Chapter Text
The morning after the Regatta, Charlotte Heywood laughed merrily as she chased Alicia, Henry, and Jenny amongst the dunes. Here amongst the innocent children, it was easy to find joy in the impropriety of running over the sand, hair loose and blowing free in the sea breeze. She grinned as she playfully lunged towards Henry, arms outstretched in a poor attempt to catch him.
“Can’t catch me, Charl’tt” the boy squealed, running to hide behind his sister’s skirt.
“You are much too quick,” the brunette agreed, taking the opportunity to splash some water in their direction. She beamed as she heard their accompanying shrieks and squeals, watching as they darted further up the beach.
It was easy to forget here, she realized. To ignore the fluttering in her heart that had plagued her since Mrs. Maudsley’s ball. She had felt it all too fiercely aboard the boat just the afternoon prior. Sitting across from him, listening to him speak of happiness that he felt was just in his reach; it had given her such an overwhelming sense of longing. The warmth of Sidney Parker’s hand that had seeped into her back, her waist, anywhere it had been. The strength she’d witnessed in his forearms, the way he’d lifted her effortlessly from the boat, all of it filled her with a burn she couldn’t identify. She knew it was foolish to dwell on; Sidney Parker deserved far better than a poor, naive, farmer’s daughter.
‘You are not too anything,’ his deep voice rumbled unbidden in her subconscious, the memory of the masquerade inching forward once more.
“Charlotte,” Jenny called suddenly, drawing her from her musings. “Charlotte, we’ve found some shells!”
“Have you now?” Charlotte smiled easily, heading towards where the children stood clustered. “Are they worth salvaging you think?”
“Undoubtedly,” Alicia agreed, pointing to a small conch. “Look how lovely the colors are!”
“Oh, I will have to agree,” Charlotte soothed, reaching out to ruffle Henry’s hair. “Shall we collect a few to take home with us?”
“Yes please!”
“Oh can we?”
“Pwease!”
“Let’s each grab a few to carry home then, shall we?” she instructed warmly. “Then I believe we’d better head back. It is going to be time for lunch before too long.”
Under her careful supervision, the youngest Parkers each gathered a few shells and trinkets to carry before they began trekking back amongst the sand towards town. Suddenly, Henry took off running towards a small cove, heedless of the dangerous waves that crashed amongst the rocks there.
“Henry!” Charlotte cried, dropping her shells and taking off after the young boy. “Henry, come back!”
She ran after the boy frantically, watching as he got nearer and nearer to the unpredictable waves. Without warning, Charlotte felt herself pitch forward, arms splayed out in a poor attempt to break her fall. Rolling amongst the sand, she grunted as she finally came to a stop on her back, wet sand covering her.
“Char’t?” came Henry’s small voice.
For the moment, she ignored the sharp pain she felt in her arm, choosing instead to sit up and fix the boy with a stern look. “Henry! What on earth did you think you were doing?”
The boy pouted, his sisters coming up alongside him frowning.
“Oh Henry!”
“What a horrid thing to do!”
“You know mother will be cross!”
“We mustn’t approach the water, especially alone.”
“Ow,” Heny gasped, eyes wide.
“Ow?” Charlotte asked, starting to brush her clothes off. “Have you hurt yourself Henry?”
“Char’tt, ow,” he explains, pointing shakily.
“Oh Charlotte!” Jenny shrieked. “Oh you’re bleeding!”
“I…” Charlotte frowned, suddenly aware of the sharp throb she felt from her left forearm. Glancing down at the arm, she was surprised to see the bright crimson blood cascading from a rather large gash. “Oh dear.”
Stumbling to her feet, she wrapped her other hand around her forearm, wincing as the sting increased. Already, she knew she was losing a fair amount of blood.
“Charlotte!” Alicia cried, eyes wide. “Are you alright?”
“I will be fine,” the brunette soothed, moving shakily towards town. “But come along now, children. We need to get you three home.”
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Sidney Parker strode broodingly amongst the beach, slightly miffed that his younger brother had dragged him for a heart to heart so early in the morning.
“Really, Sidney,” Arthur teased. “If I did not know you any better, I would say you were as enamored with Mrs. Campion as Tom thinks.”
The dark head spun rapidly to meet the jovial gaze. “I have no such….”
“Understandings or plans to ignite them,” Arthur soothed. “Yes, I know dear brother. I believe your interest has been snared by someone much closer to home.”
