A/N: Two updates in one week?! Don't get used to it.
This chapter gave me a lot of trouble because I knew what I wanted to happen but I didn't know how to get there. I kind of figured it out though I had to make some sacrifices. The result is something that might not please everyone, but at least it isn't Game of Thrones.
Today on mammoth-sized hints from the chapter title, this one's from The Calling, Wherever You Will Go.
Previously on Down the Isle…
The question everyone's asking is: what is Fred, Anne's high school boyfriend, doing on the isle? But Fred told Will offhandedly that he thought Louisa was 'cute', and no one on the isle knows about his and Anne's history, except Lizzy. Speaking of Lizzy… has she finally woken up, smelt the coffee, and realised there's something with Will? And is Emma right that there's something between old Mary and Frank? There's loads to be revealed and even more to be discussed on tonight's episode of Down the Isle…
"There's too many characters," said Jane critically. "You only need about five or six mains to spin a compelling story, plus three or four extras for comic effect and plot mechanisms. Here, we've got… fourteen."
"It's true we haven't seen much of the new people," admitted Tom.
"They need to kick some people out."
"Brutal."
Jane shrugged. "Sometimes the truth is."
Some rules were sacred. Never borrow anything from Will. Always ask before using Emma's toothpaste. And every new arrival to the villa was given the chance to go on a date. Yvonne, making an early morning entrance, announced that Louisa, new Mary, Henry and Fred were all allowed the chance to pick one date to go on at any point in the day.
"And don't worry," said Yvonne, which immediately made everyone worried. "I haven't forgotten about the rest of you. I'll be back to announce something very special that's going to happen tonight."
"I'm going to pick Fred," Louisa confided in Lizzy, as they milled around the dressing room before lunch.
Lizzy's head was a mess of feelings, but alarm bells rang loud and clear when Louisa mentioned Fred.
"Oh," she said. "Um. Are you sure?"
"Pretty sure," said Louisa. "I think we get along really well and he's interested in me. What else is there?"
Oh, only if you knew, thought Lizzy darkly. "Please don't think I'm trying to discourage you," she said. "But it's just… well, he's new, and you're new, and maybe it would be better if you picked someone who — "
"Hey," said Louisa, who'd stood up and was now staring at Lizzy with a look of indignation. "Why don't you want me going on a date with Fred?"
"It's not that," said Lizzy. "I just think…"
Louisa narrowed her eyes. "Are you into him?"
"What? No! Definitely not."
"Then why don't you want me going on a date with him?"
Lizzy looked desperate. "I can't tell you," she said. "There's just… there's some stuff you don't know."
"Then tell me."
"I can't. I made a promise."
Lizzy bit her lip and tried to look like she was guarding a very big secret — which she was.
Louisa folded her arms. "I don't believe you. Look, if you like Fred, it's not like you can't talk to him either."
"Oh, for God's sake," said Lizzy, as something in her snapped. "I don't like Fred. Doesn't everyone know? I've been a fool for three weeks, because I've only just realised that I like Will."
Louisa's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh!"
"Yes, oh, " Lizzy snapped. She was quite sure she'd soon regret saying this, but at the moment she was so defensive over Anne and Fred that she couldn't bring herself to care. "So I'm not the one involved in the Fred thing."
Louisa sighed. "Look, Lizzy, I'm sure you're trying to do a good thing, but whatever it is… it's just a date."
"I know," said Lizzy, "but I can't emphasise enough how much of a delicate situation — "
"You're not going to change my mind," said Louisa, admittedly rather brattily. But we must be grateful for her brattiness, because without it things wouldn't have turned out the way they will. "I'm asking Fred, and whatever it is you're hiding, it's going to be revealed." She paused. "Does Will know you like him, because — "
"No," said Lizzy. She stared at Louisa. "I trust you won't tell him."
The author knows, and is apologetic that Henry has been in the background for the majority of his time here. But there isn't a particularly dramatic way, aside from the old soliloquy, to reveal the thoughts he'd been thinking some time after his arrival on the isle… the thoughts that led him to the conclusion that he'd scorn the idea of chasing after Anne or Lizzy. He'd set his sights on a much more difficult and worthwhile challenge.
