Enjoy the double update and thank you for all you support. Happy reading!
Last chapter:
Edward meet the announcement with a raised eyebrow, hardly surprising given his last conversation with his sister. Frederick's eyes narrowed in confusion and a hint of worry. Catherine was happy to meet their neighbours. And the Admiral was as agreeable as ever.
With agreement from the group, Sophia sent a letter back to Mrs Musgrove accepting the invitation.
[Edward's perspective]
Edward had to agree that the Miss Musgroves were being quite forward when he saw them summon Frederick to their side immediately after the greetings were completed and pepper him with questions, but he expected that there was no deviousness behind the actions, simply a want for handsome and entertaining company.
He did notice that Frederick was not flirting with them: he had seen his brother being as charming as possible to Miss Anne in the past, and his current actions were much more reserved than that occasion, however someone who did not know him might think differently of his agreeable manners.
Glancing around the room, he saw Miss Anne: almost staggering in surprise at the sight.
She looks like my favourite hat; pulled, torn, worn through, and faded.
From the vibrant lady she had been, she was hardly recognisable: the previous glow of happiness had been snuffed out, and from the looks of it, a long time ago. Even her dress reflected her new image. Her change drew him to her side as soon as the introductions finished.
Taking his wife's hand he led her across the room to sit by Miss Anne.
'It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Wentworth,' Miss Anne said with genuine warmth. 'My deepest wishes of happiness to you both on your union, I hope it is blessed.'
'Thank you, Miss Anne, and it is a pleasure to see you again,' Edward replied.
'It is lovely to meet you, Miss Anne, I admit I was quite intimidated with the stories Mr Wentworth told me on the carriage trip to Kellynch,' Caroline said.
Miss Anne sent a panicked look at Edward before composing herself.
Edward explained, 'I have been telling my darling wife about how you helped me learn the area and what its parish members needed in assistance: I learned a lot from your advice that I have been able to put into effect in my current parish.'
Miss Anne visibly relaxed and smiled. Scolding him in a friendly manner, she replied, 'Nonsense, Mr Wentworth, I gave you very little assistance, you are far too kind in your praise.'
'See, my dear Catherine, I told you she was incredibly humble and modest.'
Miss Anne blushed in response.
Dear Lord, Edward thought, she has been so limited in compliments that this small one causes her to blush. It seemed her family was much the same as ever, self-concerned. Edward chanced a glance towards his brother who was watching them intently, with the slightest hint of jealousy. Hmm, it appears Sophia was right and he still cares for Miss Anne, he thought, that he is jealous of a married man, his Reverend brother at that, making the lady blush.
He re-focused his attention on the ladies once more to find that they were discussing music. Catherine enjoyed the piano, and it sounded as if Miss Anne still played.
'Do you get to practise often?' Catherine asked.
'While I visit my sister, I confess I do not get to practise my favourite pieces, however I get plenty of practise at reels when my sister-in-laws wish to dance,' Miss Anne replied.
'I think playing reels can get quite repetitive and I do prefer to dance those rather than play them. Do you not prefer to dance them as well?' Catherine asked.
'Oh, I haven't danced in years, there has been so little opportunity and often the small parties I attend with dancing, well there are so many others who would prefer to dance, that I usually play instead,' Anne said with such grace you would not be able to tell she wished to dance instead.
'So when you have the choice, who's compositions do you prefer to play?' Catherine asked. Catherine had always been brilliant in bringing a person to speak about themselves and their wants; it was a skill that made her an excellent wife to a clergyman. Miss Anne's skill, rivalling Catherine's, meant their conversation was a very equally one. The two were soon laughing happily as they compared their favourite composers, and Miss Anne's good cheer start to infuse her features.
Edward caught his brother glace more than once in the direction of the group with reluctant longing, and he raised his eyebrow at Frederick in response each time. His brother would scowl at him and turn back to his conversation with the Miss Musgroves.
He also saw his sister occasionally look in Miss Anne's direction and send him an irritated look. Clearly she wants to talk with Miss Anne, however it would not do for the majority of the family to congregate around one lady and ignore their hosts.
