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Chapter 19
THE EXCURSION to Brinshore was soon talked of as a settled thing. When two people as intent on organising (or determined on meddling -- whichever way you chose to regard io as Sidney Parker and his sister had once made such a proposal, the speedy arrangement of all minor details could be expected as a matter of course. Lady Denham`s indifference and Mr. Parker`s antagonism to the project were alike discounted; and their horses and their carriages were assumed to be at the disposal of everyone in Sanditon who did wish to see Brinshore. These plans seemed likely to be thwarted at first by unsolicited interference from Sir Edward. He was so determined he was not going to be left out of the party by the inadequacy of his own gig that he made repeated overtures for the loan of Lady Denham`s carriage -- the surest method of arousing both her suspicions and her opposition. But by the time her refusal had become quite obdurate, the Parkers decided the problem merited their full attention. "For how are we all to be conveyed to Brinshore otherwise?" cried Miss Diana. "Lady Denham"s coach may seat four with ease. lt is far larger than ours. And she raised not the slightest objection when I first made the suggestion to her. So what is preventing its use now except selfishness? I have no patience with these people who lack any consideration for others. And I have a good mind to tell her so." "You leave Lady Denham to me," adviscd Sidney. "She is always very busy searching for hidden motives in the wrong direction and anticipating deceit where none exists; but I think I have her measure by now." Sidney possessed an opinion of his own consequence and a perseverance in his own schemes which were not to be damped by the conduct or calculations of others; and with the happy conviction that he knew how to ingratiate himself with an elderly lady whose own comfort was her main preoccupation, he set about arranging a series of accidental encounters with Lady Denham. He then took infinite pains over lulling her suspicions, encouraged her to talk about her domestic concerns, listened patiently to complaints about her household and her housemaids, sympathised over his brother`s expensive projects for Sanditon and solemnly agreed with her that method and economy were essential in everything. As a consequence, Lady Denham was immediately struck by his good sense and steady principles. By the end of the week, Sidney Parker and Henry Bmdenall had become welcome and regular callers at Sanditon House; and Lady Denham had convinced herself that her coachman was becoming indolent, her horses growing sluggish and her carriage rusting away from lack of employment. There would certainly be no harm, she announced gleefully, in ordering them all out on an excursion. Sidney considered he had exerted himself quite enough by this time and was very willing for Diana to complete the negotiations over borrowing Mr. Parker`s carriage. A mere brother`s objections, he implied, required no such delicate treatment and could be easily overborne by her usual domineering tactics. Miss Diana, determined to order and contrive all the remaining details herself, set about the task with a great deal of flurried commotion and a series of dogmatic decrees. Even the weather she insisted must obey her commands. But when the fine spell held out and another day of sunshine greeted her for the Brinshore outing, she was so delighted with her success that she allowed Sidney some further share in the proceedings. As the large party began assembling at Trafalgar House after an early breakfast, she even appealed for his help in rearranging some of her careful plans for the division of passengers among the four available carriages. "Well! What is to be done now, Sidney? I find Mrs. Griffiths has entrusted Miss Lambe to my care and does not need a place for herself. And here is Tom saying he and Mary will not go to Brinshore either! If only I had known all that, we could have dispensed with one carriage." "I knew they never intended to go," admitted Sidney. "But ir is always best to have spare places in any expedition, you know, Diana. Henry, for instance, is a very bad traveller and likely to be queasy on any journey. It would be an excellent thing if he were to travel inside my carriage by himself." "Oh? I had planned to invite him to share ours. Or perhaps we should take Miss Lambe? Susan is very slight and even with Arthur we have room for four -- " "Miss Denham will expect such a mark of attention should be paid to her first. You had best invite her," suggested Sidney. "And Sir Edward, of course, should be in charge of Lady Denham`s coach. But we must be off to a quick start. We have thirty-two miles to cover. If we are to see as much as we want of Brinshore in between, one day will hardly suffice unless we leave now. We cannot afford to waste any more of it talking." lndeed he communicated such a sense of haste to all concerned that they scarcely tried to contradict him; and he had bundled two carriages off on their way, each containing four people, before anyone realised the two remaining carriages were now left