Ep 3. Episode 3

Charlotte begins to settle into life in Sanditon, attending a ball held by the Parker family where she meets the charming but unreliable Sidney. Despite his rakish ways, she can't help but be drawn to him. Meanwhile, Lady Denham, the wealthily patron of Sanditon, is concerned about her fortune and is looking for someone to marry her niece, Clara, to secure her future. Lady Denham takes a liking to the wealthy but timid Sir Edward, but Clara has other plans for herself.

At the ball, tensions rise between Tom Parker and Sidney over the future development of Sanditon. Tom is focused on bringing in more tourism and industry, while Sidney is more skeptical of such progress and wants to preserve Sanditon's natural beauty. Despite their differences, Tom asks Sidney to help him court investors to the town.

As Charlotte explores Sanditon and its inhabitants, she also starts to uncover some of the more unsavory elements of the town. She witnesses a fight between a group of sailors and some local men, and learns from Sidney that there is a growing smuggling operation happening in and around Sanditon.

Meanwhile, Esther, a young West Indian woman working as a governess for Lady Denham, faces discrimination and racism from the people of Sanditon. She is ignored and mistreated by many of the town's residents, including Lady Denham's own maid, who refuses to give her a proper uniform. Esther confides in Charlotte about her struggles and the two form a bond.

As the episode comes to a close, tensions come to a head when Clara announces her intention to marry the charming but penniless Captain Benwick. Lady Denham is outraged and threatens to disinherit Clara. Charlotte, Sidney, and Tom must navigate the fallout of Clara's announcement and the tensions between them as they work to bring prosperity to Sanditon.