Fanny Price.
At this moment, which was fairly similar to all other moments Fanny had spent on the isle, she was talking to Edmund. Their relationship, from Henry's perspective, was an odd one. They were definitely some kind of romantically involved — otherwise, old Mary wouldn't be so self-righteous, and also Henry had seen them exchange chaste pecks every now and again. But they definitely hadn't done anything in bed. And that, for Henry, was a definite opening.
He didn't have any other option than to ask Fanny out with Edmund right there, because she was literally never without him.
"Hey, Fanny," he said, casually, as he passed her and Edmund on his way to the kitchen. "You cool to go on a date with me?"
Both Fanny and Edmund's mouths dropped open.
"Let's say, two o'clock," said Henry.
Edmund blinked. "Henry, mate, you can't — "
"I'm not asking you," said Henry cheerfully. "Fanny? It's not a big deal."
"Um, sure," said Fanny.
Edmund's mouth clamped shut.
"Great," said Henry. "See you then."
Step one was complete.
Anne was with Will, George and new Mary when it happened.
"Hey," said Fred, approaching the group. "Er, can I speak to Anne?"
"Sure," said George and Will, preparing to move off the swings, whilst Mary stayed firmly sat where she was and demanded, "Why?"
"Because I have something to ask her," said Fred.
Mary looked at him suspiciously, but evidently he passed because she stood up and left without another word.
"Um," said Fred, as he sat down next to her.
Anne felt this to be the most awkward moment of her life. So finally, he'd decided to talk to her. She was terrified that she was going to look like a fool: surely he'd ask about her dating history, if only to be polite, and he'd probably feel sorry for poor, perpetually single Anne, who was still pining after him. Only she wasn't — she was on this show to find someone who, before two days ago, most definitely would not have been him. And Fred wasn't like that, anyway: if he was anything like he used to be he wouldn't judge her, or anyone, for not having been in a relationship. And once they'd survived the awkward, maybe they could be friends! She'd like that.
"So," she said. She laughed self-consciously. "Er, God, this is awkward."
"I knew it would be," said Fred woefully.
If she'd been a little braver she would've smiled at him, but she kept her eyes affixed on the slightly uneven tile on the floor in front of her.
"Lunch is ready!" yelled Emma, with horrible timing.
"Oh," they said at the same time. Anne went first. "What was it that you wanted — "
"Yeah, just — I think it would be good if we could catch up, you know, since it's been so long — and I thought if you went on my date with me, obviously, then that would be a good time to do that?"
"Oh!" said Anne. "Um, yeah, sure."
"Great," said Fred, standing up. Anne stood up too, since she too was going to lunch.
"I don't pretend it's anything masterful," said Emma, presiding over her cooking, "but Will, if you eat this and still think that avocado is horrible — "
Will held up his fork in surrender as Anne and Fred took their seats at a distance from one another. Anne sat back and let the wave of opinions on avocado wash over her. In her head, she was a panicking mess.
"Surely," said Tom, "he's going to confess his love for her."
Louisa found Fred after lunch.
"Hey, Louisa," said Fred, seeing her approach. "Excited about your date today?"
"About that," said Louisa. She wore a brilliant smile. "I was hoping you'd go with me."
Fred just caught himself from making a hideously obvious shocked face.
"Oh," he said.
Louisa's smile dimmed. "Do you not want to go?"
Fred blinked. He realised suddenly that he couldn't reject her, at least without giving an explanation, and he was sure he'd fuck that up. And it was just a date.
"Sorry, no, I was just surprised. Sure, I'll go. It'll be fun."
"Great," said Louisa, leaning down to kiss Fred's cheek.
"Great," echoed Fred.
Jane and Tom exchanged a look.
Mary B still wasn't sure what madness had caused her to sign up for this show. Furthermore, she was interested in none of the men here, and had already made a lifelong enemy in one. So when the higher ups ordered her to pick a date…
"Will," she said, marching into the living room where he sat with George and Emma. She surveyed the picture before her. "Boy, you do a lot of third-wheeling."