Sidney sighed, running a hand through his curls. “And if I were to say you may be onto something?”
“I would ask what you were planning on doing about it,” Arthur smiled warmly. “I adore Miss Heywood. I think she will be a delightful addition to our family!”
Offering his brother a rare smile, SIdney ducked his head. “I cannot get her out of my head. She challenges me every time I turn around, always popping up somewhere unexpected.”
“I say,” Arthur giggled, gesturing in front of them. “I do believe I see her even now, coming this way. It appears she took the children for a walk.”
Sidney looked up to follow his brother’s point, seeing four figures coming towards them, the taller one stumbling a bit. The smile faded rapidly from his face as he squinted.
“Something’s wrong,” he announced tightly, moving a bit faster. “Arthur…”
“Uncle Sidney! Help!” Alicia cried, urging both Parkers into a run.
Sidney approached them first, fear twisting in his gut as he took in the pale, stricken faces of his nieces and nephew. The girls crashed into his legs first, tears streaming down their faces. He bent to embrace them just as Henry arrived, searching them frantically for any sign of injury or malady.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” he urged, brushing their mussed hair back from their tearstained faces.
“Charlotte!” Jenny cried.
“She’s bleeding!” her sister added, causing Sidney to draw his gaze over their heads.
Several yards beyond, Charlotte was stumbling towards them, scarlet dripping down her arm, staining the sand as she went.
“Christ,” he swore, standing quickly, eyes never leaving Charlotte. “Arthur?”
“Oh my gracious,” his brother panted heavily. “Miss Heywood!”
“Arthur get the children home, send Tom for the doctor,” Sidney urged tersely, gently nudging the children towards their other uncle.
“Sidney, is all of that blood?” the younger asked urgently.
“God I hope not,” the middle brother muttered tensely, transferring his nieces and nephew to Arthur’s capable hands before he began running once more.
“Hurry now my dears,” Arthur commanded gently, leading them up the beach. “We must get home and fetch a doctor.”
“We’ll run ahead,” Jenny offered, tugging at Alicia as she went.
Arthur risked a glance over his shoulder as he urged Henry forward. Sidney was nearly at Miss Heywood now, though she had sunk to her knees. That was a lot of blood indeed.
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“Charlotte!” he yelled, sprinting towards the stumbling figure. To his dismay, he saw her sink to her knees weakly, head bowed. Falling to his knees in front of her, he quickly scrambled towards her, one hand framing her face as his other sought the source of the bleed. “Charlotte??”
“Mis’r-?” she slurred, eyes blinking wearily up at him.
“Stay awake, Charlotte,” he barked, roughly removing her slack hand from the gash on her forearm. Seeing the blood still seeping from the wound, he paled. “Christ, sweetheart.”
“I tripped,” Charlotte offered.
“Must have sliced it on sea glass or oysters,” Sidney muttered, ripping his cravat off harshly as he swore under his breath. He tied it tightly around the gash, starting closer to the elbow than the wound began. “We have to stop the bleeding.”
Charlotte gasped and instinctively pulled away from his grasp, tears springing to her eyes.
“I know, I know,” he soothed, pressing a large hand to apply more pressure to the gash. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but you have lost a lot of blood. I have to stop the bleeding.”
Charlotte began to breathe sharply, overwhelmed by the dizzying blood loss, the throbbing pain, and Sidney’s sudden use of pet names. He sensed her spiraling and held her tightly to his chest.
“None of that, Charlotte,” he commanded gently. “You’re okay, I’ve got you.”
She found herself clinging to his shirt with her uninjured hand, tears stinging her eyes. “H’rts,” she hiccuped, mortified that she was so ill equipped to handle a bit of blood. What must he think of her?
“I know,” Sidney agreed, pressing a kiss to her hair. “It’s okay. But we need you to slow your breathing down. You’re hyperventilating, sweetheart.”
“I...I…” she gasped sharply, fear taking hold of her. “I cannot breathe! Sidney I…”
“Yes you can,” he interjected, voice firm despite the anxiety tainting it. “You’re probably dizzy and in a lot of pain, but you can breathe normally, Charlotte. You must. You cannot pass out now.”
“I...I…” she inhaled tightly, her small hand fisting tighter in his shirt.
“Shhhhh,” he soothed, cupping her head and leaning it against his chest. “Listen to me Charlotte. Do you feel me breathing? Hear my heartbeat? Focus on that…”