The Godmersham household set off in September for Worthing, where they met up with Mrs Austen and Martha. Fanny had much to tell her grandmother of her journey there, having walked on the Brighton sands and passed by the abbey at Battel on the way. She repeated the story of William the Conqueror that she had learned from her father in the coach, and Mrs Austen smiled to think that Edward would have remembered that from being taught it by his own father during his schooling.

Many fresh new buildings were still under construction in the town, which was trying its best to rival its neighbour of Brighton. Near the sea, the buildings were joined together uniformly to create shopping streets and entertainment, whereas further out, it was more peaceful. 

It was not a holiday all the time because Martha was having problems with her late mother’s will. There was some confusion over her appointment of an executor, and to be able to complete her final wishes, an intervention was needed from a solicitor. Martha was forced to seek the help of the local rector to oversee the witnessing of some documents and to organise for her relatives in Kintbury to prove the authenticity of more paperwork. It was a trying time for her, and she was grateful for the support of her friends.