A big thank you to all of you lovely people who leave comments and favorite this story. It reminds me to keep writing, because I love this story and these characters. Though my INFP Fi would not stop talking about Frederick and Anne, the ever-flighty P interferes and disrupts all my grand plans. But enough complaining.

I wanted to share an incredible piece of music with you all that always inspires me, but was incredibly helpful for this particular story. If you haven't heard the song Chaap Tilak by Coke Studio and gone into a trance yet, you've missed out. My love for the genius of Abida Parveen and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan knows no bounds!

Love,

Sona


Frederick took off his sodden things and handed them to the butler who now looked at his boots with open disapproval. He kicked them off and walked into the drawing room, yearning for the seclusion of his room. But he saw his sister waiting for him, her face eager as she put down her book in her lap. "Well?", she asked and waved toward the sofa. Frederick made no move to join her. "What was her answer?", Sophie asked.

"We were interrupted by Lady Russell before Miss Anne could answer me", said Frederick. He stood staring into the fire, avoiding Sophie's gaze. His skin was cold and his feet screamed for rest, but he stood obediently nevertheless. "What happened, Frederick?", Sophie asked him. The worry in her voice didn't help. Frederick glowered at the floor as Anne's words echoed in his mind; I have no more wish to speak to you, Captain!, she had cried.

"Miss Elliot was.. indisposed for an answer." he muttered, glancing at the stairs instead of Sophie's surprised face. "Indisposed?", said she. "Good heavens, Frederick, what did you say to her? I told Charles we shouldn't have sent you, but he wouldn't listen."

"Why would you say that?", Frederick asked, confused.

Sophie glared at him. "Well, brother, you haven't exactly been warm towards her, have you?"

He couldn't miss the anger in her voice even if he tried. He looked at the floor instead, his hands fidgeting.

"Why do you and Lady Russell dislike each other?", Sophie asked.

Frederick shook his head in reply. He saw his sister's stern face and the disappointment in her eyes as she regarded him. His resolve weakened. "I see you will keep hounding me with your questions, Sophie." he said as he shuffled his feet, hoping to ease the jolts of pain shooting up his spine. "If you must know", he said, "I asked Anne to marry me eight years ago. She accepted, and then proceeded to break the engagement on the advice of Lady Russell a few weeks later. Her dear friend advised her that I was not worthy enough of her." His face grew hot and he clenched his fists, hoping to still his trembling fingers.

He ignored the sympathy in Sophie's eyes and stared into the fire behind her instead. "You were a Commander then, Frederick." she said.

Frederick looked at her in surprise. "I had enough to support her.", he said tersely.

"You did not. You had spent all you had; I remember Edward scolding you for being so careless with your prize money.", she said. "Painful as it was, Anne made the right decision to spare you both."

"The right decision?", he said, anger welling up within him. "She would have been my wife!", he shouted.

"She would have been miserable. And you would have been resentful of her unhappiness despite all you tried. Believe me, Frederick, I have seen too many marriages suffer and go foul because of these very reasons.", Sophie said. "Moreover, you would never have ventured so far from home knowing you had a wife and children awaiting your return."

He opened his mouth to protest, but he couldn't come up with an argument. His mouth quivered as he recalled the angry tears in Anne's eyes. "You have always been quick to make decisions, Frederick, and that's an admirable quality. Crucial, even, given your profession. But you don't hesitate to think of the others who get swept up in your wake." Sophie's gaze softened and she beckoned him to take a seat in front of her. Frederick walked over to the sofa and dropped on it ungraciously. He felt his nails dig into his palms as he gulped down the pain in his throat.

"All I wanted was for her to keep her promise." he whispered, his head in his hands.

"I know, Frederick.", she said. "She broke the promise she made you, for what she concluded were the correct reasons. You left, understandably heart-broken and never communicated with her until you were forced to be in her society again. Despite her obvious discomfort at this, she was polite to you, to the extent where I began to doubt any past attachment. You, on the other hand, deliberately favored Miss Louisa, ignored Anne and made every attempt to show how successfully you've recovered from your past. You did everything short of being openly rude and belligerent."

Frederick stared into the fire. He couldn't refute any of those charges, and so he hung his head in shame. His hands stayed clenched, until his knuckles shone white. He could feel Sophie's intent gaze upon him. "I..", he struggled and pulled at his collar to loosen the top buttons of his shirt. "I love her", he hissed, aware of the tears finally revealing themselves. He looked away from Sophie and wiped them away on his cuff.

"How dare she be happy while I'm reminded of what we could have, every moment we are in each other's vicinity?" he growled. "Every greeting, every polite smile was a dagger in my heart. I couldn't.. I'm sorry..", he tried to continue, but stopped when he felt Sophie's hand on his arm.

He looked up at her kind face. "Frederick", she said, "You do not break the people you love." Her reprimand was gentle, but firm. "Besides, it is not my forgiveness you should seek."

He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. "Do you think she will marry Elliot?", she asked.

Frederick frowned and shook his head. Given what he remembered of her, she would have given in to Lady Russell's open desire to get her Elliot and her married by now. Anne had always been shy, restrained, polite, to the extent where it had infuriated him when she didn't stand up for herself. But her anger at his assumption, the violence of her feeling at his callous words, were uncharacteristic. Even more so, her indifference to her father's contempt this evening gave him a glimmer of hope.

Why else would she care for how tired he was after their ride back from Lyme? Why would she be so indignant in her dismissal of him this evening? He shook his head, unable to believe himself. Had he truly been a blind, angry fool all this while?

"I see a will in her that I'd perhaps missed before.", he muttered at last, as he rubbed his forehead, his heart hammering in his chest. He looked up at her, smiled and pushed himself off his knees with his palms and paced in front of the fireplace, gesturing wildly with his hands. The sheer possibility made his stomach twist in a motion that sent shivers up and down his spine.

"Sophie, do you realize what this means?" he asked, aware of the maniacal glee in his voice. "I must ask her, I must, I must, I must know if this is true."

He went to his sister and gripped her by the shoulders, shaking her as the laughter tumbled out of him. Sophie stared at him, her expression akin to worry mixed with amusement.

"Well, I had rather hoped you would ask her today, Frederick, but I seem to have overestimated you.", she said, her eyes twinkling.

Frederick could only gape at her. "Well..", he said finally, looking away, "you did call me a slow learner.". He couldn't help the smile that crept up his face.

"If you engineer the circumstance, Sophie, I promise I will make the most of it.", he said, clutching her hand.

Sophie chuckled. "At last!", she cried. "Worry not, little brother, I have the perfect circumstance in mind."