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Chapter l8
MODERN SANDITON possessed no church of its own. On Sundays, Mr. Parker had his horses put to for the drive to the parish church of old Sanditon. It was Lady Denham`s proud boast that she always walked to church. But the Parkers knew she only liked to walk downhill, to settle herself in the manor house pew in good time for the service, and expected to be offered a place in their carriage every Sunday for the return journey uphill. The following morning there was a variation in this weekly custom. Sidney Parker and Henry Brudenall made their public debut; and the turned heads and stifled whispers which greeted their appearance in church were sufficient indication of the general curiosity aroused. In front of her, Charlotte saw Miss Denham craning her neck, touching her brother on the arm and looking a question. He gave one significant nod before returning to his prayer book as though they had already discussed these newcomers at some length. She could also hear the restless murmuring which had interrupted the Miss Beauforts devotions behind her. And after the service there was more haste than usual for all to quit their pews and greet their friends in the sunshine outside. It was, however, Lady Denham`s privilege to lead the way down the aisle, with Miss Brereton a few paces behind her. In defiance of custom, Sidney Parker and his friend slipped out of their rear pew to join them; and when the rest of the congregation gained the porch, they were only in time to see Sidney handing the ladies into his carriage, taking over the reins from his groom, and driving them off in great style. Mr. Parker was the first to recover from his surprise at the speed with which all this had been accomplished. "Well, upon my word, my brother has stolen a march on us, eh, Sir Edward?" he said jovially. "If we have to compete with these town tricks of his, we shall soon find ourselves with no ladies to squire about in Sanditon at all. Barely here the one day and already he deprives me of my sole act of gallantry in the week!" Charlotte thought Sir Edward`s reply to this pleasantry a trifle forced; and the haste with which he bundled his sister into their own gig confirmed her suspicion that he was in no state of temper to linger exchanging courtesies. Miss Denham scarcely had time to enquire of Mrs. Parker which of the strangers was her brother-in-law, and to remark on the odd circumstance that he should be the only member of the Parker family as yet unknown to her. The Miss Beauforts were also disappointed at being cheated of an early introduction; and they were certainly no longer content to remain on their balcony now these two personable young men were to be perceived strolling about admiring the Sanditon views. Indeed, they felt a definite obligation to improve the landscape for them immediately by dotting graceful feminine silhouettes wherever they should be most visible. The very nett day Miss Letitia carried her easel out of doors and began moving it from sand to shingle, from hill to Terrace with tireless and unselfish activity. No concern for completing her own sketches interfered with her sense of duty to adorn whatever vista might require her presence. Miss Beaufort would have found her harp more of an impediment, but she maganimously abandoned it and devoted herself to making the district more select by a parade of what she considered the very latest in seaside fashions. She had recently finished contriving a remarkable headgear -- a pattern of which had been sent by her particular friend, Miss Nicholls. This consisted of a Dunstable straw bonnet over a laced cap which boasted a detachable green silk eye-shade stiffened with wire. Miss Nicholls assured her this "seaside bonnet" was all the rage in Ramsgate -- she believed it had even originated in Brighton -- and although principally designed to protect the eyes from the sun and the hair from the wind, it had the further advantage of framing the face most becomingly. When seen at close quarters, it was a most fetching creation; but unfortunately Sidney Parker and Henry Brudenall remained at a distance and could only observe a stylish and ubiquitous figure promenading about in every variety of material which could be depended upon to billow attractively in the slightest breeze. All these sacrifices in the cause of the Sanditon scenery might have had little effect had the Miss Beauforts not luckily recollected being introduced to Miss Heywood on their first arrival. Her clothes being neat and tidy rather than fashionable and her social standing somewhat obscure, they had proceeded to ignore her -- beyond an occasional condescending nod from Miss Beaufort and one half-smile from Miss Letitia on the balcony (mainly to improve the profile she was presenting at the time to Arthur Parker). They had never, in fact, spoken to her. But after twice observing Charlotte being greeted by