A/n: A short collection of thoughts I had post Sanditon that I put into words and strung together into sentences, then paragraphs and chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Characters based off Jane Austen's work and PBS television show "Sanditon"

A Bit More Sanditon

Chapter 1

~x~

Xander had gone after Miss Heywood. Meanwhile back at Heyrick Park...

The day was still young. Samuel had invited Lady Susan to stay and take luncheon with him and the girls at Heyrick Park, not knowing when Xander would return, or if he would return with Miss Heywood.

As they sat around the table being served, Samuel's mind couldn't help but think of how he could help his brother once more during these trying times. He watched Leo eating, quite happy with food but seemingly impatient as she tapped her foot continuously to the wooden floor.

"So Uncle Samuel, if my father married Miss Heywood, I shall have a new mother."

"That's correct!" Samuel agreed with a wink.

"And Lady Susan, if you were to marry my uncle, that would make you my aunt. And can an aunt be like a second mother?"

Samuel and Susan both looked at each other feigning surprise at the notion of the two of them getting married. Though they had yet to make it official, they had spoken of it with each other twice now.

With a nod to Leo and a deep acknowledgement in her eyes, Lady Susan replied, "They certainly can be."

"So once I had no mother and now maybe I shall have two?" Leo questioned but her face lit up with happiness at the thought.

Augusta was still wavering between a state of feeling sullen and inordinately pleased with the prospect of her uncle succeeding with Miss Heywood this time. She had her own hopes of how a new mother or aunt in her life would support her in the future.

"Lady Susan?" Samuel asked as he watched her delicately cut her plated food. She looked up at him letting him know he had caught her attention. "I was just watching Leonora eat and found myself in awe of her table manners. Don't you agree?"

Unsure of what Samuel had seen exactly, Lady Susan glanced over to Leo and smiled warmly. "Yes, Leo, I can tell you make for extremely polite dinner company. As a lady should be."

"Really, am I?" asked Leo. "Could I attend a fancy dinner? Maybe not a ball with dancing like my father goes to, but is there something like that which allows children like me?"

Samuel and Susan looked at one another.

"Well of course there is," Samuel noted. "Though I'm not sure you will find this around here. Perhaps…." He tapped his chin then glanced over at Lady Susan, giving her a keen but inquisitive look.

"Perhaps what, uncle?" Leo asked, her interest piqued.

"Well I was just thinking that with such fine table manners, perhaps we might all…" he glanced at Augusta before continuing, "make a small visit to London. For a couple of days."

"London! Really uncle?" Augusta excitedly asked, seemingly snapped out of her perpetual heartbroken daze. She wanted nothing more than to escape Sanditon and distance herself from the fear of running into Edward. The same fear that she felt was once again trapping her there at her uncle's estate.

Lady Susan had caught on to what Samuel was alluding to with his line of questioning. They weren't quite done playing matchmaker together.

"I do believe that is a wonderful idea!" Susan beamed to the girls with a big grin.

Samuel with his signature touch of devlish-ness leaned over to Susan and suggested in confidence to her how they'd be doing Xander a favor to have the girls out of his hair for a few days.

"Where will we stay?" Augusta inquired with haste. Samuel thought of his small bachelor standings. He pursed his lips and looked to Susan, whose dwelling he assumed was much more comfortable and suitable than his.

"Well, that's quite an interesting…" Samuel started.

"Why with me, of course!" Lady Susan announced. "Oh I have left my precious dog behind with a friend and will be overjoyed to see him again."

"You have a dog?" Leo asked with joy! "Is it a mastiff? Oh please let it be a mastiff!"

"I do but no I'm afraid it is not that large of a dog. He is a beautiful black and tan hound."

"Ahh, a good hunting dog!" Samuel encouraged, with a clap of his hands, to which Susan glared at him. "No, he is a very prim and proper gentleman named Wesley. Not some mutt who can be persuaded to run off through the mud and tumble in the brush after small game."

Samuel laughed. "Oh is he? So there are two of us mutts then in this world you've managed to tame?"

Susan squeezed her eyes at him while reaching for his hand under the table and squeezed that too. Augusta found herself sighing aloud, in both admiration of her uncle's mood with Lady Susan and in a dreamy haze of seeking her own love match some day.

"I think I shall like to meet Wesley," Leo sighed happily.

"When can we leave?" Augusta asked. "What can we do while we are there?"

"Oh we can shop, visit my dear friends, and go to a fancy dinner," Lady Susan smiled. With excitement they could hardly contain, the girls asked to be excused, left the table and ran to pack their belongings.

Samuel overly-grinned at Susan. "What?" she asked him.

"You. You're just incredible. I wasn't sure you would catch my drift or even entertain the idea of taking the girls to London, but you did with your usual amount of splendor!"

"Well, I'm sure it will give Xander the gift of time to either be with Charlotte or, God help us all, tend to his broken heart. Besides, you are doing me a great favor."

"What's that?" Samuel asked, surprised.

Lady Susan sighed.

"Ugh. I was simply dreading my first return to London to be such a lonesome event. Now it won't have to be. Besides, you have to agree your brother has been more than welcoming of me here in his home, so much so that I should like to do something special for the girls."

Just then, Mrs. Wheatley was passing by the dining room, peeking in on them.

"Any word yet, Mrs. Wheatley?" Samuel asked.

"No, none. Alexander has been wanting this for a long time, I just hope he doesn't muff it up again."

"Again?" Susan asked, her interest piqued.

Mrs. Wheatley covered her mouth. She had so much anxiety coursing through her. Samuel laughed as he remembered the days of Mrs. Wheatley sobering him up in the kitchen with coffee before facing his father in the morning when he was younger.

"Oh I see, Mrs. Wheatley has been keeping secrets. We shall like to hear more about them, but for now, Lady Susan and I would be delighted to take the girls to London with us for a couple of days. How do you think Xander will react to this?"

"Mr. Colbourne will be furious if you don't ask him first, but Samuel, I think it's a wonderful idea." She smiled and nodded her approval. "Based on Miss Heywood's reaction, your brother will either need to have time for her company or space to quietly retreat."

"And I can trust you to send word to me either way?" Samuel looked for reassurance.

"Of course, sir," she agreed before adding with a smirk, "Haven't I always?"

A knowing smile passed between the two of them. Samuel stood up and went over to her. He placed his hands on both of her arms. "Mrs. Wheatley, you are a treasure!"

Susan smiled over at her warmly in agreement. Mrs. Wheatley offered to pack the girls snacks for the road while Samuel decided he would pack his things, promising they would make a stop at Susan's visiting quarters prior to leaving Sanditon.