Beginnings Beyond Endings (A Sanditon Fanfiction)

More Creative Means

While Sidney and Eliza were individually mulling over the state of their marriage, their history and the consequences of their choices, Sanditon's remaining residents were enjoying the delights of a bazaar that had been planned for the penultimate day of the summer regatta.

The bazaar, which had been moved at the last moment to the shelter of the town hall and parish church as an unanticipated downpour commenced, was a treasure trove of unusual goods and produce. There were sundries and grains and spices from foreign lands, silks and fashions being peddled by travelling merchants and stalls with trinkets galore scattered about the two halls as the crowds bustled amongst them, admiring the strange things to be discovered and purchased.

George and Charlotte could be spied browsing the many trestles that had established themselves in the central atrium of the town hall. They stopped here and there to examine a piece of jewellery or to comment on the craftsmanship of some pretty thing or other and George would discretely purchase those things his wife admired most with the intention of presenting them to her over the coming months as little tokens of his love.

Charlotte, however, had observed her husband's attempts at subtlety and could only silently sigh with fond exasperation at his atrocious excuses when she asked after his frequent disappearances. She had caught herself from showing too much preference for some of the priciest items, no matter how delightful she found them. George observed her tempered delight and saw it for what it was and purchased them regardless much to her consternation at the utterly unnecessary expense. Some were indeed extravagant and extortionately ticketed.

It was when the couple ventured back into the streets and made their way to one the inns of better repute for luncheon that saw a peculiar confrontation between the Ladies and the gentlemen who were present in their party.

The ladies had entered the inn some half an hour before the rest of their many companions and had proceeded to scheme many numerous approaches to controlling the worst of Georgiana's wildness in an effort to engender greater humility and propriety in the wilful young lady whom their dear Charlotte claimed as a bosom friend. It was upon this discussion that the Ladies' husbands had stumbled upon and resigned themselves to the doubtlessly futile endeavour of managing their wives' intention of interfering in matters that they had no right to concern themselves with.

"Why do you ladies feel the need to manage the behaviour of a young lady who is of no significance or relation to yourselves?" The Earl of Carlisle asked of his wife and her companions.

"But she is of significance to us, my Lord Howard." his Countess said. "Miss Lambe is a close friend to our Charlotte. Her behaviour, if she is allowed to continue as she currently is, will reflect poorly on our son and daughter-in-law and, by extension, we will also be affected. Charlotte is much too strong-willed and loyal to those she cares about to simply give up her friend, regardless of the cost to her own reputation, so the friend must be managed and brought to heel." Lady Howard explained.

"Indeed." Lady Susan concurred much to the consternation of her own husband. The Marquess took great pains to avoid involving himself in his wife's social schemes where there was no political benefit and this one, unfortunately could not be avoided; his fellow lords were sure to label him a traitor if he attempted to escape the Ladies' clutch and abandon them now.

"I have, however, been attempting to make our Little G see reason. Miss Lambe is not a child and appears quite fixed in her ways. She will not be easily changed. It is also true that the young lady has matured a very great deal in recent years. She was much more wild when she and Charlotte first befriended each other."

The Ladies' husbands paled at this knowledge. Georgiana Lambe was quite wild as she currently was and the thought that her present manner was a marked improvement was a frightful thought.