A carriage ride trough Willingden

A carriage ride to Sanditon

When he arrived at Mrs Heywood, she invited him once more to take a break from his stressful life at any time.

"Mrs Heywood, it would be my pleasure to come again! Thank you." He smiled honestly.

Mrs Heywood was even smiling, but for another reason. She could see and feel the tension growing between her daughter and this agreeable young gentleman. Betting with herself she was sure, there was more to come.

Mr Heywood squeezed Sidney's hand a little harder and looked him straight in the eye.....as if to warn him without words. Sidney barely nodded in agreement that he would stick to the agreement as far as he could.

Charlotte got in the carriage first and as Dr. Fuchs sat down next to her, Sidney had to take a seat on the opposite bench. But that didn't bother him any further because he could watch Charlotte that way. For the first few hours the two men talked in general about politics and Tom's plans for Sanditon. Charlotte listened attentively, but except for a smile or a narrowing of her eyebrows, she kept out of the conversation.

It was only when they reached the coast that she seemed as excited as she had been in the morning. She stared out the window to see the sea and her eyes got a longing expression. She slid so far forward on her seat that she touched Sidney's knee and a warm beam passed through his leg and into his stomach.

"What's it like to swim in the sea?" She asked without looking at him, and of course he immediately thought back to the morning when he saw her in the water. He had to swallow and could not answer immediately. She looked at him.

"It's different...because even when it's cold, the waves and the swirling sand make it seem warmer...it's..."

"Will you show me?"

What? She couldn't be serious! They can not go swimming together.

"Erm...well, there are the bathing mashines at the beach."

"Oh, I see, can't we go swimming together?"

Sidney really had problems to answer it, because in his mind's eye the pictures of her were floating in the water, only in her underdress and he next to her... he swallowed.

"Mein gnädiges Fräulein, that may be possible in your village but not in a fashionable Seaside Resort," Doctor Fuchs fortunately came to his aid.

"Oh." Charlotte bit her lip in embarrassment. She was ashamed of her naive assumption.

To change the subject, Sidney then began a conversation with Doctor Fuchs about the healing powers of seawater.

After that, it was quiet for a moment. And while everyone indulged in their thoughts and Sidney studied Charlotte's face as she stared happily and excitedly out the window, he heard a whimper.

"What was that?" He asked around, but Charlotte didn't seem to hear it and looked at him questioningly.

"There! Again!"

"Oh no!" She cried and slid down from her bench and leaned forward on her knees crouching under Sidney's seat. His heart was pounding louder and louder in his chest, because the sight was very ...... disturbing and ....she ....she touched his leg with her shoulder.

"What?" He asked quite harshly, but he wanted her to go away, she was really too close. And this sight, coupled with the images in his head...

She leaned back on her heels and looked at him. Her eyes glistened.

"Forgive me, I... Oh, no!"

He looked down at her lap. And he looked into big, loyal eyes of Grumpy. Sidney immediately grabbed his new friend and clawed him behind the ear while he was still lying on Charlotte's lap.

"But what are you doing here?" He asked in a soft voice.

"I think he likes you." Charlotte said with a wry grin and Sidney couldn't help but grin back at her and shake his head at Grumpy.

"You shouldn't carry it around all the time, Fräulein." The doctor warned "otherwise you spoil him too much."

"Yes, you're right," she sat Grumpy next to her and got up again, but at that very moment, there was a bump in the road and she fell forward. Quickly, with his reflexes, Sidney's arm shot forward and held her up. Their eyes locked for a moment until Charlotte sat down again. Only then did he let his hand fall from her arm. Though he hadn't felt her skin, his hand was tingling. It was truly irritating.

Charlotte lowered her gaze and Dr. Fuchs began to question Sidney about Lady Denham, whose estate they had driven past earlier. While he was answering the doctor's questions, he kept looking over at Charlotte again and, as in Willingden, he caught her more than once looking over at him, too.

Finally they arrived in Sanditon and at Trafalgar House. They were already expected by Mary and the children and Tom joined them. He greeted Dr. Fuchs and Charlotte and then hugged his brother very warmly.

"Uncle Sidney who is it?" Cried one of the girls Tom introduced to Charotte as Alicia. And as soon as the children discovered Grumpy, they were beside themselves with joy.

"This is Grumpy..."

"Oh, you brought him to us?"

"Uncle Sidney you're the best." The children shouted in confusion and Mary looked at him questioningly.

"Actually, no... so Grumpy invited himself anyway."

"Oh Mama, can we keep him...please..." the kids were shouting all over each other.

"No, it's uncle Sidney's dog." with these words Tom pushed his children into the house and accompanied Dr. Fuchs to the hotel with a servant.

"So Miss Heywood, I erm... I take my leave."

"Oh, don't you live here?" was that a dissapointed look?

"No, I erm...I'm staying at the hotel."

"I hope it's not because of me," she blushed slightly and Sidney answered perhaps a little too hastily,

"No, no, of course not."

"I mean, I hope I'm not taking away a room from you."

"No, no, this has been planned for a long time, because I'm meeting my friends there."

"Ahh."

"Hope Grumpy don't mind?" but he would rather ask her.

"Oh, no, no, he knows he don't belongs to you." Charlotte seemed not to speak about Grumpy.

"Perhaps he will." Sidney didn't thought about the dog either.

Their eyes met briefly.

"Come on, Charlotte, I'll show you to your room. You can take the dog with you." Mary said to Charlotte, and she just turned to her.

"Thank you." And with a shake of the head of the two of them, Mary went ahead into the house.

Grumpy was whining as Sidney left, but he didn't hear it, as he hurried to the hotel.