Just so I'm not confusing anyone I thought I'd mention that I'm jumping from one time frame to another with this story. Chapter 4 was set around 4 months before Chapter 3, and this one about 5 months after the events in ch4. Oh, and its going to take Frederick a while to get back - but not too long. Poor Anne though, she still believes he's dead :(
If anyone wants a more accurate timeline, let me know and I'll outline it in the next chapter.
"She had no right," she protested, pacing up and down in front of Harville who had taken a seat in her usual place on the breaker wall.
Harville said nothing but continued to watch her pace back and forth. It had been hard for him to imagine the small, caring woman, in a rage; but here she was.
One month after the birth of her son and her family had finally decided to visit. She had offered them the use of her former house but they had refused and put themselves up in the highest standing hotel in the area, insisting that Anne come and see them their rather than them going out anywhere.
Lyme after all, was not the type of place that a Baronet could be seen to be for any length of time.
The visit did not last long. She had brought Benjamin into the room with her and left with him just over half an hour later, not wanting to stay around to be further admonished by them.
Her father, upon seeing the child, had branded him a fairly well looking child though voiced his disappointment that she had not named him after his very self. For there was no finer name for a male child, in his opinion, than Walter.
Her sister had barely glanced at him. Preferring to tell her younger sister about all the changes they had made to the house. About how they had transformed her old room into a study. A room Anne thought, would get seldom used. Next came news about the Viscountes and her family.
Anne pretended that this news was new to her, unwilling to inform Elizabeth and her father that she had received a one or two letters from Miss Carteret over the previous months offering support and comfort from a distance, such as distant cousins should.
They had sat and conversed painfully for a while before Elizabeth spoke up.
"So," her sister began, "When is he going?"
"Who?" Anne had asked, looking up from the baby who had woken a little while earlier.
There was no sound from him however and she was content to stare at his eyes; such a clear blue in colour. Captain Harville had remarked that he had only seen such a colour once before, and that had been during his time in the East Indies, where the water was clear and sparkling.
"The child." Elizabeth managed to make the word sound bitter on the tongue.
"And where would he be going?" Anne had been perplexed then and felt the inkling of another emotion loitering on the edges.
"To an orphanage, or to stay with his relations."
Anne had stared at her sister then, too shocked at that moment to say anything. Why would Elizabeth think?
"I mean, I doubt any man would like to take on the responsibility of another man's child."
"Any man?" Anne had echoed.
Elizabeth scoffed, "For when you remarry." she said, "Surely you do not expect to remain as you are, living in filth and depravity out in the middle of nowhere. I mean, there is not even anyone of much notability here. How will meet someone of the same social standing? No," she said, as though the matter was decided, "He must be sent away."
Rather than risk an outright confrontation with her sister, something she was sure would end in blood being spilt, she silently gathered up her belongings and her son, and left the room.
As she descended down the stairs, she heard some half hearted calls for her to return, but she paid them no heed. She suspected that unless they happened to be at the same place at the same time, then that would be the last time she would willingly see both her father and elder sister.
"It is not unimaginable to think that you could, should you wish it, to marry again," Harville said, leaning forward and placing his chin upon his hands where they rested on his stick.
"Had I of never crossed paths with Frederick again, I doubt I would have ever married. No," she shook her head venomously. "I do not need to remarry, neither do I have the desire too."
"Frederick would not have wanted you to be unhappy for the rest of your life," Harville tried to counter, even though he knew it was useless.
He admired her tenacity, he had often thought the same of Benwick till the man had fallen for another not long after his beloved sister Phoebe had passed from this world. Harville had wondered at the man's devotion then, on how he could jump from the mourning of woman to the mooning over another.
"Then he should not have got himself killed," she said with force, whirling on him, the anger and resent that had been residing in her since her husbands death bubbling to the top in light of her sisters words.
In a second it was all gone and she felt the fight leave her. Making her way back across to the wall, she placed herself down by Harville, there shoulders barely touching. Margaret and him had been her rock during this whole period and she had felt herself become more ingrained into the family and as a friend. She took comfort from then when needed and they provided a solid base to lean on when she found things hard.
"I miss him," she said turning to him, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
Harville took her hand nearest to his and gripped it tightly as they both turned their gaze back out to the sea.
"So do I."