Chapter Twenty Nine
The usual chamber maid had had her work increased taking care of Anne and ensuring she was kept comfortable. Therefore the parlour maid had been relocated upstairs. Betty had been more than pleased, not only was the master of the house finally spending a night alone, but she had been asked to attend the room for him. She was blinded to the fact that the man was obviously retched for the health of his wife, she saw only that he was glad to be away from her.
For Frederick's part, the long weary day travelling and caring for Anne were beginning to take their toll and he was becoming increasingly fatigued. So that when he entered his room he didn't think much of only the fire being lit and not the candles, nor the fact the bed had not been turned down as he requested. He had dismissed the staff for the evening, wanting to just be alone and take care of himself without any fuss. He assumed the others must have been too preoccupied with caring for Anne to remember such trivial things and did not think badly of them. He slipped off his jacket and cravat and sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots and stockings.
Once off, he leaned back on his arms breathing deeply. He was exhausted. It was half in slumber when he first felt the arms around him, even in sleep he could distinguish her grip and terrifyingly what was not, and this was one of those occasions. He ceased the hand that was sneaking between the buttons of his shirt and turned to come face to face with a young girl with blonde curls. With her cap removed and in only a shift, he struggled to place her for the split second.
His silence made Betty believe his feelings were that of being pleased at her appearance and she nuzzled his neck. "Shh Captain it is only I." she purred. "Betty sir, at your service." She added cheekily.
"Betty!" Frederick all but shouted. He was struggling to stand, she had wound herself around him so he feared if he should make a move, she would come with him. He still had his hands on her and wanted nothing more than to be parted from her, but he knew the moment he relinquished his grip she would continue in her seduction.
"Now, now, Captain. We'd best keep our voices down should we not want to wake your missus." Betty warned.
"Tis too late for that." Came a snuffle from the shadows.
Betty's shock led her to surrender her hold on Frederick, who immediately rose to his feet. Anne stepped out of the darkness. Her pale face ashen, her eyes wide and sad. She clutched at the shawl around her shoulders and the light from the fire caught her wedding band. Frederick felt shame and guilt at her suffering, when in fact he had been just as much as a victim in this as his wife.
Betty was in no hurry to even dress herself, let alone leave. Frederick ignored her and made his way to the only person that mattered. Anne had not moved but as he came closer she crossed to the corner and rang the bell. Frederick was puzzled. He thought she meant for him to be removed, or worse, she was leaving, and he was already formulating a speech in mind to plead his innocence but every attempt at addressing her, was met with distance. She had no intention of discussing this in front of Betty. So he stood helplessly by, awaiting Anne's instruction.
The knock on the door broke the silence. "Captain?" Mrs Forbes entered the room expecting to find the master struck down with same illness as his good lady, and instead walked in on a scene worthy of the stage. Mrs Wentworth was stood stoic in the corner by the bell, her shawl kept round her tightly in one hand, the other still on the bell cord. In the master's bed, looking like the cat got the cream, was Betty; hair down and undressed. Stood between them was a dishevelled and also in a state of undress Captain Wentworth.
Mrs Forbes was flummoxed. She didn't know what had occurred or what to even think, glaring at Betty, she then turned to Mrs Wentworth who had obviously summoned her. Anne cleared her throat, "Mrs Forbes, would you be so kind as to remove Betty from my husband's bed, and from our rooms? Where she goes to afterwards, I will leave in your capable hands. But she is not to leave this house until I give her leave to. Is that understood?"
Mrs Forbes nodded, unsure why the lady did not request her immediate removal from Sevenoaks and her employment terminated. But she did as the lady had asked. Grabbing Betty by the arm she scooped up her clothes with the other hand and removed her. The hour of the night was on their side and no one but the Captains valet was around to witness her being escorted down the stairs. Mr Skye helped most willingly, unable to believe his master should stoop so low, he was ready to aid in any way he could.
Once they had all left, Anne let out a loud sigh and turned towards her room. Frederick was instantly at her heel and took her hand in both of his and began to plead his case. "Anne, Anne please you have to believe me, I did not invite that girl into my bed, nor did I encourage or initiate any affection. I promise you Anne, I would never." He sunk to his knees and flung his arms around her waist in desperation. Anne gasped at his initial contact but he felt her body relax and her hand softly running through his hair. He expected wrath, he expected tears, what he did not expect, was laughter.
For above him his wife had thrown back her head and guffawed. She continued chuckling while he wearily made his way up to his feet. "Anne? Why are you laughing?"
"Oh Frederick, I am laughing because the situation is nothing but ridiculous. Totally absurd."
"Absurd?"
"Yes."
