Thank you for the interest shown so far in this. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has pondered a twist like this. I have written two endings for this story, one which will occur upon them being discovered, and one that will take them beyond the shed and on to Lyme. I will let you make up your minds which one will be used. If in a few chapters you're shouting at me to wrap it up already, I will do so, where as if you let me know you would like to read more, I will switch to the longer ending. But for now, here is chapter two ...

Chapter Two

Anne felt her stomach turn over and her heart quicken. "Surely, you are mistaken, the lock it tends to stick, if we just …" she pushed her way past Captain Wentworth fumbling in the dark for the handle until she located it. She turned it once, twice but it would not budge. She sighed and tried again.

"Please do not take my word for it." he mumbled sarcastically beside her.

But she was in no mood for an argument. "Can you not force it?" she turned to face him or at least she believed she was, as it was so dark it was difficult to tell. A shape moved towards her and she had to side step him, the confines of the space being what it was. He seemed to be feeling at the door and then he knocked a few times in different places. "Tis no good, it is solid oak and I have no room in order to even muster a run up."

"But the hinges, the lock? Surely they are rusted and rotten, it has been left derelict for so long," she began.

Suddenly there was a loud bang which reverberated around her, followed by a string of profanities. "Blast! No Miss Elliot, it is very much still intact! As my shoulder will attest." He shouted at her, the anger and frustration abundant in his voice.

"I am sorry, it was foolish of me to suggest-"

"No!" he was still yelling and she jumped back at his outburst. He let out a frustrated breath. "No you were right in your thinking." He answered, his voice back to normal.

Anne's eyes had finally begun to adjust, and although not clear as in daylight, she could now make out his features quite well. He caught her looking at him and she looked away embarrassed, making an inspection of their small space. There were a few gaps in the bricks where the mortar was missing and she was able to look out. Her nephew was still out there, now fascinated with a large stick he had found and was using to decapitate his mother's flowers. "Walter! Walter!" she called though the gap, but he chose to ignore her, or couldn't hear. Either way it was useless.

Frederick chuckled behind her, "I doubt that little imp will help us now, he is most likely enjoying his freedom too much, the little-"

"Sir! I fail to see what is amusing about this state of affairs."

The laughter ceased. "You are right, I am sorry. I doubt we will be here long. I am sure someone will miss one of us soon."

"Your friend you were meeting, will they not be surprised at your absence?"

"Friend? I was not meeting anyone. I came here to engage your brother in law in a spot of hunting."

"But why…" Anne screwed up her face, that didn't make any sense. "But then your sister, the Admiral, they knew you were coming here?" She asked hopefully.

There was too much hesitation in his reply to be good. "No I am afraid they had already left themselves, and shall not return until late this afternoon. But yourself, surely you will be missed?"

"Anne began to chuckle herself, she doubted her presence was noticed even when she was there. "I told the housemaid I was going for a lay down, she assured me I would not be disturbed. It was only at Walter's insistence I came outside instead. No one knew of my change of plan."

"A lay down? Are you unwell?" his words were laced with what sounded like concern, confusing her.

"No I just, I have been preoccupied with caring for my nephew, and may have neglected myself." She confessed. "I was just going to catch up on a little sleep."

"But instead you gave up your free time for your other nephew."

"He has been so bored, being cooped up, he misses having his brother to play with, and I thought it would do him good to burn off some energy."

"You say the housemaid, then your sister is not at home?"

"No the misses Musgrove called this morning and required our company at the great house. I believe they assumed you yourself would be calling at some point." That was why she had used little Charles once again as an excuse to remain at the cottage.

Frederick looked down, it had been his intention to call before her remembered his sisters warning. An uneasy thought entered his mind and refused to leave; if he had gone there, he would not be in this situation, but then would Miss Elliot be here alone, with no one to miss her? No, because regardless of everything, he would have missed her. He would have insisted Charles go find her. "Charles!" he blurted out.

Anne's head flew up, understanding him immediately. "Yes Charles! He is in the stable!"

They both rushed to the wall nearest the stable and began shouting his name through the gaps. Anne noticed with regret, her nephew was now, nowhere to be seen, he knew better than to roam far. He would most likely have joined his father in the stable, or gone back to the house to bother cook until she gave him something. "It is no use. He will no doubt go to the house himself soon."

