Thank you for your lovely comments, including the guest reviewers – St0ryTeller, Claire, Barbara, Corona, and Kristin Christop – to whom I cannot respond individually. So very glad that you all love this story. Writing this and reading your great comments has been one of the best things of the crazy year that was 2020. Thank you so much for staying with the story, and thank you especially for your patience with the gap in updates. Trust me when I say it frustrates me more than it does you that I can't update more frequently. I'm eternally grateful to you all!
Now on we get with the story. In this chapter, someone from Sanditon makes a reappearance... you didn't think he'd sit this one out entirely, did you?
Continuing from the previous chapter, where Mary and Charlotte went to the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk (and have a chat, of course)
Mary showed herself to be surprisingly adept in a kitchen. During all her time at Trafalgar House, Charlotte didn't think she had ever seen her hostess have anything to do with cooking. But Mary was moving around completely at ease with this space, which looked far too advanced compared to the rustic country kitchen back at Heywood Hall.
Mrs. Mullins, the Bedford Place housekeeper, had told Charlotte that Sidney had made many modernisations in the house upon acquiring it from Tom soon after his return from Antigua. He had gradually refurbished all the rooms, including the kitchen, which now boasted modern ovens and a new-fangled cooking range. Charlotte had never seen anything like it.
She lit a couple of more candles on the candle stand, cosily lighting the space as Mary deftly lit the stove and took down a gleaming copper saucepan from the hanging rack. She poured milk into it from a jug from the pantry and set the pot on the quickly warming stove. Within a few minutes, she was placing two steaming mugs of milk on the table as she and Charlotte sat down.
Charlotte had been too preoccupied in the library with hiding the signs of her… meeting with Sidney, but now she could see Mary's face clearly, and it was more drawn and weary than she had ever seen before. It seemed this was not her friend's first sleepless night since the fire burnt down the terrace building.
It was rather obvious what must be keeping Mary up; while upset and angry with Tom for the calamity he had caused, she seemed to be taking all the blame for his actions upon her own shoulders.
Charlotte's concern for her friend moved her to ask if she was alright, but in her head, it sounded like such a witless question. She was just wondering how to articulate it when Mary looked up and saw her expression.
She gave her Charlotte a kind smile and squeezed her hand. "Please do not worry about me, my dear. After your day today, it is I who should be worried about you."
"I will be fine, Mary." Charlotte wrapped her hands around the warm mug of milk. "The talk with Mrs. Campion was… quite a shock. But Mr. Crowe has gone to Willingden to warn my family and they are not helpless. I have to believe everything will be well. But I know you have been very troubled these past few days, even before today."
Mary took a sip of milk. "I never liked Eliza Campion. Even when I met her ten years ago, when Sidney was courting her. She seemed insincere at best. There was something sly about her. And now she has become worse. But," Mary grimaced, "She is not the cause of our problems. Tom is."
"I agree Tom has made a grievous mistake. But we must look for a solution now. And I am sure we will arrive at one tomorrow. We will not give up."
"Oh, my dear, as troubled as I am about the debt, I feel the same way as you. How could we not find a way out of it, with you and Sidney working so hard to make it happen? I trust Sidney and I trust you. Look at how much you have already done for Sanditon, for its people, for my family. For your family, for you are already one of us. It only remains to be made official with your and Sidney's wedding."
They exchanged smiles, Mary's indulgent, Charlotte's shy.
"I am ever so glad you both found each other," Mary continued. "Do you know, when I first met you in Willingden, it occurred to me how well suited you two might be. That is not why I invited you to Sanditon," she clarified at Charlotte's surprise, just as she had said to Sidney earlier that afternoon. "Sidney had become so distant, so aloof over the years. I feared a settled life was not in his nature anymore, not after his experiences. Now, I could not be happier for the both of you."
She sighed. "I am afraid I cannot say the same for myself and Tom. His behaviour over the years, this obsession with Sanditon, his neglect of his family, his constant demands of others…" She took a deep breath as if bracing herself for Charlotte's reaction. "I have decided that after the debt situation is resolved one way or another, after you and Sidney marry, to take the children and go to my parents' house near Weymouth."
Charlotte inhaled sharply, shocked. She carefully set her mug down on the table. "Oh, Mary." This was significant news. "Are you– are you going to leave him?"
"Separate from him? I do not know. I do not know that I can. Or if I want to. But I need some time away from him. I cannot live with his inanities while he plays roughshod with his family, his children's lives. Their futures."
There was a long silence.
"You must think the worst of me," said Mary in a low voice. "How callous and disloyal to my husband, to my family I must seem. Giving up on them when you are fighting so hard to save that very family even before you marry Sidney. I know it might be a scandal, that people will talk. It might hurt Sanditon's chances… but I don't think–" Her breath hitched, she swallowed a sob. "I don't think–"
"Mary, I am not thinking that at all!" Charlotte gripped her friend's hand. "Please! I am aware of Tom's… over-enthusiastic nature." She had said as much to Sidney during their conversation on the balcony at the first ball, and had received a tongue-lashing for it. She did not think Mary was about to do the same. "And I have lived with you these past many weeks. I cannot of course claim to know the inner workings of your marriage, but I know what I have… observed and what you have shared with me. I cannot imagine it is easy for you."
Mary sniffed and looked at her gratefully, her eyes wet, a tear clinging to her lashes.
"I was actually thinking of an alternative," Charlotte continued.
A married woman visiting her parents was never cause for scandal, of course. But Mary was likely not thinking of visiting for just a few weeks, and in the current circumstances, it would certainly raise eyebrows in Sanditon and beyond. From what Charlotte understood from Sidney, Tom was currently the most despised person in the seaside town. His wife leaving him at such a time to 'visit her parents' would not reflect well upon him, but neither would it upon her. A woman would always bear the brunt of society's censure and Mary would be scorned for not standing by her husband, no matter how much she too suffered from his actions.
"An alternative?"
"Yes. Would you like to come and stay in Willingden for some time?"
"Willingden?" repeated Mary in utter surprise.