"So you do not think I would-"
"Oh for heaven's sake. Am I to believe that you remained constant to me for eight years, gave up the chance of marrying Louisa Musgrove, married me and within three months are so bored with me that you take up with a parlour maid, while I am in bed with sickness only one room away?" she laughed again. "Goodness Frederick if that was not so unbelievable, the look on your face upon seeing me would have been enough to set the record straight."
Frederick was still in disbelief at his wife's reaction and wondered silently if it was the state of her health that had caused her to become delirious. "Are you saying I did not appear guilty to you?"
"Guilty? no! At the sight of me you appeared … relieved, more grateful than guilty. Like I had come to rescue you." she snickered again and it brought on a bout of coughing that had her lean against the dresser to steady herself.
Frederick sprang into action, lifting her into his arms and carrying her gently back to her bed. She dropped her head on to his shoulder and he marvelled at the feeling, this is what his Anne's touch felt like, not like the strong unfamiliar feeling Betty's hand had left upon his skin. Once he had seen her to bed, he turned to shred the remainder of his clothes and climbed in beside her. Anne raised an eyebrow at him but he pulled a face, "I do not mind if you are contagious or that this is not proper, nothing about this night is proper, and if I wish to be near my wife, I shall." Anne smiled and cuddled up to him. Her fever had died and she was beginning to feel like herself again. "If you were so sure of my innocence Annie, why did you look so affronted? I admit I felt guilty at the look on your face, and I had done nothing to feel guilty about."
Anne sighed. "I felt sorry for her. Betty I mean. She must be deeply troubled to have fancied herself not only in love with you, but that loved her back to such a degree, she was willing to compromise herself in such a manner. Not to mention her position here. You are already married to me, what could she hope to gain?"
Frederick debated telling her what he believed to be the truth. Now he had had the chance to contemplate on the events, he knew what she was up to. He had seen it happen to the best of men who had claimed honour and loving his wife, only to give in to the charms of a pretty maid in his employment and spent the rest of his life paying for it in more ways than one. More than likely there was a baby and a mistress to support forever. No, not only was he not fool enough to fall for some feminine allurements, Anne meant more to him to risk losing her love. He therefore embraced his wife tightly and kept his mouth shut. She deserved to be shielded from the truth.
Despite Anne not being fully recovered, and under no amount of advice to the contrary, she summoned Betty to her room the following morning so that she may speak to her, and more to the dismay of her husband, she wished to do so alone.
Frederick was as usual overreacting over her suggestions, believing that Betty may try to injure her in some way and insisted on him being there. In compromise Anne had agreed to let Mrs Forbes be present instead. So it was Frederick was banished to his study while he paced about in anger and frustration until he was informed it was safe to come out.
Anne had her own musings to contend with. She wasn't preoccupied with punishing Betty, but with understanding why she had chosen to do what she did. Mrs Forbes had been assured nothing had happened nor would anything have. Captain Wentworth had been as quite as shocked and disturbed to find the maid present in his bed, as much as his wife, and Mrs Forbes was inclined to believe him. She had known the type and he wasn't it. She couldn't understand why Betty hadn't already been let go with a flee in her ear in lieu of a reference, however Mrs Wentworth was adamant she be allowed to talk with the girl before any decision was made as to her outcome.
Betty stood before the bedridden mistress defiantly. She still believed she had not been in the wrong and that the Captain truly harboured feelings of desire for her. Looking down at the sickly wife with her flushed cheeks and sweaty brow, she felt no sorrow for her actions. She understood enough to know she would be let go and without a babe in her belly, she would be leaving uncompensated for her trouble. She had to admit to herself she had failed. That said, she wasn't prepared to lose face in front of the Lady, or that haughty Mrs Forbes. It was with somewhat surprise she had found herself summoned by the wife.
"Now Betty." Anne raised herself up in her sitting position and straightened the bed clothes in front of her. "I am not going to insult your intelligence by informing you of how wrong your actions were last night, or what consequences shall befall you, I am however most interested to understand your motives behind such a scheme?"
"I don't understand… ma'am." she added as an afterthought.
"I mean is there something I have done to upset you in some way? Have I mistreated you in such a way as to warrant such abuse?"
Betty looked about her guiltily, it was true that the lady herself had been nothing but kind and fair to all of the staff and put on the spot like this, had made her regret hurting her. "I must confess ma'am I thought little of you or your feelings throughout. I sought only the comfort of one I felt not only matched my own feelings, but welcomed them."
Anne looked away, it pained her to talk of Frederick so disrespectfully when he wasn't even present to defend himself. She knew no matter what the outcome of this meeting Frederick remained faithful as ever. "What reason did my husband give you, for you to draw this conclusion? Did he favour you above the others? Did he seek you out? Did he pay you undue attention?" she took a breath. "Did he instruct you to come to his room after I was asleep?"
