Lady Denham's Dinner party took place on a Friday and was attended, as it had been every year, by the principle inhabitants of the town. This year, though, there were two notable additions: the Viscount and Viscountess Morpeth. No one was surprised by the Viscountess' inclusion; the dinner celebrated the anniversary of the first Sanditon Regatta and it would have been very strange not to invite the very woman who had volunteered the original idea.
However, despite the rumours and their presence about the town, it would seem that some residents had miraculously remained oblivious to her presence, so, while unsurprised at the invitation being extended to her, they had been unaware that she had not only married, but married so highly and that the old dragon appeared to approve of the gentleman. It was well known, after all, that Lady Denham did not like to be uninformed and did not like to alter her plans for the convenience of others.
Regardless, many of the same individuals who had attended Lady Denham's Dinner to welcome Georgiana to Sanditon were present again that evening. The entire Parker family made up quite half of the guests who were seated at the long table in Lady Denham's dining room. The other half consisted of Miss Lambe, Miss Enworth, Lord and Lady Babington who had arrived from town that morning much to Charlotte's surprise, Mr Crowe, and of course George and Charlotte.
The feast of dishes decorating the table exhibited the skill and artistry of the lady's cook with platters of roasted poultry and game, creamy potato creations, buttery vegetables and towers of candied fruits. If one thing must be acknowledged, however, it could only be the relief felt by all at the absolute lack of pineapples.
As it turned out, Lady Denham had not drawn quite the same conclusions from her first unfortunate attempt at obtaining the exotic fruit as all others had. The disparity in reaction had led to another rather painful moment in the intervening years that had since earned the astute sobriquet of 'the pineapple incident'. It should suffice to say that no one wished to see it repeated and the pineapple was, thenceforth, considered illegal to the local society.
Conversations varied throughout the evening but the cultivated avoidance and resulting tension between four notable individuals could not be ignored. In fact, everyone present seemed to have been drawn into the interactions which surely precipitated the events of the rest of the evening.
When the Babington's arrived in Sanditon, Esther had immediately made her way to Sanditon House while her husband intended to impose himself on Sidney's hospitality for what remained of the day. He had not imposed himself upon his friend for very much longer than it took for the other man to learn of his knowledge of Lady Morpeth's affairs and retreated with haste to the tavern with Mr. Crowe in the hopes of avoiding his friend's temper.
Likewise, Lady Babington had determined to devote what energy was not currently spent attending her husband, son or managing the discomfort of her condition on supporting her friend with what she was sure was a decidedly intolerable position to find oneself in. She did not believe Charlotte's protests that she was not as troubled by the situation as others seemed inclined to wish her to be. She thought her friend rather paler than she remembered with an air of waning energy and strength.
It can only be expected that Tom and Mary would find themselves thrust into the midst of their brother's discontentment and the animosity displayed between the two couples; or rather, the animosity shown by one and directed to the other. Though the former seemed to be typically ignorant to the poisonous atmosphere, recognising only that his brother did not seem to be his usual self. Even Arthur and Diana were sensible to the tension and unusually reserved.
Only four people seemed outwardly unaffected by the unpleasantness. Charity Entworth was not acquainted with the full history between the two couples and with confusion could only assume some trifling disagreement had been had and hoped the hostility would fade quickly. Lady Denham simply did not care for their foolishness and chose to disregard all consideration or mention of it. Georgiana was quite unabashedly amused and could be heard snickering with frequency at any moment she had occasion to observe the glares being passed around the room like a virus. And Mr. Crowe… well, as usual, Mr. Crowe was far too interested in the diminishing contents of his flask to accommodate much more within the realm of his attention than the minimum requirement of monosyllabic responses to the conversation attempts made by his dinner partners.
The meal itself passed in tolerable liveliness for most, despite the rising tension felt by certain parties, and when the final course was cleared the guests retreated to the drawing room in their entirety. This was due in part to a recognition that separation of the sexes may not have a desirable effect on that occasion but also out of curiosity as to the inevitable confrontation they were sure to witness amongst the ladies.
No one was disappointed. The group had been settled for not five minutes before Eliza opened her mouth and proceeded to further the depths of social stupidity she had displayed earlier that week.
"I suppose by now, Lady Morpeth, you have heard that your... au naturel escapade has become common knowledge? How embarrassing that must be for you." she said as she joined the card table the Viscountess was sat at engaging in a game of bridge with Lady Babington, Miss Lambe and Miss Entworth.
Charlotte startled at the older woman's address which had been uncharacteristically polite though her words made false the nature of her tone. The rest of the room froze; Lady Denham silenced from holding court over the remaining Parkers and Lord Morpeth shifting his attention from his discussion with Babington and Crowe to closely watch the interaction his wife was having.
"You seem to be misinformed, Mrs Parker. My husband and I were unclothed, certainly, but we were not so completely exposed as you suggest. I can only assume you take some issue with our choosing to swim without donning the proper sea bathing garments despite retaining the same degree of modesty."
George was a tolerant person by nature but the shrew was testing the limits of patience. It was fortunate that his wife was so competent at handling herself and his intervention was rarely required.
Elize floundered for an instant but recovered quickly, if one had not witness the violence that flared to life in her eyes and the dissatisfied tilt of her lips, one might think it had never occurred. "You do not feel shame in demonstrating such a conceited flaunting of how ill prepared you are to be a peeress?" her tone retained its saccharine quality.