"I'm sure my parents will be delighted to have you and the children. Alicia, Jenny, and Henry will have my brothers and sisters to play with, and there would be no dearth of people to take care of baby James. And there would be no cause for scandal since you would be visiting friends. Relatives, even, if Sidney prefers a short engagement and wishes to marry soon," Charlotte added shyly.
"My dear, you do know that Sidney would marry you this very instant if he could!" Mary teased, causing her young friend's face to colour up. "Oh, Charlotte, are you sure about Willingden? Your parents would not mind?"
"I am certain they will be most happy to have you!" she said eagerly. It was the truth and she was also keen to get away from the topic of herself and Sidney. She was still on edge from their unexpected and amorous… meeting in his study.
"Very well. But you must write to them and ask them first. And Charlotte," Mary hesitated, "Could you please not mention anything about this matter for now to Sidney?"
Mary knew this news would shock her brother-in-law and she did not know how he would view it. They had always been close — she had always felt a very maternal concern for him — and she was rather afraid that he might see her decision as a betrayal of the Parker family.
Charlotte nodded, not liking it but she knew and understood Mary's reasons. "I will write to my parents in the morning," she vowed.
But as events turned out, she did not have the time to write the letter to her parents at all.
The next morning
By the time it was the hour for breakfast, Sidney felt like half the day had already gone by. His manservant Morgan, blissfully unaware of his midnight… meeting with Charlotte, had awoken him well before the sky had begun to lighten outside.
An express had come for him. Morgan, whom the night footman on duty had approached with the news, had debated whether to alert his employer immediately or to let him sleep a while longer. While Mr. Parker was not the sort to stay on in bed without reason, he would not welcome being awakened before dawn. But the message must obviously be urgent considering it had come by express. And so Morgan had gone to rouse Mr. Parker, who would certainly not appreciate being kept in the dark about it.
Sidney had been so deeply asleep that it had taken him a few minutes to orient himself, to remember where he was and the circumstances of his life at the moment that warranted this intrusion at the crack of dawn.
It turned out to be a note from Arthur.
Before leaving Sanditon to come to London, Sidney had taken Arthur aside for a private word. He had asked for help, something he had never done with his younger brother before. He needed Arthur to keep an eye on Tom and ensure he did not do anything rash. Tom neither had any patience nor the ability to make rational decisions, as their current predicament had proven. With the spectre of the debt hanging above his head, there was no telling what outlandish idea he might contrive and what foolish action he might unthinkingly take.
Arthur had looked grave and apprehensive, which Sidney correctly interpreted as worry that one of his brothers was asking him to spy on the other, and that he might not be up to the task, even as he recognised the need for such a measure.
"I don't know what Tom might do, Arthur," Sidney had said, trying not to sound impatient. In truth, he admired the seriousness he saw for the first time in his younger brother's eyes, an understanding of how bad things really were. And he was grateful that there was another who comprehended the gravity of their circumstances. "I cannot tell you what exactly to look out for. But he might take decisions that might worsen our situation, and we cannot afford that. Keep a note of any people he meets, any particular correspondents from whom he receives letters. And just… don't let him do anything stupid. Like asking the labourers to restart work at the burnt terrace or something."
Arthur had nodded, gulped once, and pronounced solemnly: "I won't let you down, Sidney."
Sidney had asked Arthur to write to him as soon as he noticed anything suspicious. Arthur had gone a step further and written to him every day, keeping him apprised of the happenings in Sanditon, even things that seemed mundane. Just to be on the safe side. As a result, Arthur's letters had been more full of information than he could have known.
Tom had not been up to anything suspicious; in fact he had not really been up to anything at all. He spent his entire time in his study, mostly staring mournfully at the Sanditon town model. The only correspondence he had seemed to be with a Mr. Sterling, but Sidney could not recollect any such man in their acquaintance and could not fathom who this might be. A potential investor, perhaps?
Arthur could shed no further light on the matter either, as he had only recognised the handwriting on the envelopes Tom received, and had casually asked him who they were from. He had not been privy to the contents of any of the letters. Sidney had asked his accountant Mr. Wetherby and Mr. Cartwright, his man of business, to make enquiries about Mr. Sterling, but neither of them had come up with anything so far.
Georgiana, however, was still upset about Sidney and Charlotte's engagement. Not having given up on trying to make friends with her, Arthur had taken to going for a walk on the beach with her every morning. She was impatient and scathing with him most of the time, but Arthur felt she might gradually be coming around. He had noticed that she did not hesitate, and even seemed eager, for their daily walks. It appeared that compared to Mrs. Griffiths and the Beaufort sisters, she considered him to be the lesser evil.
Arthur and Georgiana often saw Young Stringer in the distance, sometimes walking alone on the beach, sometimes on his way to the cliffs or towards the lanes and paths that led off into the countryside around Sanditon. But he did not speak to them, nor did he acknowledge them beyond a slight nod in their direction. There was a bleakness about him after his father's death and even enquiring after his wellbeing felt like one was intruding upon his grief.
Arthur had attended Old Mr. Stringer's funeral along with Tom and Diana. But while James Stringer and the workers had not minded Arthur and Diana's presence, they had glowered blackly at Tom. It seemed they held his refusal to keep his promise to employ more workers and better equipment as the reason why Old Mr. Stringer had felt the need to work late, which had ultimately led to his death. None of the workers had turned up at any of the construction sites in town for the past three days and the rubble of the burnt Waterloo Terrace remained as it was.
And now Arthur had sent Sidney an express, which he had opened with severe trepidation. For why else would Arthur contact him so if it wasn't something calamitous or urgent? Only, the message said Arthur was coming to London with Tom and Diana that morning.
Tom had received a letter — Arthur did not know from whom — but it caused him to jump up excitedly, proclaiming, "We are saved! We are saved!" He had refused to tell Arthur what the letter said or who it was from. Instead, he had insisted he needed to go to London immediately to meet Sidney. Arthur had, in turn, insisted that he and Diana would accompany Tom, and managed to delay their older brother long enough to find the courier and send Sidney this urgent warning. That way, he would not be caught off guard when his siblings unexpectedly appeared on his doorstep. They would arrive in a few hours, possibly by breakfast.