to accommodate only four people between them. "That was very stupidly done of you, Sidney," observed his brother, standing in his driveway. "There you have let the two Miss Beauforts and Miss Lambe go off all crowded together in Lady Denham`s carriage with Sir Edward; and here is still plenty of room in both mine and yours. Only Miss Brereton and Miss Heywood left, you see." "And they can be very comfortable in your chaise," replied Sidney. "It is only large enough for three at most. As for myself, I am quite determined to drive in the rear the whole way, You never know what accidents may occur in such a positive cavalcade. Come, let us be off. Well Tom, you may be sure we will tell you all about the beauties of Brinshore on our return! And flourishing his whip, he signalled the remaining two carriages to set off down the driveway. Charlotte, finding she and Clara Brereton were to be confined together in the Parkers` carriage, wondered how many polite sentences she would be expected to exchange over the next few hours. She felt no temptation to go beyond that. Clara`s reserved and circumspect behaviour, combined with the determined but silent pressure she had exercised over their visit to Sir Edward`s cottage, made Charlotte very wary of any further efforts towards intimacy. And the air of mystery she had always sensed about Miss Brereton had only increased with recent observation of her conduct. Once, for a fleeting moment on the day of their bathing excursion, Charlotte had had a glimpse of the sun`s rays full upon her, and had felt she understood her. But she had passed from sight again, preferring to remain in the shadows, tantalising and intriguing. Since Sidney Parker`s arrival in Sanditon, moreover, Miss Brereton had been so preoccupied with either talking to him or earning his good opinion by talking to his friend that she had had very little time to spare for Charlotte. And though the subsequent coolness in their relationship was none of her own doing, Charlotte was not sorry for it. She was surprised therefore when, after a short and thoughtful silence, Miss Brereton began their conversation on a markedly personal note. "How very sorry l am we have had no opportunity to repeat our bathing excursion, Miss Heywood. l often remember it with great pleasure. Did you not find it very delightful too? "l enjoyed it very much," Charlotte said quite sincerely. "The sea so sparkling, the sun warm, the day so perfect -- -oh! and our excitement adding to it all. I was grateful you seemed to feel everything with the same joy as myself," continued Miss Brereton as though determined to draw Charlotte`s attention to some amicable bond existing between them. "And I have always thought of you since as a friend in whom I could tmst." Charlotte gave a circumspect smile and wondered what was coming next. "So l am very glad we find ourselves unexpectedly together now," went on Miss Brereton. "In other circumstances I might not have dared to consult you. But I badly need advice -- advice from someone like you -- another woman close to my own age," hesitating a little. "I have so few female friends." Charlotte bit back a retort that female friends generally required to be encouraged as well as male, and said coolly, "But surely you have known Miss Denham a great deal longer than we have been acquainted?" "Miss Denham! Oh no! Her brother -- oh no, no! She would be the last person to understand." Charlotte had some sympathy with this view of Miss Denham`s compassionate possibilities and relented sufficiently to say, "perhaps you may soon have a visit from your cousin, Miss Elizabeth Brereton. From something that was said among the Parkers the other day, I gathered Lady Denham might now be considering such an invitation -- " She hesitated. Mrs. Parker`s actual words to her husband had been: "Well, Lady Denham`s latest complaint is that Miss Brereton has lost interest in her household duties. She is thinking of inviting another niece, a Miss Elizabeth, to stay with them. According to her, Miss Elizabeth is very competent and efficient and will be able to show Miss Clara how to run the household more smoothly, if only her family can spare her for a visit at this time." To Charlotte s ears, this had sounded far more as though it was according to Sidney Parker -- indeed a striking example of his latest persuasive powers; and her chief interest in the conversation at the time lay in wondering why he should seek to influence Lady Denham in such a direction. What possible object could he have in securing her niece an invitation to Sanditon? She could not understand it at all, but as Miss Brereton seemed in so confidential a mood, she hoped she might now learn more about the situation from her. "Lady Denham does seem more favourably inclined towards a visit from Elizabeth," agreed Miss Brereton. But I know how long she could still take over inviting her. She hates disturbing any of her routine arrangements. And though she talks of the visit as a possibility now, months may elapse before anything is achieved. By the time Elizabeth arrives it may be too late for me to discuss all my problems with her." "All your problems?" said Charlotte with