The only reason to marry is Love - A Sanditon fanfic

Chapter 1: A rose in a dark place

A/N: This story was triggered by a prompt challenge during the Sanditon Creative's Valentine's week event, prompt 'Forced marriage'. This is one of the tropiest tropes and I did not expect it to develop into the full novel that it has become. It also seems to be one of the most emotional love stories I have written, judging by the feedback I get from the readers.

This is Sidney's and Charlotte's love story. They meet under different circumstances  than in Sanditon but the story is still set in the Regency era and I think you will find them depicted true to character. 

Some people have told me they were hesitant to start reading the story due to the different setting, but in the they end were very glad that they did. I hope you will feel the same if you give it a chance. If you read I am very happy if you let me know what you think.

/Miss P

Chapter 1

"You got married? Tell me it is a joke?"

Sidney Parker's head snapped up when his friend Lord Babington barged into the parlour where he quite peacefully had been reading the newspaper. Appearances were deceiving though. Only his outside was calm, his insides were in a turmoil already before Babington startled him.

"It is true", he answered flatly and threw the newspaper aside with an eye-roll.

"What? What made the most elusive eligible bachelor in London elope to Gretna Green and marry a woman I never even heard you mention before? When I last saw you, you were on your way to the arms of some courtesan."

"I thought you aspired on that title Babbers, or at least you did until Esther tamed you. Anyway, you are actually to blame for this."

"Me? How?"

Sidney got to his feet.

"Wine first?"

"Oh yes, I need that to take in this news."

Sidney poured two glasses of wine, handed one to his friend and both sat down.

"Now tell me, how am I to blame for you getting married on a whim?"

-o-

A week earlier Sidney, Babington and a third friend, Crowe, had been playing cards and drinking when Sidney happened to spill that it was his twenty-eighth birthday. This instantly made the other two insist that to celebrate properly, ladies had to be involved. They dragged the reluctant birthday child with them through the streets of London to the city's most exclusive brothel, where they told him to sit down and wait while they arranged something for him.

"We cannot allow you be alone on your birthday night!"

"I'm not alone, I'm with you", he protested.

"Yes, but we don't intend to kiss you, dear friend. There are others who can do that so well. Now just sit here and wait."

Sidney had been in this establishment before but less so in the last year, as the appeal of paid female company had faded to him. He was set on never marrying, yet it seemed to him like if one could not have a companion like the one his brother Tom had found in his dear wife Mary, then what was the point of female company at all? He had always been a loner but now more than ever and it did not bother him. It seemed to concern others though. Tom and Mary wanted to see him married, and now even Babington and Crowe wanted to interfere to provide him a more temporary kind of 'love'. He sighed heavily.

"We have arranged you a special." Babington returned, looking extremely pleased with himself.

"A special? Please, no, I'm not in the mood. You can keep your special and I'll stay here and nurse my drink."