Sidney had still been processing this information a couple of hours later when he had another early visitor. Mr. Wetherby had apologised for disturbing him at the impolite hour of seven o'clock in the morning, but he had discovered some pertinent information that he felt Mr. Parker must know as soon as possible.
When Mr. Wetherby had compiled the list of Tom's creditors, unpaid invoices and bills, and matched them to the receipts or payment slips with the amounts owed to each, he had found something peculiar. Or rather, he had not found something that ought to have been there. The money that Tom had taken from his children's accounts did not seem to have a corresponding document to indicate where it had been used or to whom it had been given. Mr. Wetherby had checked and rechecked multiple times, to no avail. No such document had appeared among his files and papers. It was possible that Mr. Sidney might have it at Bedford Place, or else it might be with Mr. Tom in Sanditon. At any rate, Mr. Sidney must be apprised of this information at the earliest and so Mr. Wetherby had presented himself at Bedford Place as early as could be permitted without having to rouse his employer from his bed.
Sidney had listened to his accountant's concerns, partly alarmed, partly resigned. The compounded magnitude of Tom's financial blunders was so vast by this point that he was not surprised when yet another one came to light. Yet every new ill-thought out decision that could be laid at his brother's feet felt like another boulder being added to the burden on his own shoulders and he felt bowed under the weight.
About three quarters of an hour later, just as Sidney had seen off Mr. Wetherby after a perturbing meeting, Charlotte had come downstairs, followed a few minutes later by Mary. The two women had been up quite late the previous night, talking, and had come down later than usual, especially for Charlotte.
Wanting to think through the newly-learnt information before he divulged anything, Sidney waited until the women had seated themselves at the breakfast table with their plates — Charlotte on his right and Mary at his left — before sharing what he could share.
"I received an express from Arthur this morning."
Both women looked up, alerted by his tone.
"He is arriving in London this morning with Tom and Diana."
"This morning?"
"Yes. We should expect them soon."
"Has something happened?" asked Charlotte.
"Arthur seems to think so, but he could not say what that might be. It was Tom who insisted on coming down."
They glanced at Mary, who was staring at her plate, her mind far away.
Mary was feeling quite a multitude of emotions. Had Tom perhaps found a way to resolve their situation? Had he come up with some idea to pay off the debt? He was a clever and persuasive man, there was no doubt about that. Often, it was his sheer enthusiasm and belief in himself that made others believe in his vision too. She knew that if he truly put his mind to it, he was well capable of coming up with a solution himself. Was that why he was coming to London in such a tearing hurry? Had she misjudged him?
Part of her was instinctively glad to be able to see him again. However, he was her husband, she knew well his personality. She knew, too, how he had changed over the years. And so, the rational voice in her mind cautioned her to be realistic. She could hope but she must not expect.
Noting that Mary was preoccupied, Charlotte asked Sidney in a low voice, "Was that who it was just now, who you saw off? The courier?"
Sidney shot a glance at his sister-in-law. "No," he said, equally quietly. "That was Mr. Wetherby, my accountant. The courier came at dawn."
Charlotte's gaze sharpened. What could be so urgent that Mr. Wetherby would call on Sidney this early in the morning? But Sidney gave a small shake of his head, which she understood to mean that he did not want to say anything about it just now.
Mary remained lost in her thoughts until Nurse brought down the children, including baby James. All three adults were glad of the distraction.
To everyone's surprise, baby James stretched out his arms towards Charlotte, clearly expressing his wish to sit with her this morning. She took him easily, settling him in her lap with an arm around him while she tackled the rest of her breakfast one-handed. Between them, she and Sidney kept James and Alicia occupied, with Sidney making funny faces at James throughout the meal, earning smiles and giggles from him and the other children.
This left Mary to be distracted by Henry — who wanted to sit next to his Uncle Sidney, requiring his mother to move down the table by one place — and Jenny. The two regaled her with a long story about the frog in the garden pond and a paper boat. Thus, the rest of breakfast passed in a much more pleasant fashion, with the children's voices dominating the conversations.
But Mary was not quite so distracted that she did not notice the silent communication occurring between Sidney and Charlotte right under the children's noses. They hadn't forgotten Mary was at the table, but they seemed to believe she was so thoroughly occupied with Jenny and Henry that she wasn't paying attention to them. But she had not missed the way Sidney had seemed to be struck dumb for a moment at the delightful sight of Charlotte with a baby in her arms. For a moment, his very heart was writ upon his face. Nor did they realise she was fully aware of their secret smiles, the discreet touches, of Sidney leaning closer to Charlotte to say something in a low voice only meant for her ears. Fortunately for baby James, he was too young to understand that his uncle was flirting with his soon-to-be aunt.
They took their time at breakfast, having nowhere else to be until they left for the meeting at Lord Babington's house at ten o'clock. Internally, all three wondered when Tom, Arthur and Diana would arrive.
They did not have to wait for long.
They were just finishing breakfast when there was a loud commotion in the entrance hall as Tom burst into the house, Arthur and Diana just behind.
"Sidney!" Tom's shrill bellow pierced the tranquil quiet of the morning. "Sidney!"
His usual exuberance, which had been absent the last time they were all together in Sanditon, seemed to have returned in full. His voice rang throughout the house. "Sidney!"
"Papa!"
"Papa is here!"
Alicia, Jenny, and Henry had leapt from their chairs the moment they'd heard Tom's voice. They reached him before he could turn for the study, eager to greet the parent who, although they had not missed much during the four-day separation, they were still happy to see.
"Yes, yes." Tom patted his children's heads absently, barely looking at them, barely even noticing his wife, who had come out of the breakfast parlour, Charlotte and Sidney just steps behind her.
Arthur and Diana followed Tom in. The youngest Parker sibling was uncharacteristically quiet and nervous, for once worried about matters other than his own health concerns or the availability of buttered toast or port. He could not shake the feeling that the conversation between his older brothers was not going to be an amicable one.
In contrast, Diana was as flustered and overwrought as ever. She spotted Mary and immediately advanced on her sister-in-law with an outpouring of her grievances. "Oh Mary, the journey was so arduous! I really thought I was about to expire! We had to drive on until late last night and leave the inn again by dawn this morning because of the urgent nature of Tom's business with Sidney. But, oh! I was so certain we would be set upon by highwaymen!"
