Meanwhile, there was a flurry of activity upstairs in the Heywood family rooms. The two nursery nurses, Emily and Alison were getting the younger children ready for bed. What with teeth needing to be brushed, helping them with their nightclothes, reading them stories and their parents kissing them goodnight, it took almost an hour for the youngest Heywood children to settle down and finally go to sleep.

Only then did both nursery nurses, Emily, Alison and both Heywood parents go to their respective rooms to retire for the night. Emily and Alison went to sleep dreaming of their young men. Emily was all aflutter as she thought of Mr Arthur Parker kissing her hand earlier in the evening and Alison's thoughts rested with her Mr Springer. They both had sweet dreams that night.

Mr and Mrs Heywood were finally at liberty to enjoy each other's company again in private. They had been apart too long so the moment their lips touched, clothes flew around the room and neither of them would be fit for conversation for a long time. They have been married for years. Yet, their spiritual and physical connection had never diminished for an instant. They were as eager to enjoy the physical aspects of their marriage now as when they were newlyweds.

After thoroughly celebrating being back together again, they lay in each other's arms, bare skin to bare skin, and enjoyed the simple pleasure of sharing the same bed again. That aspect of their separation had been the most trying for both them whilst they were in different parts of the country taking care of their children. It was two in the morning when husband and wife felt ready to start sharing with each other what has been happening both in Willingden and Sanditon.

Mrs Heywood started off by telling her husband in detail what had happened in Sanditon from the moment she arrived to find an unconscious Charlotte until their arrival today. She was relieved to finally be able to convey to him her despair, a despair that she could not then have shown to anyone else, when she beheld their daughter senseless on her bed. Just hearing his wife speak so of Charlotte made him weep openly. All she did was to continue her story and wipe his tears gently with her fingers from his cheeks.

She had his full attention. She told him of what the doctors had said, how they had nursed Charlotte back to consciousness. She told him of the diet their daughter had to follow, how kind the Sanditon people had been to her, how they all loved her very much and how nothing had worked for weeks until Mr Sidney Parker sent her a begging letter to read one of his letters to her. How the moment Charlotte had heard of the lines of the letter, she woke up and had a fit and a fever which had been her first sign of life for weeks. How their first born had nearly been lost until Mr Parker returned from London and brought her back to them.

Hearing this part of the story made Mr Heywood understand that he owed that young man so much that he could never really repay him. That young man deserved his precious daughter's love and he vowed not to deny him. He finally accepted the fact that Mr Sidney Parker and his Charlotte loved each other to distraction. He, as her father, would not separate them for all the gold the world. He would bring them together- they would be happy. He would ask this young man's help to tell Charlotte of her uncle's death. This made him feel better as he had dreaded telling his first born the news without her collapsing again. He hoped that Mr Parker's presence and support would stop that from happening.

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he did not realise that his wife had stopped talking. She was looking at him with a concerned expression on her face. He looked at her lovely face and knew that she had to know.

He caressed her cheek, a gesture which she knew that her husband only did when she had to impart bad news to her, and said gently, 'My darling wife, I have news that will pain you. Frederick brought us news that your uncle David died a year ago. I am sorry, my love. They buried him there as he died of typhus. We cannot bring him home.'

She looked at her husband's face and her brave façade crumbled to pieces. She had kept it on during Charlotte's illness but now hearing this piece of tragic news, that facade cracked wide open and grief poured out in a long wave of loud sobs.

He knew just what to do. He held his wife close as she kept on crying. He knew that her grief was not just for her uncle but for Charlotte as well. His wife was a brave woman. She could take a lot. However, this death and what she had endured and kept inside her for such a long time burst open the dam of her grief. She would be fine after a good cry.

A good cry she did have. It was a relief to let it all out. She felt lighter and kissed her husband heartily for letting her unburden herself to him. Thus, she composed herself after a long while and whispered to her husband 'How are we ever going to convey uncle David's demise to Charlotte? She worshipped the ground he walked on when she was younger. I am afraid it will worsen her condition. I don't want to lose her again.'

'Well, I have a plan. How about we tell Mr Sidney Parker first and we tell her tomorrow whilst he is with her in the room? He brought her back to us from an even worst predicament and their emotional connection is strong. He will be able to console her should we not be able to do so.'

She nodded, took heart and continued her story on what happened after Charlotte had woken up. Where they had been and what they had done. She told him how besotted Mr Sidney Parker was with Charlotte, what he had already done about her trousseau, her wedding dress, her engagement ring. He has spoilt her rotten as if she was his queen. She then confessed that she would not be surprised if he came to see them tomorrow asking them for Charlotte's hand in marriage instead of a courtship.

