Chapter 17
Sidney ascended the curved staircase, having asked a servant which room belonged to Miss Heywood. He knocked on the third door on the right and waited.
Charlotte was sitting on her bed, with pillows against her back and her head on Mary's shoulder. Lady Babington sat on the side of the bed, her hand resting on Charlotte's knee. The presence of both women had eased Charlotte's suffering. Their repeated assurances that she would be all right had mollified her and she had stopped crying shortly after coming up the stairs. Being comforted by Mary was like being comforted by Charlotte's mother, and Lady Babington was again, surprisingly affable. She knew they would have to leave soon, but she did not want them to. They had made this horrible evening bearable.
Charlotte did not lift her head when someone knocked on her door. She assumed it was Lady Worcester. The noblewoman had yet to come and see her, but Charlotte supposed this was because she was dealing with the disaster downstairs.
"Who is it?" Mary asked.
"It is me, Sidney."
Mary exchanged glances with Lady Babington and then Charlotte. Charlotte sat up straight; Sidney was on the other side of the door. She imagined that he had departed by now. What was he still doing here? Mary stood and opened the door.
"May I speak with Miss Heywood?" Sidney inquired gently.
"Now is not a good time, Sidney. Charlotte has been through a terrible ordeal."
"I have come to see if she is well. That is all."
Mary turned to Charlotte and Charlotte nodded to give her approval. Mary then pulled the door open wider and allowed Sidney to enter. All three women waited for Sidney to begin speaking.
Sidney cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "May I speak privately with Miss Heywood?" he asked.
Mary's eyes widened slightly, and she turned again to Charlotte. After a moment, Charlotte nodded her head in approval again.
"We'll be downstairs if you need us," Mary said. She gave Sidney a cautious look as she and Lady Babington left, closing the door behind them.
Sidney stood awkwardly near the door. He knew he should not be alone with Charlotte like this, but he needed to speak with her and she was in no condition to return downstairs. He looked her over carefully. Her arm was now bandaged, and the color had come back to her cheeks. He was relieved to see this, but still greatly concerned. He had never seen her so overcome with emotion.
Charlotte eyes met his and waited for him to speak. He was taking a great risk by coming to see her. Where was Mrs. Campion? How had he gotten away from her? Surely, she was still downstairs. Charlotte feared the next knock on her door would be Mrs. Campion, prepared to pummel Charlotte with more insults, and she shivered at the idea.
"How are you feeling?" Sidney ended the long silence by asking.
"I have had much worse, I assure you. I have lived on a farm my entire life, you know."
Sidney smiled slightly at her continued resolve to appear strong in the face of a harrowing incident. "Yes, I am aware."
Charlotte paused. "Thank you for...for assisting me in the drawing room." She had so many thoughts running through her head about what had happened and why it happened to her, but the thought she continually returned to was being in Sidney's arms. It was a moment she would cherish forever.
"I was...greatly concerned." Sidney wanted to say that he was scared witless when he saw her on the floor, but he thought better of it. "I still do not understand how a dead mouse was in your box, but Lady Worcester has said she will not rest until she discovers what happened." Sidney stared at Charlotte, holding her gaze for longer than they both knew was necessary or appropriate. "There is another reason why I came to see you."
Charlotte waited again for him to continue speaking.
"You were talking with Mrs. Campion before the incident. I wish to know the subject of the discussion."
Charlotte took in a breath and clenched her lips. The last thing she wished to discuss was her conversation with Mrs. Campion.
"What did you speak about?" Sidney insisted. "Charlotte, what did she say to you? Was it something terrible?"
"I shall not speak badly of Mrs. Campion," Charlotte said. "She is to be your wife."
"Would you not have me to know the kind of woman I am marrying?"
Charlotte considered his request, even though her response would change nothing.
"She said I should go back to Willingden," Charlotte told him. "That I am not wanted here; I do not belong here in London. That you do not love me."
"She is wrong on all accounts." Sidney did not care if he was being improper. Mrs. Campion had said indescribably awful things to Charlotte. He could not allow Charlotte to believe they were true.
"No, she is right. I should never have come. I thought it would be all right when Lady Worcester invited me, but now I see that my decision was unwise."
"Was it unwise for us to see each other again?"
"Yes, I believe it was," Charlotte confessed. "I believe...seeing each other again has caused more harm than good."
Sidney was stung by Charlotte's honesty, but he should not have expected anything different. He was still engaged to Mrs. Campion. "Well, I for one do not regret it. When I last saw you in Sanditon, I thought I would never lay eyes upon you again. Despite the fact that the evening has ended so terribly, I am grateful that I was able to see you smile one last time. Hear you laugh. I was able to hold you again. I know that does not change the current course of things, but I will always carry those memories with me. I will always carry you with me."
Charlotte swallowed as tears filled her eyes. She was afraid to speak, lest she bare her soul to him. Again, what good would that do?
Sidney waited for her to speak and when she did not, he knew that their time had come to an end. "I must go," he said softly. "Be well, Charlotte."
He gave her one last look as he closed the door. Charlotte stifled a sob and listened for his footsteps to fade.
Sidney gripped the banister to compose himself. He ran his hands over his face to quell the urge to cry and then made his way down the steps slowly. Mrs. Campion was talking with Lord and Lady Babington. Mary, Tom, Arthur, and Diana were talking with Lady Worcester.
