by Jayne Bamber
After about an hour the nurse came in, insisting that it was time for little Miss Darcy’s nap, and Georgiana was shooed away, left only to make the feeble arguments of a doting aunt. Knowing that dinner would be an overwhelming affair, with two dozen people at table, Georgiana preferred some solitude for as long as she could manage it, and yet as she made her way out the back of the house, and was beset by Sidney Parker, she realized it was exactly what she had wished.
“Good afternoon, sir,” she said, feeling quite dull.
“What, no astonishment to see me here,” he teased, offering her his arm. “I had really expected a little fanfare, you know.”
“I believe there was a great deal of fanfare, arriving in such a caravan.”
“Tell me truthfully, who were you happiest to see? Your brother, or perhaps Mrs. Darcy?”
Georgiana knew what he was really asking, and though she was too shy to own to it, she was happier to see him than nearly everyone else who had arrived. “I suppose I am pleased to see my little niece,” she said cautiously. “I adore her.”
“Not at all surprising, Miss Darcy. I have nieces and nephews of my own, in Sanditon, and I am very fond of them. I suspect you may meet them yourself, soon – I hear you are part of the Sanditon scheme? I am really hoping to meet with Mrs. Sutton soon, whenever she returns from the village, and thank her in person. I am sure she will be very well pleased with the place, and as she is bringing such fine ladies with her, I shall be very well pleased with her.”
Georgiana blushed and looked away. Mr. Parker’s presence here – what possessed him to accompany her brother, and why had William allowed it? She hoped, as she had not dared to hope since February, when she had spied on his visit with Rebecca. Certainly it was what she wished for – she had indeed been pleased by Lydia’s demand that Caroline take her to Sanditon, had really wished to accompany them, and had begun scheming a little bit with Harriet about it. Faced with Mr. Parker now at her side, she could only admit to herself what she had not done yet the last week – that she really wanted to see Sanditon, and in particular the man who had told her so much about it.
“Is that why you came to Rosings? To thank Mrs. Sutton?”
“No, Georgiana, I came to Rosings to see you.”
Georgiana smiled, her heart stirring with anticipation. She did not wish to rush into anything, but she was happy that he was here for her, and had spoken so plainly.
Mr. Parker glanced over his shoulder, and seeing that they were quite alone, he pulled her behind a little hedge, gesturing to a bench beside the rose bushes. “I know it has been many months since we last met, far longer than the actual duration of our acquaintance, but you have been very much on my mind of late. You ever have been, since the moment I met you. I was lately in Surrey, and often in company with your cousin, Lady Rebecca. At her suggestion, I rode to London yesterday and spoke with your brother – I made my intentions known to him. I wish to court you, Georgiana – properly this time. I understand you are still young yet, but I shall only say that I wish to come to know you better. Before I pay you any further addresses, however, I have quite a great deal to acquaint you with....”
***
Sidney Parker was happier than he had been in many months. He had confided fully in Georgiana, who had been sympathetic and compassionate when he had told her of his dealings with Jane Fairfax, and she was even willing to spend the summer growing better acquainted with him. She shared his ideal of a longer courtship, a chance to really grow acquainted – to be quite sure, this time.
Though Mr. Darcy had no wish to go to Sanditon, nor to travel anywhere but Pemberley until after his wife’s confinement, Sidney found a great many others of Georgiana’s family were keen to travel there – permission was not denied for Georgiana herself to go, and with a dozen other potential visitors at Rosings, Sidney Parker was quite in his element.
This number only increased with the arrival of Lady Rebecca and Mr. Knightley a few days later. Lady Rebecca was in good cheer, and received the congratulations of all her family for the joyful event that even Sidney himself had hoped would come to pass.
Mr. Parker, who had previously been rather fearful of the ferocious Lady Rebecca, took delight in the rather strange dynamic between she and Miss Bennet, for it seemed that Mrs. Darcy’s younger sister was perhaps the only person amongst them all able to quell Lady Rebecca’s cheek. The friendship was certainly an unusual one, with Miss Bennet being as timid and unassuming as her constant companion was boisterous and opinionated. Each of them must make an assessment of the other’s betrothed. Miss Bennet had been in Surrey, though Sidney had only met her on a few occasions, and never spoken with her at great length. She was better acquainted with Mr. Knightley, thoroughly approved of him, and declared having had an instant premonition, upon their arrival at Hartfield, that such a thing would occur. Lady Rebecca was equally delighted by Miss Bennet’s fiancé, Mr. Tilney, whom she had never met before, but instantly declared to be quite perfect. Privately, Lady Rebecca informed Mr. Parker, in a fit of high spirits, that Mr. Elton had once attempted to recommend himself to Mary, making her ultimate choice, a handsome, charming parson, all the more amusing.
The wedding was not for another three weeks, and Sidney was invited to remain amongst them until then. The delightful Mrs. Bennet, who had been happy indeed to meet with Mr. Parker again, was chiefly occupied in the preparations for her middle daughter’s wedding, though she often took the time to speak with him when he was about his business of planning their exodus to Sanditon.