George burst out laughing.
"You don't need to tell me what I already know," said Will.
Mary thought that if he was already feeling prickly towards her, it was about to get a lot worse. "OK, well, you should thank me, because I'm taking you on a date."
George and Emma removed themselves from the situation and silence rained down in the room.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Will began.
Mary rolled her eyes so hard they almost fell out of her head. "Calm down, I'm not making a move on you. I know you and Lizzy have this weird distance pining thing. I'm donating you my date to help make her jealous."
"I don't think that's a good idea," repeated Will, though he sounded less resolute this time.
Mary fixed him with an unimpressed stare and said, "Do you have a better idea?"
A brief pause.
"No," she said smugly. "Great. See you in half an hour, and dress cute."
She marched out as confidently as she marched in.
So, to recap, these were the dates. Fred had picked Anne, Louisa had picked Fred, Henry had picked Fanny, and Mary B had picked Will. Anne/Fred and Henry/Fanny were going first, followed by Mary/Will and Fred/Louisa.
Anne's date with Fred was not, as they say, going well.
"So — what are you doing here?" she asked.
He shrugged. "Same thing you're doing, I bet."
Anne rolled her eyes. "Right, well, I don't know what I'm doing here."
"Mary sign you up?"
He was referring to Mary Musgrove, Anne's younger, pushier and married sister.
"No," said Anne, slightly brittle. "I did."
Fred nodded. "Right. Er, how is Mary? And Elizabeth?"
"Good," said Anne. Of course her first conversation with Fred after eight years would be about her sisters. "Mary's married; her husband's a good guy. He's a pub landlord. Elizabeth moved to New York."
"Oh," said Fred.
On the other side of the small clearing, Henry was trying to get Fanny to open up.
"So you like jazz, right?" he said, falling back on the conversation topic he really didn't want to use.
Fanny nodded. "Yes."
"That's cool," lied Henry, who thought jazz was the dullest thing ever invented. "Who in particular?"
Fanny told him.
"That's really interesting," said Henry. "You'll have to take me to a jazz club sometime. I've got a mate whose dad owns one, but I've never been."
"Which one?" Fanny asked politely.
"Whizz Keys. It's in Shoreditch."
Fanny's eyes grew as wide as saucers.
"You've heard of it?" asked Henry.
"I've always wanted to go there," she admitted shyly. "Edmund — er, I mean…" she trailed off, horrified at her faux pas.
Henry smiled. "It's all right. I'll have to talk to Yates about it."
"Oh, really, I couldn't possibly — "
"You could," said Henry. "What's the point in having connections if I never use them?"
"I'm sure you do," said Fanny faintly. "And for more important things."
Henry smiled again; now, she'd given him an opening. "Is there anything more important than making a beautiful woman happy?"
He looked for signs of pleasure or even delight, but she just looked embarrassed.
"The thing I don't get," said old Mary, with the entire rest of the isle gathered on the giant swing, as they were wont to do when a mystery took hold, "is why Fred picked Anne? I mean — obviously I love Anne and she's amazing. But I don't even think they've spoken."
Emma and George, two of the only people who knew about Fred and Anne's history, froze.
"I think they have," said Emma slowly. "George, didn't we see them together — "
George nodded and said, "This morning," at the same time Emma said, "last night."
"There you go, so they've spoken twice," said Emma. "That's quite a lot."
No one saw any reason for Emma and George to lie about this, so they accepted their weak version of events.
"Still, it's weird," said new Mary. "When he came over to talk to her before lunch, they seemed a little… off. Do you think they're hiding something?"
"Don't be absurd," said Emma, shooting a glance at Lizzy for back up. Lizzy, however, had been distracted all day, and didn't look as if she was going to help any time soon. George gave a supportive nod, which was nice, but useless.
"I think Mary's right," said Will. "Fred told me that he thought Louisa was cute." Then he frowned. "I don't think I was meant to say that."
Everyone looked at Louisa. She'd been a bit deflated when Fred had gone on his date with Anne, but now she suddenly looked more alive.
