Sanditon Season 2: The River and the Man

Chapter 111

Bumping along down the road to London was a somber occasion. Captain Warrick had read the new Sanditon paper with interest at first but now the silence stretched between him and his new fiance and he felt anxious to get back to London and the deed done.

"You love her" Eliza accused across from him with anger.

Shaking out the paper he folded it exasperatedly.

"I suppose you speak of Miss Heywood?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips impatiently. "Who else... though I do suppose there are others that you dabble with."

He laughed and smiled. "If you only knew. you speak of love...No my dear, I am not capable of that depth of affection. Miss Heywood beguiles me, makes me imagine I could want to be a better man, but I am not that, and never wanted to be thus. To act moral and altruistic gives me ulcers." he looked out the carriage. "Truth is, I value her friendship and my connection to her. Nothing more."

"You would sleep with her if you could." Eliza accused.

"My dear I would sleep with anyone clean and bonny if I could. She is no exception," he admitted.

Eliza scoffed. "Oh but she is the exception, she would never have you."

He laughed. "Touche my love. I could say the same for your dear Mr. Parker." he smiled. "We make a fine pair of cast-offs do we not?" he went back to his paper.

Eliza's hard face caught his eye before refocusing on the ink print and she rolled her eyes. "You will not make a good husband." she accused.

Nodding he looked down. "No, I do believe you will find me an even more ideal husband. I will hardly be around, and do you forget?" he asked her.

She frowned.

"I am a merchant Captain of a fleet, and I am welcome to the circles of the highest levels of society, and as my wife, you will be too." he scoffed.

She was silent as she let his words sink in. She wanted power and influence. Warrick was a good match.

"How did you know I might be with child?" she asked as her anger ebbed a little.

He smiled and shook his head. "you would not find my knowledge decent for your sensibilities. I just know the signs." he sighed.

She shook her head. "How on earth would you know the signs?" dawning of understanding lit her eyes. "You have bastards..."

He laughed ruefully. "I also have a reputation. Honestly, it is like you don't even know my history."

She nodded. "My husband kept me in the country from society. It is why I came back and looked to Sidney. He had friends and influence, and I already knew him. He also knew how to make money."

Warrick smiled. "Not as much as I have. But I don't believe Mr. Parker has bastards Like I have."

"How many?" she asked.

He shook his head seriously. "More. To the point that I stopped bothering with counting." He did not add that he had a solicitor and guardian to care for all the ones he knew about. He would not have it said that he did not care for the whelps. She would not have liked that expensive fact.

"We shall wed tomorrow. I have someone who will stand as a witness for my side if he has returned to London. You will also need someone. Or shall I provide that as well?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No one in such short notice," she said stiffly.

"Oh calm yourself, Mrs. Campion. I do believe you will have the freedom and standing you wished. You won." he said with a smile.

She smiled finding humor in his statement. He seemed to know how competitive she was.

"Have I?" she asked. "It's not the prize I was expecting. A proposal amidst threats..."

He shook his head. "Trust me we are both making sacrifices, but ours are less than others, and we will get on well enough the short times we are obliged to be in the same room, or even the same bed. That part is not distasteful to you."

She shook her head. "No."

Bumping along, he lifted his paper thinking she was satisfied with his explanations but she huffed and he dropped his paper again.

"What is it?" he said impatiently.

She glared. "How were you involved with Miss Heywood's disappearance?" she asked.

He then dramatically rolled his eyes. "No good deed goes unpunished it would seem." He rubbed at his sore nose which she had not even bothered to comment on. "Charlotte found an enemy in Miss Brereton. She drugged Charlott- Miss Heywood, and stuffed her in a trunk and loaded it in my carriage. I was framed, my dear. I had nothing to do with that but yet found myself deep in the mire."

She rolled her eyes. "And she just ran off to Scotland?" she scoffed. "Foolish girl."

He shrugged. "I think she could do well enough in my carriage and with my funds," he said straightening his suit. "A country girl like her can manage better than many sailors at sea."

She shook her head. "High praise. It is a wonder you would not just keep her for yourself."

He laughed. "My dear, I am a captain. I am used to running a ship. You have seen her. She is a marvel at how she sets things up and barks orders. If she were a man I would commission her to Captain one of my ships, but since she is not-"

Eliza put up her hand exasperated. "Enough." She sighed. "I don't wish to hear her name ever again."

He chuckled. "That is too bad. If the child was a girl I was thinking the name Charlotte would suit very nicely."

She glared and shook her head. "Isn't it enough the Babington's named one of the twins after her?" she snapped.

He laughed. "Alright, maybe just a middle name."

Eliza huffed as he picked up his paper again.