Sanditon revisited

5: Is it conceivable I had her wrong?

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In which an embarrassed and hungover Sidney Parker is forced to remain in Sanditon and finds himself in situations where he is positively surprised by Miss Heywood

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His tongue was glued to his dry palate and he could taste his own foul breath. When he sat up, a splitting headache hit him and he had to fight off a wave of nausea. It was bright morning, but Sidney found himself to still be in the bar of the Crowne hotel where he had downed one too many bottles of wine with Babington and Crowe last night. Obviously he had passed out here at some point but could not clearly remember the end of the evening. All he knew was that he had been drinking to forget. Forget how rattled and embarrassed he had been by the encounter with Miss Heywood. For Christ's sake, she had seen him completely naked!

He had never been naked in the company of a lady before. With women, yes, but not any lady and certainly with no woman whose opinion really mattered to him. Wait, rewind. What had just passed through his mind? Befuddled Sidney shook his head, which was a big mistake because the throbbing grew stronger and he groaned, leaning his head in his palms. Why did she of all people have to come by and exactly how much had she seen? He would never know. When he had blinked away the water from his eyes she had been standing on the shore with her back turned to him, clearly aware of his presence so she had seen something of him for sure. Probably far too much because even from behind he could see that her ribcage was heaving from upset breathing. Their conversation had been brief, he had barely managed to apologise before she took for the hills, running faster than he ever had seen any woman run. It was quite impressive actually. He hoped he had not frightened her. He knew he must have embarrassed her and wished he had not. He hoped she did not think too badly of him, maybe it was in that moment he had realised that for some reason it mattered what this opinionated and passionate girl thought even if he had told her the contrary not long ago.

The bar was empty, but his drunken sleep had been disturbed by noises from the construction works across the street and now Babington and Crowe came barging in.

"I told you he'd still be here. Look at the state of him, Babbers."

"A wretched sight indeed."

Judging by how he felt Sidney knew they were not exaggerating.

"Is that not what Miss Heywood said when she ran into you by the cove?"

His two friends looked at each other grinning wide and he wished them somewhere burning hot and unpleasant where sinners like them belonged, at least if one were to believe Mr. Hankins's sermons.

"I should never have told you."

He had regretted it already as he had confessed it, realising they would tease him forever, but he had to tell someone, and he could hardly tell Tom that he had shown himself naked to his protégé. Mary would never forgive him and would probably send Miss Heywood home instantly, which might be for the better come to think of it. Then he would not have to face her again.

"You know Sidney, this has been pleasurable enough and your adventures with little Miss Heywood are certainly entertaining, but we feel it is time to head back to London today. I need a change of environment and Babbers has no luck in his advances to Miss Denham anyway. Will you join us or are you too hungover?"

"He is probably still drunk", Babington chipped in.

"Give me an hour and I'll be ready to depart. I need to go and find my brother first."

He put on his black coat and hat, feeling far from fresh and in dire need of a shave but wanted the conversation with Tom to be over and done with as soon as possible.