Sanditon Season 2: Finding Their Way Back To Each Other

Chapter 16: Throwing A Punch

~~Sidney~~

After I was sure Mr. Fritz had left, I walked back to the ball to ensure Charlotte was alright. I had no intentions of approaching her, I just wanted to see from afar that she wasn't in any distress. I continually hurt her with my presence. I had decided to go back to avoiding her, despite the circumstances. Unfortunately, when I got back, I learned Mr. Crowe had already taken Charlotte and Alison home. I made a plan to track down Crowe and ask him if she was alright.

When I walked down to the hotel to wait for Crowe to return, Eliza was there. I rolled my eyes and turned around to walk away.

"Sidney," she called out into the night. I attempted to keep walking, but somehow, she caught up to me and grabbed my arm. "Stop running away from me!"

I stopped with a sigh. I refused to look at her and made it very clear I was not in the mood to talk to her.

"You do realize what I can do to that girl if you keep up these silly games, don't you?"

My body filled with anger and for the first time I looked at her face. "Actually, I don't think you have any power to do anything of the sort. I'm not so naïve to see what's really happening in front of me. I have it on good authority that you've been ran out of London. Your reputation is tainted. You don't have any power left. All you have is money and you think by threatening me and dangling that fortune in front of me, you'll somehow be able to buy a new reputation."

"Don't be silly, Sidney," she said with a nervous giggle. "I don't want anything to do with London society. Think about what we could have right here in Sanditon? Lady Denham is older and already had one near death experience. Once she's gone, you and I could be the most powerful couple here in Sanditon." She stepped closer to me and tried to look seductive. "If we're married and we spend the fortune I have to save Sanditon, and with your connections, you could potentially be given a title. We would have it all; a title and the fortune. We'd have more power than we know what to do with."

"Is that what you're after? Power?" I asked.

"I'm not after anything," she retracted. She looked down for a moment thinking about her words carefully. "I just want us to be successful, even if it's here in Sanditon."

"Since when do you care about Sanditon?" I asked. She didn't respond. I was sure it had something to do with not being accepted in London any longer. She was on the hunt for a new conquest and what better place than Sanditon where everyone would know she's the richest person in town and she would be more powerful than any other woman here. "I have little interest in titles. I don't need one, nor do I want one."

"You jest! No one would turn up a chance at a title," she laughed.

"I don't want it." I yelled.

"You still don't get it, do you?" she said matching my anger. "I can ruin your entire family. You can't break a promise once it's been made."

"Do what you must to ruin my family. It's not like there's much else that can be done to us that hasn't already been done. We've come out of it unscathed so far, we will find a way to make it right again."

She stared at me in shock then anger crossed her face. "Are you sincerely rejecting me?"

"I've been rejected before. You learn to get over it," I said condescendingly.

The look on her face was a mixture of anger, fear, and sadness. I softened my stance and sighed deeply, trying to show some kindness. As much as I didn't love her anymore, I still cared about her happiness.

"Were you happy in your first marriage?" I asked changing the subject.

"Of course, I was." She blurted trying to force anger to be in the forefront of her emotions.