George moved to defend his wife at the vicious taunt but his intent was anticipated and prevented by Lord Babington. "Let your wife handle this, Morpeth." He cautioned with a grasp on the younger man's arm. "If you interfere now, you will only lend credence to the insult and further encourage her. Charlotte needs to prove she is capable of meeting the demands of her position."
"She shouldn't have to."
Crowe was the one to respond to this. "No, she shouldn't have to; yet she must now that her competence has been questioned." His companions glanced at each other and then to him incredulously. Crowe huffed as he raised his flask to his lips. "I'm not completely inept, gentlemen."
Crowe was right however, Charlotte's ability to satisfy her responsibilities had been challenged and she would defend herself. After all, she had never been one to run from a challenge and she wasn't going to start now.
"Should I feel shame? I was not aware it was shameful to enjoy excursion with one's husband. But then you have been known to believe reading an unsophisticated pursuit and the country gentry your inferiors so I would not expect you to understand." There was a pause as Charlotte set down her hand of cards and turned to face Eliza before she continued.
"As for being ill-equipped to manage my new station, I am prepared to cede that I have a great deal to learn before I could truly consider myself as being properly equipped to support my husband as his Viscountess. I am not however nearly so ignorant of the demands of managing such affairs as I have taken on as you may wish to believe, Mrs Parker. It may not be so expansive as my husband's family's holdings, but I have been mistress of an estate that is mine by right and by law these past three years almost, and despite my marriage that estate remains my own.
"I was raised by my mother with the knowledge of managing a household and taught by my father to monitor accounts and balance books, to assess tenant holdings and oversee their maintenance, I managed his business affairs when he or my older brothers could not. Am I still ill-prepared for such endeavours, Mrs Parker?"
Eliza was frozen at receiving so firm a set down from a girl who, in her previous experience, she would not have thought capable of such a thing. Her face burned as she struggled to process just how wrong she had been and failed to find any words to express neither displeasure, nor surprise, nor an apology for her assumption.
Charlotte, whose bearing had been drawn higher and tighter as she spoke, dismissed the unsettled woman upon realising there was nothing more that was likely to be said that evening in favour of returning to her game of cards. George, whose arm had since been released by Babington went to join her, shooting a dark look that promised retribution at Eliza as he passed her.
He did not leave Charlotte's side again that night and if the couple departed earlier than was technically polite, no one could find the will to disapprove of it. Fortunately, Sidney Parker had quickly determined that they would receive a frosty reception if they remained much longer after his own wife's outburst and made their excuses before escorting harshly commanding Eliza to remove herself. The whole room seemed to release a mighty exhale as they took the tension with them.
Sidney and Eliza Parker were conspicuously absent from the cricket match the next day, to the great relief of Charlotte and George and the great disappointment of Lady Susan, Lady Granville and Lady Howard. Lady Susan had been much looking forward to introducing her friends to the wretched pair that had caused her friend such suffering and, unbeknownst to them, brough her into their lives. She was sure they would enjoy what was to come as much as she would.
It transpired that the cricket match was a rather sedate affair with the only excitement coming from the game itself. Many of the same workers that had played in the original played again in this one and in all the matches betwixt the two. The gentlemen's team however seemed to change year on year. Tom Parker had stepped forward to play that year and was joined by Lord Babington, Lord Morpeth and Mr Crowe, though the last gentleman had been reduced to the position of substitute. There were a number of other gentlemen, a mixture of residents and visitors, but whose identities Charlotte was ignorant to.
The gentlemen won that year, though it had been a close call. Charlotte, having not had the opportunity to witness her husband's sportsmanship had been in equal parts breathless and excited and concerned at the sight of it and desperately wished she could get away with playing herself once more. She thought they would make an excellent team for he was an atrocious batsman where she was brilliant, though she did not wish to boast even within the confines of her own mind, and a skilled bowler where she would always toss the ball too far left or right of the batsman. But then the rules of gameplay were not so convenient as that; they would be more likely to make a remarkably ineffective and ridiculous team and be laughed at by all.
Fun was to be had by every quarter and once the match was over, the players and spectators had enjoyed a light, if late, luncheon sat upon the sand. Diana and Arthur Parker had taken a page out of their brother's book and alternated between being excessively excited by the affair and typically apprehensive that they or someone else would be disastrously injured by a flyaway bat or ball.
The launch of the annual regatta that year was considered a resounding success, due in no small part, in the minds of the town's residents and regular visitors, to the choice to stay away that day by two individuals who surely no longer need naming.
Much of the gathered crowd began to drift away, returning to their homes and rented abodes long before the sun began to set, some to prepare for evening entertainments and others to enjoy an evening of peace with their loved ones. George and Charlotte intended similar things when they departed, leaving behind only the fleet of hired staff clearing away the remains of their celebrations and the carousing sounds of bucks and drunks led, as can only be expected, by Mr Crowe who would no doubt delight in the pleasures of their spirits and later what willing womenfolk they could find long into the night.
As was their wont, they ate lightly again, late in the evening when the light of the sun's rays had dipped below the horizon, and retired to bed where they lay in each other's arms and spoke of happy things and their surprise at seeing his relatives among the revellers. Though George, to Charlotte's mind, did not seen so surprised as she or even so surprised as he ought to have been.
When they slept it was peacefully and without dreams, a thing they would find themselves grateful for the next day in all its anticipated excitement.