these interesting young men, they rapidly decided her company was what they had always wanted and only a very natural diffidence had deterred them from approaching her. Their scruples and shyness being now overcome, they waylaid her on her next visit to the library. Charlotte was invited to step into the drawing room of the corner house to inspect Miss Letitia`s unfinished sketches, to listen to the neglected harp and to satisfy the curiosity of both sisters by replying to enquiries as indirect and artless as they could devise. "We have been longing this age -- oh, quite aching, I assure you, dear Miss Heywood -- for some chance of furthering our acquaintance with you. We have been making the most delightful schemes for days past. But there! We both have the greatest horror of being thought forward or pushing! It is amazingly difficult for us to get to know anybody at all." "Sanditon is a most charming place, we find -- perhaps a little thin of company. But more people are beginning to arrive now, I dare say. The hotel seems to be filling up at all events ..." "Oh! I am dotingly fond of Sanditon already in spite of it being a little secluded," interrupted Miss Beaufort, feeling her sister was being a shade premature. "My particular friend, Miss Nicholls, a dear creature and most truly modish, tells me there is far more going on in Ramsgate. There one sees new faces every day -- but here the stranger is quite a rarity." "Lord yes, I always say these small, retired places are infinitely to be preferred to the bustling, popular resorts," agreed Miss Letitia. "When one comes from a largish inland town, one longs only for solitude in a seaside retreat. I must declare the view from our balcony quite delights us. Not a soul to be seen on the beach for hours at a time." "Oh yes, we both rave about the peace -- about the generally deserted air of Sanditon. Within a few days one knows virtually every face in the district -- " "Exactly. So I really could not help exclaiming to Lydia the other morning when I saw -- nothing beyond the merest glimpse really, you know -- two, no less than two, complete strangers." "Ah! now you mention it, Letitia, I do remember them. They seem to be putting up at the hotel -- some connection with the Parkers I did overhear -- most genteel-looking young men, both of them so excessively well-dressed." "The sort of people, one would imagine, more likely to be found patronising Brighton rather than Sanditon." In this style they ran on, scarcely leaving time for Charlotte to supply all the particulars they so eagerly sought. In the first pause they allowed her she most willingly did so. She was more diverted than deceived by the Miss Beauforts, and though civilly responding to their overtures of friendship, held her own reservations on the worth of this new acquaintance -- or even on its chances of survival. She suspected that all attempts at intimacy would cease abruptly once she had proved her usefulness to her new friends by bringing them to the newcomers` notice. Charlotte, however, had her own private reasons for enlarging the circle of female companions available for the consolation of Henry Brudenall. It had more than once crossed her mind that Sidney Parker`s extravagant praise of Miss Brereton`s talent for dealing with his friend had been intended to goad her into similar efforts on his behalf. And as Sidney had reiterated many times that he hoped their pleasant foursome would often be repeated, the suspicion had also crossed her mind that she would frequently find herself left coping with Mr. Brudenall while Sidney pursued some sort of pleasant flirtation with Clara. Any addition which might prevent such irritating divisions into awkward pairs would be welcome to Charlotte. And on the very first opportunity which presented itself -- as she sat on the Terrace the following morning with the two young men -- she smiled invitingly at the hovering Miss Beauforts and handsomely performed the necessary introductions. She then had great amusement in calculating whether the determination of the Miss Beauforts to attach themselves to the party would prevail over Sidney`s patent but polite efforts to repulse them. Although nothing had been regularly decided and no definite appointment made, Charlotte knew Sidney was now awaiting the arrival of Miss Brereton to suggest forming one of his select walking parties. He had thrown out several hints, in Charlotte`s own hearing, that he and Mr. Brudenall would enjoy longer and more energetic rambles and were not averse to Miss Brereton`s company whenever Lady Denham could spare it. The Terrace at midday had certainly been mentioned as a convenient meeting place on any convenient day. And Charlotte discovered, in her case and on this particular day, Sidney had said enough about a definite engagement to his sister-in-law for Mrs. Parker to post her off with the utmost good will and a message for her to deliver to Miss Diana en