Please excuse typos/spelling errors as I am writing on my phone in airports and during my flights on my way to see my father. Writing is a good distraction from worrying about him and wondering whether we should believe a report that my daughter has arranged to sneak a boy into our house tonight (and how it will all go down if she actually tries it).

Sophia never waivered from her self appointed task and Frederick wrote his letter and handed it over the following morning before he could think the better of it. Thus a mere three months later, Sophia and her friend Mrs. Holmes were staying in an inn a scant two miles from Kellynch Hall and Sophia had already left a calling card for Miss Anne Elliot with Mrs. Holmes name added and a handwritten indication of their present address. The card which stated Mrs. Croft had a lightly inked drawing of a ship in the corner, a hint in case Miss Anne had difficulty recalling her identity (though her brother Frederick was confident Miss Anne would know his sister's name from her association with both him and his brother).

When Anne returned home from visiting Lady Russell and noted the card left for her (Anne received few cards of her own, most were left for her elder sister or her father), she had to retreat to her chambers to process the thoughts and emotions which the small bit of stationery excited in her. Mrs. Croft, Frederick's sister is Mrs. Croft, wife to a Captain Croft. What can she be doing here? Mr. Wentworth is in Shropshire, has been there long enough that there can be no doubt she knows of it. And we have never been introduced, though I have longed to know her. What reason can she have for being here and more specifically for calling upon me? Even while Anne's heart was, over and over singing with strident vigor, It must be Frederick; he has sent her to me!, her mind told her heart not to hope as it was now hoping so strongly that it felt as if she had just come in from a thorough wetting from a stingingly chilled rain, her whole body was now submerged in a hot bath, or perhaps redressed in a new frock warmed in front of a blazing fire and she was now wrapped in a luxurious blanket in front of that same fire with tea in her cup that was just a shade too hot to have more than a tiny sip at a time. Anne's heart knew that her head had kept her from noticing the rain overly much, so that she might walk on through her life without Frederick in it. Yet now, even the hope that would change made her recognize all the deficiency in the life she had been living. Who could fault her for trying to tamp down on that hope so if it was wrong she would not feel the bite of the freezing rain quite so strongly if forced back out into the storm? So her mind searched for alternative explanations. Perhaps it is a different Mrs. Croft. Perhaps one of my classmates has married a Mr. Croft. Anne's eyes alighted on the little figure of the ship. She searched her mind for which one of her classmates had an affinity and talent for drawing and identified several who drew portraits. Now which of them could have drawn this ship? She rejected them one by one. Jane had no talent for rendering anything not immediately before her and told me she never viewed the sea. Emma never wanted to show anyone her renderings. Willamina was too proper to ever put anything on her card, would never stay at a location so common as that inn. She then considered whether any of her classmates had a maiden name which might bear some association to boats or ships, but found none. She then gave her heart leyway to hope a bit, but it took the reins of her thoughts and directed them to outright fantasy, in which not only Mrs. Croft but her brother Frederick were staying at that inn and he merely sought some reassurance before calling on her himself. However, Anne's mind was too ordered and sensible to give this thought much credence. Too, it would diminish Frederick's character to have him hide behind his sister's skirts. She could not imagine this of the determined man she knew. But you did not imagine he would leave without giving you another chance to speak with him, her mind whispered, and its been years since that summer interlude so how well do you truly know him? No, it could not be that he was here, but Anne could not account for why his sister would be here. Did Mr. Wentworth mention me to her? Did he know I was but briefly engaged to his brother? Do we perhaps some other person in common that recommended she call on me? Did perhaps she just happen to be passing through and want to bring greetings from Mr. Wentworth who she came from seeing? Does she wish to tell me of Frederick's marriage or it could not be, I review all news of naval losses so carefully, word of his death? This lastlast thought, the most unlikely of all the scenarios she had conjured thus far sent a chill along her spin and raised the little hairs on the back of her neck, before she wisked it away to the ever growing pile of discarded thoughts where it belonged. I will just have to wait and see.

Anne then considered when she could return Mrs. Croft's call, the only legitimate way to determine her purpose. Anne immediately determined that it was too late today, but that she would go in the morning during the early part of the acceptable time for calling.

After a distracted rest of the day, anxious night and restless morning, Anne approached the inn with trepidation. She dearly wished she could have someone by her side but also knew that bringing anyone would styme her efforts to find out why Mrs. Croft and Mrs. Holmes (Anne had almost entirely overlooked whatever role she might play in this) had called upon her. The proprietor of the inn greeted her by name and escorted her to the ladies she sought who were seated in the common area of the inn partaking of tea and a light meal.

There was a slightly awkward moment in which he said, "Miss Anne for you," and located an extra chair so that she might join them. Anne took this opportunity to look at the two women before her in an attempt to determine which of them might be Mrs. Croft. She immediately discounted a more wisened but respectable looking woman whose bonneted hair was more white than dark, who seemed ill at ease with the amount of space her body occupied and held her shoulders in and her arms close to her body even as she sipped her tea. Anne believed the taller and more vigorous looking woman of the two, with a tanned face and expressive lines to be Mrs. Croft.

After Anne was seated, it was this woman who took charge, requesting a cup for Anne and some additional biscuits. As the proprietor hurried off to attend to the matter, that woman with an open and appraising look that somehow reminded Anne of Frederick though there was little in common in their facial features between her and Frederick, introduced herself as Sophia Croft and her friend as Mirabelle Holmes.

"I am pleased that you have returned my call, Miss Elliot," Sophia said with a half smile that engaged her laugh lines. "I have heard many pleasing reports about you and have been anxious to make your acquaintance for quite some time now."