Sanditon: A Sisterhood Forms

18

Mary sat staring absently at the breakfast table that morning, mechanically wiping down Henry's face every few minutes, tending to the children in the same way she had done every morning for as long as she could remember, as they all listened to Tom remark excitedly about the latest developments at the terrace.

"I must send word of the Cornish stone delivery to Sidney at once. I'm certain that he is eager to inform Mrs Campion that it has arrived and building is set to resume with hardly a delay in the schedule. At this rate, we will be almost guaranteed to be finished by the spring, assuming that the weather cooperates, that is."

"How wonderful, dear," Mary said, distractedly. "Pray tell, will you be on another site visit today?"

"Yes, yes, I think I must. I want to make sure that the workers are progressing at a proper pace. Stringer is a capable sort, it is true, but it wouldn't hurt to have another set of eyes."

"Well, I think it's a marvellous idea," Mary interjected, "don't you, children?" The added notes of approval were just enough to make Tom burst out of his chair with nervous energy.

"Yes, yes I shall. Perhaps...perhaps I will get my things now and head over to the building site. They have been at it for a few hours already, and I am sure progress has been made. I should very much like to see it."

"And so you should, Tom. Go on, I have everything handled here." She smiled. "Wish your father a good day, children."

"Good day, Papa," they chorused, Henry slightly behind his sisters in his response, and with a smile, Tom Parker jetted from the room shouting eagerly for Morgan to help him locate his cane.

Mary remained seated as Tom jetted about the house, listening to his familiar motions as he sought cane and hat, donning his overcoat and, at long last, she heard the click of the front door as it latched behind him.

"Morgan?" she called.

"Yes, Ma'am"

"I would like to send a message to Mrs Griffiths' to fetch Georgiana for the day. Would you be so kind as to arrange for her safe arrival?"

"Just the same as yesterday, then?"

"Yes, precisely. Thank you."

Within the hour, Georgiana arrived, walking into Tom's study as if it were her own home. Morgan had already fetched her bonnet and pelisse at the door, and she looked quite ready for the events of the day ahead.

"How much time do we have today?" she asked Mary from across the room.

Mary looked over at the clock, shifting a stack of papers as she did so. "Oh, at least two hours, maybe three."

"Alright, then, enough time to get through what I didn't have a chance to yesterday."

"My goodness, I got so caught up, I didn't ask. Did you find anything of interest?"

"Just more receipts and letters of unpaid debts. Nothing too out of the ordinary."

"Right, well, it will all be of use to us one way or another."

"This is overwhelming, Mary. He has years worth of papers and documents."

"I certainly understand your meaning, but we must keep our heads up. We will reach the end of this at some point. Sidney has written to me about the London house, and the piles of papers and ledger books he found left behind there."

"What? You mean there are more??" Georgiana looked completely overwhelmed at this.

"Oh yes, I believe that Tom has kept every document that has ever been mailed to him after looking through what exists here."