"Maybe he didn't want to be too full-on and ask out Louisa after she'd already asked him," said Emma. She looked at George and saw the laughter suppressed behind his eyes. God, she was putting on an Oscar-worthy performance here. She hoped the viewers at home appreciated it.
"But when did you say Fred talked to Anne?" asked Louisa. "Because I asked him on the date after lunch."
"He also asked her after lunch," said George.
"Really?" said Will. "I thought it was before."
"It was definitely before," said new Mary.
Everyone turned to look at Emma and George.
Oh, for God's sake, thought Emma. Did Louisa want to be miserable?
"OK, fine," said Emma loudly. "Anne told me a few days ago, and I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone else, but… it's too big to not say."
Lizzy returned to Earth several minutes too late. "Emma!"
Emma took a deep breath. They had crossed the point of no return. "Anne and Fred dated for four years."
The news hit everyone like a lightning strike. Four years! And they'd been on the isle together for over two days now (with almost no interaction, because Emma and George had obviously been lying about that) and suddenly they were going on a date together? How long ago were they together? Were they still in contact? Did they still have feelings for each other? Did Fred only come on the isle to win her back?
"I don't know much," said Emma, against the barrage of questions. "All I know is that it was ages ago, they were teenagers, and they aren't in contact."
"Jesus fuck, that changes everything," said new Mary.
James looked as if he wanted to say something, but didn't for fear of making Louisa feel worse. She sat there, very still, and said, "I guess I've been kind of dumb."
"No! I'm sure it doesn't mean anything," said Emma kindly. George gave her an odd look, which she ignored. "If they were teenagers, then it was ages ago and it barely counts."
"Right," said Louisa uneasily. "And he wouldn't be on here if he didn't want to find someone new."
No one wanted to say that Fred had probably seen Anne on the show before coming on himself.
"It was awful," said Anne of her date with Fred, walking out of the villa and going straight to Lizzy, who sat nursing a glass of lemonade alone. "It was the most awkward conversation I've ever had in my life. And that's including that time I had to explain to a patient's mother what her son had got stuck up his — anyway. Oh my god, I'm babbling. Lizzy, stop me."
"OK," said Lizzy, pushing aside her personal feelings mess to make room for Anne's. "Anne, slow down. Just tell me what happened."
"Nothing happened!" said Anne. "But now I've talked to him and seen him smile, and I feel in this stupid way that I've never really moved on from him. In eight years! God, I'm so pathetic."
"Listen to me," said Lizzy. "Anne Elliot, you are not pathetic. You're feeling a lot of very normal feelings right now, and what you're going to do is take a bath and forget about them."
"Baths waste a lot of water," said Anne primly.
Lizzy smiled, though it took effort. "Now that's the Anne I know. Go on, do a face mask or something. Anything to relax and not think about it."
After Lizzy had forced Anne into the bathroom, she went back outside, full of terror that she'd bump into Will and do or say something stupid, only to find that he wasn't there.
"Where's Will?" she asked old Mary, who was talking to Frank in the kitchen.
Mary gave her a look. "You don't know?"
"No?"
"He's on a date with Mary. The other one, obviously."
"Mary? What?"
Mary C saw the chance to have some fun.
"Yeah," she said. "Mary didn't want to tell you because you and Will have a kind of history, but — "
"What the fuck," said Lizzy. She was almost angry now. She thought Mary was her friend. Surely she should've had the courtesy to at least tell her before she went on a date with her —
What? What was Will to her? The guy she'd had a crush on for God knows how long, but had only just realised it, and now was avoiding him because she was terrified and didn't know what to do?
"Are you all right?" asked Frank. He turned to Mary. "Babe, do you think she needs some water?"
Had Lizzy been in her right mind, her eyebrows would've shot up at 'babe'. But she didn't see Mary smack Frank's arm or his boyish smile. Her face was like thunder as she said, "Right," and left the kitchen.
Fred and Louisa, and new Mary and Will's dates were taking place at the same time, but only one of them is really worthy of screen time.
"I bet she's pissed," said Mary, drinking sangria with composure. "You'll thank me later."
"It's almost never a good idea to piss off Lizzy," said Will.
