Chapter Twenty Seven
Frederick's hands let go of hers and travelled up her arms to her face, his hands cupping her chin holding her to him as he intensified the kiss. Anne felt herself swoon under the magnitude of emotions raging through her. She held on to his arms for support as he took her up, up and away until she felt she was flying. She never felt more nervous and excited at something that at the same time felt so natural, so right. The sounds of the street and the passes-by, if there were any, faded into nothing, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart as the blood rushed around her body.
When at last he broke the kiss he stared deep into her eyes judging her reactions and gauging whether or not he had pushed her too far. Her eyes were fast shut but the corner of her lips lifted into a smile. And that one little movement was enough to bring him relief and to cause him to fall even more in love with her. He leaned forward and kissed her once more, chastely. He stood back and observed her once more, her cheeks pink, her lips swollen but smiling widely now, her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him with such love and warmth he could not help but grin back in response.
Anne recovered first and looking around her to ensure they was yet no one to witness their exchange she slipped her hand into his arm. She gazed up at her fiancé to find him smiling proudly at her presence and thought of mind. His happiness was only blighted slightly by the realisation like Anne, he would not be able to be without her. He had to think of a way in which they could be married, and soon, so that he could take her with him wherever he should go, and in the times when he was forced to leave her behind, be content with the knowledge his wife was awaiting his return in their home. There was so much to arrange and so little time to arrange it all in. He sighed heavily and Anne felt it. She looked back at him with a furrowed brow.
"I am thinking, after that, I may be reluctant to let you go." he confessed.
"Then do not."
"Anne, we must think and plan. We only have a few days until we are to be parted, and if we are to prevent that from happening, we need to work fast." He looked ahead, a plan formulating in his mind. "I could journey back to Kellynch tonight. Seek your father's permission."
"We do not need his permission." Anne reminded him. "And I will marry you with or without his blessing."
He smiled widely at her determination for them to be together. It was the tenacity he had sought in her years ago when they were forced to part. "No, but with no time to have the banns posted, we do need a licence. A common licence would work, but we would have to be married at Kellynch. I do not know if the logistics will work within the time restrictions. The easiest thing would be to wed here, where I can still be on hand to oversee the Laconia and seek permission to have you travel with me. To do that, we would require a special licence." He watched as the realisation dawned on her.
"And to obtain a special licence, one needs to be related to someone in the Upperclasses. For example a Baronet."
Frederick nodded. "Tell me my dear, when was the last time your father had any contact with the Bishop?"
Anne frowned. "Father does not approve of the bishops appearance, and so rarely speaks with him. He has certainly never been invited to Kellynch as far as I can remember, I am unsure either would be willing to help us." Frederick's face fell and Anne felt for him. She squeezed his arm. "But it is worth a try, is it not?"
He smiled again. "You, are worth anything and everything." He lifted her free hand to his mouth and kissed it.
Anne blushed. "It does mean that you will have to seek an audience with my father, and that we will need to convince him to help us. After the last time … I do not know that he will."
Frederick straightened. "Things are different now. I am a decorated Captain, with my own ship and crew and a bright future almost guaranteed. I can provide for you and our family. I may not have an estate but we can build our home, together. I have money to lay on you and the promise of more to come." Frederick paused, thinking of what his brother had surmised about the state of Sir Walter's finances. "He would be a fool to turn me down this time."
Anne thought about it and finally nodded. Her father had been most concerned with her future when he learned she had turned down Charles Musgrove. Although Captain Wentworth had no inheritance to bring to the marriage, he had his own money, and a good career. He was revered by his peers and those higher in ranks. Surely her father would see that. Anne concluded her father would see the sense in the match and how it would result in her no longer being a burden on her father. However her god mother was a different story.
Lady Russel, had made no attempts at hiding how she felt about the Captain's reappearance and any consequent associations Anne had with him. She was sure as soon as the lady learned of their betrothal she would again try to dissuade such a match. When Anne refused to be manipulated would she turn on Sir Walter and use her influence over him to prevent them marrying? Anne frowned inwardly. This would not be easy. But at that moment Frederick looked down at her and her countenance brightened instantly. For she knew by hook or by crook they would be wed.
If they had to wait a little while until he made port again … well then she would muster up whatever courage she had left and face that time without him until she could be his wife. Though in her heart of hearts she knew it would be a great challenge to the both of them to be parted now they were once again attached, she knew once Captain Wentworth put his mind to something, he was not easily deterred. She knew if one person could envision a way for them to be married before he had to leave on the Laconia, it would be her husband-to-be.
Husband. Oh how she liked the word. She had often imagined she would never get to say it when talking about herself, but no longer. Now she would have a husband and she would be a wife. She imagined introducing him at parties: 'this is my husband, Captain Wentworth', and he her; 'this is my wife Mrs Wentworth'. Mrs Wentworth, another name she enjoyed saying and yet doubted she would ever have the fortune to use. He had spoken of providing for her and a family. Oh how she longed for children, to be a mother like hers. To unload love on them where hers had been absent of late. She knew Frederick would be a tremendous father and between them would raise good, kind, brave children. She no longer had to imagine a sad lonely life as a spinster aunt. She would be a wife, in charge of a household, possibly a mother and she would travel, like she had always wished to, like they had always planned.
