As soon as the first bird chirped, Charlotte got up, washed herself and was barely dressed when she was already running down the stairs. Today, a new chapter in her life would begin, today she would travel without her parents! And not only to her aunts in the next village... No! In a modern fashionable Seaside resort.
What she will experience there! The sea, which she only knew from her father's collected pictures! What it felt like to bathe in the sea? The air should also be completely different. All the new people she would meet. And the pleasures. In any case, there would be a ball, to which she had sewn a charming new dress with her mother. It had been her mother's wedding dress, which they had now covered with new fabric and embroidered with appliqués. Would society notice it? What would Mr Parker think if she wore such a beautiful dress for the first time instead of her linen dresses? Would he like it?
Charlotte shook her head. How could she think such a thing? He would know, of course, that she hadn't bought it new in London. He'd see that underneath the enchanting embellishment was an old linen dress. Besides, it made no sense whatsoever that he'd see anything different in her than a country girl... ...an acquaintance. A friend perhaps, but certainly no more. He was so natural ...with her. She wondered if it would stay that way when he was back in his real world, where he didn't depend on getting help from her and her family. Would they still be so friendly with each other?
Sidney felt her presence before she could make herself known in any way. Her energetic presence made him fidgety, too. He was never nervous. Not at business meetings, not at social gatherings. Especially not in the presence of young girls. Or women in general. But around her, he was so aware of his surroundings. The perception of her feelings had become so natural that he worried about what it would be like in Sanditon when they didn't have so much to do with each other anymore and he had to return to London. Whether they became strangers again?
Slowly he turned to her. She already had her travel clothes on, but not yet a coat or hat. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and she seemed to bounce, although she stood there quite still. Her liveliness also made his heart beat faster.
It was a strange feeling.
"Good morning, Miss Heywood."
"Good morning, Mr Parker, I see you're saying goodbye."
Asked Charlotte with a smile and he looked down at Grumpy in his arms once more and cuddled the little dog.
"Yes, I... I kind of took him into my heart." He looked Charlotte right in the eye and you could almost think he wasn't talking about the dog.
"I don't think Father would mind if you keep him."
Sidney laughed briefly and then explained that he could not take care of a dog.
"Why not? It's not that difficult."
"You're right, Miss Heywood, but I'm away on business a lot and I'm afraid that I well, that I would neglect him."
At the words Charlotte's heart was opened. She had never met a man who cared about animals. Well, maybe it was the men she'd met before. None of them could afford the luxury of caring for a dog. An embarrassing silence fell over the two of them until Grumpy wriggled in Sidney's arms and jumped down.
"You see, he's already running away," laughed Sidney, and they both walked slowly to the carriage that was waiting.
Doctor Fuchs was just talking to Mrs Heywood, but then greeted Charlotte with a kiss on the hand and Sidney noticed her slight blush and found her indescribably sweet at that moment. They had already been in many exciting situations, yet such a physical greeting seemed to suprised her. What will it be like to dance with her? What she will look like in an evening gown....the thought made him come to his senses and he now walked down the row of siblings to say goodbye.
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.