A carriage ride trough Willingden

smoothly shaved

Early in the morning, Miss Heywood came into his room and closed the windows she had forgotten last night. Poor Mr Parker must have been half frozen to death because he was lying under the blanket with his upper body naked. She stared at him for a moment, distracted. He seemed to be still asleep. On tiptoe she tried to steal herself quietly away again.

"Miss Heywood? "He asked in a scratchy voice.

"Mr Parker." Slowly she turned to him and was relieved that he was completely covered.

"Thank you." He said for lack of words.

Charlotte looked so different this morning. Or maybe it was just the sunbeams slowly making their way through the curtains. Fresh and radiant and with a tender smile on her lips.

"I'll erm... I'll go then, Mr Parker." 

She scurried out of the room, embarrassed. Disappointment lay on Sidney, although he knew of course that a young lady wasn't allowed to be in a man's room, a stranger's room. But he hoped very much that she would return soon.

Shortly after breakfast, he took in bed, Mary and Tom came to visit him. They told him that they wanted to return to Sanditon today. Finally, the children and Tom's project waited for their presence. Sidney knew that the priorities of the two were not equally divided, but in a peculiar way he was pleased that they left him here alone.

"Dr. Fuchs said you could travel again in a few days, but we can't wait that long," Mary said, longing for her children.

"Of course Mary, I understand."

"We'll send the carriage back to you all." Tom hurried to say. Excuse me? Had he heard right? He looked at Tom in question and his heart started beating faster, for some unfathomable reason.

"I can ride a horse after all." He marbled.

"No!" Tom shouted "Doctor Fuchs is coming on Thursday."

For what reason he was disappointed Sidney couldn't say for sure, but his heart made a jump as Tom continued speaking.

"You can all go together then." He now looked at Mary, who couldn't resist a grin, but tried to get a calm voice.

"We've invited Charlotte to visit us for the summer."

Sidney asked "Charlotte?" Oh, please let it be her. His heart pounded up to his neck, he really didn't know why.

"Well, Miss Heywood, Sidney. Miss Heywood!" Tom replied excitedly, planning in his mind what he wanted to show the young lady.

Later that afternoon, Sidney tried to get dressed so he could have dinner with the Heywood family. Lost in thought and stroking his chin, he noticed his growing stubble and decided to shave for the first time in days. Luckily Tom had brought his luggage and Sidney dug out his utensils. As he painted the foam into his face, he heard a slight knock on the door and asked in. One of the boys, 7 or 8 years old, spicked into the room and asked if he needed anything. Since the dinner would soon be ready.

"Maybe you or one of your brothers can help me shave? I can't lift my left arm yet and..." Sidney asked.

"No, but I'll get mother."

"No, that's not..." but at that moment the boy, maybe George, was already disappeared and he only heard the rumbling footsteps on the stairs.

A few moments later, the door opened and somehow embarrassed to be so helpless, he began