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It was one of those beautiful summer days when nothing could dampen the mood. Everyone was looking forward to a swim in the deliciously cool waters of Heyrick Park pond. One of those places that used to be hidden from everyone, but Alexander was more than happy to show it to his loved ones.
At the front of the merry procession, Augusta, Leo and Mrs Wheatley chatted happily about the latest fashionable swimming costumes, which were much more practical for moving around in the water. Alexander carried the parasol and the basket full of fruit and towels. Beside him, Charlotte held little Elizabeth, who at the age of 2 was babbling in a language that only PeggySue, her rag doll, could understand. Her little brown curly locks framed her rounded face, and already the little rebellious curl inherited from her dad was slipping down the middle of her forehead. Alexander was always amazed to see this little princess of their unfathomable love grow up. Lizzie also had Charlotte's fine, delicate features, the dimple in her chin being the adorable little touch of this much-loved child.
The clearing opened onto the calm part of the pond. Heyrick Park had valleys that extended further than the seafront. This difference in levels had created a pond with a calm, 50-metre-long shoreline, bordered on the right by granite boulders and a pretty waterfall fed by the stream that led to the dairy farm. To the left, a calmer area without eddies and quite deep allowed you to swim a longer distance.
Leo squealed with delight as she stripped off her clothes and jumped into the water with alacrity. She was delighted because she was on a mission: she was going to show her little sister how to swim in these clear waters. Augusta undressed more calmly, as a young lady should. Her bathing attire under her dress was refined and she didn't want to ruin it in any way. But the sweltering August heat overcame any sense of propriety, and she immersed herself with a sigh of delight. Mrs Wheatley had never yielded to the call to bathe, and Leo suspected that she didn't want to part with her enormous bunch of keys, which would sink her.
Little Elizabeth had previously enjoyed the safety of the water in the arms of one of her parents. But now was the big day: her father and sister were going to introduce her to swimming. She couldn't wait, and happily let her mum undress her and hand PeggySue over to her in all seriousness. She climbed feverishly into Alexander's arms and clung to his muscular tanned arms. He kissed her tenderly on the top of the head. Lizzie looked up at him and reached out to stroke his cheeks, as she had seen her father do so often. From the age of 2, he was her reference, her knight and her servant, always ready to carry her, lift her up, feed her and cradle her. Alexander didn't want to miss a single stage in his daughter's life, reproaching himself enormously for not having been as present for Leo and Augusta. They felt no jealousy, because they too benefited from the attention of this man who was no longer afraid to show his emotions and his love for his family. He was a very involved dad, delighted to enjoy the simple joys of childhood. Everything that he himself had not been able to enjoy.
Alexander had kept only his shirt and old trousers, which were safe for family bathing, and which he gladly took off when he was alone or with Charlotte only. She hadn't wanted to go swimming straight away, preferring to watch her family enjoy these precious moments with Mrs Wheatley in the shade of the weeping willow by the pond.
Lying on her stomach in Alexander's arms, her head above the water, Lizzie happily splashed her father as she tried to reproduce the breaststroke movements Leo was showing her. She had learned from Alexander herself and Augusta gently corrected the position of the little girl's arms and legs. Alexander appreciated this transmission and the close bond between his daughters. Lizzie felt so safe that she didn't even realise that her father had removed one of his arms carrying her. Then the second... She realised after 2 minutes that this contact had been broken but was reassured because she floated forward without any problem, moving forward in fits and starts. Alexander took her in his arms when she showed signs of tiredness.
Leo whirled around them, spraying them, urging his mother to join them. Charlotte smiled fondly at the scene. It brought back so many happy memories. She had arrived at Sanditon not knowing how to swim, but the love of her life had taught her, among other things... Today, she just wanted to enjoy it.
After all that effort, Elisabeth was starting to get hungry and was shouting it in a shrill voice. Leo had not forgotten the wonderful cinnamon cake that Mrs Wheatley had promised them after their swimming initiation, which was more interesting than the fruit they had brought. She dashed out of the cool water and dried off in no time in the linen towels. Augusta was already out, dried and dressed, basking in the sun and enjoying the poem in her head. She wanted to get home and get this prose down on paper before she forgot a word of it. Leo joined her, ahead of Mrs Wheatley, who was carrying little Elizabeth, swaddled and dry, clinging to PeggySue, and whose repeated yawning heralded a well-deserved nap after the snack.
Alexander came out of the pond to invite his wife to join him, holding out his arms. He knew she was tired at the moment. Taking care of a very young 2-year-old child, as well as Leo and Augusta, whom they were introducing to social events, while at the same time looking after the household was no mean feat. He had boundless admiration for who she was and would never force her to do anything she didn't want to.
Charlotte admired his body, the wet shirt and pants hugging its shape. Drops of water dripped languorously down his face to the hollow of his chest, which the unbuttoned collar gave a glimpse of. His eyes were as magnificently hypnotic as ever. Despite her tiredness, Charlotte's mind wandered. The waters of her thoughts were even more turbulent than the waterfall in the pond...
It was the right moment, she knew. She looked at Alexander with her doe eyes, took his wet hands in hers and brought them to her stomach. He guessed at once and hugged her lovingly with infinite gentleness. The beautiful adventure continued... Fathomless.