Mary shrugged. "Look, I'm not just doing this for you. You think I want to date any of the men here? All the good ones are taken."
"Edmund's taken," Will pointed out.
Mary rolled her eyes. "Trust me, in the real world, he counts as a good one. Henry's the scum of the earth, George is taken, James is too nice, and Frank's got a thing for the other Mary."
"Frank has — what?"
Mary rolled her eyes again. "Can't you see anything? That might've started off as a recoupling of convenience or whatever they're calling it, but Frank's obviously holding a candle for her. Also, they kissed."
"Shit, what?" said Will.
Mary laughed, and it wasn't unkind, but it wasn't warm either. "I keep forgetting you guys don't watch the show."
"Frank and Mary kissed," repeated Will. Then he had a light bulb moment. "Oh, that must be what Fanny saw last week, and the reason why she insisted they stay."
Mary swirled the ice cube around her class. "Yeah, that was really nice of her. She's too good for this show."
"Hmm," said Will. After a pause, he said, "So did you ever see if Lizzy — "
"Fuck off, I'm not telling you that," said Mary. "You're going to have to figure that one out by yourself. Or, you know, just let your feelings explode. George did that."
"He did?" said Will, grinning.
Mary B knew she was in for a confrontation with Lizzy when she got back from the isle.
"Relax," she said. "I did it to make you jealous."
"What? Why would I be — hang on, what are we talking about? I haven't — you don't — "
Mary rolled her eyes. "Lizzy, I've actually seen the show, and that includes every single heart-eyes you've shared."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Lizzy, backtracking now that she'd got the information she'd wanted.
"Yeah, walk away," said Mary tauntingly.
Lizzy straightened her back. "I am not."
"Oh my god, this isn't fucking primary school," said Mary. "Just tell him you like him."
Lizzy didn't say anything.
"Exactly," said Mary, and made her second stunning exit of the day.
Fred's date with Louisa went well, if you were to ask Louisa. If you were to ask Fred, you'd get a lot of stumbling and avoiding the question.
By the time Anne came down from sorting out her feelings in the bathroom, Fred, Louisa, Mary and Will were back. She wasn't greeted with that, though. When she walked over to the kitchen to get a glass of water, she ran into James, who said: "You're Fred's Anne?"
Anne felt cold dread seep in her stomach. So Emma had cracked, and everyone knew.
"Um," said Anne. "I guess you know about our history then."
"I can't believe I didn't know it was you!" said James, who was entirely too chirpy about the fact that Anne was the girl who broke his friend's heart. "I've seen photos of you with Fred and he talked about you sometimes. But obviously you look different eight years later."
Anne blinked and lowered her voice. "Sorry, Fred talked about me? How long have you known him?"
"We joined up together," said James. He chuckled. "I'm surprised you didn't recognise me — I was always with him in photos and stuff." He stopped. "Oh, wait, this is weird, right? I remember he didn't really mention you after the second or third year. But come on, that's all in the past. You're friends now, right?"
"Er," said Anne.
"You don't have to tell me," James said quickly. "Sorry, that was a really personal question."
"Thanks," said Anne, relieved. "Yeah, it's all a bit… overwhelming."
James smiled. "Sure. Hey, if you ever want to talk about Fred with someone who really knows him, you know where to go."
"You're not mad at me, are you?" asked Emma, her hair splayed out across the bean bag so George could play with it.
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"You know," said Emma, a little uncomfortably. "I told everyone about Anne and Fred. I broke my promise to her."
George frowned. "I don't think Anne really thought she'd be able to keep it a secret forever."
"I know," said Emma. "But still, I broke a promise." She took a deep breath, and said very quickly: "I just worry that I'm not as nice as you — I mean, I know I'm not — and after a while you're not going to find my screw-ups cute or forgivable."
"Hey," said George, his hand stilling in her hand. He sat up so he could look at her. "Firstly, that there was both of us screwing up. A shared screw-up, if you will." Emma's face suggested she wouldn't. "And secondly, I trust you. You always have a good reason behind your screw-ups. If you murdered someone, I bet your explanation would convince me that the poor sod needed to be murdered."
