Kidnapped

fear for those you love

Less than an hour later, the three of them were in the carriage bound for Sanditon. Charlotte tried to read after Georgiana had fallen asleep leaning against the window, but she could not concentrate on the lines as her thoughts kept drifting away to the last carriage ride. She should apologize.

"Mr. Parker" she said in a calm voice and his face was illuminated by this beautiful smile, which suited him much better than his always unreadable expression.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"But what are you supposed to..."

"I mean in this carriage I was...well I was..." she couldn't put her apology into words.

"It was necessary," he said in a firm voice.

"But I..."

"For both of us."

She stared at him in amazement, but said nothing more. He nodded his head wordlessly and reached over to briefly squeeze her hand in her lap. Charlotte then smiled and was glad Georgiana had fallen asleep, she wanted to enjoy that look Mr. Parker gave her for a while.

Between looking out the window and risking a look at Mr. Parker, Charlotte also dropped off briefly. A loud crash awakened her and Georgiana, who reached out for her in fear. Sidney was just about to open the door to look, when both doors of the carriage were ripped open and guns held in their faces. Mr. Parker was dragged from the carriage in the most brutal manner, and as far as Charlotte could see, three men beat him up. He never had a chance. She had the urge to rush to his aid, but the two guys with the pistols kept her at bay.

"Don't worry," said one of them, "nothing will happen to him." The two creeps laughed, and Charlotte and Georgiana moved even closer together.

The journey continued and when they finally came to a stop, it was already dark.

The women were dragged out of the carriage and Charlotte recognized an old abandoned church and she didn't think anything good would happen. No sooner had she recognized that disgusting monster who had kidnapped Georgina. Than Georgiana was torn away from her.

"Good evening, my wife." he said to Georgiana, holding her chin.

"I am not..."

"Ha, not yet. The parson's not here yet, but when he does, you'll be my wife."

Charlotte looked around wildly and discovered Mr. Parker lying on the floor in front of one of the front benches. He was bleeding from his forehead and seemed to have passed out slightly.

Mr. Howard pushed himself past Georgina and nodded at one of his henchmen. She was placed on a bench behind Sidney.

"Wake up!" 

Mr. Howard yelled at Sidney and slapped him in the face with such force that Charlotte winced and tears welled up in her eyes. Slowly Sidney came to and when he could apparently see clearly again, he immediately looked around desperately and jumped up. His face relaxed noticeably when he saw Georgiana behind him and Charlotte at the entrance.

"Yes, yes, your little bride is here too." Howard laughs in a disgusting voice. Georgiana's eyes widened.

"But she is not..."

"No? Well, then your friend here shouldn't mind."

"What?" asked Georgiana, her voice hollow.

"Hmm, you might want to watch this, so you know how to please me." With these words he slowly walked towards Charlotte, who was dragged forward by two men. It slowly dawned on Charlotte that this monster wanted to take revenge on Sidney by hurting her.