Mrs Charles joined them at that point and immediately turned the conversation to focus on herself, Miss Anne and Catherine were regulated to listening, rarely able to get more than a word in before Mrs Charles would talk over them. Catherine sent her husband a look only he would know as exasperation, one he responded to with equal feeling. Miss Anne eventually persuaded her sister that she should sit close to the fire and drink some punch to sooth her nerves at the remembrance of the day her child was almost stolen. When the unmarried lady returned from her quest of supplying punch, she offered a weak smile in apology for her dominating sister and turned the conversation back towards his parish.
By the time supper was announced, Sophia's looks had taken on a slightly venomous look which promised salt in his tea the next morning - a childhood prank she had yet to grow out of when her plans were foiled - and Frederick had tried three times to extract himself from Miss Louisa by moving to talk with different groups around the room, only to be followed.
Frederick was now presented with a dilemma, by rights he should escort Miss Anne into the dining room, the next in line would be Miss Musgrove and then Miss Louisa; but Miss Louisa had looped her arm into his and clung on in a manner that Edward thought must be much like a sailor would to rigging in a storm.
Edward decided to help his brother out by offering his second arm to Miss Anne, so he could escort that lady and his wife into the room. Frederick gave him a nod and took Miss Musgrove in his other arm, so he to escorted two ladies to dinner.
This resulted in Frederick being seated between Miss Anne and Miss Louisa at dinner, as Miss Musgrove and Miss Louisa sat next to their mother at the end and the space next to Miss Musgrove was left empty in the hopes her fiancé would still be able to join the dinner. Edward sat on Miss Anne's other side, and his wife sat opposite Miss Anne.
As the first course was served, Miss Anne and Catherine moved on to discussing different authors.
'Have you read any of Mrs Radcliffe's works?' Catherine had asked.
'No, I confess my father only reads two books and does not see the point in purchasing new books, so I content myself with re-reading the books already in the library, or borrowing the occasional book from a good friend,' Miss Anne replied.
'I'm glad to hear you haven't read those stories, they are positively fanciful and rather distressing if you think about it, not as romantic as at first glance,' Catherine said.
'Surely many novels are rather fanciful,' Miss Anne countered. 'What sets these ones apart?'
'Why they talk of abduction and kidnapping being the way to find a true love, as if it is impossible to find without such horrors,' Catherine replied.
'But that is not a new theme, it even exists in Greek mythology; Hades fell in love with Persephone, kidnapped her by taking her into the underworld and, after making her his wife, she fell in love with him,' Miss Anne debated succinctly.
Edward almost dropped his fork on his plate when he heard Frederick join the conversation. 'Given that reasoning, do you believe that men should kidnap ladies and force marriage on them and everyone will live happily ever after?' Frederick asked, although his tone just missed playful.
Miss Anne gave him a swift scolding glare before it was hidden behind polite façade. 'You are misconstruing my words, Captain Wentworth, of course I am not saying men should kidnap anyone, nor am I saying that committing a deplorable act is the only way to fall in love, I was simply stating that the concept of Mrs Radcliffe's is an old story theme.'
'So you are now changing your argument,' Frederick needled.
'No, I am not, and you are now deliberately misunderstanding me. I am quite certain that falling in love is possible without such events,' Miss Anne said with hurt and censure evident in her voice, however with a quick glance at the company, she continued, 'Take your brother and Mrs Wentworth or your sister and Admiral Croft for example, I am sure they are very much in love.'
'Indeed we are,' Catherine said with a smile in Edward's direction.
'Pity, kidnap would work quite well for a sailor,' Frederick replied.
'Are there are many French ladies on the ships you capture?' Miss Anne asked pertly.
'Not many, but there are some on occasions out off port.' Frederick muttering at the end, 'but you would not wish to know more.'
Catherine looked around the group confused, but Edward had been able to follow the unsaid conversation. Miss Anne had loved her brother and Frederick did not believe she did. From the hurt in her voice, she may even still care for him: although given the neglect his brother had shown towards the lady since he arrived back in the area, maybe she had let him go and the hurt was simply from being overlook and misunderstood by so many for so long.
Frederick turned back to the Miss Musgroves and Mrs Musgrove, re-joining their conversation. Edward watched the stiff set of his shoulders and knew he was dissatisfied by the conversation he had just partaken in.