She then told him what has been going on in the Parker family, about Lady Susan and the Regent what the plans were about Mr Tom Parker and Sanditon. She went on to observe him with the mischievous look of hers and he knew that they would talk about their other two daughters. He winced and she felt it. She kissed him sweetly and long to soothe the pain before narrating the rest of her story.

She told him about Alison and Mr Stringer. How both desperately liked nay loved each other, but Mr Springer was shy in making any move towards giving their relationship any official status. Alison was getting desperate so Charlotte and herself had decided to help her and encourage him. Even Mr Sidney Parker was going to speak to the young man. Therefore, the gentleman was to join them for the picnic tomorrow.

They then discussed Emily and Mr Arthur Parker. They discussed how they saw their mutual attraction, but they came to the mutual decision to observe and perhaps discuss with Emily how she felt about the gentleman first.

Mr Heywood then grumbled aloud 'Wife, do I really need to lose all my three daughters in one go? Can we not keep them with us for a longer stretch of time?'

She giggled and patted him softly on the chest, 'Oh, my grumbly husband, is that your worry? We can make more daughters to replace the ones you are to lose.' She then proceeded to encourage him to do just that and no conversation took place again for a while.

Mr Heywood's side of the story followed that delightful interlude. He told her how Frederick, Anne and Mr Thompson came to visit them in Willingden. He told her that Frederick had received letter from uncle David's solicitor in the East Indies where it had stated that David had died of typhus and his will enclosed in the envelope. Frederick engaged Mr Thompson's services, who incidentally, happened to be dealing with the Parker family's legal affairs, and asked him to peruse the will and advise him further.

Mr Thompson conveyed to Frederick and himself that uncle David had left the Heywood family his entire fortune of £130,000. It was stipulated in the document that each parent and Heywood child were to receive £10,000. David indicated that part of the amount that Mr Heywood was to inherit was to be used to fix any repairs in the house and expand it as well as fixing any repairs on the estate. All the rest of the amount were to be put in saving accounts to accrue interest. The only difference was in what was left to Charlotte. Mr Thompson told Frederick that Charlotte had been left an extra £10,000 for the purpose of starting a school and a library. It was also expressly stipulated in the will that we were not to mourn him and to live their life as they would normally have done.

Mr Heywood then described how it would take at least two to three weeks for the house to be ready. He described what was currently happening at their house and estate at present. All the creaky floorboards were currently being repaired, the old furnishings were being updated and a new wing was currently being built at right side of the house. All the children's bedrooms were being extended and they would even have a guest room for any unexpected guests. He also said that repairs are also being done on the tenants' cottages and that their new steward was currently negotiating the prices for new farming equipment and looking into a new irrigation system.

Thus, he thought it the best time to move the children away from the noise and building work and visit Sanditon for a long visit. Naturally, Mr Thompson, Frederick and Anne followed. Talking about Frederick and Anne brought him in mind to tell his wife on how good Anne was with the children and some details about her relationship with Frederick.

He could sense his wife's excitement bubbling like an erupting volcano. She was listening to his words silently, but her eyes and alight face with happiness betrayed her happiness with all those plans. She was getting more and more excited. He could tell as her wide grin was threatening to escape her lips any moment. He finally stopped talking and watched her clever mind take it all in.

She looked at him and said excitedly, 'Do you mean to say, my darling husband, that all our children have dowries , that you have hired a steward to help you, that we are virtually going to have a brand new house and that you are to have more free time?'

He nodded and smiled widely at her. She then continued her speech, 'And that I have £10,000 all to myself to spend as I wish?'

He nodded again and smiled even wider. 'Oh, how wonderful!'. Then her smile faltered for a second. He knew that she was worried whether the children knew about this.

He went on to reassure her, 'No, my love, they do not. I could not take the risk telling them just in case any of them said something to Charlotte about David's sudden death. We will tell Emily, Alison and Charlotte together tomorrow. The rest of the children are too young to be concerned about this change in their fortune. However, our three daughters would certainly need to know especially now that they are interested in their young men.'

He then proceeded in telling her that he had changed his will and made sure that both her and the children were very well taken care of just in case anything went wrong.

They finally went through what they would discuss with Sidney tomorrow. They both agreed that they liked him very much and that they would gladly have him as their son-in—law. They would confide in him all about David's will and of his death. Charlotte would be in the Alison's room along with Emily and the children. They would then call Charlotte in the room and tell her the news in Sidney's presence. Once they had ensured that she had taken it well, they would call Mr Thompson in the room to tell her the rest of the legal details whilst they went to Alison's room to tell them about David's death and their dowries.

It was nearly four in the morning when they finished talking. They happily slept in each other's embrace knowing full well that this would be the best night's sleep that they have had in months.