Sidney scowled upon hearing this. While he himself was often impatient with Diana and Arthur's hypochondriacal tendencies, which he either laughed at or dismissed, he would never do anything to put them in any actual danger. Highway robberies were rare now as compared to the centuries past, but their threat was not entirely absent, especially when one travelled without any kind of weapon or extra security. He was extremely displeased with Tom's patent unconcern for their siblings' safety.
Mary calmed her sister-in-law and turned to her husband. "Tom. What are you doing here?" Her tone was perfectly neutral; no one could know the mixture of anxiety and dread roiling inside her.
But Tom's focus had zeroed in on his brother to the exclusion of everything else. "Sidney, there you are! I have the greatest news for you. Come!" He beckoned imperiously, turning towards the study. "We shall speak later, my dear," he added dismissively to Mary, who stiffened.
Sidney's entire posture had gone taut. He grit his teeth against the spurt of anger and vexation that, of late, seemed to be his default reaction to being in Tom's presence. It was only the anxiety he saw in Arthur's eyes and the press of Charlotte's fingers against his that made him tamp down his irritation.
"We'll talk in here." He turned the other way and headed for the back parlour.
"I had thought to speak with you alone, Sidney," Tom protested. "This is Sanditon business, there's no need to involve the others."
Mary's heart sank a little, because contrary to her hopes, her words before leaving Sanditon seemed to have had no effect whatsoever on her husband.
"I think anything that is Sanditon business now concerns all of us, does it not?" Sidney countered. "Besides, if you have good news, I'm sure we all want to hear it."
"Really, I must insist!" Tom continued to object, but no one paid him any heed. They had already begun moving to the back parlour and he had no choice but to go along.
Mary quickly signalled to Nurse to take the children upstairs and asked Mrs. Mullins to have tea sent in.
In the parlour, the women and Arthur took their seats, Diana wilting into one of the comfortable armchairs, while Sidney leant his elbow against the mantelpiece. Merridew the butler himself arrived bearing a heavily laden tea tray, which he set on the table. His inscrutable face gave away nothing but his sharp eyes immediately gauged in the situation. He would alert the rest of the household staff and ensure that the family remained undisturbed for as long as they needed. He exchanged a quiet, assuring glance with Mr. Sidney.
Sidney waited until Merridew had left the room, pulling the door closed behind him. "Well, Tom?"
In reply, Tom pulled out a folded letter from his waistcoat pocket. Considering its creased state, it had obviously been read many times over since he first received it.
"You will see, brother!" he declared jovially, although his face betrayed a hint of nervous anxiety. "The solution to save Sanditon! And what's more, make it prosper!"
Sidney took the letter, checking first the name at the bottom to see who it was from. No one missed the way he stilled, only his eyes moving as he scanned the paper. When he finished, he raised his head and his eyes were so black and his jaw clenched so tight that Tom took an involuntary step back.
Charlotte and Mary rose to their feet in concern.
"What is it?" asked Mary.
"It is a brilliant notion, is it not, Sidney?" Tom remarked, still maintaining his cheerful demeanour, although everyone could see the strain in his façade.
Sidney said nothing, merely stared at Tom. He wondered when his kind and caring older brother had ceased to feel like a brother at all and turned into this stranger — a person he barely recognised anymore.
With a muted, impatient exclamation, Mary took the letter from Sidney's hand. A ripple of emotion passed over her face as she read it and when she raised her face, her anger matched Sidney's. "You are despicable!" she spat at Tom.
"What is it?" demanded Diana. "Tell us what it says, Mary! My poor nerves are already quite shredded, I cannot bear the suspense any longer!"
"It is a letter from Mrs. Campion," Mary informed them all grimly. "Offering to marry Sidney so that he can use her fortune to pay off Tom's debts and save the family and Sanditon."
She turned back to glare at her husband, who did not meet her eye.
"We are already aware of Mrs. Campion's offer. There is no need to resort to such methods. We have a meeting with Lord Babington and Lady Susan this morning where everything will be settled," Sidney said with a confidence and hope he prayed was justified.
He and Charlotte had never discussed what they'd do if things didn't work out, if an offer like Eliza's was the only solution. But Sidney refused to entertain that line of thought. He could not afford to think like that. Losing Charlotte was not an option.
"Besides, I'm not interested. Have you forgotten that Charlotte and I are engaged?"
A look of panic passed over Tom's face. "But Sidney..." He seemed truly taken aback that Sidney wasn't eager to fall in with this brilliant plan. "Surely you can see that this is the answer to all our problems?"
"No."
"Sidney–"
"This is the answer to all your problems, Tom, not mine. I am not the one who has brought our family on the verge of financial ruin. Although somehow, as always, the responsibility for fixing your problems has fallen to me! I can't believe you even had the gall to bring this to me! Do you really expect Charlotte and I to break our engagement?"
Sidney's voice had increased in volume as he spoke, and there was silence when he finished. He took a few deep breaths, forcing his temper back under control. It was futile to get angry at Tom because it was like hitting your head against a wall; it would be you who would get injured but it made no difference to the wall.
Arthur and Diana watched warily, the latter having forgotten all about her complaints in the face of her brothers' argument. This was evidently far more serious than she could have imagined. Mary had shoved the offending letter aside, not realising it had landed in Charlotte's hands.
"Come Sidney," Tom's tone was one of enforced jocularity. He had barely heard any of his brother's words. All he knew was that Sidney was refusing to do as required of him in this eminently sensible solution, and that he must be made to see sense. "Let's be reasonable here. Surely you see that you are in the best position to bring this about. And what could be a better solution than–"
"A better solution would be you having the sense to buy the bloody insurance in the first place!" Sidney snapped, all his resolve of mere moments ago to not get angry at Tom flying out of the window. "And you didn't see fit to mention even once that you hadn't!"
"You only need it in an emergency," Tom protested.
"What do you think this is?!" Sidney exploded. "What kind of a fool are you? If you'd told me you needed money for the insurance, we could have found a way to arrange it, Tom! But you didn't mention it even once!"
