Sanditon Season 2: The River and the Man

Chapter 11

It was past noon and Charlotte opened her eyes and looked at the drapes in the bright room it was nearly a whole two weeks in London and already she had met over fifty influential people. She stretched and luxuriated in the smooth fabrics that grazed her skin so deliciously as she reflected the circulating gossip about the mysterious Miss H. who was spending time with Lady Worcester for the season. 

All depression surrounding her unfortunate fling with Sidney was at least pushed just out of her immediate vision. The intrigue of the Beau Monde was stimulating once she felt comfortable enough to observe she did relish in it like Miss Georgiana Lambe had told her she would.

A knock sounded. "Come in," Charlotte said sitting up.

"Good morning my dear!" Lady Susan said brightly wearing a morning dress and turned to the servant. "Yes, bring the Coffee up here. We will talk as Miss Heywood readies herself. Please send for Bell to come ready her lady for the day."

"My dear Charlotte." she beamed. "You do like coffee now, don't you? I find I much prefer it to tea in the mornings." Susan was poised even in the earliest of times. "Coffee is a drink for men and women of intellect and progress and we are that, are we not?"

Charlotte smiled. Truth be told she was trying everything she could while she had the opportunity.

"Last night you were a credit to yourself my girl." Susan smiled at her through the full-length mirror. Truth be told the night before held a lot to digest upon reflection. The mystery of Charlotte was taking the Ton by storm and she had even had interest and callers to the house in her own right.

"Lord Dobs was absolutely smitten with you."

Charlotte laughed hugging her knees to her chest. "He is a West Indies land holder and has slaves." she shook her head.

Susan's smiled dropped in thought. "Do I detect a hostile view against the economic choice of owning people?"

Charlotte nodded. "I find the choice distasteful and could not abide a partner who had slaves."

Lady Susan nodded. "He is also disgustingly rich from it. I have heard he is worth more than three hundred pounds with an annual sum of fifty thousand." she scoffed. "But he likes to gamble and speculate ridiculously." she laughed. "No, he would not make a good match for you at all."

She squinted. "But I wonder..." she took the cup offered by the servant and thanked her.

"What Susan?" Charlotte asked fascinated.

Susan smiled and shook her head. "Oh, nothing. It's just terribly wicked and I am debating if for the greater good is this worth being wicked in a specific instance...I don't often exploit bad situations just for fun but if a massive amount of good happened would it not be worth it?"

Charlotte frowned. "Lady Susan you are sometimes so hard to understand."

She laughed. "Of course, but you are not my dear. Lord Dobs is an investor in my cousin Captain Warrick's grand venture to the indies for trade. His investment was originally around forty thousand but would be worth nothing if for some reason the entire venture was lost."

Charlotte frowned. "You told me Warrick is a talented captain and soon to be fashioned admiral. Why would you think the ships could be lost?"

Susan sighed. "Because these trade ships are lost all the time in storms around the cape. The ocean is littered with the hopes and dreams of Europe through the last centuries. The aristocracy speculates and invests on these merchant ships like myself on occasion. Some make it and some don't."

Charlotte frowned. "What does Lord Dobs stand to gain if the venture succeeds? To take such a risk with such an amount seems folly."

She nodded. "He stands to gain double if all the ships make it. But likely he will only profit twenty-five or thirty percent." she shrugged. "Or he could lose the whole investment. I hear he is hard up for cash because most of his wealth is already tied up in business ventures that are likely to be successful in their turn but for the moment there could be an opportunity for us my dear. I may have a perfect example of a golden opportunity, perhaps our best. It may court some scandal but you can weather that can you not?"

Charlotte shook her head. "I'm afraid I do not follow."

Susan looked at her shocked. "I'm going to need your trust and help in this Charlotte. I hope I can count on you."

Lord Feathersly flew in and perched on Charlotte's head and she seemed stunned.

"Good morning my dear Lord Feathersly," Charlotte said reaching up to stroke the bird.

"I do think he might be fond of you." Susan laughed.

She rolled her eyes as the bird flew over to the window.

"Feathersly, cage my dear," Susan said with a dismissive wave.

The bird regarded her and what seemed to be reluctance flapped to the ground and waddled out.

"Lady Susan, I just don't understand." she stood up and let Bell take off her chamise.

"What my dear?" She asked.

Charlotte covered herself as a new one was placed over her head.

"I just don't understand how you think to make me an heiress out of nothing, without marrying a rich man. Which for the record I really don't want to do."

"Bell, step out my dear," Susan said and stepped closer to Charlotte.

Susan looked into her eyes tenderly. "My dear... You are no longer in the middling field of economics, toiling away. You are in the court of St. James where riches flow like water in the waterlogged streets of London." she smiled. "Fortunes can be made and broken in a day. The trick is knowing when to put your oar in."