some surprise. She suspected Miss Brereton of over-dramatising her situation; but one glance at the lovely, earnest face beside her was sufficient proof that Miss Brereton at least regarded her own problems as very serious indeed. And Charlotte generously tried to rid herself of the suspicion that this was mere play-acting. "Oh Miss Heywood, I am so terrified of taking momentous decisions in a hurry! And everything seems to be happening so quickly! What I badly need is sensible advice from someone not so closely involved as I am in the outcome of this dreadful tangle." Momentous decisions and dreadful tangles had rarely come Charlotte`s way. Though still feeling she was being drawn into a rather melodramatic and unnatural conversation, she tried her best to be charitable. "My advice would not be worth a great deal," she said slowly, "as my experience has been rather limited." "Ah, but that would be no drawback at all," cried Clara eagerly. "Nobody could have had much experience of the situation which now confronts me. Indeed I am considering such a step as sometimes appals me. You know, I am sure, something of the difficulties of my position with Lady Denham. And Sir Edward and his sister -- oh, dear Miss Heywood, only to tell someone of my problems would be a relief." Miss Brereton s sudden leap from secrec to openness had already bewildered Charlotte into an embarrassed silence. She waited very uncomfortably through the ensuing pause, uncertain what she could usefully say till the situation became a little clearer to her. "But I see I must tell you straight out if I want your help -- the fact is -- in short -- " somewhat incoherently, "I am considering an elopement." This stumbling confession was so far from what Charlotte had expected that she was too astonished to be immediately able to reply. Miss Brereton`s position in Lady Denham`s household, the difficulties she mentioned, perhaps some small intrigue with Sir Edward -- but she had always believed her hard-headed enough to stop short of this! And it could only be Sir Edward whom she meant. The thought flashed through her mind, only to be instantly dismissed, that Clara Brereton might be intending to elope with Sidney Parker. Common sense immediately told her such an idea was absurd. A doubt might remain whether or not Sidney was entirely free from any peculiar attachment to Clara. But if he did indeed wish to marry her, why should he not do so in the normal way? He had independent means, good connections and no reason at all to flout convention. There could be no possible objections to the match from his family or from hers. So why should either of them upset their friends and alarm their relations by carrying through such an intention behind their backs? In what cause? Such an elopement would be merely romantic nonsense of a sort Charlotte did not believe existed in real life. She was positive she could exonerate Sidney Parker from such thoughtless behaviour and acquit him of any but the most trifling duplicity. He certainly had his faults, but they were those of levity and high spirits, not genuine lack of consideration for others. With an effort of will, she swung her mind away from Sidney Parker and tried to concentrate instead on the connection between Clara Brereton and Sir Edward. Miss Brereton had mentioned Sir Edward more than once during this strange conversation. She had said his sister would be the last person to understand her problems; and she had talked of difficulties with Lady Denham. Such a marriage would certainly not meet with her approval. And surely her approval was vital if they hoped to inherit her fortune? But Lady Denham was so unpredictable, so full of odd whims and caprices -- perhaps Clara and Sir Edward had decided they could no longer wait till one or the other of them became her heir? By marrying first and throwing themselves on her mercy later, they might hope to be jointly forgiven and inherit the fortune between them? Charlotte conceded that reasoning similar to this could explain the purpose behind such an elopement. But it brought her no nearer to understanding Clara Brereton. How any sensible girl could consider an elopement with Sir Edward was beyond her comprehension; and she was beginning to feel a great reluctance even to listen to any explanation Miss Brereton might wish to give. She did not want to be involved in all these problems of hers; and she certainly had no intention of helping her to elope with Sir Edward. "l am very sorry," she said at last. "I do not believe I can be of any help to you, I will of course respect the confidence you have just made. But I must make it quite plain from the outset that l disapprove of elopements and could advise in no way at all." The silence which followed this stiff little speech of hers was to Charlotte s feelings very dreadful. Miss Brereton, looking crushed, turned her head towards the window and they both sat quite mutely, hearing for the first time the horses` steady trot and the rumble of the carriage wheels along the road. A very few moments more, however, completed Charlotte`s present embarrassment, She had only time to decide there could be another two hours of