Chapter Three

Frederick for his part, was beginning to panic.

It was becoming clearer to him, no help was coming. It would be hours before anyone realised he was missing, and as awful as the thought struck him, he doubted she would be missed at all, at least not until she was needed by someone for something. And when they were finally discovered, what then? How would it be construed from an out-siders perspective? He glanced down at Anne, for the first time in eight years, he felt pity for her. She would be ruined, her well-earned reputation in tatters. No one would ever believe their story. Maybe if they were to disclose their past, to tell the others how they were the last pair on earth likely to be having some sort of secret relationship. But then, that would probably only implicate them further. The outlook was grim.

And yet – he could not distil the ever growing feeling inside of him of relief. They were conversing well, without either referring to the past. Perhaps given time he could … but then no, the pain was too severe, still after all this time. How could they live if they were forced to marry? Anne stirred and he realised rather uncomfortably, he was still crouched by her side and had been – judging by the soreness in his muscles- for quite some time. He felt for his pocket watch and moving towards the chink of light in the wall was able to establish they had been trapped together for over an hour. He sighed and Anne stirred again moving around a little in her sleep causing her cloak to fall, she looked so small and delicate, her darkened silhouette standing out against the light brown of his coat. He silently wondered for the tenth time since they were reintroduced, what could have caused the dramatic change in both her personality and appearance.

Still, even in sleep she held a certain charm, a prettiness that had captivated him all those years ago. She looked younger too, without the woes and cares of her life weighing her down. He picked up her cloak and as he waved it through the air in order to cover her, dropping it gently over her, her sweet perfume surrounded him. He swallowed hard against the assault on his already muddled mind. He was backing away when she murmured something. "Not this time … No I will not! Please do not make me, I cannot do it again. Frederick!" From what he could see of her through the blackness, she was still asleep. She must have been dreaming. He froze, she had called him by name – his given name. In her sleep no less. She must be dreaming about him. The thought rather than disgust him, or please him like it should in the manner of revenge, instead only warmed him and left him feeling pride he really ought not to.

She stopped moving and fell in to deep sleep once again, it was half an hour later when she spoke again. "Frederick?" She asked again, more urgent than before and by the tone of her voice, she was half asleep half awake. He wanted to go to her in that moment, out of the corner of his eye he saw her sit up, she must be disorientated, probably thought this had all been a bad dream.

Trying his hardest to ignore the desperate way she had said his name, he addressed her as if he had heard nothing. "I am sorry Miss Elliot, did I wake you?"

She was quiet for a few moments, "No …I... that is I thought... I thought for a moment."

"You were dreaming?"

"No. That I was alone. That you had-"

"Miss Elliot I would never abandon you in such circumstances." He realised the impact of his foolish words and hastened to add, "Any lady. I would not abandon any lady. We will get out of here together, or not at all."

The light caught her eyes in that instance, and he could tell they were filled with tears. She had been so resilient up to now, he did not want her to fall to pieces now. "I have been wondering if, where the light shines through the cracks, the bricks may be loose. I may be able to force one out."

Anne was on her feet almost instantly. "You do?"

"It is worth a try is it not?"

She was at his side now, he could hear her breathing, "please do try."

Frederick hit the stones with his fist, hoping one would budge but none did. Frustrated, he picked up a broken handle of a spade and used it in attempt to knock the bricks out, but still nothing. He turned and leaned against the wall with a sigh. "It is a useless endeavour I am afraid."

Anne sighed too and leaned next to him, her head against the cold stone. She felt exhausted. The pittance of a nap, had not been enough to replenish her energy. In fact she felt more tired now than before and her muscles screamed out in anger at being made to fit a small hard bed, she should have never laid down, but he had taken so much care to provide for her, that she could not resist. It was the first nice thing he had done for her – save acquiring for her a seat on the Crofts gig on the journey back from Winthrop- since he had returned.

"Remind me to tell Charles he may have dismissed this shed a little too prematurely. It seems as sound a structure as any house."

Anne was all of a sudden struck with a thought. "What time is it?"

He held his watch up to the light. "Around twelve."

"Charles! He always leaves the stables by twelve to be at the great house for one, as that is when luncheon is served. He will walk past us, if we call loudly enough, perhaps he will hear us."

Frederick agreed and they both stood with eyes at the cracks in the bricks awaiting his appearance.

"Why did you refuse Charles?" Frederick whispered into the darkness.

"What?" she turned to look at him, but his gaze was fixed on the outside.

"I am sorry I had no right in asking."

Anne frowned, she knew Louisa had told him about Charles proposing and how she had turned him down. It seemed pointless being shy about it now. "Because I did not love him." she answered honestly.

Grey clouds had appeared in the once blue sky, and the light from the gaps was diminishing. Anne knew what it meant, and how it would scupper their plan, but she dare not say anything. Besides, her mind was already whirling from his question. To openly ask her why, why did he need to know? She told herself it was that they were the only ones here, and it was the perfect opportunity to ask any difficult questions one would be too embarrassed to bring up in company. No one would ever know what had been said between them, and this was their one chance to clear the air between them, if they were ever to become anything more than strangers in the future.

"I was persuaded to end an engagement with someone I loved, but I refused to be persuaded to spend the rest of my life with someone I did not." she finished.

Frederick had remained quiet thoughout her confession, not being quite able to believe her honesty, or the fact that she had been the one brave enough to talk about their past …connection first. He opened his mouth to say something when a crack of lightning filled the sky and left it as dark as the inside of the room. The heavens opened, rain poured down on the roof.

He sighed. "Well this complicates things."

Rain soon began to seep through the gaps in the roof. Some dripped on Anne, causing her to squeal and move out of the way. Frederick chuckled. "Now Miss Elliot, this situation I am exactly used to." Anne scowled at him, making him laugh harder. "I stand corrected. This is not as sound as a I suggested earlier. Here." He picked his coat up from the make shift bed and held it over her head to protect her from the wet.

She looked up at him and half smiled. "Thank you."

The rain fell harder and soon Frederick had drops running down his face, being so close, Anne noticed and began to fret. "Captain please, use your coat for your cover, and I will use mine, then we shall both be dry."

"And both be cold. No miss Elliot you keep your coat on you."

Anne realised then he had been over an hour outside, with no coat, and a wave of guilt hit her. "This is ridiculous." She stood back to make her point and he moved with her to keep her covered. "If you insist on me remaining warm, and I insist on you being dry, surely the simplest solution is for you to use your coat to cover both of us. There is plenty of room if we ... if I-"

She wanted to say 'move closer' but her mouth would not part with the words. She looked up at Frederick again and found him to be displaying signs of a similar inner torment. In the end the weather was the greater threat. Without saying a word, they moved together and he covered them both with the coat. Small particles of water were still dripping down his cheeks like teardrops and Anne resisted the temptation to wipe them away. The sound of the rain was loud enough to prevent them from speaking, and yet the silence between them was the most deafening of all.

"I am glad." He whispered.

"What?" she whispered back.

"I am glad you did not accept Charles."