The evening passed all too soon, and it was time to retire for the evening. Sidney and Charlotte exchanged a look communicating silently to each other that the announcement of their courtship was imminent which made them grin at each other like besotted fools. Something that Mrs Heywood did not miss- it reminded her of her own courtship announcement to her family- what a party that was! She smiled fondly at the memory.
The first ones to retire were Arthur and Diana. They asked Tom whether he would join them for a spot of bathing with the children tomorrow morning. Tom was still in a pleasant mood, so he agreed wholeheartedly. He felt guilty about not spending time with his brother and sister. The children would be a good opportunity for them to learn to get on with each other. They were siblings after all, and their father would have wanted them to get along.
Tom wanted Mary to join them, but she politely refused quoting that she had household issues that she needed to attend to. The absence of the children and the adults would give her the chance to complete them in a very satisfactory manner. Mary told a white lie, of course, which was not missed by Sidney who smirked at his sister-in-law's capability to lie when she wished to do so. She threw him a warning glance lest Tom suspected any other ulterior motive to her decline to join his party on the morrow.
Luckily for both Mary and Sidney, Tom's observation skills have not sharpened that much yet. He was still a beginner who was definitely not ready to compete with the masters. They got away with this innocent deception on this occasion. Tom suspected nothing and told his wife that they might perhaps go for a walk together in the afternoon. Mary agreed to the suggestion with alacrity- the chance to spend some alone time with her husband was a very welcome treat indeed.
Plans were made to everyone's satisfaction, so the party broke up naturally for the evening. Mary and Tom went towards their sleeping quarters and Arthur and Diana headed towards their shared residence. Tom hesitantly asked his wife when they reached their bedroom door whether she would join him tonight. She felt awkward saying what she said, but she ventured this response.
'Tom, I am not ready for that yet. We have to get to know each other again. I fear that sleeping in the same room would not allow us to do that. You do understand, don't you?'
Tom looked to the ground deliberately observing his shoes with greater interest than necessary in order to hide his discomfort at his wife's announcement. He said eventually, 'Whatever makes you feel more comfortable, Mary. I look forward to our walk tomorrow, my dear.' He kissed her cheek and went into their bedroom whilst Mary made her way to the nursery where her maid had prepared a bed for her. She internally wondered how Tom was going to behave during their walk tomorrow. She enjoyed going through the book of poetry with him earlier in the evening as this was something that they both enjoyed doing very much during their original courtship.
The rest of the party, Mrs Heywood, Alison, Sidney and Charlotte stayed in the sitting room. Mrs Heywood could take the suspense no longer and asked her daughter outright as was the Heywood custom, 'Well, Charlotte, are you going to tell us or not? We are burning from curiosity here!'
Charlotte smirked at her mother's pronouncement and gave her this cheeky response, 'Really, mama, I cannot imagine what you could be referring to. Tell you what?'
Alison caught up on their mother's meaning, 'Yes, Charlotte, what do you need to tell us? Mama is quite right, you know.' At that moment, Lady Susan chipped in saying, 'You too have not exactly been discreet, my dears, might as well tell us.'
Charlotte and Sidney capitulated after the gentle prompting of all three. Sidney looked at the mischievous face of his lady love and nodded. That nod meant to Charlotte that he would announce it himself. She nodded back agreeing mutely to his question- a communication that did not go unnoticed by the other people in the room- this showed them just how deeply connected both of them were just being able to communicate their meaning with a single look. He then looked at their audience and announced proudly, 'I am delighted to announce that my dearest Charlotte has allowed me to court her.'
All three ladies were loud in their approval of the announcement. They hugged Charlotte congratulating her warmly and they extended the same congratulations to Sidney. All those congratulations made both Charlotte and Sidney blush profusely just for being the centre of attention.
Mrs Heywood addressed Sidney, 'Well done, Mr Parker. I am of course extremely delighted for this development. You will have the chance to approach my husband for his approval next week. I gather that you have also written to him. You could give him the letter when you meet up with him.'
She then addressed her daughter, 'Charlotte, I am very happy for you, my child.'
Alison enthusiastically picked up the torch from their mother in a more profusive manner, 'I am so happy for both of you! It is such marvellous news.'
Lady Susan then said, 'I agree with both your mother and sister, Charlotte. It is the most wonderful news. It gladdens my heart to hear it. Congratulations, Mr Parker.'
Mrs Heywood then asked her daughter, 'I gather you will announce your courtship once your papa agrees, Charlotte?'
