A carriage ride trough Willingden

confession

Grumpy leaned his head towards Charlotte and looked at her with his knowing eyes as Sidney walked out with him. He muttered something about washing the dirty dog and said his goodbye. 

All day long they did not see each other again, until later that afternoon he announced he had to go to London. Charlotte was incredibly disappointed, but tried not to show it. Only in the evening, when the family went for a short walk on the beach, he spoke to her again.

"Miss Heywood." She looked at him expectantly.

"May I ask you to keep an eye on Grumpy while I'm in London?"

"Of course."

Their eyes got entangled and it was as if a whole conversation was going on between them, although they both remained silent. Grumpy between their feet and they both laughed. Then he wanted to play catch and jumped up on Sidney until he ran after him.

The days passed and Charlotte distracted herself with visits to Georgiana, the beach and with the children. But she realized there was something missing. Missing someone. She was so used to having Sidney around that she only now realized how much he had become part of her life. He was her connection to Willingden and although there were moments when he confused her and she found him strange, she did not want to miss him. She wondered what that meant. Perhaps she was homesick?

Sidney did his business within the first two days in London. The third day he spent with his lawyer. On his way back to Sanditon, he put another plan into action.

Two days later Sidney arrived at Trafalgar House and met only Mary. He asked, casually to find out where Charlotte was and learned that she was with Georgina. But when he found his ward alone at Mrs Griffith's, he was filled with worry.

"We split up to look for Grumpy, we just lost track for a moment." Georgiana seemed genuinely worried.

"Where have you been?"

"Everywhere. We took a big walk by the river and then he was gone. She wanted to search the river one way and I wanted to search the other. But then Mrs Griffiths insisted on going back to town."

"Alright."

After searching everywhere he had been with Grumpy before, he ran into town to ask if anyone had seen a dog and Charlotte. Half an hour later, he found Charlotte outside the hotel. She was holding Grumpy on a leash that she had apparently made from her hatband. She froze for a moment as she felt him coming closer, but then relaxed as soon as she recognized him.

"Hadn't we agreed you would look after him?" He asked in a teasing tone.

But Charlotte was not in the mood and took it the wrong way.

"He does what he wants and just runs away." 

She was furious, he could tell. The little line between her eyebrows deepened when she gave him a nasty look and he suddenly wasn't convinced it was a good way to say hello.

"And this is my fault?" He mumbled.

"Yes of course, you spoiled him."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You ....you hang out here" she points to the entrance of the hotel, "and...your swimming... and..."

"And you always just sit home and be good?"

"Oh, is that what you want?"

"What?" Surprised by the turn of events in this conversation, or rather argument, he fell silent.