Sanditon Season 2: Finding Their Way Back To Each Other

Chapter 34: Alison and Crowe

~Sidney~

Lady Denham was laid to rest in a grand ceremony of life. Even in death, she had the last word. She left a letter to be read at the funeral speaking of her life, her time in Sanditon and how she cared deeply for the future of Sanditon and its development. After her burial, there was a splendid feast set up for the entire town at her request with the expectation the town would continue to celebrate her on that day for years to come. She wished everyone to know how much she had done for Sanditon and how her legacy would continue to support and supply the town. Lady Denham knew what she was doing leaving the future of Sanditon in Charlotte's hands. She knew there was no one greater than Charlotte to continue not only the development of Sanditon but also to continue her legacy. It wasn't easy for me to take a step back and let Charlotte be in control, but I knew it's what Lady Denham wanted and as her letter stated, I was to take care of Charlotte. For me, I interpreted that as I was to stand up for her when men wouldn't listen, protect her from people trying to take advantage, guide her with tough decision, and above all else to simply love her. I found the latter, the easiest to come by.

I found every excuse possible to visit Sanditon House. Most of the time I would arrive with Mary or even Diana in tow. Charlotte seemed entirely overwhelmed with being responsible for Sanditon. She had changed from the confident and strong woman she was at the building site. Now she seemed as if she didn't know what to do or how to even run a household.

We had discovered that Lady Denham had almost entirely depleted her fortune on Sanditon. She had essentially bankrupt herself. All she had left was her house, a few thousand pounds and what I had given her as partial payment for the debt Tom owed. Knowing this fact, I respected and thanked her more than ever for accepting what I had offered. She could have easily thrown my entire family in debtor's prison, but she didn't. I can only imagine she did it for Charlotte. I realized even more why she desperately wanted to push Charlotte into the arms of another man with a fortune of his own to fund Sanditon. Someone who was equally interested in developing the town. But Lady Denham was no fool. She knew Charlotte would choose me regardless, which I want to believe is why she insisted I not marry her until the debt was paid in full. At least at that point, the money she had invested would have been replenished and Sanditon could still prosper. She knew I would find every way possible to pay the debt if it meant I couldn't have Charlotte until I did. I don't think she expected to die as soon as she did. I believe she thought she'd have another year or two and I would have the time to find the money.

Regardless, continuing with the development of Sanditon would be a tricky task, one Charlotte and I would have to consider carefully going forward. I did not want to end up in a situation like Tom did. Charlotte had come up with a few ideas on how to manage the town going forward and I expected her ideas would be successful, but I worried she may try to be too ambitious.

Thankfully, she had a few days away from business to spend with her family preparing for Alison and Crowe's wedding. Alison and Charlotte travelled back to Willingden to finalize all preparations before many others made the trip from Sanditon on the day of the wedding. I didn't like being separated from Charlotte for any reason, but thankfully it was only a few days.

Crowe and I arrived the night before the wedding so he could settle in and get a good night's rest while everyone else got up early and made the long trip the morning of. Mr. Heywood had set up one of his empty houses along his property for Crowe and I. It would serve as a place for Alison and Crowe to stay for the night while the rest of us made the long trip back to Sanditon in the late afternoon.

Once Charlotte and I had decided, without any doubt, we could finally marry, we sent word to her family to begin having the banns read. Two weeks after Alison and Crowe's wedding, Charlotte and I would be free to wed. We had no intentions of waiting and had settled on a date in early December, shortly after the last banns would be read.