Everything he had wanted to say to his brother back in Sanditon, when they had learnt about the lack of insurance, but had been too angry and panicked to say, came spewing out now in a torrent of anger.
"Not when you asked me to speak to the banks to extend your credit, not when we tried to promote the regatta at the ball in London, not even when you went on about not having enough money to pay the workers! It ought to have been your first priority, but you never even intended to get any! And you deliberately hid this from me!"
"Well now," blustered Tom, "What's done is done. I made a mistake and no one feels worse about it than myself. But we must look to save ourselves now, and this is the best way."
But he didn't sound sorry or regretful at all.
"The best way for you, perhaps. You stand to lose nothing. What about me? You would have me marry a woman I do not love, and set aside the one I do?"
"Don't be daft Sidney. You love Eliza!"
"I do not."
"Yes, you do," Tom declared with a laugh, as if Sidney was sporting with him. "And you have loved her for a decade!"
"No, Tom. It's Charlotte I love, not Mrs. Campion. And nor was I in love with her for a decade."
Sidney tried to be patient, to remember that his older brother would not be aware of how his outlook on love had changed since he met Charlotte. To Tom, just as to everyone else other than Mary, Babington, and Lady Susan, Sidney's proposal of marriage to Charlotte must have appeared entirely out of the blue. They did not know of his and Charlotte's journey into love. Nor would Tom know of the realisations Sidney had come to regarding his previous feelings for Eliza Campion.
"I let her decision to throw me over govern my actions for many years, believing it to be some form of lasting attachment. But, in truth, whatever feelings I may have harboured for her soured a long time ago."
"You love Eliza," Tom insisted stubbornly. "I have seen it. At Mrs. Maudsley's rout in London. You were positively revivified that night! I even pointed it out to Charlotte, did I not, Charlotte? So happy you were to be reunited with her!"
Sidney's gaze shifted to Charlotte with a guilty pang. That magical night had ended on a distressing note for her and it would forever haunt him that his behaviour was the reason. But it seemed it he was not alone in causing her pain that night. Although this knowledge, rather than assuaging his conscience, only made him feel worse.
Charlotte's eyes indeed held a wealth of hurt at Tom's words, and Sidney inwardly seethed. Tom seemed entirely oblivious — or uncaring — of his unpardonable rudeness towards her. But Charlotte met Sidney's gaze steadily, and he understood that any anger she felt was not because of him. Their conversation in his study the previous night had cleared the air between them.
"And you invited her to the regatta!" Tom continued, still raving about Mrs. Campion.
"I did not, you did."
"In the hopes that you might rekindle your relationship with her, and you did! And before that you spent the whole week with her in London!"
"I did not spend the week with her. Mrs. Campion means nothing to me anymore."
"But don't you see?" Tom beseeched. "Eliza's money would help us now! Sanditon would be saved and would prosper! Is it now too much for me to ask for my brother's help in such a matter?"
"Help?" Sidney scoffed. "You're not asking for my help. You're asking me to sacrifice my happiness and shackle myself for the rest of my life to a selfish and scheming woman of whom I have no good opinion. All so that you can get your hands on her money and save your own hide. To fix a mistake you caused by being reckless and stupid. And I suppose you think you will then have access to her entire wealth to finance all your grand plans for Sanditon. Are you hearing yourself, Tom?"
"I told you," replied Tom heatedly, "I made a mistake, but it's in the past. No one feels more guilty about it than I do."
"But not guilty enough to shoulder the consequences yourself," Sidney pointed out. "Your mistake might be in the past for you Tom. Although I do not see how you can claim that when it happened not five days ago and we are doing all we can to fix it. But it is I who you expect to make the sacrifice, my future happiness and Charlotte's that you expect us to give up for you."
"What sacrifice? You love Eliza! I'm proposing no hardship on you!"
Sidney swore out loud and threw up his hands in frustration at Tom's wilfulness. He turned away, fists clenching. He had never before felt such an urge to hit someone. That his own brother provoked this instinct in him might have once surprised him, but not anymore.
"Tom!" Mary cried, "Why are you being so obtuse?" She had listened to the brothers' conversation, increasingly appalled at her husband's unreasonable expectations and inconsiderate behaviour.
Tom ignored his wife. "Sidney," he sighed, as if his brother was a recalcitrant child whom he was trying to coax into doing something for his own good. "Come now. Surely you see that it is time to let go of this pretence of courting Charlotte? Haven't you punished Eliza enough?"
Sidney whipped around to face his brother, an expression of utmost incredulousness on his face. "What?"
"I know you were hurt by her decision to marry Mr. Campion. But surely you are not still holding that against her after all these years? At the detriment to the happiness of you both?"
The words coming out of Tom's mouth were so unbelievable that Sidney was certain it was he who was hearing entirely wrong. He turned, dumbfounded, to Charlotte and Mary and his siblings, thinking that he might get some clue from them about what Tom really meant. But they looked just as stunned and mystified as him.
Surprisingly, it was Arthur who broke the silence. "What are you on about, Tom?" There was a note of impatience in his voice that was seldom heard from him, and rarer still to hear it directed towards their older brother.
"It is far past the time for Sidney to end this charade! He finally has a chance at happiness with his dearest love, and instead he is doing everything he can to jeopardize it! Not to mention putting Charlotte's reputation in grave danger!"
"But… but why do you say Sidney and Charlotte's engagement is a charade?" Diana exclaimed, the only one in the room genuinely more confused than angry.
"Because I know my brother, and he would never be disloyal or inconstant with his feelings. It is Eliza he loves, not Charlotte."
"Oh for heaven's sake!" Mary cried out furiously. "Sidney does not love Eliza Campion! Repeating it over and over again like some… parrot! isn't going to make it true, no matter how much you wish it! Get that in your stupid, thick head, Tom! And I think you have insulted Charlotte enough!"
Tom gaped at his wife's tirade.
He had not expected any resistance to his plan, never mind a flat out refusal, not from his brother and certainly not from his wife. In fact, quite the opposite; he had truly believed Sidney would jump at the chance to reunite with his one true love. And Mary, his dear Mary, would of course support it — him — wholeheartedly. She would be so proud that Tom had singlehandedly saved the family from ruin with his brilliant stroke of genius. After all, Eliza had just given him the kernel of the idea; it would be him who would be envisioning it and bringing it to life.
