So we come to the final chapter. It may seem like I could have gone on, and in truth I probably could. I do have the beginnings of another story, one which would take our couple to Bath, however as it is still only a glimmer of an idea in my head, it felt cruel to leave people hanging on. Therefore this story will now be completed and if I should decide to carry on, I will write it as a sequel to Locked In. Thanks for staying with me.

Chapter Seventeen

Frederick had never felt prouder in his life.

Anne had proved her feelings and then some. She must feel the same way as he did. There was no doubting it now. He wished to pull her to him and tell her how pleased he was at her announcement; at how she had risked her own happiness for the sake of his. He had pledged in his heart to protect her against anything and here she was protecting him.

"Now if you would excuse me, I wish to take a walk before we leave. Captain Wentworth," she turned her head just slightly towards him, finding herself addressing his chest rather than his face, he was so tall. "Would you mind escorting me?"

"Of course Miss Anne." He reluctantly let go of her hand, and walked in front of her, offering her his arm. "Allow me."

She nodded, before placing her hand on the crook of his elbow and let him lead her from the room, grateful to have something to lean on, while her legs were in danger of buckling beneath her.

Once they were outside in the entrance to the Inn, with no one to observe them, Frederick gave up on restraint and pulled her against him, holding her in his arms until he could feel her shaking begin to subside.

Anne had gone willingly. It seemed a lifetime ago when he had last held her like this. She remembered with some sorrow, it was the last time they had been together. He had held her in his arms, begging her to change her mind and be with him. Well she had now, and she would never allow herself to be persuaded otherwise.

A foot upon the stairs alerted them to the possibility they would no longer be alone, and so he placed her hand back on his arm and led them from the establishment with more than a spring in his step.

"I cannot believe I just did that." said Anne breathlessly.

"Neither can I." he admitted. "But you were magnificent just the same."

"I just could stand it no longer. The way they talk of my life as if it were not my own, that may have been true if I had no prospects and no one I could even think of being with, but that has changed now, now I have you back in my life and I should not want to risk anything ruining that." She almost gasped when she realised what she had inadvertently done. She had admitted that she saw her future being with him.

Frederick was however elated at her determination and new forceful attitude. He stopped walking and turned to face her again. "I doubt even your removal to Bath could have stopped me from spending time with you Anne, I would have followed you to Bath." he said, just as determined.

"And spent your days listening to my father and Lady Russel tell you how unsuitable we are for one another." She grimaced and shook her head. "I would not put you through that. No, it is better this way, now they all know."

"Yes, now they know." He grinned, thinking back to her spectacular performance at the breakfast table, and pulled her back to his side so they could continue walking.

She shoved him playfully, rolling her eyes at him. "There is no need to look so smug at the idea."

"I find it difficult not to my dear." His eyes lit up. "You were wonderful, standing there, saying all the things I feared you were too afraid to say."

"You give me strength just by being by my side." she confessed.

He swallowed down the pride he had inside him which her words had filled him with. He could barely look at her with the emotion he had building up in him. "Well then, it is best I always remain so." he added quietly but adamantly.

She looked up at him instantly but he was already looking forward out to sea. She kept her eyes on him, but he would not turn to look at her.

After a few silent minutes, he once again led her away. The easy flow of conversation resumed as they chatted back and forth about what their immediate plans were when they returned home. Frederick told her how he planned to court her romantically, to which she had assured him there was no need; she was happy just to walk and talk and spend time together. Frederick would not hear of it, they had missed out on so much, he wanted nothing more than to make up for it now.

"I should call on Mrs Harville and her children and wish them well before I leave." Anne said. "For real this time."

"If you wish. Though as I have already said, this will not be the last time you see them. I shall make sure of that."

She looked at him with admiration and he felt prouder still. He ceased walking to stand and watch her, but she had already begun walking ahead, too busy talking to realise he had stopped. "I still wish to see her. I have enjoyed getting to know her, the children and the Captain's. All of them. They are so nice, so accepting."

"Anne?"

She turned then, surprised to find he was in the same spot. "What?" She made her way back towards him.

But instead of speaking, he smiled brilliantly at her and then leaned down, taking her chin in his now un-gloved hand, he tilted it to meet his. His lips landed on hers and slid against them so softly and slowly Anne felt she had imagined it. He stood back and looked down at her with a small smile. "I shall not apologise for that." he murmured.

"I should not want you to." she breathed back.

"And if I should be as impertinent as to attempt another, would you still be accepting?"

"You shall have to discover that for yourself." she said cheekily.

Frederick laughed to himself. Where had this new found confidence in herself come from? It was as if he was meeting Anne Elliot of eight years ago all over again. She had been like this then, all decorum in front of others, and yet when they did manage a few minutes together, she would tease him mercifully and flirt outrageously. Sometimes he was sure she was not even aware she was doing what she was, it was just her nature. But he had never given into his desires and kissed her. Only once, and that was in anger when he was trying to convince her how good they could be together and that had all ended in in heartbreak. He wanted to forget that kiss and pretend that this had been their first, the first of many he hoped.

In that moment he knew what he had to do.

"Anne, I need to tell you ... I should have told you when we were trapped, but I was too concerned with hearing your excuses for the past." He sighed and took her hands in his. "I never forgot you. I never could. I tried to. I tried to so much sometimes I thought I should go mad. You were so fixed in my heart -broken as it was- I could think of no other ever supplanting you. I should have come home in the year eight. I should have come back for you and told you then, I should have fought for you as much as I fought the memory of you and then maybe things would have been different." He looked deep in to her eyes as they glistened. "I still love you Anne. My heart, my wishes, they are unchanged. All I need is a word from you to convince me I am hoping for a future that will never be, that I am wrong to imagine we could be happy together, for the rest of our lives." He paused for what seemed like an eternity but Anne did not speak. she did not say a word. She merely stepped closer to him, squeezed his hand in hers reassuringly, silently begging for him to continue, before turning to look out at the ocean.

He joined her watching the waves as they fell upon the beach. Spurred on by her silence, he continued. "Anne you once told me that if I was to ask you a certain question, you would always answer yes." They remained still, each looking out at the ocean rather than at the other, each aware that the briefest connection would cause their emotions to take over.

Anne saw neither the colour of the sea, nor the boats which bobbed up on and down on the tide. She looked, but did not see. Her eyes were filled with tears she would not allow to fall. She heard him take a deep breath in and she prepared herself for what she was sure would be the best words she ever heard.

"Miss Elliot I fear I no longer wish to court you." he paused taking another deep breath in letting it out slowly. "I wish to marry you." He turned to face her full on and upon seeing the tears that now fell, he frowned and wiped them away, gently tipping her face back up to meet his once more. "Anne, my love, will you consent to be my wife?"

He had cupped her cheek tenderly, bringing her out of her momentary daze. She let out a gasp of relief and a chuckle, then bit her lip to prevent more tears from interrupting this perfect moment. She covered his hand on her face with her own, unconcerned by the passers-by, or their friends and family who had now joined them on the sea front wondering when they were going to be ready to depart, and answered simply and without need of persuasion, "yes."