this uncomfortable silence to sit through, when she was conscious of a shout, a sudden jolt and that all motion had abruptly ceased. "I hope you are not alarmed," said Sidney Parker, opening the door. "But it is a small inconvenience to the accident you might have had. A wheel of your carriage is in immediate danger of collapsing." He helped them both to alight and they stood rather despondently in the road with Henry Brudenall and the Parkers` groom. Still bewildered by Miss Brereton`s revelation and preoccupied in trying to understand the reason or object behind it, Charlotte did not at first take in the details of what Sidney was saying. A wheel might come off at any moment. The carriage should proceed no further till it was mended. Providence indeed he had had the presence of mind to drive behind them and that he should have noticed it! But how all this would affect them on their expedition to Brinshore, she had not yet had time to consider. "I wonder my brother should not have remarked that weakening before," said Sidney, looking gravely at a back wheel. "It must date from the time he overturned the carriage." Charlotte looked carefully at the wheel to which his attention was directed but could not perceive it was very different from any of the other wheels. She frowned in an effort of concentration. "But I am almost certain he overturned the carriage on the other side." "Ah, that would account for it completely then," cried Sidney, his brow lightening. "A jolt and crack on this side passing unnoticed when all attention was directed to the left wheels! And the fault shows up far more in motion, he added. "It is splaying badly, particularly on the corners and when it lurches over bumps. You do not know a great deal about coach-building, Miss Heywood?" "No -- how should l? l once saw the wheel come off one of our farm wagons." "Well, briefly, the problem here is this: the spokes are made of oak and tenoned into the stock in a staggered fashion, one forward, one back, so as not to weaken it. They seem to be still true. But the mortises on the rim here are cut either of ash or beech and are no longer picking up all the spoke tenons firmly. There is too much play. parsons and I both agree the carriage must be sent straight to the wheelwright." "That`s right, Mr. Sidney. Lucky Toomey`s is hard by," asserted the groom but with some amusement in his voice, which made Charlotte look at him quickly and wonder if Sidney Parker knew any more about coach-building than she did herself. "And we have to wait for it to be repaired?" "No, no -- that will be a day`s job at least. We can all fit very easily into my chaise. Nothing simpler. But by now we are so far behind the main party, we should lose no further time. Miss Brereton, may I help you inside?" Charlotte, with some reluctance to be closeted again with the same companion, was turning to follow very naturally when Sidney announced her place would now be beside him on the box. "But will not Mr. Brudenall be sitting with you?" "Oh, Henry could not possibly sit on the box. He is the most shocking traveller. Come along, Henry, in you get." lt was not only Charlotte who questioned his judgement on this matter. Though Clara Brereton could no longer have had any desire for Charlotte s company, she made a feeble protest on being deprived of it; and Mr. Brudenall, shocking traveller though he was, seemed to find the plan an ungentlemanlike one. "But Sidney, there is really no need -- such an odd appearance -- " "Will Miss Heywood be comfortable up there in the wind? Mr. Parker, let us discuss how best we can all sit." "Perhaps there is room for me inside as well?" "Dreadful squash. You would not like it at all with three," maintained Sidney. "No wind at all today. And Miss Heywood will have a much better view of the country. This way we shall all sit very comfortably." He advanced his arguments in a manner which plainly showed he had scarcely a doubt of his opinion being complied with; appeared to consider their objections in opposition as given for mere formality, and concluded with, "Well, we can settle all the points you raise as we go along. Fortunately it is of little consequence how we sit. We are in too great a hurry and an immediate discussion is unnecessary. Do get in, Henry." And to Charlotte`s amazement, accepting Sidney Parker`s authority, the others began to climb into the chaise. "I am sure there is some better solution -- " she insisted, standing obstinately in the road. But Sidney, unused to any contradiction and impatient to catch up with the rest of the party, would neither allow them to wait and discuss the situation, nor listen to what Charlotte was saying now; and forcibly seizing her hand in his, he pulled her up on to the box beside him, having overpowered the combined objections of the other three by the rapidity of his own actions. Charlotte, half angry and half laughing, was obliged to sit beside him; and the chaise had moved off again before she had time to decide what they really should have done. Surprise that Sidney had chosen her to sit beside him was not the least of her sensations. That he should have selected her for his companion on a two-hour