route. They had been sitting patiently on the Terrace for ten minutes, waiting to discover whether Sidney`s hints would prove equally effective in respect to Miss Brereton. The two friends had been bathing earlier that morning themselves, and scoffing at the notion that twenty minutes spent in the sea could tire anyone under the age of forty, Sidney had just proposed that the cliffs, which had been summarily rejected on their first day, would be an ideal excursion path, when the Beaufort intrusion took place. "Well! this Terrace is an amazingly delightful spot. I declare l could sit here for hours," observed Miss Beaufort, very satisfied with their new situation on it. "So thoughtful of Mr. Parker and Lady Denham to provide these comfortable benches -- they turn it into quite the most charming outdoor lounge. "Oh! yes, delightful. Lydia and I have the greatest dislike of sitting indoors when the sun is beckoning us out every second. "Sitting indoors! Oh heavens! What a shocking idea, Letitia, when we have the Terrace on our very doorstep. always say it is the perfect rendezvous for meeting with everyone in Sanditon." "If one sits here long enough, I dare say it is," said Sidney, beginning to regret he had chosen such a public rendezvous himself. "We are, in fact, on the point of setting out on a fairly energetic walking expedition." "Ah, such a heavenly day for a long, bracing walk," agreed Miss Letitia. "I too have quite a horror of being confined in the one spot for any length of time. Lydia and I have been exploring Sanditon very thoroughly, I can tell you." "Lord yes. There is absolutely nothing we enjoy better than energetic walks!" "And we know all the best paths along the shore line. What direction were you intending to take today?" "We were just discussing a plan for exploring the cliffs," admitted Sidney. "But I am afraid your shoes would not prove stout enough for the strenuous work we have in mind. They look entirely too fragile to be clambering over stones and rocks. You would ruin them within five minutes; and Miss Beaufort`s beautiful gown would very likely be torn on the bushes." "Oh! l never think about my clothes," cried Miss Beaufort, flashing a coquettish glance from beneath her green eye-shade. "No indeed, I must protest against any such idea. I always say mere gowns are meant for one`s comfort and convenience and should never get in the way of one`s pleasure. You cannot conceive what a blessing it is that fashion now allows us poor females shorter petticoats; at ankle length, you know, they were positively hobbling on long walks. And as for a few little rents and-stains, they do not matter greatly one way or the other. But Letitia, perhaps you should take Mr. Parker`s advice and slip indoors to change those pink shoes. The nankin boots would really be more suitable for a cliff walk." Miss Letitia, who had been congratulating herself on appropriating the seat of honour between the two young men and was rather reluctant to surrender it to her sister, protested that her kid shoes were perfectly stout and she never thought about clothes either, And they both emphatically decided finery was out of place in a secluded retreat like Sanditon. Charlotte, content to remain almost as silent as Henry Brudenall and leave the effort of entertaining the Miss Beauforts to Sidney, had managed nevertheless to convey her perfect approbation of their plans to monopolise both young men on this and on any subsequent occasion they might meet. They were not particularly grateful to her for this. On the contrary, they wrote her down as a sweet-natured but simple country nobody without shrewd enough eyes in her head to distinguish a real beau from the uncouth rustic squires to whom she had no doubt long been accustomed. Charlotte was seated -- very much by her own design but very willing for the sisters to believe it was theirs -- next to Miss Beaufort at the far end of the green bench; and as soon as Miss Letitia managed to wrest Sidney`s attention away from her sister, Charlotte threw in a judicious word or two on the advantage of large parties and quietly encouraged her to join in their excursions. "Oh! Miss Heywood, I do agree with you indeed," cried Miss Beaufort, highly delighted with her stupidity. "I always say no scheme comes to anything without numbers to secure enough variety. Do you not think that very true, Mr. Parker?" breaking in on a speech of her sister`s. "Miss Heywood has been saying that one cannot have too large a party for any expedition. lt provides amusement for all." "Has she indeed? Miss Heywood"s amusement is, of course, always a consideration with me." "In a large party those who wish to talk are a decided asset," Charlotte remarked with a sturdy bid to let him know she held to her own independent view on the matter. "And those who wish to be silent may do so without risk of giving offence. "True, very true," said Sidney. "And those who wish to observe may