Sanditon: A Sisterhood Forms

7

As soon as the carriage had taken off for London, Charlotte and Lady Susan in tow, and they had waved off the Heywood family, Charlotte shedding tears at the thought of so much distance between them once again, the carriage settled into a regular rhythm, working its way along the uneven country roads.

It was then that Susan, after some time exchanging pleasantries and, in general, gauging the overall state of her friend's wellbeing, decided it was time to seek out answers.

"Charlotte, forgive me if I am being too forward with you, but I simply must find out. I do not know what has befallen you these past months, but know that the outcome was not one I could have foreseen. What could have happened to make Mr Parker change his feelings to such a degree as to engage himself to a woman he so clearly does not love?"

Charlotte's face crumpled, at last, unable to hold the guise any longer.

"Oh, my dear Charlotte, what you must have endured. And from what I have gathered, you haven't told anyone about it, have you, dear."

Lady Susan moved to Charlotte's side of the carriage and placed an arm around her shoulders. It was then that Charlotte told the story of what had happened during her last days in Sanditon: his near-proposal at the ball, the terrace fire that was the beginning of their ruin, and Sidney's return to Trafalgar House when she had received the news that broke her heart as she stood before him having expected such a different conversation. The news had rendered her speechless, unable to ask him why or how this change in course had come about in the week he had been in London, though she had imagined so many scenarios since - scenarios that vilified both parties.

"I cannot wrap my head around it, Susan. Why was she the only option he had left? If he truly loved me, why would he throw himself away like that?"

"Ah yes, to that I may have an answer, my dear. Not everyone is as skilled when it comes to considering every avenue available to them. Perhaps your Mr Parker had not the time to broaden his mind to other possibilities, other investors he may be acquainted with but had not yet called upon. Or, perhaps he was merely out of time and the stress of it all got the better of him. We cannot know that yet."

"Yet?"

"Yet. You see, Charlotte, it is quite clear to me that the greatest mistake Mr Parker made that very week was in leaving you behind - a young woman who had just made some very influential acquaintances of her own, and dare I say, a woman with the ingenuity and intelligence to find a solution. Was not the regatta your idea?"

"Well, yes..."

"Case in point, my dear. Now, I happen to know that your Mr Parker-"

"He isn't my Mr Parker," she interjected.

Lady Susan laughed, "Oh, yes he is, my dear. I have seen the way he looks at you, and he is most certainly your Mr Parker."

Charlotte felt a blush creep up her neck, blooming in full upon her cheeks.

"I happen to know, for your information, that your Mr Parker has not yet married, and may not for some time."

She gave Charlotte a devious look, "For some months?" Charlotte asked, attempting nonchalance.

"Yes, it seems that there have been setbacks at every possible turn. One of the many drawbacks of planning an elaborate society wedding. It turns out that his affianced is determined to have the best of everything, and thus, the planning required and the bookings to be made will require far more time than your average country wedding, as she described it to me." Susan's eyes positively twinkled.

"Now, Charlotte, I do apologise that I was not more forthright in my letters to you, but consider it my own way of proceeding with caution. I wrote to you under the assumption that you would have to share my letters with your parents, and, well, I was unsure of how much they might have known of your time in Sanditon."

Charlotte stared at her in disbelief, wondering how, upon the briefest of acquaintances, Lady Worcester had resorted to plotting.

"You see, Charlotte," she said, lifting her brow in the mischievous way she had, "I have come to the realisation that with your ingenuity and my connections, I may be so bold as to propose a partnership, of sorts"

"Oh, Susan, I am not certain that this is the best course..." Lady Susan raised a gloved hand at this, as if she were simply unable to bear it any longer, and spoke to her in the frankest of manners, dipping her head to meet the downcast eyes of her companion, and reached for her hands.

"Charlotte, I am about to watch one of my dearest acquaintances in the world become broken, not from unrequited love, but from renouncing her rightful place next to the man I believe she is wholly suited for. Indeed, as your friend, I cannot, I will not allow you to do this to yourself. Trust me when I say that you will regret it if you do not at least try to find a way to save him from such a fate." Susan blinked, looking away from her friend for the briefest of moments.

Charlotte swallowed, unsure if she could even speak, "But he has made his choice. What can be done to change that without bringing scandal or even ruin to either of us?"

"We find a better option for your Mr Parker, that's what. The rest we can figure out as we go, but for now, we focus on finding a way out. We must save him from a life he does not want for himself, and to do that, we must find investors for your little town."

"Lady Worcester, indeed, I am grateful for your forward thinking, and I know you to be a woman of great influence, but that does not change the fact that we..."

"That we what, Charlotte?" she interjected, eyebrow raised.

"Well...what influence do two women really have in this world?" she asked, exasperated.

Susan laughed, the joyous sound ringing throughout the carriage, "Oh, my dear," she smiled, patting Charlotte's hand, "I have so much to teach you."

The two ladies became engrossed in discussion throughout the rest of their ride to London, arriving on schedule at Weston Place with more than just Susan's regal presence, Charlotte following close behind, shyness creeping into her expression as she met the servants and was shown to the grandest room she had ever seen - they had arrived with the earliest workings of a plan.