drive in preference to Clara Brereton both puzzled and pleased her and at first she was too astonished to attempt to understand it. Her new vantage point on the box was indeed a pIeasant one and for some minutes she was content to look around her from the peak of the coast road they had now reached. An occasional cloud dimmed the bright sunshine for a moment; but the day seemed the most perfect of that summer; and Charlotte`s very position for enjoying it, perched up in the open air, with the high, beautiful sky above her and the sea constantly changing its colours as it dashed against the cliffs below her, made her altogether in charity with Sidney, who had chosen it for her. But although everything was thus smiling, she could not feel completely easy for very long. Several anomalies in this situation continued to vex her. Why, if Henry Brudenall was such a bad traveller, would he ever have wanted to spend four hours in a closed carriage on a sunny summer day? The short interval he would be allowed to explore an unknown and possibly unattractive seaside resort seemed to her a very doubtful incentive, For while the name of Brinshore might be a powerful inducement to Sidney Parker, it was unlikely to have roused great enthusiasm in an apathetic stranger. Then there was the wheel; and the groom`s veiled amusement at Sidney`s profuse explanations; and finally this unnecessary division of the party once more into arranged pairs. On a walk, she had allowed it to be permissible; on a drive, she recognised a certain lack of propriety in such deliberate contrivance. And after hesitating some little while, Charlotte decided to broach the matter again. "Nonsense," said Sidney immediately. "I did not expect you to stand upon such ceremony. The family nature of our party renders all such prudery ridiculous. I have merely chosen positions for us all which are individually the most comfortable. Are you now telling me you are not comfortable?" "Thank you," said Charlotte, remembering the acute discomfort of her place beside Miss Brereton. "I am perfectly comfortable." "Then are you trembling for fear of being seen by some chance acquaintance with starched notions? "We shall certainly not meet with an-yone I know." "Then we will meet with nobody l know," Sidney assured her cheerfully. "And as Miss Brereton, who has a larger acquaintance in the district, is now safely hidden inside the carriage, there is nothing at all to worry us." "You are very ridiculous," Charlotte said, laughing in spite of herself. "Your arguments only amuse me instead of convincing me." "At least they may convince you I am a very agreeable young man, which after all is the happiest conviction for me, said Sidney gallantly. "I do not know how you rate such things, Miss Heywood. But I think that is the very least I can expect after all my efforts. I have really gone to a great deal of trouble to secure pleasant company for myself on this drive." The smile on her face and the glow of mingled surprise and confusion on her cheeks were an instinctive reply to this urbane compliment. That such an explanation of Sidney`s odd seating arrangements had suggested itself to her she could not deny: it would have been a very welcome interpretation of this incident if it were true; but she refused to believe he had no other purpose in view. By provoking, by flattering, by subtle manoeuvres or by high-handed insistence, she had watched Sidney Parker getting his own way often enough by now to recognise that in choosing her, in endeavouring to be pleasant to her, his conduct must be likewise influenced by some ulterior motive. "That is a very pretty speech, Mr. Parker," she said with as much composure as she could muster. "But unfortunately l would prefer to hear the truth." "What a difficult young woman you are. There is no bamboozling you at all," sighed Sidney. "I do not think it is being difficult to consider lies unnecessary." "Unnecessary? Oh no! Lies are often very useful. I am rather fond of them myself. However, let us not quarrel the point in this particular case. I have no real objection to telling you the truth." But he stopped and stared at his horses` heads for so long that Charlotte wondered if he was now inventing a fresh set of lies for her benefit. "Well?" she said encouragingly. "Yes, of course I am going to tell you," he said with a smile. "I am only deciding where it is best to begin. Well then, so far as I know -- and I know nothing at all about wheels -- there was nothing the matter with my brother`s carriage. In return for a small gratuity, Parsons has agreed to give the horses some milder exercise and meet us at the wheelwright`s on our return. Henry is not a particularly shocking traveller. But today, of all days, I wanted to assure him of an agreeable companion. I will make some opportunity in Brinshore to thank Miss Brereton for her very great kindness in performing this service for me." "What service?" enquired Charlotte suspiciously. She was not entirely convinced Sidney was speaking the truth now but her , attention was assured and she was very willing to listen. "Miss Heywood, as you are such a sensible -- such a logical person, I owe you some