Chapter 14
Sidney and Charlotte made their way down the corridor toward the parlor to join the rest of the dinner guests. Once there, Sidney deposited Charlotte next to Lady Susan and bade them farewell.
Sidney bowed, "Lady Worchester, it's been an eye-opening evening. I thank you for your hospitality and assistance."
Susan smiled knowingly, "Not at all Mr. Parker. I trust we will see you tomorrow night at the Regent's Ball?"
Sidney furrowed his brow, "Actually, something rather urgent has come up and I need to leave town on some immediate business."
Charlotte's face fell at this news. Sidney looked at Charlotte and felt his heart drop. "Miss Heywood, would you be willing to see me out? I'd like to have a private word with you, that is, if it's alright with Lady Worchester?" Sidney looked hopefully at Susan.
Susan nodded, "Of course, Mr. Parker. Go on, Charlotte, I'll wait for you here."
Sidney nodded his thanks to Lady Susan and offered his arm to Charlotte, which she reluctantly took. She still had not looked up at him. They walked to the front hall slowly. Sidney pulled Charlotte's arm close against his side.
"Charlotte. Please, look at me."
Charlotte slowly lifted her eyes to Sidney's. He breathed out a sigh. "Charlotte, please forgive me. I must leave straightaway tonight on business. I may not make it back in time for the Regent's Ball."
The wall around her heart began to build itself back up again as she replied, "I understand. I hope all goes well with your business affairs."
Sidney pulled her hand up to his lips, turned it, and softly kissed the inside of her wrist. "I will return as soon as humanly possible."
He quickly donned his coat and hat and disappeared into the night, leaving Charlotte rather confused.
She slowly made her way back to the parlor and found her place next to Lady Susan once again.
Susan raised her fan in front of her mouth and said quietly, "Are you alright, dear Charlotte? You are looking rather…befuddled…again."
"I don't know exactly. I must confess I still find Mr. Parker to be rather confounding at times."
Susan smiled, "All will be well, my dear. I promise." She looked in the direction of Mrs. Campion and continued, "The race you are running is almost over. A race, I might add, that you have already won."
Charlotte followed Susan's gaze to see Mrs. Campion speaking rather animatedly to Mr. Wellesley. "But have I? Truly?"
Susan laughed lightly, "Oh yes, Charlotte. You most certainly have."
/
The next morning dawned with a flurry of activity in Berkeley House. It was the day of the Regent's Ball, and final dress fittings and various beauty treatments were the order of the day. Charlotte was very out of her element with all the highbrow activity and was relieved to receive some mail from home. Everyone in Willingden was well. The excitement of home was the arrival of a new calf a fortnight ago, as well as a litter of kittens by her favorite barn cat, Bootsy. Charlotte smiled and laughed at some of the anecdotes her family included in the very long letter. After reading, she folded it up and tucked it into her writing desk to respond to later. A knock at her door took her a bit by surprise.
"Come in."
"Are you excited for the Ball tonight, Charlotte?"
At the sound of Georgiana's voice, Charlotte turned, grinning widely, "I'm excited to be going with my best friend for company."
Georgiana smiled and flopped onto the bed. "Which ribbon for my necklace? And I can't decide which gloves to wear."
Charlotte and Georgiana got to work deciding upon their accessories, when Georgiana suddenly stopped. "I almost forgot. This is for you, Charlotte." She pulled a letter from her purse.
"Oh, thank you." Charlotte opened the letter and began to read as she walked to the chair by her window and sat down.
My Dearest Charlotte,
Please forgive me for leaving so quickly without explanation last night. There's so much I wish to share with you, but I am not yet able. I realize you have no reason to trust me, but I ask for your trust, nonetheless. It is my most sincere hope that I will be with you again very soon, and that the same business which takes me from you now, leads me back to you without delay, for I must confess – my heart scarcely beats without you near. I regret I will not be able to share the first and last with you at the Regent's Ball, but I know that you will have a wonderful time with Georgiana.
Forever yours,
S.P.
