Sanditon Season 2: The River and the Man

Chapter 10

Sitting relaxed with one of her dearest social companions Lady Susan smiled as she laughed at a scandalous observation of their common acquaintance. Lady Bentinck was quite a scandalous woman herself and had made a fortune from it many times over. These were the kind that Lady Susan preferred the most. Complicated and sharp-minded. All the better too if they were romantics.

The hour was nearly five which was the dining hour and she smiled thinking it right to introduce Charlotte to her circle intimately first so as to ease the dear girl into larger crowds. She did not wish to overwhelm the dear girl like she had been at the Ball months before.

"My dear Anne, you and your husband must dine with us," she said with a smile. "I want you to meet Miss Heywood, but you must promise not to tease this one too quickly," she said rising from her seat to stand near the fire. The weather was chilly but blessedly not wet.

"Perhaps stay after for some entertainment?" she added.

Lady Anne Bentinck smiled sweetly. "Not too late. I must tuck my girls into bed."

Susan smiled warmly thinking of the beautiful girl infants her friend had finally been blessed with.

"Baby Anne is not so much a baby." Susan laughed. "I heard Lord William's story of how she got him on the nose in an unladylike manner and he bled all over her little dress. Positively shameful to be so beaten by a little girl child not yet three years old." Their laughter filled the room just as Charlotte entered.

"My dear Charlotte, I was longing for you to come and meet my dear friend Lady Anne Bentinck, her husband is Lord William Cavendish-Bentinck who is the son of our dear former prime minister the 3rd Duke of Portland."

Charlotte entered and immediately felt flustered. Dukes, this woman by marriage was related to a duke? Prime minister? These words were fluttering inside her mind and she wanted to pinch herself just as she had longed to when she had arrived at Sanditon and had her own room.

"Oh Lady Susan you have quite overwhelmed her..." the fine lady giggled and Charlotte could not help but to move forward and curtsied politely as she replied in kind.

Later that evening Lay Susan bid her friends good night and turned to smiled to Charlotte as her servants ushered the dinner party of six out.

"Do you know who you just sat and conversed amiably with all night Charlotte?" she asked her.

Charlotte scoffed and smiled. "Important, rich, sort I assume?" she breathed out nervously.

Susan laughed freely. "Why those were some of the most powerful people in this country. Colonel William is a politician and massively wealthy. All close friends of the Prince Regent. We are already well on our way to making you accepted and comfortable here my dear. If you were able to impress and be liked by them that will do to sway about half the Beau Monde." she took her hand. "Now all we need to do is either find a rich man for you or make you an heiress."

Charlotte took her hand back and shook her head uncomfortable with the topic. "Lady Susan, I'm a poor country gentleman's daughter. I have no means."

Susan moved forward. "Charlotte my dear, the good lord gave you a mind, and you are sharp I saw it right away. He also gave you the face of an angel." She lifted her chin delicately. "You really must master all of your assets. They can grant you a heavy return." She took her hand and pulled her upstairs. "Come I have some bookkeeping and I have heard you are good at sorting that kind of stuff. I want to see what you are capable of my dear."

"Susan it is near midnight." she frowned.

Laughing she climbed the stair. "That is an hour away. And the night is best, that is when I am most agreeable to that sort of task. We have nothing to do tomorrow, and I can tell them to turn away all callers till past two." she looked at Charlotte who was positively fascinated.
"If you haven't guessed yet my dear charlotte, I am positively eccentric," she said opening up her library.

Charlotte turned and took in the space. Her breath did not come for a moment as Lady Susan lit candles and a servant lit a fire.

"So many books," she whispered.

Susan looked around. "Not so many. I have a larger Library at my estate on the outskirts of London. It is where I go to breathe better when I am getting too overwhelmed by callers in town."

"Any philosophy?" she asked scanning titles.

Susan raised her eyebrows. "Heraclitus perhaps?" she said going to a shelf and pulling out the very book. Susan recalled Sidney's remark at the Regatta and did not sense malice from him but admiration in the comment. Not only that she had also sensed that he did not like London society any more than Charlotte but Mrs. Campion had turned that intimacy into something to hurt the girl with and reproved her for her interests.

Charlotte took the book. "See, I prefer books to parties. I never know what to believe of people and their motivations."

Susan shook her head. "Yes, you do. You must learn to enjoy the study.
For you have a great love of learning. Let me show you the way." she turned both of their attention to her large desk with many scattered papers.

"Now...where to start," she said looking about.

Charlotte shook her head. "Maybe we should just go from one of these edges, we can try to clear off enough space to make sense of it in steps, otherwise it will be all over the room."

Their work went on as they discussed the many avenues of business that Lady Susan was involved with.

"I just don't understand the point of having all this money," she said and then blushed as she realized she seemed to be insulting her dear hostess. 

Lady Susan nodded. "For most people, I understand the sentiment because most are frivolous and don't care about the industry and providing for the lower class a means to survive. This is why I like trade and city projects. They provide the economy for rural country towns and opportunities for the wealthy to branch out in large estates. Too much wealth concentrated in one place is practically what brought down the French monarchy. We Britains have learned to spread our means better, and we, as a result, have become a very wealthy country. Although we are not perfect of course, It is important for enough of the wealthy people to be both intelligent and compassionate. They say that money corrupts. I don't agree." she said with a smile.

" If your intentions are to make the world a better place and leave your mark in some way that benefits the many then money cannot corrupt." she said and charlotte felt a pain in her gut thinking of what Sidney had said, "Leave your mark, leave the world in a better place than you found it." 

Charlotte listened closely as Susan spoke about her philosophy in regards to money. She could really not find a fault in the older woman's perspective. It was just still so hard to see such luxury and know many suffered in poverty. Maybe this was where the intelligence came in and strength of heart.

Doing something because it is right, but cause someone or others pain none the less. This is what Sidney had chosen. The option that would hurt the fewest... She would endeavor to forget him and accept the sacrifice. Her heart still feared all the warnings that she had been given about not giving her trust to Sidney Parker for he was terribly unreliable. Mayhap his feelings did change.

Susan observed charlotte yawn and yawned herself. "I suppose we should commence our nightly repose. Thank you for already a wonderful day with you my dear."