little explanation of the deceit I have been practising over this whole excursion. The day for our drive to Brinshore may seem to you -- and to everyone else -- to have been chosen by my sister Diana. But, in fact, I had a very particular reason for fixing on today out of any others. Today is the wedding day of Henry`s cousin; and it is my very great wish that he should survive it as effortlessly as possible. I can neither leave him to mope by himself nor to be irritated by strangers. "At breakfast, yesterday morning, Henry actually emerged from his fit of abstraction over his cousin long enough to establish Miss Brereton as a charming girl. I had already been talking about her for half an hour; but one minute of Henry`s attention is all l can expect these days. Perhaps by tomorrow I may hope to increase it to two minutes." It would be much wiser for you to stop encouraging any friendship between Miss Brereton and Mr. Brudenall," Charlotte told him. Sidney already knew Sir Edward was an admirer of Clara`s and perhaps found amusement in provoking him. Had he known Sir Edward to be so serious a contender for her affections, he might have hesitated to promote further circumstances for rivalry; and with the likelihood of an actual elopement still vividly in her mind, Charlotte believed such interference from Sidney could lead to disastrous complications. But she had no intention of giving this reason for her advice. Charlotte had not been so disloyal to her own sex as to impart her earlier suspicions of Miss Brereton to Sidney; she would have thought it equally unforgivable to do so now those suspicions had become a certainty. So she could think of nothing to add in support of her advice beyond a rather lame, "You would hardly wish to be entangling Mr. Brudenall`s affections again during his last month in England." Sidney protested this to be quite impossible. Even Henry`s affectionate heart and talent for sentiment were incapable of so rapid a switch from one young lady to another, He had loved his cousin for ten years. The next ten years might prove he was not inconsolable. Ten months might even do it. But the ten days or so he now had at his disposal were inadequate to work such a change. All that could reasonably be expected was that they might prove to Henry that other charming young women existed in the world besides his cousin; and the more he saw of Miss Brereton now, the more speedy would be his eventuaI recovery. Any objections which Charlotte produced only served to confirm him in the brilliance of his scheme. Certainly, there might be other young ladies in Sanditon who could console his friend quite successfully. But she must admit Henry`s susceptibilities were blunted for the moment and there was no point in dividing them among several contenders. No, no, Miss Brereton had been the first to show an interest in him and that, she must also admit, already had a charm of its own. The simplicity of his deft little plot appealed to him more every time he considered it. And the impulsive nature of the plan seemed to Charlotte rather typical of Sidney Parker. She tried again. "But surely it is very wrong to be promoting any particular degree of friendship between Mr. Brudenall and Miss Brereton? she persisted earnestly. "By throwing them together all day like this -- " "My dear Miss Heywood, I am not for a moment suggesting we become matchmakers," cried Sidney, pretending to look shocked at the idea. "Do you think Henry and Miss Brereton are suited for anything of a permanent nature? This is purely a temporary expedient -- for my own convenience, I do admit. But I promise you no harm could possibly arise from it. Henry is certainly immune from any charms but his cousin`s at the present time. And as for Miss Brereton -- I know she pities him from the bottom of her heart; but she would have to be his cousin to find any attraction in such low spirits or any pleasure in such languid conversation." Although Sidney ridiculed the notion that any dangers and evils could arise for either party from this drive, Charlotte would have continued to argue had it not occurred to her that Mr. Brudenall might indeed distract Clara in some way from her still hesitant plans to elope with Sir Edward. And though unwilling to become an active campaigner in Sidney`s schemes, to either impel or assist them, she saw no harm in being a passive witness. Charlotte had done. "Well, I would counsel caution rather than encouragement," she added only, in faint warning. "Exactly," laughed Sidney. "That is exactly the advice I expected you to give. Caution and Miss Heywood go so well together. Would you very much object if I galloped my horses on this most tempting stretch of road?" Charlotte smiled her permission -- with no objection to his changing the subject. She was only sorry he regarded her as such a poor-spirited creature, and was not at all alarmed by the speed at which they were soon travelling. His horses were fresh and excited by the prospect of a gallop but he appeared to have them well under control, took full advantage of the fine straight stretch of good road to let them have their heads, then reined them in effortlessly. "Whoa