Yet here was Sidney stubbornly insisting he didn't love Eliza when nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, Tom had realised that he had underestimated how badly Sidney had been hurt by Eliza's rejection ten years ago. And it was not just his heart, his pride was equally badly injured too. Only that could explain the lengths to which he had gone. Pretending he had given his heart to another, pretending he was engaged to another — what else could it be for but to make Eliza suffer the same way she once did to him? Was that not proof of his deep, abiding feelings for her?
Tom had not taken Sidney's obvious distraction with Charlotte seriously because he did not see it as anything more than a harmless flirtation. More, he had done all he could to discourage it, had he not, once Eliza had appeared on the scene? Asking Charlotte to dance at Mrs. Maudsley's ball just as Eliza arrived, ensuring Sidney was free to talk to her. Keeping Sidney away from Charlotte at the midsummer ball even though Eliza hadn't been present. He was aware of Charlotte's disappointment on both instances, but that could not be helped. Better she feel some mild discontent now rather than acute heartache later.
Even had the Parker family's circumstances been different, Tom would not wish his brother to marry Charlotte. She was an absolutely dear girl, invaluable when it came to keeping his papers organised. But Lady Denham was right, she had neither money nor connections. If Sidney had to marry, Tom would ensure it would be to someone of influence, who could help Sanditon's prospects. And what luck to have the shockingly wealthy Eliza, Sidney's true love, become a widow and free to marry him — just when they needed her money, no less!
But he had forgotten that his brother was the honourable sort. Sidney and Charlotte had become good friends after they overcame their initial animosity. His engagement to her must not be a pretence after all. He must have truly asked her to marry him, out of fondness of the friendship that had developed between them, as it would be an advantageous situation for her. He had always had a deep streak of protectiveness towards those dear to him. Perhaps they had become engaged before they came to London looking for Miss Lambe. Yes, that explained it. And now that Eliza was back, Sidney could not in good conscience ask Charlotte to break off the engagement.
But engaged was not married and Tom was not going to let such a flimsy reason stand in the way of Sanditon's prospects — and his brother's happiness, of course.
"Sidney, it is very noble of you to offer to marry Miss Heywood, but I must make you aware that there is truly no need."
Sighs and exclamations of exasperation erupted from his wife and siblings.
"What fresh nonsense is this, Tom?"
"It is not nonsense!" Tom stepped forward as if to clasp his brother's shoulder, but thought the better of it at his black glare. "I understand why you felt the need to offer for her. With eleven younger siblings, it is as Lady Denham said: she will need to marry well. But the Heywoods are not in any sort of dire straits, Sidney, as Mary will confirm. I can assure you that you do not have to marry Charlotte. Sanditon has far more need of you!"
Sidney's blood was boiling at Tom's blatant attempts to twist the situation to suit his wishes. He could feel himself trembling with anger. It was so intense that for a moment he felt afraid of himself, of the violence he knew himself capable of unleashing on his brother.
"Besides, Charlotte has a tendre for Young Stringer," Tom continued on, seemingly unaware of the very real danger he was in. "Is that not true, Charlotte? A handsome young couple you both made at the regatta, almost as handsome as Sidney and Eliza!" He smiled at her as if this was the greatest news, but no one missed the desperate look he sent her.
"No," said Charlotte simply, practically her first words since Tom had barged into the house. She had gone stiller and stiller as the two brothers argued, until she felt like a statue. She could not think right now of the hurtful and dismissive way in which Tom spoke about her. It was only Sidney's unwavering refusal to submit to Tom's demands, and the knowledge that he needed her support, that gave her the strength to stay in the room. Was this the sort of relentless badgering that he had faced for years from his brother, who would not stop until he had worn him down, guilted him into doing as he wished? If so, any apology she had made to him so far was severely inadequate.
Tom faltered for a moment but recovered and turned brightly to Sidney again. "Well, no matter. I am sure Charlotte would not mind breaking off your eng–"
Sidney lunged. He could see nothing for the red haze of murderous wrath that surrounded him, hear nothing except the loud pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears, with Tom's voice echoing all around it. And he knew nothing except that he wanted to silence his brother's ceaseless and infuriating harping about Sanditon and Eliza Campion, and his insults to Charlotte.
But Sidney was restrained by the unexpectedly swift and brave intervention of Arthur, who leapt to his feet and pushed himself between his brothers, keeping the second from reaching the first. Even then, his efforts might not have been sufficient had Charlotte too not sprung into action at the same time. It was her hands on Sidney's chest, her soft "Sidney, no, please!" that made him abruptly stop in his steps.
It still was not enough. Neither Arthur nor Charlotte nor Sidney himself was strong enough to entirely hold him back. He had already swung his arm and momentum sent his fist into Tom's face.
Diana and Mary gasped.
It was nowhere near as powerful a punch as Sidney might have wished or what he was capable of; indeed, it was barely a graze, considering he had inflicted far more damage on his opponents in bare-knuckle boxing matches. Still, the jab split Tom's lip, immediately rendering his mouth red.
Tom staggered back, too stunned by his brother's action to register the sting of the bleeding cut. He gaped at Sidney as he brought his hand up to his mouth, and when it came away with blood on his fingers, he looked thoroughly shaken. He had never imagined his brother would actually attempt to punch him.
He turned to his wife and siblings, who seemed as shocked as him. But he found no support from them. Arthur was still watching Sidney in wary concern, Diana just stood there, utterly discombobulated, while Mary watched him grimly and did not even move to comfort him.
It took Sidney a long moment to bring his fury under control. Charlotte held his hands the entire time, grounding him, and he gripped them back. She could feel the storm raging inside him, which he seemed to contain through sheer will.
Gradually, he unclenched his jaw, loosened his grip on Charlotte's fingers, allowed his muscles to relax and found himself in control of his emotions once again. He did not know how he felt about his actions. Part of him was ashamed at having given into the urge to resort to violence. But if he felt no satisfaction or vindication at having hit his brother, he certainly felt no regret either. Still, he could not bring himself to look at Tom, nor at Mary, Arthur or Diana.
