Sanditon: A Sisterhood Forms

41

Charlotte awoke with a start to an empty carriage. The familiar bustle of a busy street met her ears as she took in the surroundings through the carriage windows - and for the briefest of moments, she was certain they had returned to London. Coaches and carts manoeuvred past the window in a steady line as pedestrians darted out in front of them, bound for the cluster of shops beyond. She moved to the door and opened it, the noise deafening as she was met with a crowd of newly arrived travellers, eager to find refreshment at The Green Man.

"Yes, I realise that, but it doesn't change the fact that nearly every major coach route stops directly outside this very inn."

"Well..." came the frustrated reply, "might they have gone to The Red Lion instead?"

Sidney paused, and gave Linton a cursory glance, tapping his cane irritably on the street. "Are we meant to search every last inn we come upon?"

"I suppose it depends on how thorough you wish your search to be," Charlotte interjected as she hopped down from the carriage. Sidney turned, startled at the sound of her voice. "You're awake," he murmured, a slight smile emerging, and she returned it, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Linton," she said, turning to him, "you are looking much better."

"Thank you, Miss Heywood," he said, looking almost embarrassed at the attention, "I am finding that my spirits are quite renewed now that the carriage has stopped."

"Quite renewed, indeed," Sidney muttered under his breath.

"So, what will it be, Mr Parker?" she continued, "You are her guardian, after all. Do we go on to make up the time? Or gather what information we can at every stop."

He took in a breath and let it out slowly as he looked down the street at the inn opposite them, moving his cane to and fro as he deliberated. "We check The Red Lion," he said, at last. "Linton, go with the driver to inquire with every last ostler within walking distance. If they were not on a stagecoach, we must find out if they hired their own for the journey. We will catch up with you at the inn."

"You...wish for me to trek out to the stables, Sir?" He sounded taken aback by the idea.

"Yes, we must work to gather as much information as we can, and quickly," Linton motioned for Sidney to step closer to him.

"And you expect me to allow you and Miss Heywood to just go off on your own," he said in a muted voice, darting a glance at Charlotte. "I really don't-"

"Are you suggesting that you would rather Miss Heywood go with you to the stables," he bristled, his voice lowered, "Just go, all right? It won't take long to inquire and I promise to look after her."

"Look after her?" Sidney was met with a stern, almost forbidding expression. "A dangerous statement if I've ever heard one."

"Off with you," he said through his teeth, "to the stables. I will look after Miss Heywood like a gentleman."

Linton moved in closer, putting a hand on Sidney's shoulder as if he were making a fatherly gesture, but his tone was gravely serious. "Oh, yes, you had better, Mr Parker - or you will have to answer to me. Is that understood?"

He swallowed, feeling suddenly as if he were talking to Mr Heywood, himself, "Yes, of course," he said in a much different tone.

He began to turn in the direction of the stables at The Green Man, but his eyes did not break from Sidney's. "Right, then," he said, quietly, "I will hold you to your word, but," his expression turned fierce, protective, "keep in the forefront of your mind that I might rejoin you at any moment, likely when you least expect it, and you had best be behaving like a gentleman when I do," and with a final turn of his head, Linton disappeared into the throng.