Chapter Twenty Nine

Back at the Inn, Anne was finding it increasingly difficult to remain calm and collected as Anne Elliot would be under normal circumstances. Yet these circumstances were far from normal – no not normal at all. Just that morning she had been filled with unanswered questions, unconfessed feelings and a fear of an unknown future ahead of her. Now just a few short hours later, she was an engaged woman! She had declared her feelings and had them reciprocated in the best way imaginable. She was in love and loved in return, about to become a wife. She knew not when or how exactly, but she knew it would happen- of that she had no doubt.

Anne heard rather than observed the return of the Musgrove's to the Inn. Mr and Mrs Musgrove were talking of her and her health in the corridor outside her room, apparently discussing whether or not it would be prudent to check on her, or leave her to her solitude. Mrs Musgrove was fretting that she would not be able to go to the dinner party, for she could not travel without their guest. Anne smiled to herself behind the door as the married couple weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of waking their young friend. Unbeknownst to them she was wide awake and listening.

Shortly, Anne could listen to their concerns no more, and decided it was high time she put them out of their misery. With a straight a face as possible she opened her door and confronted the friendly pair. "Mr and Mrs Musgrove."

"Miss Anne, my poor dear, how are you feeling? You gave us such a fright running off like that."

"Why if it had not been for Captain Wentworth and him offering to take you back, we should have all returned with you. I hope you know."

"I do know, and I appreciate it, but I would not wish you to ruin your day because of a headache. Besides it has gone."

"You do look rested, and have a glow about you did not have this morning." Observed Mrs Musgrove with a cunning smile. Anne tried to change the subject asking about the ship and Richard, but Mrs Musgrove especially brought the conversation back to her repeatedly. "I do hope you will be well enough to join us on the Laconia tonight."

"Yes, did Captain Wentworth not tell you when he returned? I made a point of saying I would be there."

The other two looked at each other and then at her, shaking their heads in perfect tandem that would have made Anne laugh had she not been intrigued as to why their happy faces had turned so serious. "Captain Wentworth did not return. In all the time we were there. We had believed him to be here taking care of you."

"Not returned? Anne looked at the time on the clock "But he left here hours ago." she said more to herself then the others. "Where could he have gone?"

"I do hope he is able to join us for dinner later, since it was his invitation. It would hardly be a successful time aboard the Laconia if its Captain is not with us."

"Quite." Anne laughed nervously. Wondering what her betrothed could possibly be up to. She hoped he had not decided to speak to Sir Walter in person, especially after their conversation that afternoon. She was sure he had agreed it was better for them to do that together. But then where was he?

Although Anne had packed one of her nicest dresses, it was not her best, and now she found she wished she had. She knew Frederick liked her in whatever she wore, he told her often enough when they were first attached, but tonight in front of all of his friends and those he held dear, she wished she had thought to bring something a little more special. She did not want them to remember this night with her looking less than her very best.

The maid at this Inn was significantly more experienced than poor Nancy at doing hair, but Anne found they did not get on, and she was unexpectedly stand offish with Anne, to the extreme that when she pulled her hair causing Anne to cry out in pain, she swore she saw the girl smile. Anne, being ever polite went as far as to thank her when she was done, but did not bestow the same amount of praise she had on Nancy at her poor attempts. She washed using the soap Frederick had given her and once she was dressed she felt surprisingly calm.

She stood back from the looking glass and tried to see herself through the eyes of others, something that had never concerned her before. She was only two and twenty and yet she felt decidedly older and blander at the side of some the other young beauty's they had seen walking about the town. She was sure Frederick must have seen plenty of more beautiful and exotic women than she, and yet it was her he had offered his hand to, twice. That had to mean something, and with that thought warming her inside she went to meet the Musgroves'.

They all thought her very pretty and she tried to take the compliments without blushing or appearing like she had purposely tried to look nice. Charles was back to his knowing smile, and for once she smiled back knowing that in this case she finally knew more than him. He would be just as surprised as the others when they eventually broke their news. They were a happy party indeed as they made their way back to the Laconia.

By the time they reached her it was after dark, but the ship was a lit with a soft glow that reflected on the water below. Anne breathed in deeply the pungent smell of the ocean and imagined what it would be like to be woken to the sights and smells each day; how long would she have to wait? Captain Harville greeted them on board and introduced them to his new wife. Anne and Mrs Harville got on fast and it was almost enough to take her mind off the fact a very important person was missing from their reception. Lieutenant Benwick appeared and showed them into the dining room where they would be eating. The table was set just as grandly as if they were being entertained in a local gentry's estate. The Musgroves' were suitably impressed, but Anne could think of nothing save for where her betrothed was. Luckily she did not have to ask, as Charles beat her to it. "And where is our host? Captain Wentworth? We have yet to see him since this morning." The others nodded in agreement and wonder.

"I am afraid he has been detained." said Captain Harville very shiftily while looking at Anne. Could he know? Anne shook her head, it was no doubt just her imagination. Frederick had not broken her trust by telling his friends, and Captain Harville was not looking at her any more than he was anyone else. "He will be with us shortly." The Captain finished.

"Detained? I do hope it is not bad news which keeps him from us." commented Mr Musgrove. His wife shaking her head beside him.