do so to their heart`s content. Everyone has plenty of opportunity to behave exactly as he likes; except perhaps those who pride themselves on their ability to organise. A large party is much less manageable for them. But there is no arguing with Miss Heywood. She is always so full of common sense -- always has such a ready grasp of the essential point. A very rational, cautious young woman! do you not find her so, Miss Beauforo" Charlotte would have been surprised if Miss Beaufort had had a really appropriate answer for this ironic little speech! but she was spared the necessity of anything beyond a slightly bewildered "Oh yes, we are both quite charmed with her acquaintance! delightful -- " by the unexpected arrival of Sir Edward Denham on the Terrace. He had now had sufficient time to assess the nature of the opposition which confronted him in Sanditon and had driven his sister over from Denham Park in his gig. A general rearrangement of positions was inevitable; and this was accompanied by various strategic movements on the part of the Miss Beauforts, aimed at securing for themselves the most favourable places. They had considered the two young men already on the Terrace their lawful property -- and were only at cross purposes on how to divide up the spoil. But yet another claimant for their attention brought the dilemma of choice and indecision. Henry Bmdenall was certainly the most handsome of the three prepossessing candidates; on the other hand -- even with all their powers for gay chatter to carry any awkward pauses -- they both found him a little difficult to engage in conversation, Sidney Parker was personable, pleasant and modish. He would certainly do very well for one of them. But Sir Edward possessed the same qualifications -- and a title into the bargain. It was a difficult decision and Charlotte watched their hesitant manoeuvres with interest. Miss Denham, however, had no hesitation at all. Fortunate in having her choice limited by the exclusion of her brother, and likewise discouraged by Mr. Brudenall`s evident lack of interest in anybody, she aimed her attentions directly at Sidney Parker and had buttonholed him, blockaded him and appeared determined to hold on to him while the Miss Beauforts were still making up their minds. Charlotte saw it all and gave Sir Edward full credit for bringing his sister along to support him. probably she had been given no very specific orders to engage Sidney`s attention. But Miss Denham was quite calculating enough to sum up an eligible young man of independent means for herself. Sidney`s decided air of fashion alone would have been sufficient to assure him of Miss Denham`s consideration. She was likely to prove an invaluable ally in counteracting any interference Sir Edward expected in his determined pursuit of Miss Brereton. And when the Sanditon House ladies did indeed join them on the Terrace soon afterwards, Sidney was too occupied in protecting himself to be in a position to direct them in any way at all. His present discomfiture was more than Charlotte had dared to hope. She was not surprised, however, when he extricated himself with considerable self-possession and earned Lady Denham`s delighted approval as well by suggesting that, as they were now such a very large party, the best thing they could do was to stroll along to the tea rooms and seat themselves in more comfort there. Charlotte, remembering the tea room tables seated a maximum of four at each, decided Sidney was wisely endeavouring to restrict the scope of his activities; but he somewhat naturally advanced a different reason for his proposal. "My brother tells me the tea rooms are rather neglected; and here is just the sort of pleasant, spontaneous gathering which would do justice to them." "Aye, that`s very well spoken," cried Jady Denham. "There is a great deal of sense in what you say, young man. And if more visitors like you would remember our tea rooms on such occasions, we would suffer no losses at all. To be sure, I was intending to call on Mrs. Griffiths. But that can wait. A very good notion of yours, Mr. Parker. I will certainly form one of your little party to our tea rooms." This gave Sidney the opening he needed for walking away from Miss Denham. "I shall be deeply honoured by your inclusion in the party, Lady Denham " he cried with unfeigned enthusiasm; and he proffered his arm most gallantly, accepting her in happy exchange for her niece. "I have been hoping for an opportunity of a longer conversation than we had on our short drive back from church last Sunday. You know it is only since becoming acquainted with Miss Brereton -- and recollecting then that this was of course your maiden name -- that I realise l have long been acquainted with another near relation of yours -- Miss Elizabeth Brereton. My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology in never mentioning her on previous visits to Sanditon. Nothing could have been more