Sanditon: Episode 9

4

»He's a cruel man,« Georgiana said when she heard about her guardian's return. »How can he do that to you? Marry that woman under your eyes?«

»This is not about me,« Charlotte corrected. »It's about Sanditon.«

»It's about Sanditon because that most stupid of the Parker brothers didn't pay the insurance premium for his buildings. Frankly, Charlotte, I wonder why you're still keeping up with them. They've ruined you.«

»Without them, I would never have come here in the first place. Never met you ... Mr Stringer ... Lady Susan ... Lady Denham ...«

»As if not meeting that old bat was a great loss.«

»... never seen that gorgeous pineapple ... Dr Fuchs's hydrotherapy machine ... never played Cricket on the beach ... never organised a regatta ...« Never learned what it is like to be useful, to leave one's mark on the world, she thought. Never chased Georgiana's abductors through London, never sat in a rowing boat with Sidney Parker, never known what it is like to be in love. »Frankly, Georgiana, this has been so much more than just a disappointing love story. I have no idea how I am ever going to go back to life in Willingden.«

»So you're going to stay here?«

Charlotte shrugged. »As long as I'm welcome.«

»You'll always be welcome to me,« Georgiana said. »Though I don't know yet what plans my guardian's future wife has in store for me. Sometimes I fear she's going to pack me away to some cold castle in the foggy Welsh mountains.«

»Even that sounds more interesting than Willingden.«

They were interrupted by Mrs Griffiths rushing in and announcing the imminent arrival of Miss Lambe's guardian and his fiancée. Charlotte took the chance to sneak away before they entered – facing that lady proved, after all, too much for the moment.

But she couldn't escape her forever, of course. The next morning, when Charlotte returned from her »dip«, feeling alive and refreshed as always after the exercise, she saw her standing in front of the hotel, talking to some very elegant people. So it was already happening, the beau monde pouring in for the wedding. Tom Parker confirmed it when she helped him to sort out the paperwork that afternoon: »Next week's ball will be the most splendid ball we've ever seen in Sanditon, Charlotte. And it's all out of interest in Mrs Campion. We may have lost a fortune on the terrace, but that lady, my dear, is multiplying our worth.«

»Tom,« Mrs Parker gently said.

»What is it? Am I not right? The moment back in London when Lord Babington turned up with the invitation to Mrs Maudsley's ball I knew we were saved. And I was right. That's where Sidney met our most precious future sister again and set the clockwork into motion.«

»So are we going to see Lord and Lady Babington for the wedding?« Charlotte asked, desperate to get away from the ball where Sidney Parker had set so much more into motion than the interest of his old flame.

»We are,« Tom said. »And they'll bring their friends. As will Mr Crowe and many others. It's finally happening. Sanditon's coming to life.«

»I'm pleased for you.« Charlotte said. »And I hope to be a part of it for a long time.«

»So you shall, my dear, so you shall.« Tom nodded. »Have you heard about Lady Denham's luncheon next week?«

»Yes.« Lady Denham was going to give a luncheon party in honour of Mrs Campion, and Mrs Griffiths and her charges had been cordially invited. No surprise though that Georgiana had declined for her part, and that Mrs Griffiths and her guardian had insisted. »But I don't know yet whether we'll attend,« Charlotte said.