Charlotte re-read the letter several times before quietly folding it and putting it aside. She looked up to see Georgiana staring at her with a smug grin on her face. "Good news?"
Charlotte stood with her arms crossed and looked out the window, "I hope so. I confess this is all feeling rather familiar."
Georgiana crossed to Charlotte and hugged her from behind, looking out the window with her, "I know. But I do think the ending will be better this time."
/
Music poured out of every door and window. Lamps were lit and thousands of candles emitted a soft glow, accenting the light of the full moon in a rather enchanting way. An impossibly long line of carriages waited patiently to drop their occupants off at the steps of the palace. The air was charged with excitement and all types of anticipation. It was the event of the season, and guests lined up with their coveted invitations in hand, eager to enter and partake of all the delicacies and opulence of a royal ball.
Lady Susan, Charlotte, and Georgiana all entered together and were forthwith introduced, "Lady Worchester, Miss Charlotte Heywood, and Miss Georgiana Lambe." Susan turned to Charlotte and Georgiana, "Stick with me, ladies. Allow me to assist you with choosing dance partners. Some of these 'gentlemen' are a bit too…eager…to monopolize your attentions."
Charlotte and Georgiana looked at each other, grimacing and giggling.
"Don't look now, Charlotte, but a certain witch is headed this way on her broom." Susan hooked her arm through Charlotte's and pulled her close.
Mrs. Campion made her way to the women, her entourage trailing behind her, noses in the air, judgement in their eyes. "Ah, Lady Worchester, good evening. I wanted to thank you again for inviting me to join you for tea tomorrow afternoon. I'm very much looking forward to it."
Susan blinked, confused, "Oh Mrs. Campion, there must be some mistake, for I will be leaving London tomorrow morning for an extended period. Berkeley House will be closed."
Eliza responded rather put out, "But the invitation came directly from you. I don't understand. Surely you aren't leaving tomorrow before taking tea?"
"Oh, but I am. Miss Heywood, Miss Lambe, and I are leaving first thing I'm afraid. I'm sorry for your confusion, but I was not the one to invite you. I would never promise something I couldn't deliver." Susan turned with Charlotte and headed in a separate direction.
Charlotte asked, confused, "Are we truly leaving tomorrow Susan? Where are we going?"
Susan smiled and replied, "Yes, I woke this morning with a desire for the sea. We leave for Sanditon first thing, so we must make sure not to stay out too late this evening."
Charlotte panicked, thinking about Sidney's return, "But Mr. Parker promised he would return to London quickly. He will be expecting to see me."
"Ahh, well, I suppose he will have to wait a little longer my dear. You are not at his beck and call. Besides, it would do him good, having to chase you a bit." Susan raised her eyebrows and looked at Charlotte with the look of a woman experienced in the area of romance. Charlotte blushed and looked away. Her eyes caught on an old familiar face, who caught her gaze at the same moment. He worked his way across the room to her.
"Miss Heywood, you are looking very well this evening. Could I tempt you to dance?"
"Mr. Crowe, what a surprise, I haven't seen you for so long. Are you well?"
Crowe looked at Charlotte flirtatiously and responded, "Ahh, did you miss me? I knew it, I knew it was me and not Parker. Where is my friend tonight by the way? Are you not engaged by now?"
Charlotte was taken back, "No, we are not. Why would you think that?"
"He was obviously in love with you back in Sanditon. The last I heard from him he had planned to ask for your hand at the Midsummer Ball."
Charlotte flushed and fidgeted with her dress, "No, that did not occur. The ball was interrupted by a fire at the Terrace. Everything was destroyed. The building was not insured. And as a result, Mr. Parker engaged himself to Mrs. Campion, in hopes of saving his family from prison and the poor house."
"Crikey, that's awful! No wonder I haven't heard from the poor chap. I've been in Paris, indulging in the…well, anyway I haven't seen an English newspaper in weeks. I left straightaway from Sanditon. Please tell me they haven't married yet." Crowe looked worried.
Charlotte replied, "They have not."
"Good, then there's still time for me to warn him about her. Please excuse me, Miss Heywood. I must find him straightaway." Crowe scanned the room, looking for Sidney.