Charlotte nodded at her mother's comment, 'Yes, mama, we will wait until then. We will then announce it officially.'
Lady Susan simply remarked, 'Well, your hostess already knows. She won't tell her husband or anyone else until you tell her though.'
Charlotte was surprised at her friend's remark, 'She knows? How?'
Sidney looked at her sheepishly, 'Mary came in the room when I was writing the letter to your father. I was far too happy to hide the news. I had to share it with someone.'
She blushed at that comment, 'That is all right, Sidney. I trust Mary. I was just surprised, that is all.'
Mrs Heywood laughed at the scene, 'Oh, Mr Parker, you will learn soon enough that it is not always wise to keep secrets from us Heywoods, be it male or female.'
Sidney simply agreed with her and took Charlotte's hand in his, 'Oh, I know that very well. It shan't be a habit that I will repeat in a hurry. Charlotte knows how to keep me in check in the most charming way.' He smiled at Charlotte and kissed her hand lovingly.
They then went through their plan for when they visited Lady Denham for tea in the morning. It was agreed that Sidney, Mrs Heywood, Alison and Lady Susan would pick both Charlotte and Mary up at nine thirty in the morning. They would then take the carriage there. They estimated that leaving Trafalgar House after nine in the morning would be enough for Tom, Diana, Arthur and the children to leave for their sunbathing in order to catch up with the tide. The saying 'The tide and time wait for no-one' was not said without good reason.
Plans were made and thus Sidney asked Mrs Heywood for a private moment with Charlotte before escorting the three ladies back to the hotel. Mrs Heywood gave her permission and all three ladies left the young couple for a few minutes to say their goodbyes. She said that they would wait for him at the front room. It would give them time to retrieve their outerwear.
They knew that they did not have much time. The moment the door closed behind them, they gravitated towards each other like magnets. Sidney looked at Charlotte in awe and traced her lips delicately with his fingers. A motion which made her tremble slightly in his arms.
He did not wait long to bend his head down to hers and kiss her with all the lack of restraint that he had to exercise over dinner and around company. Charlotte was not any better. Ever since his attentions during dinner, all she could think of was kissing him.
The kiss went on and on without any of them having any notion of the need to breathe. That kiss was one of the most exhilarating ones for both of them- it was a celebration of having finally reached the point where they could be with each other without censure. It was full of passion and promise for a bright future.
At some point they unwillingly broke for air, but they stayed in each other's embrace until they recovered themselves and their breathing became less rugged.
Sidney was the first to recover his speech, 'Oh my love, I have been aching to kiss ever since before dinner. Sitting throughout dinner without being able to touch you properly was the most exquisite torture.'
Charlotte blushed and retorted with a heated glance at him, 'I must admit I felt exactly the same. Any chance for an encore to ensure sweet dreams, my prince?'
He did not need to be told twice- kissing his Charlotte was his favourite addiction and he would indulge on it as much he could. The second kiss was even more explosive than the first. Their tongues battled with barely concealed passion which made them moan at the back of their throat. Sidney knew that if they continued, he would not be able to stop himself. That kiss was starting to affect him physically more than any other one before. Oh, how he hoped for a short courtship!
He slowed the kiss down reluctantly and said, 'Oh, my favourite minx, I would kiss you forever. However, if we don't stop, my love, I will not be able to stop myself and do unspeakably pleasant things to you. Dare I hope for a short courtship? I will not last for long if we keep kissing like this.'
Charlotte nestled in his warm and steady embrace and responded whilst looking at him with a cheeky smile, 'You will have to prove yourself just a tad more, Sidney. If you behave as you should, I might just be inclined to agree to your very tempting request.'
He gave her a smile and a chaste kiss on the lips, and he said with a frustrated sigh, 'I should go to the front room to meet your family and Lady Susan. Good night, my love.'
She smiled and responded, 'Good night, my prince.'
The Heywood ladies and Lady Susan were indeed waiting for Sidney. They were not cross for his delay, but they teased him mercilessly all the way to the hotel. He bore it magnanimously without complaint seeing that his thoughts were with his Charlotte and the kisses they shared- a fact that he could certainly not share with his future family. He would sleep very well tonight. True to his expectation, he slept like a baby.
Sidney was not the only one with pleasant thoughts and dreams. Charlotte was replaying their kisses in her head and felt flush all over again. She was so very tempted to agree to his request for a short courtship. Yet, she knew that they needed to get to know each other more. As she told him, he would have to keep trying to win her trust.
