So, I have decided we are to Lyme! Therefore this will not be the last chapter as originally planned, I have decided to extend it just a little. I hope people will enjoy this next turn, I understand I may have taken certain liberites with propriety at the time, but I have good intentions I assure you. As always please continue to read and review, I love to hear what you think whether good or bad.
Chapter Eight
Charles narrowed his eyes at him, but with no other comment, Frederick continued. "I promise you nothing untoward has taken place. That said, if you do not believe me, us, or if it is already known elsewhere, about where Miss Anne and I spent last night, I will of course honour my responsibilities and-"
"Frederick, Frederick what is this nonsense man? Of course we believe nothing has happened between you! This was not your intention, it was not part of some devious plot to get my sister alone, or for you to meet in secret. Walter has confessed everything. We are not in town, you had not been discovered in a broom closet by a member of the ton. We are all friends. This is yourself and Anne we are talking of." He chuckled. Frederick's eyes flickered towards Anne, she was looking back at him wanting answers. "Now if it had been Louisa in there with you." He wagged his finger at the Captain, "I think I would have had to call you out and force you to marry her, but Anne!" he guffawed. Frederick felt himself glare at the man for his obvious dismissal of her, and in attempt to remind him, sister or not, Anne was still a lady. He must have caught the attempt, as he ceased laughing and added seriously. "Anne is much too sensible for such a silly assignation. I can only thank you for taking such good care of her, and apologise for not locating the pair of you sooner, it was just that …" he coloured. "The weather-"
Tired of talking to Musgrove, Frederick held up his hand. "I understand Charles, thank you."
There was a minute of uncomfortable silence before he slapped Wentworth on the back, "Now come along, your sister and the Admiral will be waiting for news of your rescue."
Frederick looked around him baffled, as Charles walked towards his father chuckling about the situation. Anne was already being led away by Mrs Musgrove and Louisa. The latter of which managing to offer him smiles over her shoulder discreetly. Frederick shook his head unable to comprehend what had just occurred. They had been discovered alone together, after several hours, alone together -in the dark, and no one had a care about it? He felt a mixture of relief and something else. He was relieved that Anne's reputation was still intact, and that they would not be forced to marry and yet … he had been disappointed to find they had not. The idea of being married to Anne after all this time, especially now they were on their way to righting all the wrongs between them, it was not unpleasant, it did not fill him with dread. It was growing on him more and more. And now as she was being led away from him after so many hours alone, he felt oddly bereft.
He missed her.
Anne also felt tormented beyond reason. She had no notion of what was going on around her, despite the fact it concerned her most of all. No one had reprimanded her, demanding to know if Frederick had attempted … anything. Were they just expecting her to marry him without even involving her at all, without questioning her feelings? And just what were her feelings? After all that befallen them over the past twenty hours or so, the confessions and declarations, the honesty, secrets revealed and feelings shared, they were no further on than they had been when all this began. Frederick was now ahead of them, walking with Charles, while Mr and Mrs Musgrove were behind, laughing merrily at the happy outcome.
She had been left to walk with Louisa. Enduring glances from Frederick, and not knowing if they were meant for herself, or her companion. Louisa squeezed her arm gently, stealing her attention. "Oh Anne we were all terribly concerned for you and the Captain. As soon as little Walter told us, the house was in up roar. I believe Mary thought you to be dead, she took to her bed. She will be surprised to see how well you are. Still, with a man as good as Captain Wentworth to watch over you, I knew all would be well." She giggled.
Anne mustered the energy to prevent her eyes from rolling at the girl's behaviour. No, nothing had changed. Why, she believed it had not even occurred to them that she had been compromised. She surmised that would be much too interesting to have befallen Anne Elliot.
"Anne?" Anne realised with embarrassment Louisa had been talking and she had not been attending her. "I said did the Captain speak of me at all."
"Once or twice, however, I'm afraid we spoke very little of anything other than to discuss our quandary and how we might escape it." She answered tactfully, if not wholly honestly.
"Oh" Louisa replied, somewhat downcast. "That sounds very ... boring."
Anne bit her lip to refrain from laughing out loud, their time together had been anything but boring, "Yes, yes I rather suppose it was." She covered a smile with a yawn. "I am sorry Louisa, but may we talk about this later, I am very tired."
"Oh yes of course."