proper, or more adroit, than this very civil speech of Sidney`s. Charlotte might wonder why he had never found his acquaintance with Miss Elizabeth Brereton worth mentioning to anyone before; but Sidney`s manners were always so designed to captivate that she could easily suppose he only remembered it now in an effort to recommend himself to Lady Denham; and that nothing more serious was intended than a wish of giving pleasure to her. Lady Denham`s reaction therefore came as a considerable surprise. She immediately withdrew her hand from Sidney`s arm, looked him up and down suspiciously and frowned with sudden disapproval. "Indeed! So you`ve met my niece, have you? Well, you can save your compliments and your breath and so I warn you," she said with one of her shrewdest glances. "No doubt she has been getting round you to see whether an invitation can be wheedled for her to Sanditon House! Lord bless me, I am not one who was born yesterday as the saying goes; and my front door is not ajar to every relation I possess. And so you may tell her when you go back to London." Sidney looked his astonishment at this forthright speech. "Does your niece wish to come to Sanditon? he said blankly. "I own myself very surprised. Of course it would be an excellent notion in its way, he added hastily, "But Miss Elizabeth Brereton is so competent, so highly valued, so indispensable in her own home, that I doubt her family could ever be persuaded to let her come to you. perhaps we are talking at cross-purposes and you have some other niece in mind?" "No, no. Miss Elizabeth is the one I mean. She may have made no direct application herself. But the Breretons have been pushing her at me forever. They wanted me to invite her right from the beginning instead of Miss Clara. Oh! you may depend upon it, I saw what they were about. I see through all these little schemes of all my relations. And as for Miss Clara declaring this same Elizabeth to be her favourite cousin and talking and talking for month after month of getting her to Sanditon some time -- no wonder I am heartily sick of the name. Who am I to be bumping into nieces in every parlour I possess?" Sidney had recovered from his astonishment by this time and appeared to be struck only by the unlucky coincidence of seeking to recommend himself by a name which Lady Denham could not bear and the ridiculous apprehensions it had aroused. Highly delighted at having unwittingly occasioned them himself, he seemed chiefly engrossed in deciding how he might increase them. "How fortunate you are, Lady Denham, in having so many nieces to choose among. And I am sure it would be a capital scheme if you could persuade Miss Elizabeth to come to Sanditon. The last time I met her she did not appear to me in the best of health. perhaps her family might be convinced sea-bathing would be of some advantage to her." "But no advantage to me at all," retorted Lady Denham. "Oh, there are plenty of applicants for my spare rooms, I can tell you. But I am not one to be taken-in so easily. And so I told Miss Clara last time she raised the question. Lady Denham`s displeasure would have been vented a great while longer; but Sidney was not inclined to practise his powers of address on anyone so completely insusceptible to them; and without much attending to the rest of her discourse, he soon hit upon an adequate means of escape and seized the very next pause in her complaints to say, "You know, it has just occurred to me that my brother and sisters should not be neglected in our little expedition to the tea rooms. They are none of them great walkers. But this is an easy saunter they would enjoy. If you will excuse me for one minute, I will step across to Number Four and invite them to join us"; and he walked away from the entire Denham family with an air of considerable relief. "Perhaps Mrs. Griffiths and Miss Lambe would like to come too?" suggested Charlotte innocently. "It does seem a great pity to be leaving them out." "Of course, of course," said Sidney over his shoulder with a smile which said very intelligibly, "As you see, my little plan is now completely out-of-hand. I may as well settle for the whole of Sanditon." The Miss Beauforts also greeted Charlotte`s suggestion with alacrity; and with such professions of affection for Miss Lambe and such real indifference over her inclusion in the party, that Charlotte decided they were not unduly alarmed by competition from her either. But they were well-meaning enough girls; and had Charlotte`s idea crossed either of their minds, they might even have taken the trouble to propose it themselves; for despite her large fortune, Miss Lambe`s health, her half-mulatto inheritance and her reticence always kept her in the background on social occasions though she was the pivot around which their own household revolved. The truth was that the Miss Beauforts were indebted to Miss Lambe for many small kindnesses and generous gifts and delighted