They both stood in silent defeat for several minutes. Anne was leaning against the cold stone wall and after a while felt the damp begin to seep through her cloak, she could smell it in the air, what a truly miserable place to be locked in; cold, damp and dark. She let out a sigh which came out more as a whimper. Captain Wentworth caught it and frowned, "there is a make shift seat here Miss Elliot, should you wish to use it."

"Thank you Captain." she struggled to see it and stumbled once or twice before she felt his hand on her arm.

"Here." He took her elbow gently and led her to the seat.

She made herself as comfortable as possible, a million thoughts dashed through her head. There was so much she wanted to say, to know, to hear. But the most pressing of which, was how they were to escape their make shift prison, and why she was more than a little reluctant to leave it? Finally after another few minutes of awkward nothing, she decide to break it. "So Captain what is your plan?"

"My Plan?"

"Yes, you are the decorated Naval Captain, surely you must be in these type of situations all the time. How do we escape?"

Captain Wentworth was torn between wanting to punish her for mocking him, and laughing at the absurdity of her statement. "And pray tell me Miss Elliot, just when do you think I was last in a situation like this?"

She felt herself colour. "Surely you have been taken captive before. Held in a ship's brig, the situations cannot be so overly dissimilar."

"I assure you Miss Elliot I have never been enclosed in a ramshackle out building with no windows, a solid oak door, surrounded by darkness with only a young lady for company." He laughed. She felt herself blushing and she was glad it was dark. "I apologise Miss Elliot. That was uncalled for, but no, I have never been in a situation like this, nor do I -at this time- have any solutions for our dilemma."

Frederick began to pace the small area, dismissing each idea which entered his head, for being all the more ridiculous than the last. The motion of watching him go from side to side and his constant muttering made Anne drowsy, and a yawn escaped her. In the small confines of the space he heard her. "I am sorry Miss Elliot, you were tired, were you not? Here let me attempt to make you more comfortable. If I were to move this." He began bumbling about around her. Anne stayed still and let him do whatever it was he was up to. "There. Here is a make shift bed. I will cover it with my coat and it may be soft enough for you attempt some sleep." He said proudly.

Anne gasped. "Sir surely you cannot be suggesting I sleep with you in the room, in the dark?"

Frederick felt his tempers rise and tried to dispel them before he spoke. "Do you not trust me madam? You are afraid I may take liberties while you have no means of escape?" His voice held no emotion, but it was tinged with bitterness.

"I trust you!" Was Anne's first response. She did trust him, more than she trusted anyone, "it is just, it is not proper." she explained.

"Miss Elliot, nothing is proper about our little situation." She heard him scuffle and then he was right in front of her, at eye level, laying his coat down, "do not worry Miss Elliot, I have no intention of compromising you in anyway."

His words were so defiant, so final, she should be pleased at the prospect of safety. And yet, she felt also oddly disappointed and insulted. Frederick noticed her frown, being so close to her as he was, and he felt bad that his words had struck a chord with her. He felt responsible that she should feel so unwanted. It was true he no longer had feelings for her –certainly not, but he had not meant it to sound like he would not be interested in her, should no past exist between them, she was an attractive woman – when she was not been run ragged by her family. In fact upon her opening the door and discovering them earlier, she had seemed quiet lovely.

The pink in her cheeks, her eyes bright and her hair coming undone. With the sun behind her, her silhouette led him to imagine her figure was as trim and toned as it once was. He smiled to himself and added cheekily: "not today anyway."

Anne gasped and then he winked, She realised he was teasing her. She grinned back at him and for a moment, it was as if they were transported back in time, before each remembered themselves. Frederick finished arranging his coat, and Anne, despite her earlier protest, suddenly found the idea inviting. She longed to lay down, shut her eyes, and have a few moments peace to process everything that had happened in the past forty minutes. No more words were spoken between them as she lifted feet and arranged herself on his coat the best she could. As her head hit the warm fabric she stifled a groan as his scent invaded her senses. Memories flooded her and she was back to being nineteen, breathing him in for the first time as he stood so dangerously close to her. She clutched her cloak around her shivering against the damp air and the atmosphere now between them.