Once at the house, Anne was mortified to be informed by their party of concerned friends and family, that all had been arranged for her to spend one or two days recuperating at Kellynch. That the Admiral and Mrs Croft were determined to take care of her. She attempted to argue, but was shot down with the excuse that Mary had taken to her bed so distressed, and the boys in such low spirits since Walter had been punished for not telling anyone about his trick, they were to remain at the elder Musgrove's home where there were sufficient servants to take care of their needs. Anne tried to put forward that she be allowed to return to the cottage alone, but that was also dismissed as ludicrous. She glanced over at Frederick silently begging him for his support, but he avoided her eyes, choosing instead to stare at the floor. Since she had learned they were not going to be forced into a marriage and that all was well, she had assumed he would return to his flirtatious behaviour with the ladies, relieved that he was not to be shackled to her. But he had not. He had barely spoken since they left the shed, and not a word he had uttered, had been said to her. It was just as she had suspected, nothing had changed betwixt them. In the end she had no choice but to agree to the Crofts friendly demands.
Any onlooker, would observe Frederick was wholly unaffected by the news they were to have an extra house guest. He barely looked at her in the carriage, and left Anne to answer all the questions regarding their night. She looked at him repeatedly, even if he did not meet her gaze, her could feel hers on him. He could not look at her, for fear of what he may say or do. It was as he had feared most of all, everything had returned to how it was before. The Musgrove's still held him in favour –rather too much favour- as it would seem, they were expecting a union between himself and Louisa. It had crossed his mind that perhaps that was the real reason behind their outright dismissal of the notion of Anne and himself being forced into marriage, and that worried him greatly.
He had no intention of marrying Louisa, if he was completely honest with himself, he never had had. There was only ever one woman who could fulfil that role, and she was sitting across from him at that moment. It was all such a mess. He needed to let Louisa down gently, trying to make her see she was better off finding someone else, much more suitable than him, to make her happy, while at the same time trying to win back Anne's favours.
How could he show Anne how he really felt and convince her of his intent -that she was all he was thinking of- if he was never to be left alone with her again? His only idea was to play it down, pretend to be indifferent to her again, in the hope that because of it, they would be left alone at some point, and then he would be able to make his declarations.
After some breakfast and a large cup of tea –which Anne had requested be served in her room, a maid came and ran her a bath. Anne relished in finally being able to remove her clothes and lay in the hot water, letting it relax all of her aching muscles and breathing warmth back in to her. Once the maid had assisted her with washing the damp from her hair, she laid back and stared up at the ceiling. It seemed surreal to be back in Kellynch so soon, and yet it was no longer her home; she was in a guest room. She wondered idly what had become of her room.
Along the corridor, in her childhood chamber, Frederick was languidly enjoying his own well deserved soak in the tub. After he was dressed in clean clothes and he had replenished his appetite, he felt he could remain in there no longer. The very room haunted him. He had never been in any of the bedchambers before, and he had no reason to believe this was in fact her room, but ever since his sister assigned this particular one to him, something deep inside him assured him it was. That it had once been Anne walking the same path his feet paced across the carpet. The sheets were new, the pillows cases changed daily and yet he felt her presence all around him. More astoundingly, he found he preferred it that way. It had been a torment to part with his coat which was impregnated with her scent. He could feel her with him always, he always had. Yet after the past twenty four hours, everything had changed.
They had been so close to renewing their feelings, he was sure. Had he not laid his heart out there for her to see? He had done everything but tell her he loved her still. But she hadn't shown the interest he hoped for. He had been unable to open his mouth on the journey to Kellynch. He needed to know how she felt, or at the very least if they were able to talk again like they had last night, but the presence of his sister and the Admiral had meant it was an impossibility. He refused to go back to mere strangers who had met once upon a time, though, that was for certain.
Unable to rest, he ventured downstairs in search of a book to read. The Admiral and Sophia had brought enough with them to restock the otherwise empty shelves left by Sir Walter, although, Frederick suspected they were empty before he left. Sophia was busy with the house keeper and cook, discussing the latest addition to the household and how they could make her comfortable, the latter suggesting dishes she knew the young lady was partial to. The Admiral was dozing in his study. Frederick wandered around the ground floor eager to avoid Anne, at least until he knew what it was he wanted to say to her, then he would be seeking her out. He entered the library shutting the door behind him and let out a breath of relief. He leaned his back against the door and at the same time, a head appeared from behind a large arm chair in front of the fire.
Anne rose to her feet, her face etched with the shock he was sure was reflected in his. "Captain Wentworth?"
"Miss Anne!" he looked around him and then blurted out, "we are alone again."