by this unexpected opportunity to do something effortless for her in return; and they vied with each other to be the first to issue this invitation and give "dearest Adela" some pleasure. Their application was successful, as was Sidney`s at Number Four, and the whole unwieldy group set off towards the tea rooms with some minor skirmishing among the young ladies for possession of the most favoured arms. Sidney had managed to elude even Miss Denham by presenting both of his arms to his sisters as they crossed their own threshold; and Henry Brudenall stepped so very quickly between Lady Denham and Miss Brereton rhat Charlotte revised her opinion of him: he might look as though he overheard nothing and was indifferent to everybody, but when it came to evading compulsive talkers, he knew very well how to take care of himself. The Miss Beauforts clung to Sir Edward, but had to content themselves with Arthur`s homage alone as it never occurred to him that the offer of his arm might be more useful. Charlotte was very well satisfied to attach herself to Mrs. Griffiths and Miss Lambe, being attracted to the former as a steady, sensible woman and interested in the latter by a certain shy wistfulness. But Miss Denham, who made a very ungracious fourth member of their group and found it highly inconvenient to be stumbling across shingle without a male arm to support her, seemed to intimidate Adela. She had hardly got beyond resolving some reply to Charlotte`s remarks on the day, the sunshine and the sea gulls when a waspish interruption from Miss Denham deprived her of further courage. "Yes, I love to watch the sea gulls -- " she was saying. "My brother is being most inconsiderate," snapped Miss Denham, glaring at his retreating back closely flanked by the Miss Beauforts. "He knows I cannot bear slithering about on pebbles." Adela looked at her in wonder, shrank closer to Mrs. Griffiths, and not a word more could be extracted from her. Charlotte thought this excessive vulnerability most unfortunate but she pitied Miss Lambe and forbore teasing her with any more questions. A desultory conversation between herself and Mrs. Griffiths carried them all the way to the tea rooms, where Miss Denham abandoned them immediately; and Charlotte, relieved to be rid of her, hoped to be speedily on better terms with her two chosen companions. But it was not to be. She had scarcely begun threading a way for them towards a vacant table, when she became aware of the polite struggle over seating now taking place among the others. Sidney naturally had his own very definite ideas of how to settle each particular foursome. But his sister Diana was equally determined to organise the entire group. And Miss Denham, the Miss Beauforts and even Lady Denham were offering powerful resistance to being directed in any other way than they envisaged for themselves. "I intended calling on Mrs. Griffiths this morning so now l shall sit next to her in the tea rooms, announced Lady Denham very decisively, moving away from the table already occupied by Miss Brereton and Henry Brudenall. "You will be very comfortable here, Diana," Sidney said almost at the same time, trying to neutralise his sister`s interference in his plans by swiftly seating her in Lady Denham`s vacated place. "Oh, I never think of my own comfort when I can be of use to others," maintained Miss Diana, hovering about. "Now where is everyone else going to sio Susan, you can come here," offering her sister the chair next to Miss Brereton beside which Sidney had stationed himself. "Now let me think -- and if Miss Denham and Sidney take this table with -- " "You are only tiring yourself unnecessarily, Diana. We can all find places for ourselves." But harassed as he was by Diana, and shadowed by a tenacious Miss Denham, Sidney did not have luck with all his arrangements; and while he was settling everyone else to his satisfaction, Diana chose the last chair at Miss Brereton`s table for herself and he and Miss Denham indeed seemed destined for a tete-a-tete at the only remaining table. This, however, was too much for him. "Miss Heywood, will you not join Miss Denham and myself?" he cried promptly. "I discover we are being sadly overlooked and cannot join in with any of your gay foursomes." The tone of voice was both appealing and commanding, and accompanied by so grateful a look when Charlotte obeyed it that she felt herself repaid for postponing her acquaintance with Miss Lambe. In any case, Lady Denham had now usurped their quiet little corner with so forthright an air of proprietorship and such direct and assertive statements that she was doubtful if she would have succeeded in drawing out the retiring Adela in such company either. She found her new situation had its compensations -- not least of which was in noting the startling change in Miss Denham`s manner once she had succeeded in her own objective. Charlotte had observed such a transformation before, but