Somehow, that was the most romantic thing anyone had ever said to her. "Do you really think so?"
"I really do," he said, and he smiled at her. "I mean, I'm wildly in love with you, and — "
At that point Emma had clearly decided she'd had all the reassurance she needed, so she pulled him towards her and kissed him.
Tonight, (old) Mary and Frank were cooking dinner.
"What are you doing?" demanded Frank, unable to watch in silence as Mary screwed up his grandmother's Jollof rice recipe. He put down the onion and knife and went to interfere in whatever Mary was doing. "Jasmine rice? What the fuck, Mary?"
Mary set the bag of rice in front of her and crossed her arms. "Sorry, did I do something wrong? You said to get the rice out of the cupboard."
"Long grain rice, Mary," said Frank, sighing dramatically.
Mary couldn't resist. "Eh," she said. "What's the difference?"
Frank looked downright offended. "You didn't just ask me that."
"I mean, rice is rice," Mary continued, wide-eyed and purposefully ignorant. "Jasmine, long grain, basmati…"
"Nigerians use long grain rice," said Frank in a tone of finality.
Mary had to force herself to cover up her smile with a look of annoyance. "You know, you can be a real control freak sometimes."
"I wouldn't have to be a control freak if you didn't keep making mistakes," Frank shot back.
"Me make mistakes? Don't you mean you not making your instructions clear enough?"
"I thought it was so obvious it went without saying," said Frank stubbornly.
Mary snorted, but she conceded and started rummaging around in the cupboard for long grain rice.
"There's something going on between them!" said Tom excitedly. Jane raised an eyebrow at his naïve enthusiasm. "I can hardly wait to see what happens."
After dinner, everyone followed the instructions of Brian the tech guy and gathered around the fire pit. Sure enough, Yvonne appeared, wearing a deconstructed disco ball as a dress.
"You might have noticed that we're low on space in the bedroom," she said.
No one knew how to react to that.
"Of course, that's because we have seven beds in there. But forcing people into bed together is so terrible," she said airily, thereby losing the respect of many a sexist lawmaker. "So this is the only option."
"What's happening?" someone whispered.
Yvonne beamed.
"I'm afraid there's not enough space for all of you on the isle," she said blatantly. "Of course, we'll do it fairly. The boys will be choosing one girl to leave the isle. The girls will be choosing one boy."
The contestants gaped.
"Can't we at least talk about it together?" asked (old) Mary.
Yvonne turned a dazzling smile on her. "Of course," she said. "All of you, gather round. I'll give you three minutes."
"You cursed it," said Tom, once he had recovered from the shock.
"What?"
"You said at the beginning that there were too many people."
"Oh, that's true," said Jane calmly. "Well, this could be a good thing. For example, we might be able to lose Louisa."
Mary C spoke first. "I'll go."
"What?" demanded at least three people.
Mary shrugged. "I don't mind. I've been thinking about leaving for a while now, and — "
"What?" said Emma. "Mary, why didn't you tell me? We could've talked about it!"
Mary sighed. "Well, I wasn't really sure of it, but now seems like a pretty good time. The point of this is to find love, and it's not like I'm in a position to do that any more."
No one looked at Edmund.
"Well," said George. "Mary, if that's really what you want — "
"Hold up," said Frank. "Mary, can I talk to you in private?"
Mary gave him a strange look but she agreed.
Frank exhaled slowly. He had not planned on doing this on a crappy bench with the entire villa ten feet away and watching, but it seemed as if he had no other choice.
"Don't go," he said.
Mary frowned. "Frank, if you need me to couple up with you so you can leech away time on the isle — "
"No," interrupted Frank. "Come on, Mary. Don't be daft."
Mary raised her eyebrows. "I'm not trying to be?"
"Fucking God, of course you're going to make me say it."
"Say wha — "
"I like you," he said. "A lot. I don't want you to go."
"Good gracious," said Tom, in a voice he probably imagined belonged to a Regency matron. "I do believe my knees are weak."
"No one respectable in the Regency would ever refer to a body part as scandalous as a knee," said Jane dismissively.
