaching inn for thirty miles without success. Not one witness had seen the carriage. It would have been impossible for them to travel this distance, at pace, without a change of horses. Babington and Esther were following a little way behind in their carriage. Frustrated, they turned their tired and sweat-drenched mounts and rode back to meet them. Their rendezvous point was a coaching inn just south of Hatfield. Babington and Esther were waiting for them in a private parlour where coffee and ale were served to refresh them.

"I've been thinking," Esther spoke thoughtfully, "Edward is short of funds, as far as we are aware. His incentive for helping us to redirect Mrs Campion's attentions was the eventual prize of her fortune."

"Your point, Lady Babington?" Sidney snapped, weariness and frustration permeating every fibre of his being.

"Esther, please, no need to be formal amongst friends." Esther knew well to ignore the ill-humour as she herself was out of sorts. "My point being, my brother, being short of funds, is highly unlikely to make a run for the North. I think he may choose to bolt to Denham."

"Denham Place? As in Sanditon?" Sidney thought on this for a moment, "Hiding in plain sight. It's the only lead we have to follow. Esther, you're a genius!"

Babington and Crowe conferred for a moment and based on their guarded optimism of finding both Charlotte and Edward in situ at Denham Place, coupled with their horses need for rest, it was decided to make the rest of the journey by carriage. Crowe added that due to his prior exertions in the saddle, he would never walk properly, let alone ride, again. A sense of fortitude returned, and the next stage of their journey was filled with quiet optimism.