there, my beauties, this is no elopement, you know." "Elopemeno" The word startled her. Charlotte stiffened and directed candid eyes of enquiry at Sidney Parker. "Why yes, an elopement," he said easily. "Horses are supposed to travel fast on such occasions, you know: to escape enraged parents, add excitement to the adventure -- thundering hooves -- romance of the roadway -- " He glanced at her face, rather surprised at the expression of disapproving gravity. "In an elopement or a race. Would you prefer me to have called, "Whoa there, this is not a race?" Charlotte pulled herself together. Sidney, she decided, had no doubt been using the phrase very lightly. With her mind still half-engrossed by the recent more earnest reference, she realised she was reading a significance into the word he had not himself intended. "Yes, l would prefer it," she said curtly. "You do not approve of elopements?" "Not at all." "In no circumstances?" "I cannot think of any where I would approve." "You are extraordinarily consistent in your opinions, Miss Heywood. But cannot you allow the tiniest loophole for an elopement to be possibIe between two sincere and genuine people?" Sidney was laughing at her again, she knew. But she had no intention of withdrawing from her position. "An elopement," she said, choosing her words carefuIly, "appears to me as irresponsible conduct. It gives pain and apprehension to parents, undue worry to friends and altogether, in most cases, seems highly unnecessary." "Unnecessary is a favourite word with you, I note. Lies are unnecessary. Elopements are unnecessary. But come, let us suppose there are circumstances -- unreasonable guardians, unavoidable separations, persecuted lovers, over-strict parents, perhaps even a forced marriage being arranged -- anything you like to imagine which might make an elopement the only way of uniting a couple very deeply in love, would you still disapprove?" "The instances you like to imagine are certainly unnecessary. Outside of library romances whoever heard of such cases? What parents today are tyrannical enough to insist on an enforced marriage if their daughter is at all unwilling?" "Then let us not bother with circumstances at all. Will you make no allowance for the instinctive guidance of the heart, for intensity of emotions? Or do you consider they are also tinnecessary?" lt is not really a subject I care to discuss, said Charlotte crossly. "And I cannot see it is of the slightest importance to establish what my opinions might be on a hypothetical elopement." "Oh, but your opinions fascinate me," replied Sidney. "They are so very definite that I long to know if they will change -- or how and when they will change. But there, if the subject vexes you, I will not press it. By all means let us talk about something which interests you." Sidney`s readiness to consider her wishes and her preference in any conversation was always one of his main charms. And they were soon talking easily again on a variety of topics with the familiarity of long-established acquaintance. London and Brighton, which she had never visited, came alive for her when he described them. Even his occasional teasing she had learned ro meet with good humour. The subtle compliments he occasionally paid were not so extravagant as those Sir Edward laboured to produce; and she accepted them quietly and properly but with no pretence at all of believing them. They were obliged to sit together for two hours and she gave Sidney still credit for the simple, disinterested benevolence with which he carried out his duty to entertain her. Charlotte was not vain enough to think it possible for Sidney to have any sort of partiality for her. He was pleasant and courteous to all young women. His manners, frank candour and high spirits must be a general recommendation to all; and to imagine that she could ever appropriate any particular regard for herself from a good will so universally bestowed was clearly absurd. Common sense having thus indicated to Charlotte that it would be most unwise of her to think too much about Sidney Parker, she continued to sit beside him, to listen to his engaging talk and to enjoy his company very thoroughly. And as the happy blend of reason and weakness in this conduct did not seem at all contradictory to her, the danger resulting from Sidney`s plot for rearranging their positions was quite as serious to her as any she had ever apprehended for Mr. Brudenall. In short, it can only be inferred that she was in a promising way to falling in love herself and would be well into the middle of it before she realised she had fairly begun. With all her level-headedness and all her sobriety, Charlotte was unaware of the pitfall opening up before her -- the supreme folly of bestowing her regard without any certainty of its being returned; and like many a less sensible sister, she was behaving in the most normal and illogical way. The only discovery she did make was that once again several hours spent with Sidney Parker sped by so quickly that Brinshore was reached before she had thought they could possibly have covered more than a quarter of the distance.
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