All characters belong to the great GRRM.
A special thank you for your support and encouragement to Mari88 and ADKhike for the motivation to get this story rolling again.
Their first ten days as an engaged couple passed in glorious monotony. Sandor went back to his previous routine, preparing the grounds and buildings for the eventual winter. Sansa continued to attend morning mass, on her knees in thankful adoration. After mass, Fr. Sam would invite her to coffee, where they would discuss the wedding plans. Then Sansa would do some office work.
Sandor mentioned that he thought it was time Sansa learn to drive. Gilly was kind enough to pack them a picnic; Sandor would grab the basket, thank Gilly and collect Sansa for a late lunch. He would drive them to an empty parking lot. They would eat in the car and then switch seats and Sandor would then teach Sansa how to drive. She would practice parking, backing in, parallel parking and the like and then she would drive them home. It amused Sandor to no end, but he was happy to give his love some useful life skills, such as the ability to drive, it would give her a new found freedom and independence.
They would return to the parish, they would finish their work and meet again for dinner with Fr. Sam. The evenings were a quiet affair. Sometimes they would sit and watch TV with Fr. Sam, while Sansa flipped through wedding magazines or they would sit in Sansa's suite and play scrabble. It was very chaste, but enjoyable. Sandor would bid Sansa farewell around 8:30 and go home. He felt wholly uncomfortable initiating anything intimate in Sansa's suite, so he would happily settle for a kiss.
The morning Sandor saw an ostentatious Cadillac pull into the driveway, the monotony ended. Petyr Baelish received word from Harry that Sansa had called off the wedding and moved out. This surprised and irritated Petyr, who did not appreciate when things did not go as he had specifically planned. Deep down Petyr was kicking himself because he knew he had made an error, not being as involved with Sansa and Harry as he should have been. He never anticipated Sansa to have the confidence to leave Harry. Petyr was at a financial disadvantage without Harry. Harry was compliant and agreeable to accept Petyr's advice without question. Petyr had no need to "cook the books" so to speak, he was legitimate with the financial documents he gave them. It was either their blind faith in him or their naiveté that they never questioned or even noticed the exorbitant rate he charged them as their financial advisor. Petyr realized, too late, that whoever encouraged Sansa to leave Petyr would also notice his swindling.
Petyr had given the situation careful thought. He realized that he did not need to reunite Sansa with Harry. But, he did need to eliminate this new threat, and a better idea was to get Sansa to marry HIM! In his younger years, he had almost persuaded Catelyn, Sansa's mother, to marry him. He lost that opportunity, but maintained her trust enough to be kept on as financial advisor, albeit at a much lower profit margin than after her death. So, in retrospect he had fared well enough in his situation with Catelyn. He surmised he was probably happier without a wife and family, and the opportunity of her death and some fancy pencil work had made him a wealthy man. But things were different now. He was older, a pretty young wife might be just the thing for him, and the money would certainly be nice.
The pompous man walked arrogantly into the parish office. Sandor watched the interaction through the window. The man interrupted Sansa's typing, surprising her. She leapt up, smiling, hugging him. Sandor didn't miss the calculating look and the way the man appraised Sansa, in a not so familial way. Sandor decided to eaves drop, going into the office through the back door. He was as quiet as he could be, motioning Gilly, who was doing her own chores, not to give him away. She nodded her understanding and continued with her cleaning and eavesdropped right along with Sandor.
"My dear Sansa," Petyr oozed, "As soon as I heard of the break up, I came as fast as I could. Why didn't you call me and tell me things weren't going well with Harry?" He held her hands in false sympathy.
Sansa did not pick up on the insincerity, "Oh Petyr, it isn't as bad as you make it out to be!" She gushed "Everything is wonderful! I'm in love; I'm getting married at the end of the month. "
Petyr's mouth dropped open, forming an unflattering "O". Curses, he thought to himself, he really was losing his touch and he was going to have to work fast.
"Well congratulations!" He said, smiling a false smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Will you be staying here long?" Sansa asked
"I haven't decided, "Petyr told her in truth.
"Well, I hope you will" Sansa continued to gush "I would just love for you to stay here, will you do the honor of giving me away on my wedding day?"