now it was so marked as to be almost a caricature of the spoiled and selfish child, whose smiles follow tears and tantrums and whose selfcentredness is transparent to all. Miss Denham was now all complaisance and set herself out to captivate Sidney Parker most thoroughly. Smiling and exclaiming, listening eagerly to his every remark and keeping up a steady flow of flattering comments herself, she gave him little opportunity to watch what was going on at the other tables or even to exchange a word with Charlotte at their own. Charlotte herself did not particularly mind being slighted, being sufficiently amused by Miss Denham`s style of conversation to remain an appreciative listener. "I really must compliment you on your carriage and your horses, Mr. Parker. You will laugh at my warmth on such a subject," with a gay sparkle. "It is one which gentlemen usually choose to regard as peculiarly their own province for enthusiasm. But I have always raved over a smart carriage. I assure you," rather archly, "I take more notice of a handsome carriage and pair than I do over who is driving it. My brother often laughs at me. He teased me very merrily yesterday morning when I was in raptures over your equipage as it overtook us on the toll road. Your groom exercises the horses every day in that direction, I believe?" "I imagine so. I have not made much use of them myself since coming to Sanditon. But, Miss Heywood, it occurs to me -- "Such a perfectly matched pair! I have the greatest dislike of unmatched horses! It is a source of continual amazement to me that people can often spend so much money on their carriages -- and then try to skimp on their horses. Mr. and Mrs. partridge of Halham Lodge are a case in point. They have a coach, a barouche and a curricle, and not one of their horses is worthy of being put in the shafts of my brother`s gig. And such as they do have are never exercised." "Yes, of course, exercise is very necessary. As I was just about to remark to Miss Heywood, I should give my horses more work and ourselves more pleasure by exploring farther afield. If l drive myself, the carriage could easily accommodate four -- " "And my brother could lead the way in our gig," interposed Miss Denham, being uncertain which four Sidney had in mind but determined to join the expedition in some capacity. "You would certainly need local guidance to find the most attractive spots to visit." "Oh, I already know the exact spot I want to visit, said Sidney pleasantly. "I have always had a very great desire to see Brinshore." Whether the name was the first which occurred to him or whether he had indeed formed an idea of provoking his brother by visiting Brinshore, Charlotte was unable to decide. But the plan certainly succeeded in disconcerting Miss Denham. "But, Mr. Parker, you could not have reckoned up the distance. Brinshore must be a good sixteen miles off. Horses could not go that far and return in the same day." "I am sure my horses could, said Sidney. "Perhaps it might be a little far for Sir Edward to drive his gig. But there is something about the very name of Brinshore which I find -- " "What is all this talk about Brinshore?" broke in Diana from the adjacent table. "Who is going to Brinshore? I own I should very much like to see Brinshore myself. Our carriage does nothing but sit in the stables of the hotel. We have only to hire a pair of post horses from the Woodcocks and we can accommodate four. And even if Tom does not wish to come himself, he can lend us his travelling chaise. I must ask Lady Denham if she is interested in such a plan and how many her carriage could hold." And away sped Diana, leaving Miss Denham with the happy conviction that she could not fail to be included in so large a projected party. "What an excellent woman your sister is, Mr. Parker. She has everyone`s concerns so much at heart -- always promoting schemes for the enjoyment of others. If only she had been staying in Sanditon on your previous visits, I am sure we would be better acquainted." "Yes, it is a great pity," agreed Sidney but there was a momentary expression of such artificial assent and a certain contemptuous glance of his bright eye which informed Charlotte he regarded it as more of a pity to be acquainted with Miss Denham at all. She was beginning to read Sidney Parker`s thoughts fairly accurately and to find herself in agreement with a great many of them. She also found that life in Sanditon had become considerably more interesting since his arrival. After only five days` residence, the difference he had made was of a most striking nature. And although Charlotte could not hold him directly responsible for all the changes which had taken place, his influence and his presence seemed to be everywhere felt; and a spirited bustle and sudden desire for company had now begun to transform that scattered little society into one well-knit community.
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