Message from Marseille

A Heybourne Story

By drrobin523

The former Captain Frazier stood in the village of Willingden early one Tuesday morning with his mouth agape. He had come into the town sell a sow for his father-in-law, but whatever was this? A package had arrived just then by post and was put into his hand. It was a thick, yellowed and stained packet with the direction written to Captain Frazier, Care of Heywood Manor, Willingden, England. The return, incredibly, was Colonel Lennox, Marseille, France. But it was not written in Lennox' hand. He opened it immediately and found inside three letters, each sealed with red wax, embossed with the letter "L." The letters were addressed to himself, Captain Frazier, Miss Charlotte Heywood, his sister-in-law and Mr. Alexander Colbourne. The last was the thickest, containing something oval and hard.

Declan Frazier immediately broke the seal on his letter and began to read.

Sir,

Written with the expectation that this letter finds you in all happiness, I regret to inform you that I am near death. I am so far gone that Captain Carter has acted as my scribe, as you will note this letter and those included are in his hand.

Although I have been an excellent soldier and leader in my professional life, in my personal life, I have been a scoundrel. As I near death, I feel compelled to expose my misdeeds in Sanditon before I face my maker.

Ironically, I am not dying from a battle wound, but one inflicted in a gambling brawl. Here in Marseille, on the way to India, I attempted to shirk a gambling debt. The rightful winner was not having it and slashed my thigh with his sabre and no regrets. It quickly festered. I have blood sickness now and know I will die; I have seen it on the battlefield.

To the point, I have wronged Miss Heywood and Mr. Colbourne intentionally and with malice. She was an innocent in this, but a casualty nonetheless. He was too easy a target for a villain like me to resist. Such a fiend was I, who would prevent the happiness of this couple and that of my own child! I even denied Leonora the motherlove of Miss Heywood for spite. If they remain parted to this day due to my interference, it must be rectified.

Fraser, I have written a letter to Miss Heywood and Mr. Colbourne–you have a copy for each of them. On your honor, please ensure they are delivered.

Yours

Captain F. Lennox

Frazier immediately sent Colbourne's package to Heyrick Park, Sanditon, by express. He then went home to Heywood Manor to face Charlotte.

It was less than one hour before Declan returned to Heywood Manor with the sow. Charlotte was giving a lesson in mathematics to the younger siblings, but saw him hovering and paused. "What is it, brother?" She said familiarly, "what is wrong?"

"I have something for you to read", he said, handing her the letter.

Charlotte turned to face the children. "We shall resume after luncheon I expect. Fill in your exercise books with the 7 times".

She tore open the letter and read it quickly. Then once again slowly. Her complexion went white with anger. "I shall need to go shoot something" she said to Declan. "Make my excuses to Mother about luncheon. I will get some rabbits for dinner." She stamped away.

At Heyrick Park, Colbourne read the letter.

Miss Charlotte Heywood and Mr. Alexander Colbourne,

I am writing to you from my death bed. I have been mortally wounded and I will leave this earth in a matter of days. Captain Carter has written down my last words, to be delivered to each of you.

I have wronged you both. I do not ask forgiveness, but you both should understand how I contributed to the rift between you.

Miss Heywood, I viewed you as a prize to be won. Once lost to me, I went out of my way to poison your happiness with Colbourne. I felt if I could not have you, I would do my best to prevent the success of my rival.

Colbourne, our history is long and miserable. I seduced your wife and left her. When Leonora appeared at camp, I disavowed parentage not only for her benefit but for mine, selfish being that I am. I expressed no gratitude to you for raising my daughter. Instead, as I saw you finally recovering from your grief and falling in love with Miss Heywood, my prize, I said the words I knew would destroy you.

I should not like the havoc I wreaked between you to be my legacy. Find each other again and live the beautiful life you were meant to have. I have given Colbourne a miniature of myself, should he ever wish to show it to Leonora.

Yours

Captain F. Lennox

Colbourne took the miniature and without looking at it locked it in his desk. Charlotte and I will decide what to do with this together, he thought, when the time is correct.

Then he called for Mrs. Wheatley, "I must be off to Willingden immediately. Please have the carriage readied while I pack."

