Have you ever tried to type without having the use of your thumb? Its not as easy as you think it should be. I wont go into what I've done to my thumb apart from to say that I haven't broken it and it was painful.

I went with arsepoetica's idea and followed my muse. Which has decided to go between the two and have Matthews give Frederick a bit of a telling off. Or at least a straightening out.


"And," Frederick finished wearily, "Here I am."

The story that had started off its life in a small village in Somerset, which had then taken a small detour to the seaside town of Lyme, had finally made its way down to Plymouth. It wasn't yet finished, and Matthews was certain that it was just a continuation, or a second part, or the one he had heard a little over five years ago. It was no where near finished and there was a small part of him that asked, would it ever be finished?

The Doctor had found it difficult to refrain from speaking during the whole time his friend had been talking. There where lots of things that just didn't make sense to John. How could this man sit in front of him and proclaim his love for one woman, whilst hurting her by flouncing about with another right in front of her eyes?

Matthews wasn't sure if this Miss Elliot felt anything for his friend anymore and he, nor Frederick for that matter, could really blame her if she didn't. After all, no woman wanted to have an old love constantly throwing his new one in her face, even if Frederick hadn't meant for it to go anywhere.

The Doctor sat down his cup. Pursing his lips, he looked across at his friend and former Captain; a man he had come to respect, admire and love as a brother.

"What is it that you want me to say Frederick? Because, to be perfectly honest with you, you've behaved no better than a worthless cad."

Frederick glared at him. "Don't hold back John."

"I'm not going to sit here and praise you Frederick, I'm surprised the young woman still speaks to you let alone remains in the same social circle as you. Had I been her, I would have tried to get as far away from you as soon as I possibly could. What would you have done then? Would you have followed in an attempt to explain your actions? Or let her go?"

"I don't know."

"It would be entirely your own fault Frederick, would she never want anything to do with you ever again."

Frederick dropped his head into his hands. "What am I going to do?" he asked in a hollow voice, not raising his head.

"I think you know what you have to do," Matthews told him truthfully. "If the young woman you have been cavorting round with pushes for a proposal, then that is what you should give her. If by some…miracle things settle down and the attachment she feels to you hopefully lessens a bit, then you should waste no time in going after the woman you really want. If you don't, you will regret it the rest of your life."

Matthews paused. There had been a reason Frederick had come to see him. Plymouth was in the opposite direction from Shropshire, and there was only one or two reasons on why his friend might first visit him before his brother. One would have been if he had been suffering from a medical problem.

Apart from a broken heart, which the Doctor was unable to do anything about, he seamed in perfect health.

John had no doubt that Edward would listen to what his brother had to say and advise him the best he could. Edward would be angry at him for leading on another when he knew he couldn't commit to her, but he wouldn't be able to give him the talking too that he deserved. He'd call him a fool and then pray to G--, but unless G-- was going to smite Frederick down where he stood it wouldn't do much good. No, although he didn't really want to hear it, he had come here to be told the cold hard truth and that was what he was going to get.

He leaned forward on his chair and drew Frederick's gaze, "Like you have been regretting it ever since the moment you left that drawing room eight years ago without a backwards glance. When being half way around the world didn't lessen the pangs of a aching heart. You're an idiot Frederick, a damn right fool and at this very moment I am ashamed to know you."

They where silent then, locked together in a seemingly never ending stare. It was Frederick who broke off first. Draining his cup of its remaining amount, he set it on the table beside his chair and looked back.

"I'm sorry," he said, his head dropping once more.

"I am not the one who you need to be saying that too," Matthews said honestly.

Silence again, and then Frederick got to his feet.

"I'll get out of your way," he said and took several unsteady steps towards the door.

"Yes," the Doctor agreed. "I think bed would be a good choice for you now." But Frederick was shaking his head.

"No, I'll go. I need to be off to Edwards anyway. He's expecting me."

"You want to ride, all the way to Shropshire, in the state you are in?" Matthews asked. He stood up himself and moved to stand by his friend, taking a hold of his arm. "Don't be stupid."

"I thought that's what I was being?" Frederick asked, puzzled.

"If I let you go now, and you fall of your horse somewhere down the road then Sally will never forgive me."

And with that he opened the door before slinging his arm around Fredericks weight and ducking under his arm, before leading him down the hallway and up the stairs. "Honestly, I sometimes wonder if that girl only married me in the hope that she would see you more."