"No, that is, he has not shared all the details with me," Captain Harville confessed. "I received an express an hour ago, that said to ready everything as planned and he would be joining us as soon as he can."

The others seemed satisfied with this response and went about commenting on the room and meeting the other guests. Anne had no time for Captains and wives she had yet to meet, when her own husband-to-be was missing. As discreetly as possible she crossed the room to where Captain Harville was chatting to Charles, and approached him as indifferently as possible. "Did Captain Wentworth say what it was that kept him from the party? Or where in fact he is?" Anne asked, attempting in vain to keep the anxiety from her voice.

"No Miss Elliot, I am afraid he alluded to both of those things." Harville told her quietly. Anne looked around her for somewhere to pace off her nervous energy, all of a sudden she felt very silly standing there on the ship in her next-to-best dress worrying about how pretty she looked, when Frederick was somewhere off attending to business she knew nothing about. What if he did not return at all? As if reading her mind Harville stepped toward her. "He did say to let anyone who may ask know, that he will be here. As soon as he can, and that all will be well."

Anne smiled at the cryptic message and more so that he had obviously been thinking of her when he wrote it. She returned to the other ladies determined not to let his absence affect her so. She spoke with Mrs Harville and remembered the names of the other guests well, letting the Musgroves' explain how it was they came to be there. All the time, she appeared present though, her heart was with Frederick, wherever it was he was. She repeatedly found her gaze wandering over to the gang plank expecting him to appear at any moment and take her in his arms or some other fairy tale ending. However as they were seated ready for the first course, she found herself once more alone. She was sat to the left of the Captain's chair, Mrs Musgrove to the right, opposite her. As the seat remained empty she felt her nerves begin to rise once more.

Luckily for Anne and the rest of her party, their host was only twenty minutes away and gaining ground fast. Frederick had been furious with himself that he could not have been there for Anne's arrival, he wanted to take her on one side and tell her all of his –their- news privately. Now he would be faced with a dining room full of people all wondering why he was detained and wanting to speak with him. When he would only have eyes and ears for Anne.

As he stabled his horse near the docks, he took a few deep breaths in releasing them slowly letting his nerves dissipate with the sea air. He should not be nervous, in most cases the man wishing to propose was nervous when he offered marriage to the lady, or when he had to ask for her hand from the lady's father, that had been no consequence for him. Asking Anne had been the most natural thing in the world, and there was no need for permission from her father anymore. They were free to do as they wished, and yet, knowing he was about to see her and tell her that they were to be married in a few days and she would be travelling with him, had his stomach in worst knots that before a battle.

As he climbed the steps up to the deck of the Laconia, he tried to remember everything they had said both lately and two years earlier – the good things. He knew resolutely he was doing the right thing asking Anne to be his wife and that they would have a wonderful life together, for all she had claimed and acted, he had to believe she felt the same. This should be nothing more than passing on to her the details of their wedding.

The deck absent of all the sailors who had been given the night off to rest and spend time with their families -those who lived near, and to commiserate in the local Ale houses for those ones that did not- was eerily quiet. Frederick had known it to be like this in the middle of the night far out at sea when a dream had awoken him and he had been forced to walk around gazing up at the stars until his mind was wiped of the images that haunted him; a beautiful face, twisted in anger willing him to leave and that he would never be good enough. It was never like that of course, she had never said those words to him, but in his mind at night alone in his room his mind had played tricks and he had woken hating her and wishing her far away. Now when he awoke in the night, she should be beside him. For mistress chamber or not, he knew as long as she was agreeable, which he hoped she would be, his wife would spend each and every night beside him. He had spent two years missing the feeling of Anne in his arms, he planned to keep her in his embrace whenever possible.

He took a final deep breath in before opening the dining room door to greet his guests and face their onslaught of questions surrounding his tardiness.

As he entered all faces were drawn to his; their eyes all searching his and asking the same silent questions, all his eyes could see was her. She sat at the end of the table beside the place set aside for him. He sent up a prayer that Harville was so intuitive to know that was what he would have wanted. Her stormy eyes questioned his and he realised she was seeking reassurance from him. Looking directly at her, he spoke the words as if she were the only one in the room. "Forgive me, I should not have been so long, it is just I had many urgent things that needed taking care of that could not wait. Believe me when I say I would not be away from you less they were not so important."

Mrs Musgrove spoke first. "There is nothing to forgive Captain, we are only thankful to have you with us now and just in time for the main course." She beamed up at him, but still his eyes remained on the lady across from her. She was still concerned, he could see it in her every action. This would not do, he would not have her sat there fretting all night until he orchestrated a reason for them to convers. He looked again at the friends around the table, it was not a formal occasion, they were not strangers; they would not mind him too much if he took certain liberties. At least he hoped so, as he stalked to the back of the room ignoring the curious stares from the rest of his guests. He reached Anne who by now was shaking as he took her hand in his, she gasped but as soon as their skin touched a rush of calm washed over her and he could see her visibly relax. He quickly looked to his other friends. "If you would excuse me ladies and gentleman just one more minute, there are some important things I wish to discuss with my betrothed." He led Anne to her feet as her eyes widened in shock, and from the room.

Just in time to hear Mrs Harville ask her husband: "Did he just say betrothed?"