"Of course…" she replied, one eyebrow raised with unanswered curiosity.

Colbourne had his driver push the team to their limit. He missed Charlotte terribly and thus far did not know how to get her back. This unexpected letter would serve as his entrée, he thought. A way to start a conversation. No, a way to win her trust and set things straight. He arrived at Heywood Manor that afternoon, unsure of what to expect on his arrival.

As he alit from the green carriage, one of the younger Heywood boys ran up to him and said, "Our Charlotte is in the woods! Please wait, Sir." With that he put two fingers in his mouth and produced an ear shattering whistle that carried across the fields to the adjacent woods.

After five minutes that seemed like five hours, a somewhat familiar figure came across the field towards him. He immediately recognized the long wavy brown tresses. She carried a shotgun in the crook of her right arm and had a brace of rabbits dangling from her left hand. As they walked toward each other, incredibly, he saw she was wearing knee high boots and britches, tight dark brown britches, just like his. The sight was overwhelming, seeing the very shape of her legs for the first time. Then he tore away his staring eyes and looked upwards. She had on a waistcoat, a black waistcoat. Only the bottom three buttons closed under her lovely bosom. She wore a white muslin blouse underneath, with a low cut neckline and elbow length puffed sleeves. He found it so beguiling.

As he continued to walk towards her with his plans and rehearsed statements, he was overcome by equal measures of love and desire. Charlotte in men's clothes! God help me, he thought, focus.

"I did not expect to see you so very soon, sir." She finally said as they met, with a soft smile.

"Charlotte, dear, I came immediately. I could not wait any longer to see you. You know you must call me Alexander." He pursed his lips to stop the laugh that was bubbling up inside him. He was by no means in the clear with her, but he felt giddy and intoxicated by the image of her dressed as she was, so alluringly, before him.

"I see you and I are dressed quite alike." He observed. What an understatement.

"It suited my purpose. And, it comforts me, especially when I miss you, Alexander."

His heart warmed. The pursed lips spread into a lopsided smile.

"I need one moment please", she said and put two fingers in her mouth. A piercing whistle came out. Alexander was taken aback, but not really. A different, younger Heywood boy advanced from behind a tree.

"James, take these to mother and tell her Mr. Colbourne will be staying. No you cannot have the gun, you know you are too young. Thank you." He scampered off towards the house with the limp rabbits in tow.

She turned back to Alexander. "What did you do with the miniature?" She asked.

"I locked it away in my desk at Heyrick. I thought we should decide together what would be best to do with it." She smiled very warmly at him. She liked that answer very much.

"Shall we go to the house and freshen up?" She asked, looking up at him, "Then perhaps you might want a word with Father?"

"I do want to do that very much, but first, I want a word with you, dear Charlotte. I cannot explain the logic behind my thought of letting you go to protect you. It was flawed, as I was. I loved you and was afraid. Lennox' words drove me mad. I should have talked with you, not sent you away. I love you so very dearly. You know that. I should have dropped to my knee and proposed to you at Trafalgar House, as I am going to do now."

Charlotte took in a breath and put the shotgun on the ground.

Alexander went down on one knee where they stood in the field. He took her right hand and looked up at her. "My dear sweet Charlotte, marry me, please." He took a diamond ring from his waistcoat pocket and put it on her right fourth finger. Tears gushed from Charlotte's deep brown eyes. "I love you so Alexander. Yes, I will marry you. But do not disappoint me again. I am a very good shot."

"You have no worry on that account, my darling," he said as rose and he kissed her tears and cheeks and lips and neck, over and over. He paused when something occurred to him. "Say, my sweet love, would you like to go deer stalking in Scotland on our honeymoon? It was not something I had considered. You and I could wear the same clothes." He chuckled thinking of it.

They joined hands and walked towards the house in the glow of their bliss. "You know," Charlotte remarked, "I sympathize with you. It was not so very easy to maintain my composure when I was your governess at Heyrick, watching you roaming about the park in your tight britches."

Author's Notes:

I am an obsessed Sanditon fan with a specific fascination with the Heyboune plot line. How do they come back together after their heart breaking parting at the end of Season 2? This is an attempt to find a way for C & A to come back to each other. I also wanted to punish Lennox.