By and by they neared the Inn and Frederick reluctantly relinquished his hold of her arm in his. She sighed. "So what first?" she asked him. "Should we tell the Musgroves? I do feel terrible deceiving them like this."
"I understand your distress, however it would be more prudent if I speak to your father first would it not?"
"I suppose it would yes. But, when will you have the chance to speak with him?"
"I was thinking I may write to him today -and have it sent by express- my intent to meet with him to discuss a personal but important matter. In the hopes he may guess the nature of my request."
Anne frowned she doubted her father had even given Frederick a second thought since he had left in the year six. He would probably have no notion what the Captain wanted to speak to him about. But she believed Frederick was doing the right thing in writing to him first, it would at least show they had been thinking of him when the Captain had proposed and she had accepted.
"Then I will travel back with you as planned, only I shall accompany you to Kellynch and we can tell him together. As you quite rightly pointed out, we are not seeking his permission, only his blessing and with that his help and support in obtaining a special licence."
"What if he refuses? Or he attempts to help us but cannot?"
"Then we will have to revert to the original plan of the common licence and I shall remain in Kellynch in your parish until we can be married."
"But what of-"
"Annie!" he meant to interrupt her to tell her to stop worrying, but the use of the once forgotten, once so precious endearment stopped her instantly. Her eyes widened in shock. "I am sorry." he said quickly.
"No, do not be. It is just, no one … I have not been addressed by that name since you were last here. I had forgotten what it sounded like."
"What would you have me call you?" he asked gently.
She smiled. "Annie is fine. Lovely in fact. I would very much like you to call me Annie." she beamed. "But perhaps only when we are alone."
"Then I hope I shall be calling you it a great deal." He smiled at her and she blushed deeply. He then remembered what he had interrupted her for. "Do not concern yourself with what may or may not happen. Only think of what will be. We shall be married and we shall be happy." She nodded her head in agreement. "Now, you need to get some rest."
Anne shook her head. "I doubt I shall ever sleep again, my mind is running so."
"Well at least keep up the pretence of resting from your headache, while tonight when I hope you will recover in time for the dinner."
"The dinner. I had almost forgot. Maybe it would be better if I remain here."
Frederick's eyes widened in horror. "I should hope the future wife of a Captain will be more supportive when it comes to attending dinner parties arranged by her husband aboard his prize ship." he said sternly, but his eyes were twinkling. "Besides, I would very much like the opportunity to dance with my fiancée."
"I had not thought of that." she smiled apologetically. "Of course I wish to be there, I was only concerned that being together in such close quarters for a long time, we may find it difficult to withhold the truth of our attachment."
"I understand. I for one shall be unable to keep my eyes off you. It has been my downfall all day." he admitted. "Although I shall not be so happy to see you dancing with the other men who will no doubt fall in line for a chance to spend time with such an enchanting young lady."
"You never used to mind. You used to say, let them…" Her words trailed away as she looked down embarrassed.
"I used to say, let them enjoy their few minutes dance with the most beautiful girl in the room for it is I who will spend the rest of my life with her." he finished for her.
"Yes." she murmured.
He smiled at her. "I believe our two years apart has increased my jealous streak. Thinking of you married to Charles, seeing you together at the party -however innocent I now know it was- it still pained to see you with another man."
"But these are your men, your friends. One of whom I know is already married."
"It is foolish I know." He frowned. "How should you feel seeing me with another woman in my arms?"
Anne's face fell and she looked considerably peeved. Frederick smiled inwardly. "I … I would be composed and happy for you to enjoy yourself." she said unconvincingly. Then she let out a long sigh. "In truth on the inside I would hate it." she confessed.
He chuckled. "What a pair we are. We will both appear happy and gay, while inside we secretly seethe. At least we should be content knowing each is in the same amount of misery."
"Would it be easier just to refuse to dance altogether? Or perhaps we could dance the first together and then both claim to be too tired to continue." she suggested.
"If only. But we are both too polite for that. You will be gazed upon by all the young men whose night will be only improved by having you in their arms, and I will in turn allow the young ladies the pleasure of my company as I give them a turnabout the floor."
"We can only hope the evening will allow us some moments of communication continually occurring, and always with the hope of more. And there will be the knowledge of both of us being there."
"But not together in the manner one would like." he said quietly.
"No." she replied sadly. "But one day soon, it will be very different." They both smiled at that.
Frederick left Anne to fake her recovery from her feigned head ache, and resolved there would be no more need to pretend. After tonight everyone would know what his intentions were where Miss Anne was concerned. And hopefully one day not too long after that, they wouldn't need to imagine, or ask, as she would be his wife.
He knew he had to return to the Laconia, to prepare for the dinner and to write to Sir Walter, but first he had questions that needed answering. He only had a few short hours before his guests would be arriving, so he would need to act fast, thankfully London was not that far away.