"It is time for us to depart," Sidney told Mrs. Campion. "Lord and Lady Babington." He nodded to say good-bye and Lord Babington nodded in return. Sidney knew he must finish his conversation with Lord Babington tomorrow and include all that had just transpired. He would make the time, on his last day before the wedding.
"Mr. Parker, Mrs. Campion," Lady Worcester said, walking over to them. "You have my sincerest apologies again. I do hope to see you again soon."
"Lady Worcester," Sidney replied, "Overall, it was a lovely evening. Thank you for inviting us."
"You are most welcome. Oh, and congratulations. I wish you all the best on your wedding. I am sure you will be very happy together."
Sidney gave her another nod. "Tom, Mary, Arthur, Diana, I will see Mrs. Campion home. I will see you back at the house." With that, Mrs. Campion said her farewells and Sidney held his arm out to lead her away. He had never been so relieved in all his life. The evening was over. He supposed it had been a success from the perspective of becoming acquainted with Lady Worcester's friends. He had conversed with businessmen and other influential people. He supposed he would be seeing these people more often now. After all, he would be a member of the London beau monde through his marriage to Mrs. Campion the day after tomorrow.
Mary, Lady Babington, and Diana had come to say good night to Charlotte. Mary insisted that if there was anything Charlotte needed, Charlotte must let her know. Lady Babington and Diana concurred.
"We are leaving on Saturday. I do hope we have the chance to see you again before we go," Mary said.
"I hope so, too," Charlotte said. She embraced them all and felt a sense of loss as they left because she knew she would not see them again. After Sidney left her room, she had decided she was leaving London in the morning. There was no need for her to stay with Lady Worcester when it was clear that Sidney was still going to marry Mrs. Campion. Charlotte felt like a fool, and for the first time, she felt angry and disappointed in Lady Worcester. Charlotte had put her faith in the noblewoman, and her faith had not been rewarded. Charlotte chided herself; she should have left well enough alone and remained in Willingden. She should have been unselfish and let Sidney marry Mrs. Campion in peace.
She had also decided she would never visit Sanditon again. She would only be able to move forward if she stayed away. There was nothing there for her now. She would write Mary and Lady Babington and tell them of her decision once she was back in Willingden. She hoped they would understand.
Charlotte changed into her night dress and unpinned her hair in preparation for sleep. She was exhausted. She waited patiently for Lady Worcester to visit her and was sitting up in bed when Lady Worcester knocked on her door.
"Come in," Charlotte said.
"Charlotte, dear," Lady Worcester answered. She swept in, still magnificent in appearance after the drama of the evening. She sat on the bed beside Charlotte, a velvet black box in her hand. "I would have been up sooner, but I was tending to the remaining guests. They have all departed now. Mary and Lady Babington told me you were feeling better and that Genevieve bandaged your arm. How are you feeling?"
"My arm still hurts. Was this part of your plan?" Charlotte pointed to the bandage that covered her forearm.
"My goodness, no. I cannot tell you how sorry I am that you were injured."
"Well, then, your plan did not work because Sidney and Mrs. Campion will still be married Friday. Nothing has changed. Nothing!"
Lady Worcester sat back at the vehemence in Charlotte's words, but she remained calm. "My dear girl, simply because we cannot feel the Earth rotate on its axis does not mean that it is not in motion."
"What is the meaning of that?"
"It means...be patient."
"No, I am through being patient. I have been patient for three days while I waited for you to reveal your plan to me. You revealed nothing. And the result was my humiliation once again in the presence of Mrs. Campion. I am not convinced there was ever a plan. I do not know what you thought you were doing, but I felt as if I were being tortured. And I am finished. I am leaving London in the morning. I want to go home to Willingden."
"Charlotte—"
"No! No more!" Charlotte was apoplectic. "I wish for you to leave, please. I am very tired and I need to sleep."
Lady Worcester could see that Charlotte was not to be appeased. "Very well. But before I go, I wish to give you this." She offered the black velvet box she had been holding to Charlotte.
Charlotte regarded it suspiciously. "What is it?"
"The necklace I had made for you."
Charlotte hesitated and then took the box from Lady Worcester. It was roughly the size of her doomed blue box. She opened it slowly, wary of another dead mouse. But there was no rodent inside. A round emerald surrounded by diamonds and attached to a gold chain gleamed in the lamplight. It was breathtaking.
"Where...where did this come from?" Charlotte stammered, staring at the necklace. "I know my box was the only one with a dead mouse in it. I could not understand why. Was someone playing a horrible ruse on me?"
"No, my dear. Mrs. Campion brought your box to the dinner. The necklace was in the box when she arrived. You see, there was always a plan." Lady Worcester smiled. "Sleep well. I will see you in the morning."
Lady Worcester left and Charlotte sat in stunned silence. Charlotte looked down again at the necklace and heard Lady Worcester's words repeat in her mind.
Mrs. Campion brought your box to the dinner. The necklace was in the box when she arrived. You see, there was always a plan.
Mrs. Campion brought your box to the dinner. The necklace was in the box when she arrived. You see, there was always a plan.
Charlotte gasped and realized the sleep she so desperately craved would not be coming any time soon.