Sanditon Fanfiction｜Charlotte Heywood/James Stringer｜Ch 2 of ?｜5K｜Rated G｜Season One Alternate Take｜Developing friendships｜Friends to lovers
Story summary: Charlotte chances upon Mr Stringer on her way to the carriage to London. He insists upon going with her to find Georgiana, and their futures are forever changed.
Chapter summary: During the ride to London, Charlotte and Mr Stringer come to an understanding.
Read an excerpt below the gif set from @heywood-stringer, or jump on over to AO3 to read it now!
Original gif set here
Charlotte’s thoughts as The Sanditon Flyer coach took off for London were filled with myriad possibilities over what could have gone wrong in Georgiana’s planned meeting with Mr Molyneux and all that could conceivably be done to bring her friend back safely. She tried to distract her mind from her troubles, and as the carriage passed the construction site, she noticed that Mr Robinson now appeared to be supervising the workers.
“It is good of Mr Robinson to see after the workers on such short notice,” she said almost absently, finding that, for the first time, she was straining to make conversation with her unanticipated companion.
“Aye, Mr Robinson has a sensible mind and an even temper. He is well-respected by the workers.”
Charlotte smiled to herself, as that was how she would have described young Mr Stringer to anyone who asked after him.
“And he knows the building plans almost as well as Mr Parker and I do,” Mr Stringer continued.
“He is also a particular friend of yours. Is he not?”
Mr Stringer gave a small nod. “He is.”
“I thought as much when I observed the two of you at the cricket match. Your team appeared to have a good shorthand among them, but particularly you and Mr Robinson.”
When Miss Heywood mentioned her observation of him at the previous day’s match, Stringer thought of how his eyes had kept meeting hers when he had looked into the crowd. The bright smile she had directed to him and the enthusiasm with which she had been cheering him on (until the point she began to play for the opposing team, that is) had been encouragement that she might return his affections. But as they discussed his friendship with Mr Robinson, he could hear his friend’s voice reminding him that young ladies—even those as keen and agreeable as Miss Heywood—were not likely to make their preferences known until they were absolutely certain of a man’s interest.
“Does he share your interest in architecture?” Charlotte asked.
“More than most in my acquaintance. Though perhaps not as much as my present company,” he said, throwing Charlotte a small smile. “But he is quite congenial and is apt to humour me when I have new ideas for designs.”
Charlotte smiled to herself, knowing how often Mr Stringer liked to sketch. “The construction seems to be coming along rather nicely. It is going to be the most handsome gathering of buildings when it is completed.”
“Thank you for saying so, Miss Heywood,” he said kindly. However, his lips soon pulled back into a grim expression. “But I’m not sure that it is.”
Posters for my children of “In Between”: Babbers&Esther, Crowe&Anne, and ... hell if I know... My eternal struggle, to #teamstringer or to #sidlotte. tbh I don’t know what route to choose for "The In Between”.
There are times when I want Charlotte to end up with Sidney, no Austen heroine should forever lose her lover. They’ve both learned so much during their time in Sanditon, Sidney’s grown so much and he finally learnt to love and trust again, even though Charlotte was only halfway through her growth and ends up insecure and drawn inwards by the end, she would’ve reached her personal development in a couple of months. They’re the Elizabeth and Darcy of Sanditon, and as an Austen fan, I ship it, even though I admit to calling Sidney a moody emo boy and an asshole an awful lot.
On the other hand, both Charlotte and James were utterly destroyed at the end of Sanditon, they lost people they cared strongly about, had their hopes and dreams torn from them, and both lost their smiles. It would be so wholesome to see them growing and recovering together. Austen is great, I’m a sucker for happy endings, but the guys are either good, or they’re fuckboys the girls fell in love with first, before coming to their senses and falling for the right one. But in the real world, two men can be equally good, Sidney wasn’t a bad man, but neither is Stringer, and sometimes who you end up with is just a matter of circumstance. I do believe she could be happy with Stringer. They both started out like Marianne from S&S full of hope and joy and romantic notions, and lost all of them by the end after being confronted with some awful situations. Argh, my heart. I don’t quite know what couple to compare them to, I don’t think there’s any Austen couple with their potential kind of dynamic, perhaps a bit of Charles Hayter and Henrietta Musgrove, since she’s been pining after Sidney and he’s been a hopeful suitor yet one who respected her decision, anyways.
Anyways, if anyone follows my fic, enjoy the edits, I’ve yet again wasted an hour I should’ve been papering on this :p