Tom scowled. "Can't you grant me artistic liberties?"
Jane snorted at the word 'artistic'.
"What," said Mary. She felt frozen to the spot, unable to do anything but stare at him in the face of this shock.
"You had no idea?" said Frank disbelievingly. He looked almost annoyed.
"Of course not!" said Mary in a shriek. "You denied we ever kissed!"
"You wanted to forget about it," reminded Frank.
"Well, you… you were mean to me about the rice today!"
"I was affectionately teasing, which is very different."
"Why didn't you say anything?" hissed Mary. "Is this why you've been nice to me? You wanted to get in my pants?"
"No, that was just me being a good friend," said Frank. "Look, stay, offer yourself up as sacrifice, whatever. But just so you know: I don't want you to go."
Mary couldn't think about this normally. Frank had feelings for her? This was insane. All her life seemed to do now was snowball into a bigger and bigger mess, and suddenly she wanted to break away from this claustrophobic place.
"You can't be serious," she said desperately.
He smiled a little ruefully, and she knew that he was. Or at least he thought he was.
"Well, I can't — I want to go," she said, the words slipping out of her. "I miss the outside world. I can't get over Edmund when we're living in the same house. It makes sense too: my time in here is done; I've had the romance and it's failed. I love my friends, but I'll still have them after I leave. There's nothing keeping me here."
"What about me?" said Frank.
Mary tried to see him as a potential boyfriend, and not the guy who was kind of shit to his ex, who fucked over Emma… who comforted her when she was crying about Edmund.
But then he'd kissed her, so maybe he'd just been biding his time for when she was ready to date again.
"I can't — you have to understand," said Mary. "I can't base this on a meagre possibility. Not that I don't think you — " she broke off, because couldn't deny the truth. She didthink that Frank would be a terrible romantic prospect. And she was still hurting over Edmund, and so tired of only being around the same people even though she loved them, and she really really missed London…
"Fine," said Frank. "If you still don't think I'm serious, then clearly that means I can't convince you."
He bowed out gracefully, and Mary was left with the weight of the decision she'd made.
After the final discussions had been had, everyone dispersed across the isle to make their decision. It was almost charmingly retro, how the verdicts were communicated. Everyone wrote down the name person they wanted to send home on a scrap of paper, and handed it to Yvonne, who set up shop on a table brought in by the tech guys.
"I can now reveal," she said minutes later, "that the two with the highest number of votes who will be going home are…"
"Edmund…"
Of course. He wasn't very sociable and was the most disliked boy.
"... and, regretfully…"
"If it's Mary I'll personally parachute onto the isle and — "
"Mary C."
"NO," screamed Tom. "NO."
There were a few gasps when Yvonne made the announcement. Emma pushed through the crowd towards Mary and hugged her close, then Lizzy and Anne surrounded her. Fanny could be seen sinking onto the bench behind her and clutching Edmund's hand.
"So," said Yvonne. "Edmund and Mary, you have half an hour to pack your suitcases. It's been a pleasure having you on the isle, but I'm afraid we have to say goodbye."
Yvonne stepped back, as if she were about to leave.
"Wait," said Frank. "I'm leaving too."
"What," said Jane.
For Tom, who was still in the midst of processing the fact that old Mary was leaving the isle, this was the finishing blow.
Various cameras panned to various contestants, all of whom wore shocked expressions.
Yvonne, cool and in control as ever, lifted her dark eyebrows. "And why is that?"
"Someone once told me," said Frank, "that I should've left after you all found out about Jane, so the entire country didn't think I was trash personified." He wasn't looking at Mary, but she knew he was speaking to her. She vividly remembered her words. "It took me a while to find it, but I think now is the time."
More shocked expressions — most of them directed at Mary.
"Well," said Yvonne, in a tone of finality. "So there we have it! Edmund, Mary C and Frank are all leaving the villa tonight. Anyone else want to go?"
This joke was probably a little tone-deaf, as Fanny was currently crying into Edmund's shoulder, and Emma was staring at Mary and Frank in half suppressed glee.
