Sanditon Season 2: The River and the Man

Chapter 99

Sidney walked back to Sanditon House without his shirt and just his trousers around his waist. He was numb now and his throat entirely raw from letting out his rage against Triton. The sea king had been gentle on him and it was easy enough for him to get back to shore regardless of how far out he had swum. He walked barefooted but the rocks and sticks did not phase him. He could hardly feel anything besides the forward movement of his limps trudging on.

The sun was warm on his back but the wind was chilly and his ears felt like ice.

He hesitated as he looked on to the spot he and Charlotte had shared in blissful domesticity last summer playing with small scale boats with the children. When just weeks before they had shared a tender moment again. He needed to let go of all that. It was a willing agony for him but he must be torturing Charlotte in his pining.

"I will do as promised my dearest Charlotte," he vowed as he looked on to the tree making a vow to himself that he would bury the feelings down and numb himself entirely. A life spent with the one he loved was impossible and best to radically accept it before something happened to ruin her.

At the house, he pulled on his wet shirt and meaningfully walked through the front doors to find the butler looked him up and down. "Mrs. Griffiths is in the drawing-room awaiting you. The servants are looking the entire house up and down for you."

He sighed and went straight to the drawing-room without tucking his shirt or even attempting to put himself to rights.

"What has my ward done now?" he asked impatiently.

The woman turned and had been twisting a handkerchief in her hand nervously. "She is gone!" she said with a breathless cry. "When it was time to lay the breakfast she was not there. I did not over concern myself since it was a lovely morning for a stroll along the beach but then the girls noticed many of her things were gone." she covered her mouth with the handkerchief and sobbed. "She's run away again!"

Sidney cursed and shouted. "Charlotte!" he said going to the landing then up the stairs to her room where he pounded.

Bell had come up behind. "She went to Sanditon this morning sir," she told him. "She is not in her room."

Sidney turned and cursed as he brushed past her and passed both the Babingtons who watched on confused.

Could Charlotte had done it again? Could she know something about where his wayward ward had gone?"

He went to his room. The warmth of the house and the burning anger he was feeling was swiftly chasing the numb sensation he had just moments before. The hollowness was filled with a wave of anger as he went to his room to change into some riding clothes and order Tom's carriage to come at once.

He grabbed only a small bag and put his Heraclitus and his Poetry book in. Leaving the rest of the room in a state as he only needed a few things.

A knock sounded and he turned with a growl. "Yes!" realizing it was Bell and Lady Susan.
"Did Charlotte find you yet?" Lady Susan asked as she noted the small bag he was hastily packing.

He shook his head. "No, I was just at her door pounding," he said. "Georgiana has runoff."

Lady Susan shook her head. "Oh, dear. It was as Charlotte feared."

Sidney breathed in deeply. "She knew?"

Lady Susan sighed and nodded. "She didn't know, but she thought that perhaps something was going to happen last night. I came with her here to warn you, but you did not answer."

Shame darkened his features and he breathed in.

"I need Charlotte found and brought here," he said seriously.

Lady Susan turned to Bell and directed her to do just that.

Sidney readied himself as the house was abuzz with the most recent drama.

Lady Denham could also be heard downstairs shouting.

As he came down he found the woman in great distress. "Where has the girl gone? Not in town, or along the cliffs!" Lady Denham breathed raggedly. "The entire place must be searched. Even the rocks along the shore. She said she would be back by now!" the feeble woman said shakily. "She says what she means. I fear something foul is afoot."

Sidney's gut panged as he thought of Charlotte. "What is it?" he asked as he found Mrs. Campion looking on confused.

"Seems Miss Heywood went into town and hasn't been seen since," she whispered and her stern face betrayed a slight smile somewhere in the corner of her eyes.

"Where was she last seen." he stepped forward more worried than he had been for Georgiana.

Bell stepped forward. "She was off to see Miss Brereton at the Crown Hotel."

Sidney cursed and put his hand to his mouth and shook his head. "Apologies." He had been at the crown and had narrowly missed seeing her.

"Fetch me a horse I will go to town immediately and question your relation Lady Denham," he said seriously.

Clara entered the room as if on cue. "Oh, I see you must have already heard," she said looking worried.

Lady Denham looked the girl up and down. "What have you to say to me," the woman demanded still in her nightdress.

Clara smiled. "Please do not overwork yourself my poor Lady Denham," she said sweetly with mocked concern. "What I have to say might gravely shock you."

Lady Denham looked at her pale with fear.
"I saw her into the carriage with Captain Warrick," she blushed and looked about at the reaction of the group. "I think they mean to elope."

Lady Denham laughed. "Elope with that scoundrel, I think not. My young Miss Heywood would never think of anything like running off with someone," she looked at Sidney, "Well at least not with someone the likes of Captain Warrick."

Lady Susan stepped forward. "I quite agree. Besides if they had wished to be together none would have protested. Certainly not I, his closest living relation. They need not run off together." she looked at the girl and her eyes narrowed and she also glanced at Mrs. Campion trying to suss out the real culprit. "I think this has every chance of being foul-play, Mr. Parker,"

Sidney looked at Clara and shook his head. "I must find her."

"Yes, Mr. Parker," Lady Susan said. "But which of them?"

Lady Denham frowned and looked unsteady on her feet and fit to croak. "What do you mean which?"

"Miss Georgiana has also gone missing." Mrs. Griffiths who was still present spoke nervously as she still twisted her handkerchief in her hand.

Sidney looked around and put his hand to his head. "I am off to London to find Warrick. Keep searching here," he said. "Send me news if she is found and well.

"What about Georgiana?" Mrs. Griffiths asked helplessly.

He shook her head. "I can't be bothered with that right now," he confessed. Moments before he had instinctually been angry at his beloved but now he was just consumed with a need to determine her well being and whereabouts. All else had to take the rear in his mind.

Clara found herself shocked at how quickly everyone had assumed something sinister. She was afraid to remain but slipping out at this time would also give her actions away while Mrs. Campion blushed Scarlette in embarrassment that her fiance would go blindly chasing after another woman.

Not to mention her own lover was involved somehow. She wanted to scream and stamp her foot but instead, she turned unacknowledged and went to her room.