Nor could he make eye contact with Charlotte. It was her judgement he feared the most. He kept his head lowered, conscious only of her fingers in his.
When he finally gained the courage to meet her eyes, he registered her troubled expression.
"Charlotte, what is it?" Mary asked at the same time. She too had noticed the perturbed looks her young friend had sent towards Tom.
Charlotte hesitated. Sidney's emotions were roiling under the surface and it would take very little to set him off again. But listening to his and Tom's conversation and reading Eliza Campion's letter had sparked a realisation. She was not sure, however, if she should reveal it now. Tom had made it clear he saw her as an outsider, not someone he would welcome into the Parker clan. If she spoke up now, it would truly put her at odds with him, which was the last thing she wanted. He was not only her host, but the brother of the man she was to marry and the patriarch of the family. But the events of the past few days, weeks, had made one thing clear — her loyalty lay first with Sidney and then Mary. If that worsened Tom's opinion of her…
"Charlotte?"
She squared her shoulders and raised her eyes to Sidney. "What Mr. Parker said… about your reasons for pretending to courting me and not really wanting to marry me… Mrs. Campion made similar arguments to me in the park yesterday."
Sidney held her gaze as he processed this, as the meaning of her words sank in. When he remembered what Charlotte had narrated to him the previous night, what the two women had talked about, his head came up like a hound scenting prey, unable to believe the implications.
"Why were you walking with Mrs. Campion in the park?" Arthur asked Charlotte curiously.
"She intercepted me outside the house as I returned from visiting Lady Susan and insisted we go to the park because she wanted to have a word with me. She knew all about the debt, and well, she wanted me to convey her offer of marriage to Sidney."
Arthur and Diana looked shocked.
Sidney's fury was back, but instead of his usual aggressiveness, there was an iciness to it, which somehow made him scarier. "You have been writing to Mrs. Campion," he said to Tom.
The guilt on Tom's instantly face gave him away.
"Sterling!" Arthur exclaimed suddenly. "Of course!"
"What?" Charlotte asked, confused.
"Sterling!" Arthur repeated, as if that explained everything. To everyone but Charlotte, it did. "Sterling was Eliza Campion's maiden name."
The mysterious Mr. Sterling who had been corresponding with Tom all these days was not a "Mr." but a former Ms. Sterling.
"You have been writing to her ever since you returned from London." Mary said to her husband as realisation dawned. "I remember seeing letters for you from a Mr. Sterling. You received them almost every day. Have you have been plotting this with her all along?"
She felt sickened.
Tom said nothing. There was nothing he could say. Denying it would not help.
"Was it she who put these ridiculous fantasies in your head, Tom, or did you invent them yourself and share them with her?" Sidney asked. "Is this why you are so adamant that I marry her? Because she has offered you her fortune in exchange for me? Have you promised me to the highest bidder?"
The derision dripping from his brother's voice, coming on the heels of Mary's deep disgust and disappointment, was too much. Tom could stay quiet no longer.
"I paid your debts!" he roared, abandoning his mask of brotherly civility. "I helped you out when you needed it! If it weren't for me you would have died in some godforsaken boxing match or drowned in your drink! I saved you, damn you! But when I need your help, you are quick to wash your hands off the responsibility!"
Sidney took a sharp intake of breath and stepped back. He was very cognisant of what Tom had done for him a decade ago, how he had saved him. If it weren't for his older brother, he might have indeed been a corpse sooner or later. Which was why he could not understand how Tom could want him to marry Mrs. Campion, the very woman who had caused his downward spiral in the first place.
And surely Tom could not hold that over Sidney's head forever? How many favours did he think Sidney owed him in return? Had he not done enough for Tom, compelled always by the guilt he felt at the self-destructive path he had taken, which had required him to be rescued by his brother? Surely the sacrifice Tom asked for in return — of Sidney's very happiness, of his whole future, of Charlotte — was far too much?
"I will ever be grateful for your support back then, Tom," he said quietly. "But my debts weren't even a twentieth of what you have incurred. And if we are to talk of figures alone, then I have repaid you several times over, have I not? I have given you funds, invested in your enterprise although I had no hope of ever seeing those sums ever again, let alone any profits. I even bought the Parker houses from you."
"The houses!" Tom ranted, "I should have never let you purchase them from me! I should have put them up for sale, I might have got a far bigger sum from another buyer!"
"You would not have, I assure you. I paid you more than their worth. Any other buyer would have driven a far harder bargain. Besides, they are the Parker family houses. They have been in our family since grandfather's time. I could not let them be sold off, even if you have no such qualms."
"Sidney has always helped you, Tom," Mary could not help but try desperately to make her husband see reason. "To the best of his abilities. But you cannot expect him to just give his money to you."
"And why not?" Tom fired back. "Why should I not expect my brother to share his wealth with me? With his family? He inherited a fortune from our uncle and we saw not a farthing of it. Instead, he saw fit to give Babington a share!"
"Did you think I wouldn't help my friend?" Sidney hissed, stepping right up to his brother's face. "Babington's family faced penury because his feckless father gambled away their wealth and estate, and left him and his mother and sister to pick up the pieces. Just as you are now doing to us! And for your information, Babington has repaid the entire sum in full."
There was a grim pause.
"So, this is how it is to be then," said Tom, facing the others. In his panic about the magnitude of his debts and the potential loss of his grand dreams for Sanditon, he saw nothing other than his younger brother being selfish and petulant and refusing to help him. "You will see me in debtors' prison, and Mary and the children in the poorhouse or on the streets? All because you want to marry Charlotte? What about your duty, your responsibility to this family?"
The unfairness of this accusation was so great that Sidney had no response.
But Mary had had enough. She was aghast at Tom's behaviour. This person before her, this raving madman could not be her husband. This was not the sweet, kind Tom she had married a decade ago.
"His duty?" she blazed. "His responsibility? I did not marry Sidney! The welfare of your wife and children is your responsibility, Tom! Do you have to be reminded of that? Why didn't you buy the insurance if you were so worried about our security? Why weren't you more careful with our money? Why did you sink it all into Sanditon? Why didn't you think of us when you gambled with our futures?" she finished desperately.
