Happy Thanksgiving to all my FF buddies!

CeceliaR this chapter is for you. Your review decided me on writing another chapter for this story before my other WIP (which was also left at a key plot point).

Sophia took pity on Frederick, her key motive in her prior recitation being to determine how much he cared for Miss Anne Elliot. "However, she refused him."

Frederick exhaled the breath that he did not realize he was holding. "Undoubtedly, Mr. Muskgrove did not satisfy her godmother Lady Russell's ambitions."

"From what I heard, Miss Anne's refusal was made with no need to consult another, though she recommended that Mr. Muskgrove pursue her younger sister. After about a year (after repeatedly trying to work on Miss Anne and even enlisting said Lady Russell to sway her mind) he turned his attentions to Miss Mary, who accepted them gladly. He proposed, Miss Mary accepted and by this time they must be married."

"How is it that Edward is privy to all of this information via an apothecary? Why would such a man share such information with my brother, and how in fact would he gain knowledge of it to begin with?"

Frederick continued, speaking more to himself than Sophia. "I can understand that Mr. Robinson would know of the engagement of Mr. Muskgrove and Miss Mary, but I cannot imagine that Mr. Muskgrove would openly bandy about his rejection and Anne always kept affairs of her heart most private indeed."

Sophia smiled a bit knowingly at her husband when her brother slipped and talked of Miss Anne without the "Miss." Her husband's slight raising of his eyebrows and nod confirmed that he, too, had noticed. Frederick was usually quite observant of proprieties; Sophia was certain then that they had been engaged. Too, there was the way Frederick had rolled his lips in against each other, pressing them in after concluding that sentence, as if remembering a kiss.

Sophia knew her brother to be as hot blooded as any other, though usually all his passion for life was directed toward his duties. She also knew him to be a loyal and honorable man. She was certain that he had been in love, was still in love, and dearly desired the one he loved.

"Has she fallen perhaps for Mr. Robinson but knows him to be an inappropriate object whom she cannot marry?"

Sophia could tell that Frederick was grasping at explanations that tended toward the ridiculous rather than allow himself the freedom to truly hope for what he desired most.

"What a ridiculous supposing, Frederick. For shame, for you to suppose her heart is that inconstant! Mr. Robinson is a happily married man. He certainly cares for her, but in a fatherly way. I expect he rather fancies himself a matchmaker. Much like your dear sister."

"And what does my dear sister wish to tell me? What is the meat of what you have gleaned?"

Though Frederick was trying to seem lighthearted, it was clear he was hanging on her every word.

"She waits for you, hopes for you, plans for your return. All this is clear from what Mr. Robinson wrote to Edward. I have his missive here, if you would care to read it."

Frederick nodded, so Sophia lifted up her plate to reveal the folded letter concealed beneath it and passed it to her brother.

With trembling hands, Frederick unfolded it and read:

Dear Mr. Wentworth,

I hope you are happy at your post at Shropshire and will forgive my familiarity in discovering your address and writing to you. I believe we have a common interest in one Miss Anne Elliot.

For more than two years I have trained Miss Anne in all the healing arts. I did not understand her sudden interest, but she has proven to be a most capable student and one whom I would gladly pass on my interests to if she was capable of holding such a post.

Miss Anne is a remarkable woman: steadfast, devoted, humble, capable, sweet, kind, loyal, intelligent and discerning. It took a long time, but eventually Miss Anne, when learning that a Mr. Muskgrove wished to solicit her hand, shared with my wife the reason why she would not, could not consider such an offer and also why she sought to learn my knowledge. It seems she has hope that your brother Captain Wentworth might return and renew his addresses that she was not at liberty to accept when his circumstances were less favorable, and with this hope has sought to make herself as capable a nurse as possible so that if perchance he should return that she will be ready to serve him and his crew in a like manner to your sister Mrs. Croft.

Mr. Muskgrove was most dogged in his pursuit of Miss Anne. He asked her multiple times despite her steadfast, though kind, refusals. He enlisted her godmother, Lady Russell, to help him win Miss Anne's hand. She refused to be persuaded. She told Mrs. Robinson that since she had reached her majority, she felt entitled to refuse to obey to her godmother's well-meaning but misguided advice and regretted breaking her engagement to your brother. She told my wife if she had it to do over again that she would have merely asked your brother for a delay and assured him of her devotion.

Eventually, Mr. Muskgrove accepted that Miss Anne would never be his bride and settled for Miss Mary Elliot instead. He clearly does not have the constancy she has, though his pursuit seems more dogged than that of your brother.

She is too good a woman to linger forever. She is not made to be a spinster. If your brother is worthy of her and shares her devotion, perhaps you can persuade him to renew his addresses. If, however, he will never return, she needs to know that as well. Mrs. Robinson and I simply want what his best for her. We wish for her love to be rewarded if he be worthy. I beseech you to take this matter up with Captain Wentworth and give her relief from her suffering.

Your humble servant,

John Robinson