“A little sea-bathing,” she declared, “would set me up forever.”
The weeks passed quickly, and the details began to come together. Letters were exchanged between himself and Lady Denham, and every thing done that could be arranged in advance. Mrs. Sutton, just as Lady Rebecca had supposed, had indeed been the one to take the largest townhouse in Sanditon, though she began to fret that it was still not quite large enough.
“Only six bedrooms,” cried she. “Well, if Kate and Robert share, I suppose that will do. Lady Catherine and Sir Gerald shall stay with us – they shall also have to share, and Harriet and Lydia can share. Then there shall be room for Mrs. Bennet, who must be with her daughters, and a room still left for Charles – I am certain my brother must join us, and I must have a room for Charles.”
“But are there any other houses so large,” Lady Rebecca asked. “George and I shall need rooms for Richard and Marianne, and for Emma and Georgiana, as well. I am determined Emma must come to us, even though she and Frank are determined to wait until October to wed. Is your Miss Morland to come along, Marianne?”
“I shall have to write to my father,” Miss Morland said shyly, but Lady Hartley interjected.
“Of course she is coming along! Her parents have nine other children – certainly they can spare her a little while longer. She and I have a great wish to go sea-bathing together. But surely you cannot stay in the same house as Mr. Knightley, before you are wed.”
Lady Rebecca snorted with laughter. “I shall do as I like!”
“I do not know, dearest,” Mr. Knightley replied. “Perhaps I could take a room at this hotel, The Bijou – it sounds very quaint.”
“That is nonsense, and I will not hear it. You will stay with me if I have to hold you prisoner. Indeed,” Lady Rebecca whispered, not softly enough, “that might be rather fun.”
Here Sidney interjected. “What if you were to be wed from Sanditon? Only think of it, Lady Rebecca. You have talked me out of persuading Frank and Emma to marry there, but does not Sanditon deserve such a fine distinction?”
“What Sanditon deserves is your business, Mr. Parker, but fortunately it aligns with mine. All these rules for courtship are really quite shocking – positively medieval – the sooner I am wed, the better,” Lady Rebecca replied with a grin. “What a pretty bit of irony, for all my complaints of your tittle-tattle about the place, and I shall be wed there!”
“Laugh if you like,” Sidne
y quipped, “we are friends indeed, now.”
Georgiana, who had remained silent at his side, taking in the absurdity of her family in good humor, squeezed Sidney’s arm reassuringly, and gave him one of the gentle smiles he had long ago fallen in love with.
“Laugh all you like,” Mrs. Sutton replied, “but we still have not settled the matter of housing. If there is but one house large enough to accommodate six beds, and so many of us going, we might have to break off into smaller parties.
“By all means,” Lady Rebecca said. “Why not get a smaller house, with just Lydia and Mrs. Bennet? Save yourself the expense.”
Mrs. Sutton glowered at her. “You forget I am the one who has already taken the house. I cannot give it up now, not even so that you can defy propriety and reside under the same roof as your betrothed.”
“Now Caroline, your dashing Captain might stay anywhere he likes,” Lady Rebecca said with a devilish look.
“Ladies, ladies,” Mr. Parker cried, “I am sure we can accommodate you all with very little trouble. We shall puzzle it out.”
“I shall make a chart,” Rebecca declared. “I believe I once promised Mr. Parker just such a one – I shall see to it directly.”
After just a little bit more necessary argument between the great ladies of the family, an arrangement was reached, concessions made on all sides, and the plan really began to take shape. Sixteen lively travelers would make their way to Sanditon together, the happiest convoy there ever was, and Sidney would be quite content. Bringing such visitors would do much for the commerce of the place, and everything to free him completely of Lady Denham’s influence. Beyond that, there was one amongst their party in particular who held the greatest of his hopes in her grasp.
After three pleasant weeks in Kent, his last day was spent at a wedding breakfast. Spirits were high and the wine was flowing; though none could be happier than the bride and groom themselves, even the groom’s joyful sister, there was a great feeling of expectation in everybody. The bride and groom’s carriage departed as their guests assembled on the gravel driveway of Rosings, and then six more carriages were brought around to convey the rest of the merry travelers to Sanditon.
About the Author
Jayne Bamber is a life-long Austen fan, and a total sucker for costume dramas. Jayne read her first Austen variation as a teenager and has spent more than a decade devouring as many of them as she can. This of course has led her to the ultimate conclusion of her addiction, writing one herself.
Jayne’s favorite Austen work is Sense and Sensibility, though Sanditon is a strong second. Despite her love for Pride and Prejudice, Jayne realizes that she is no Lizzy Bennet, and is in fact growing up to be Mrs. Bennet more and more each day.
After years of dating Wickhams, Collinses, and the occasional Tilney-that-got-away, Jayne married her very own Darcy (tinged with just the right amount of Mr. Palmer) and the two live together in Texas with a pair of badly behaved rat terriers, and a desire to expand their menagerie of fur babies.