"I'll take that as a no," said Yvonne. She tossed her hair over one shoulder. "Well, then. I'll see you all very soon."
Then she left.
Emma made a beeline for Mary after Yvonne left, and the first thing she said was: "I told you so!"
Mary blinked.
"About you and Frank," said Emma brightly. She was clearly refusing to cry, and she smiled forcefully. "I told you Frank liked you! And now you're leaving together!"
Mary coughed. "Em, right now I can't even process — "
"Yeah, I know," said Emma. She wrapped her arms around her friend. "I'm really sad that you're going."
"Me too," said Mary. "But you know that I had to — "
"I know."
A far more tearful goodbye was happening nearby under the sycamore tree. Fanny was crying freely into Edmund's shirt as he murmured soothing words. But neither of them said the thing that hung between them like a flickering lantern: that Fanny could've done what Frank did, and left the isle too. Neither of them mentioned Henry either.
There wasn't a chance for Frank to speak to Mary before they left. Mary was swarmed over by the other girls, and Frank had to pack up his bags too. Eventually, half an hour was up, and Edmund, Frank and Mary were leaving the villa. The last shot of them was of the three figures walking into the night, all three people at a certain distance from one another.
The remaining contestants looked around the villa, sighed, and went up to bed.
"He must really like her," said Lizzy, as she tried to remove her lipstick with a combination of fierce dabbing and micellar water. The other girls bustled around getting ready for bed. "That's really weird that I had no idea there was even anything going on between them."
"That's because you're too involved in your own love life," said (new) Mary sardonically.
One merit of Mary C leaving the isle was that no longer did people have to differentiate between the two Marys.
"I am not," said Lizzy weakly. "I barely have one."
Anne and Mary exchanged a look over the top of Lizzy's head.
Louisa wandered into the room, yawning. "What a day, right?"
It really had been. A brief remind if you can't recall: four dates had happened, Anne and Fred had spoken for the first time in almost a decade, the Louisa/Fred drama had begun its developments, Henry had asked out Fanny, new Mary had given both Will and Lizzy a push in the right direction… and, of course, Frank was apparently smitten with Mary Crawford, enough to leave behind the comforts of the isle for the comforts of a short-lived career as an influencer, probably.
"I'm going to bed," announced Mary. "And you should all too. I don't even have any drama, and I'm tired. I can't imagine what you must be feeling."
And so ended another day on the isle.
"But what next for Frank and Mary?" demanded Tom, as the credits ran. "Are we never going to know?"
"We can track them through Instagram," said Jane sleepily, yawning at least three times as she said it. "Oh, by the way, Cassandra asks if she can come next Tuesday instead of… whenever else it was. Something about a new commission changing her schedule?"
"Sure," said Tom. "I'll get the weird fruity chocolates she really likes."
Jane narrowed her eyes at him. "You two have such a weird relationship."
This was very true. Put simply, Tom liked Cassandra, and Cassandra despised Tom with every inch of her being. But Cassandra loved Jane more than she hated Tom, so she was willing to embark on a four day visit to her sister and her sister's roommate.
"It's playful antagonism," corrected Tom.
Jane would've contradicted him, only she had no idea why Cassandra disliked Tom so much. She'd asked her sister about it numerous times, and Cassandra had merely shrugged and said: "No reason. He's just annoying." Jane let it sit, because this was quite plausible. Happy-go-lucky Tom was a very different person from her serious, wry sister.
"Whatever," said Jane. "Be nice to each other."
"Always," said Tom.
She rolled her eyes, flicked his forehead and picked herself off the sofa to go to bed.
A/N: I KNOW, I'm sorry, but to explore the Mary/Frank thing here would probably overpower the canonical relationship of Anne/Fred (and Henry and Mary Bennet) so I cut them loose to give them a future. I am kind of toying with the idea of doing a Frank/Mary spinoff (featuring everyone else of course) in which we explore what happens next without the clumsiness of this TV merging format… but that would be the nichest thing ever so idk if it's worth it.
NB Yvonne says there's seven beds because there are five couples, and then Henry and Fred, and Mary B and Louisa were sharing a bed.
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