"He's not here. He left London last night on some business. I'm not sure when he will return." Charlotte looked apologetically at Crowe. "But I don't think he needs the warning anymore. I witnessed something last night that leads me to believe he has already discovered whatever it is you wish to warn him about."
"I see…" Crowe paused, grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and downed the entire glass in one gulp. "In that case, how about that dance?"
Charlotte put her hand on Crowe's offered arm and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor, where they danced two in a row before parting company.
The evening passed with Charlotte and Georgiana enjoying many different dance partners, novel refreshments, and much merriment.
Before their last dance of the evening, Charlotte and Georgiana slipped out into the garden to gulp the fresh air and cool themselves from the stifling heat of the ballroom. As they walked, uncharacteristically quietly, they came upon a hedge that was most decidedly, moving. They stopped, shocked and confused, and listened as voices and giggling came from behind the hedge.
"Oh Jonathan Crowe, you're positively wicked" followed by the unmistakable cackle and moan of a woman. Georgiana and Charlotte looked at each other in shock, with wide eyes, and slowly began backing away from the hedge. They backed into something solid, and both turned, very startled. There stood Lord Stanley, looking betrayed and very angry about the fact. Without hesitating he pushed aside the hedge and revealed what the reader must understand was a shocking sight. Crowe straightened, tidied his cravat and jacket, and nodded to Charlotte and Georgiana, looking unembarrassed and rather relieved that he'd been discovered at long last. Eliza straightened her dress and looked at Lord Stanley, and now, Alexander Wellesley, who had happened upon the scene.
Lord Stanley bellowed, "What is the meaning of this, Eliza?!"
Eliza shrank, "It's not what it seems, my darling."
Mr. Wellesley entered the conversation angrily, "What do you mean by calling him my darling?"
Eliza looked from one man to the other, caught like a spider in her own web of lies and deceit, struggling to get free. "Alex, Stanley, I can explain."
Crowe smirked as Lady Worchester and the Prince Regent himself strolled to a stop a short distance away, attracted by the excitement at the hedgerow.
Crowe stepped forward, "Yes, yes, I can explain this all as well. Mrs. Campion here is an old friend of mine. While Mr. Campion was alive, I was her favorite plaything…" looking at Lord Stanley he continued, "Let me guess, she wrote you letters detailing her undying love for you, and how she couldn't wait until she could 'be in your arms once again'."
Lord Stanley looked taken aback, "How did you know that?!"
Crowe, unbothered, continued, "She did the same to me. Except I've been abroad for a while now. So, I'm sure she was getting bored. I heard she weaseled my best friend into an engagement."
Lord Stanley replied, "She said he was marrying her for her money. I, I was in love with her."
"Were you now? Were you aware that she has no money?" Crowe asked with a smug look.
"Not another word, Jonathan! I will make your life miserable if you breathe another word!" Eliza huffed angrily.
Alex piped up, "I'd like to hear this. I think you owe me… all of us an explanation, Eliza. I risked my reputation by putting myself in an uncomfortable situation!"
"Oh, what reputation?! You have no reputation in London, Alex! I was the best thing that could've happened to you!" Eliza seethed.
Crowe spoke up, silencing everyone, "I am Campion's nephew. His fortune is mine. After the way she treated my dearest, oldest friend, I told my uncle he could not trust her. She made it rather easy, really."
Lady Worchester and the Prince Regent, having heard this, moved closer. Susan interjected, "Well, well, well. It seems that Mr. Wellesley is not the one who needs to be worrying about his reputation. What say you, Sir?"
The Prince Regent, trying not to laugh hysterically replied, "Quite right, my dear, quite right. It may be a good idea for you to visit the continent for…. awhile, Mrs. Campion."
Mrs. Campion, embarrassed to her core but not willing to show it, marched past the group out to her waiting carriage, head held high, speaking to no one.
Charlotte and Georgiana looked on in disbelief, missing the conspiratorial smiles and nods between Lady Susan, Mr. Crowe, Mr. Wellesley, and Lord Stanley.