Catherine gave a bewildered smile and continued the conversation, 'I agree you are right, Miss Anne, it is not a new topic, however it does seem more real when placed in modern situations, and so many young girls are reading these stories and letting their imaginations get away from them, for a mature grounded lady it could have no harm, for others not so. I worry about the young ladies in the parish who read these stories...'
As they left the dining room, the ladies and men separated only a short while. When he arrived back in the room, he saw his sister, who had clearly been making her way towards Miss Anne who was standing by the fire, change direction and make a pigeon line for himself instead. He sighed, resigning himself to the inquisition: a skill in which she had definitely improved since marrying the Admiral... although they had not exactly being lacking before her marriage.
Once she niggled the details of the conversation she could not hear from him, and Frederick and Miss Anne's reactions to the conversation, she smiled and headed towards Miss Anne once more.
Edward relaxed and then went to join his wife, who was now conversing with Mr and Mrs Musgrove and their son, Mr Charles Musgrove.
[Sophia's perspective]
'Miss Anne, how have you been?' Sophia asked.
'I have been very well, thank you, Mrs Croft.'
'I hope you have not had too much strain due to the wondering young Mr Musgrove who gave us all a scare with his game.'
'My sister has been slightly more worried than late, a mother's concern, which I daresay most mothers would feel: thankfully he seems to be cured of his penchant to play the game recently.'
'I am glad to hear all has been generally well.' Sophia paused, now she finally had Miss Elliot alone, she was unsure how to proceed. 'I confess I heard your conversation with my new sister and Frederick. I also have heard about what occurred in the year 06, from Edward.'
The colour drained from Miss Anne's face and Sophia glanced around the room to make sure they were not being observed. She saw only Frederick was watching, and whilst he had alarm in his eyes, she knew he would avoid Miss Anne and would not come closer.
She lowered her voice to ensure no-one else had the slightest chance of hearing and, after taking Miss Anne's arm so she could not escape, said, 'Miss Anne, I hope you will forgive my rudeness, but why did you end the engagement with Frederick?'
Heartbreak and mortification swept over Miss Anne's face, tears forming in her large eyes, she tried to rise, saying, 'I pray you will excuse me, Mrs Croft—' However she fell silent when the tugging of her arm did not release Sophia's grip and allow her escape.
A hand pried under Sophia's and forced her to release her grip on Miss Anne, at which point Miss Anne disappeared. 'Sophia, what do you think you are doing,' Frederick snarled in her ear, fury clearly evident.
Sophia blanched, she had never heard her brother speak to her in such a tone. She raised her chin and looked him defiantly in the eyes, but flinched when she saw the fury burning in them.
'What did you say to her to make her cry and almost wrench her arm from its socket in an attempt to leave?'
Sophia was shocked to realise that the fury in his eyes was intermingled with love at the mention of Miss Anne.
She opened her mouth, but he cut her off first.
'Never mind, we will discuss this later, however you will leave Miss Anne alone.'
Frederick then swivelled on his heel and went to get a drink, leaving Sophia standing in shock.
'Are you done with your meddling, my love?' the Admiral asked from behind her. 'Don't worry, only Frederick and I noticed your scuffle with Miss Anne.'
Sophia blushed lightly.
The Admiral sighed. 'I think, my dear, that you had best leave Miss Anne and your brother alone, at least for a short while: if not for your brother, then you at least owe it to Miss Anne after detaining her.'
'It was very thoughtless of me, but I just wanted Frederick happy and Miss Anne holds that key. I should go and apologise to her.'
The Admiral's chuckled reverberated low. 'You could try: but, if Frederick doesn't head you off first, I daresay the girl will avoid you quite diligently from here on out.'
Sophia looked torn between irritation and resignation, before she felt her lips twist in sardonic humour. 'Very well, I will offer her an apologetic smile from across the room, should she look my way, and content myself with that for the evening. I think I am going to now free my displeased brother from the Miss Musgroves and talk with those ladies myself.'
The Admiral gave her a knowing look, but excused himself to return to his discussion with the senior Mr Musgrove.
AN: Oh Sophia!