"I'm doing this for you! For us! For the children!"
"No," said Mary coldly, though her heart was breaking inside. "Everything you have done is for yourself, for your vanity. For your impossible dreams of Sanditon."
Tom opened his mouth to respond but she cut across him.
"And now you expect me to be glad that you want to secure our safety at the cost of Sidney and Charlotte's happiness? I will not allow your selfishness to destroy their lives!"
"Neither of you have ever had any faith in me! In my vision for Sanditon! After all the sacrifices I have made–"
"The sacrifices you have made?" Mary laughed bitterly, unkindly. "What sacrifices are those, pray tell?" When Tom remained silent and red-faced, she continued, "Sidney has helped you every single time you asked, even if it was against his wishes. And I have been sidelined for this town my whole life! Sanditon was your first wife, and the one you preferred, but I didn't know what I was getting into when I married you. Do you expect me to care about it more than my family? My children?"
Arthur and Diana exchanged extremely worried glances and Sidney felt a pang of alarm himself. He had long known of Mary's vexation with Tom, but had always banked on her infinite patience while dealing with his brother's wild bouts of enthusiasm. But things seemed to be worse than he had imagined. Worse than Tom could have guessed when he had been afraid he had lost her trust.
Sidney looked at Charlotte and noted that she didn't seem surprised at all at Mary's unexpected and candid revelations. Somehow Charlotte had known. But then, she had always known, had she not? She had accurately identified Tom's character right at the very beginning when she spoke of how he neglected his family's happiness in his passionate devotion to Sanditon. And now, his and Mary's marriage seemed to be on shaky ground. He wondered if his brother realised the true cost of his obsession with Sanditon.
Regardless, it was time to bring this ridiculous discussion to an end.
"Tom," Sidney said firmly. "A meeting has been arranged at Babington's house with him and Lady Susan. Between us, the matter of the debt will be settled. You wanted us to be more involved in the future of Sanditon, and now we will be. And you will have to live with whatever decision is taken because it will be one that best suits everybody, not just you." He paused to let the message sink in. "None of us here are available to you to sacrifice for your needs as you please."
There was a finality to his tone that signalled the conversation was over.
"We leave for Babington's place in half an hour. That should give you enough time to freshen up," he added, addressing Arthur and Diana as well.
They nodded meekly.
Everyone stood up to leave. No one paid any more heed to Tom, who was left standing near the fireplace, Mary and Sidney's words ringing in his ears.
Sidney fell into step with Arthur as they all filed towards the door. "You did well, Arthur, in warning me of your arrival," He said to his younger brother as they moved into the corridor. "And your letters. And for keeping an eye on Georgiana as well. Thank you."
Arthur nodded, smiling slightly. He had never felt useful in his life before, had never needed to be useful to anyone. He found he quite liked it. But he still felt a little guilty that he had not done much more to help Sidney. Before today, he had not known nor could he have imagined the extent of the unrealistic expectations Tom seemed to have from Sidney. Part of him felt thankful he had been spared, for he would certainly not have had the courage or the fortitude to endure Tom's relentless crusade as Sidney had done.
"Sidney… I would have offered to marry Mrs. Campion myself…" When Arthur saw his brother's eyes widen in surprise and disbelief, he hastened to add: "It should not matter to her which brother she was marrying if she truly only wanted to help save the family. People have married for far less nobler reasons. But it's not me she wants to possess. And apart from marriage not being my style of things at all — I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to go about it! — I'd rather be alone and lonely than be trapped in a marriage with that viper!"
Sidney gaped at his brother. This was possibly the most Arthur had ever spoken to him about a matter other than food or some ailment. He found his voice. "Thank you, Arthur. I understand how you feel. But as I said before, none of us needs to be sacrificed at the altar of Tom's ambitions. We'll find a way."
"I'm glad you did not give up on Miss Heywood. And especially glad that you did not give up on yourself." He nudged his brother with a teasing grin. "You are quite besotted with her."
Sidney couldn't help the grin that lit up his face. "I am."
"I'm truly very happy for both of you. I adore Charlotte and could not be more delighted to have her for a sister." Arthur turned serious again. "Sidney, I would like to help. With Sanditon, with whatever we decide to do. Whatever I can do to assist or support you, you must tell me."
Sidney nodded. "Let's see what happens at the meeting, brother. If you really want to be a part of it, I promise I'll find a way."
Charlotte and Mary had left the parlour ahead of the brothers, Diana having already bustled off to her room. The two women had stopped further down the corridor.
"Charlotte," Mary began, her voice heavy with guilt. "I am so deeply sorr–"
"No." Charlotte cut her off. "You have nothing to apologise for." Her tone was fierce. "Nothing. And when I leave for Willingden, you and the children are coming with me."
Mary stared at her astonished even as tears filled her eyes. "But Tom said such terrible things to you… You would still…?"
"Of course!" She squeezed her friend's hand. "I cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through. But I will offer support where I can."
"But your parents–"
"Will understand perfectly," Charlotte said firmly.
Mary gripped her hand back, trying to convey her deep and heartfelt gratitude. A single tear ran down her cheek but she valiantly held the rest of them at bay. She wanted to weep, but she could not afford the luxury of a good cry as yet. She must be strong for a little while longer, for herself, her children, and her family.
Sidney found the two women thus in the corridor. Mary looked fragile and overburdened and teary-eyed. In contrast, Charlotte with her defiant chin simultaneously looked like a general ready to lead an army into battle and like a lioness protecting her cubs as she stood beside Mary.
Sidney eyed her. He wanted to apologise for his brother's unforgivably insulting behaviour. But from the glint in her eye, he realised any such gestures would be unwelcome at this time. Charlotte was angry and hurt, rightfully so, and she had to be allowed to work her way through it at her own pace.
So, he settled for nodding at the two women, trying to convey his reassurance, and allowed himself just a squeeze of Charlotte's fingers as he passed them. He was rewarded with a quick tightening of her fingers around his.
And so, half an hour later found the Parkers and Charlotte settled in two carriages that conveyed them to Babington House on Park Lane.
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