Chapter Sixteen

Anne heard a coughing sound and turned to find Frederick choking on his tea, his eyes fixed on her. "Mrs Charles" he began, but Anne would not let him fight this for her.

"Mary I cannot go to Bath."

"Yes of course you can. I have no use for you now that the boys and I are all well. You should count yourself lucky that you will reside with Father and Elizabeth, and enjoy all that Bath offers, while I remain at Uppercross." She said bitterly. Charles shot her a look which she ignored. "There is also talk of a young gentleman who has been a frequent visitor to their rooms."

"A gentleman?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, a Mr Elliot."

"Not the Mr Elliot, our cousin, he whom Father had vowed never to speak to again." said Anne vaguely interested.

"The same, although all that has now been forgotten. He appears to be very taken with you Anne." Mary added with disbelief.

Anne hoped and prayed no one was paying her sister any attention, but the clatter of knife and fork against plate was enough to tell her at least one had, and she was sure she knew who. "How can that be Mary? I have never even met Mr Elliot. The last time I even saw a glimpse of him, was him sitting in the back of a carriage when he and I were both children."

"Well it seems you have a mutual friend who has been filling his head with all the charms of Anne Elliot and what a good match you would make him, and now he longs to meet you to find out for himself." she recited.

Anne felt the heat rise up in her cheeks. "This is ridiculous." Anne shook her head trying to comprehend what was happening. "A mutual friend? Who could I possibly know who knows Mr Elliot?" she said aloud whilst wracking her mind for whom this mysterious third party could be. "And besides, it is absurd that he should wish to know me better with that in mind. I believed it was all but decided years ago, he was to marry Elizabeth? Was that not the original plan? If he and father have found peace than surely that is the best thing for everyone."

"Well that was before. It seems he is resound to you. Father and Lady Russel are in agreement." Mary said with an air of acidity before drinking her tea.

Conversation broke out between their party upon Mary's silence, and Anne dared to risk a glance towards the end of the table where Frederick was sitting. His breakfast forgotten, he now stared openly at Anne. He motioned for her to say something to Mary. She shut her eyes against his pleading. Anne's mind was reeling from the conversation. She was being sent to Bath, against her wishes, so she could meet a man her family had already agreed she should marry. A man she did not know, or wish to know.

She had to say something.

She had to tell them no, she was with Frederick now, she had agreed to let him court her with the hope that with time –hopefully a short amount- he would also ask her to marry him and they could be together forever. Now she was being sent away from him, with no chance of them continuing their courtship. She could not ask for him to accompany her to Bath. She would not expect it, for him to immerse himself in her family, those who had caused him such pain in the past. Yet she could not stay behind, where there was nowhere for her to go. Mary had made it clear she was no longer needed nor wanted at Uppercross.

The minutes were passing her by and she knew she had to say something quickly or the opportunity would pass her by, she knew Frederick would be hoping she would, he may even expect it, why then could she not find the words to do as he wanted? She raised her eyes to his once more and immediately wished she hadn't.

Whatever she had shown on her face had hit him hard, he paled and shook his head once before standing. "Excuse me." With no more words nor reason, he made to leave the table. Suddenly the urge to keep him there, took over her and she found herself standing also, grabbing his arms on the way past and pulling him to a standstill beside her, the occupants of the table had barely noticed the exchange. Harville was purposely not looking, Louisa and Benwick were conducting a conversation of their own, and Charles and Mary were too involved with the breakfast to notice.

Anne's eyes frantically searched Frederick's face, and then settling on his eyes, silently asked him to stay; while he held fast and silently replied 'why?'

She took a deep breath still holding on to his coat sleeve, and cleared her throat. Harville looked up at them winking at Anne for support. No one else noticed her, so she spoke, "Mary," Anne said clearly, her sister turned to face her. "I do not wish to return to Bath, and I certainly do not wish to see Mr Elliot, not if his only intention on meeting me is to consider me a worthy partner in matrimony."

Mary looked at her confused, but still did not notice her hand on Frederick's arm. "Why ever not? What reason could you possibly have not to?" Mary's raised voice had drawn the attention of the rest of their party, so that everyone was now looking expectedly at Anne.

She took another steadying breath and that was when she felt his other hand take hers and squeeze it reassuringly. "Captain Wentworth" her voice hitched when she spoke his name, "has asked for my permission to court me, and I have granted it."

She heard the gasps from around their table and wished she could feel Frederick's reassuring embrace around her or to sink back and lay her head against his chest. Memories of their past engagement were filling her head and she found it hard to concentrate on what she wanted to say. "I feel it would be cruel on both of us to be parted so soon after our arrangement and therefore I intend to return with you tomorrow. If you insist on me leaving Uppercross, I shall seek shelter elsewhere."

Although as she said it, she could not think of a single place where she could go. She had hoped it would not come to that. Mary said nothing, she remained in her seat, a piece of toast in one hand, her other on the napkin beside her plate. He mouth was open and her eyes were flickering between Anne and Frederick, and more over their joined hands which she had now had the care to observe.

"Courting? Since when?" cried Charles.

"Yesterday morning." Frederick answered for her. "I apologise Charles. I should have told you myself."

Charles smiled at his concern, "No, no, you are both of age, you do not need to tell anyone of your business."

"No, but we are friends and I should have told you." Frederick reiterated.

Charles only nodded his thanks for the respect shown and went about filling another cup of tea for Mary who was slowly returning from her trance like state.

"You? You, and Captain Wentworth?"

"Yes Mary."

She nodded, her jaw set. "And you would have us believe this has only happened yesterday morning? Surely you do not take us for simpletons? You must have been carrying on for weeks behind people's backs! Why, I bet that is the real reason you were in that shed together?"

"MARY!" shouted Charles, startling everyone else. "You know as well as everyone, that was not their doing, it was Walter. They did not ask to be put in there together, it was not planned and they had no way of escaping."

Anne saw a glimmer of doubt flash in Charles eyes, and she hated the fact he was now second guessing himself.

Anne sighed. "Mary we were acquainted many years ago, that you know, but what we should have probably told you all when the Captain first reappeared in the area, was that we did not part on good terms." Anne looked back over her shoulder in apology, but Frederick was still holding her hand securely. "We had a falling out, of sorts, and so when he returned we did not wish to know one another again. He had his plans for his future and I was happy being with you. The only thing to change after we were forced to spend the night together..."

Frederick glanced around at his two officers who would not be aware of their adventure, and found much to his chagrin, Benwick open mouthed staring at him and Harville grinning like a fool. He tried to convey silently that it was not how it sounded, they had spent the night together, but not in that way, but Anne was already continuing and she was much more important.

"...Was that we had the chance to settle some of our differences and emerge as friends."

She broke off to look around the table at the faces of those people she considered friends, hoping and praying they would believe her. It was in the most part, the truth.

"Captain Wentworth was telling the truth when he said this latest development had only occurred yesterday, that was when he asked if I should wish to push our friendship a little further and I agreed. I find that now our past has been laid to rest, we have much in common, and I enjoy spending time in his company. I am sorry if that ruins anyone's plans, but it is what it is, and it is what we both wish. So please, write to Elizabeth and tell her that due to a change in circumstance, I shall be unable to join them at this time. And I have absolutely no interest in meeting with Mr Elliot, unless it is within terms of being his cousin."