Captain Wentworth's Persuasion (38 page)

“Oh, Miss Anne, what a delight! I know
just
the person. Plus, it will give us time to learn more of each other. I have always wanted a sister. Did you hear, Frederick?” Her voice was breathy with excitement.

“I believe my future wife has given you the perfect excuse to spend more of the Admiral’s money,” he teased her lovingly.

“Phoo, phoo!” cried Sophia.“What a notion!”

More seriously, Frederick offered, “I will be pleased to escort the two of you if you wish.”

“Let us say, the day after tomorrow, if that is acceptable to you, Mrs. Croft,”Anne added quickly.

“It is most acceptable. And please call me Sophia. May I call you Anne?”

“I would prefer that.”

“I will leave you two for now,” Sophia said.“The Admiral is signaling to me.”

They were alone again. Anne leaned against Frederick’s shoulder for a few brief seconds.“It is all so sudden, and it just occurred to me I will be part of a different family—one with new brothers and new sisters.”

“The Wentworths are very close,” he warned her. “Sometimes you may wish they did not want to know your business, but you will find no stronger allies.”

“Unfortunately, the Elliots are not so devoted to their loved ones.”Anne’s face fell with the disclosure.

He assured her,“I have the
best
of the Elliots; the others are insignificant to me.”

“You deserve better than what I offer you. You give me a family and friendships in which to share.” She finally met his gaze with hers.

“I
deserve
nothing, but I
need
you.” He kissed her fingertips. “Let us return to our wedding plans. Do you suppose Edward
could officiate?”

“Do you want to marry out of Bath or out of Uppercross?” she asked.

Frederick smiled with the question.“It would be best if we did so in Bath. As much as it would please me to marry you in the chapel on Kellynch, the place where this all began, it would be awkward for your father and sister and Lady Russell to celebrate our union there. Let us choose some place here where Edward might be part of the service. I will make it my mission to find such a church tomorrow. I will ask your father for the nearest services.”

At that moment, Sophia returned, bright-eyed. “I had inspiration. May I see if the Pump Room Assembly Hall is available for the breakfast? I did not attend Edward’s joining with Christine because the Admiral and I were still at sea.This will be a pleasure to help plan.”

“Yes,” said Anne.“Thank you, Sophia.” She said in a low tone,“I think my sister might choose a location that is a bit—how shall I say it—too formal. I would like my guests to be comfortable.”

“We will, of course, include Bath’s high society.And Frederick’s fellow officers!” Sophia’s excitement continued to grow.

“Definitely,”Anne confirmed.“I wish to meet Frederick’s friends.”

“Then it is settled,” Sophia authorized. “I will call on you tomorrow, and we will come up with a tentative list. This is most exciting!” She took several steps in retreat.

“Make it before noon,” Frederick called to his sister. “I plan to spend the afternoon with Anne.”

Sophia turned to say, “Anne, we will wait until Monday and spend time together.That way, you and Frederick may attend services together and speak to the vicar about calling the banns. I will send a note around tomorrow to confirm.” With that, she was gone, leaving a faint trace of rose perfume behind her.

Happy to recognize the union of a member of the aristocracy in his parish, Mr. Osgood readily agreed to share the services with Edward Wentworth. Although a bit rushed, the first reading of the
banns occurred that day; the official announcement would appear in the society pages the next morning.

“Can you believe this is happening—at last?” Anne sat beside him as Frederick addressed a note to Edward and Christine, telling his brother of his plans and asking him to participate.

Although a chaperone should have been with them, they had been left to their own devices; Frederick assumed Anne’s impeccable reputation offered no one any qualms or maybe her family still saw her as insignificant. He preferred the former explanation. Frederick leaned toward her and brushed his lips across hers.“Nothing matters but our union; I am afraid I have become quite singular in my thoughts.We have waited long enough for this. If I could convince you to leave with me for Gretna Green, I would; but I cannot, so I am putting all my energy into planning our ceremony here.”

“May we call on my friend Mrs. Smith this afternoon? I wish to share my news with her; she is a widow now.”

“Who is Mrs. Smith, my Dear?” Frederick sealed his letter with wax and wrote the directions on the outer side.

Anne placed her hand lightly on his knee, and Frederick forced himself to breathe. Her touch sent heat radiating through him, and without realizing what he did, he placed his free hand behind her neck, pulling her mouth to his. This time he tasted her lips fully, quickly deepening the kiss before releasing her—with the sounds of the servants in the hall. She sat, staring at him, eyes glazed over with desire, and he chuckled before moving back. Despite finding it more than a bit distracting, he left her hand on his leg; it was a splendid sort of torture.“Mrs. Smith?” he repeated, his voice a bit husky.

Anne felt the torture, too. “Mrs.-Mrs. Smith,” she stammered. “Mrs. Smith is my old school friend Miss Hamilton. I told you of her years ago; she was my most dear friend when I attended school here after my mother’s death.”

Frederick nodded in recollection.“And she is in Bath now?”

“She lives in Westgate Building. She is a widow with little means. Mrs. Smith suffers from rheumatic fever and cannot go about.”Anne continued to sit too close for propriety, but she innocently
took no note of it. With Frederick every thing seemed so natural she took and allowed liberties she would never consider with anyone else.

“Is it important to you that we see her today?” Frederick asked in all seriousness.

If anyone else asked Anne whether the visit might be postponed, she would consider doing so, but with Frederick, Anne knew he would not judge Mrs. Smith’s condition or lack of connections. “I would like for you to meet her.” Anne could not explain it to him—would not say the words because they were too personal. She felt her own inferiority keenly.

Frederick saw the sadness on her face.“What is it, Sweetling? Is it something to do with Mrs. Smith?You may tell me anything.”

“I need for you to meet Mrs. Smith; it was she who warned me about Mr. Elliot, but that is not my concern. I have no words to make this sensible.”

“Whatever it is,Anne, we can address it together.”

“My—My Love,” she spoke haltingly, “I am—I am ashamed how little I bring to our union.” Frederick wanted to disagree with her, but he listened quietly.“I spoke of it before; it is a real concern for me. I do not speak of the disproportion in our fortunes—although great, it does not give me a moment’s regret, because you would have it no other way. But to have no family to receive and esteem you properly—nothing of respectability, of harmony, of goodwill to offer in return for all the worth and all the prompt welcome, which met me in your brothers and sisters, is a lively pain. I have but two friends in the world to add to your list: Lady Russell and Mrs. Smith.”

“As I said yesterday evening, I will do my best with Lady Russell; I have decided that I will not dwell on her former transgression, but will judge her based on the here and now.” He took her hand from his knee, which now burned with an erotic energy, and squeezed it gently. “And as for Mrs. Smith, if she helped turn you from Mr. Elliot’s attentions, then she is in my favor already.”

“Oh, Frederick, I cannot comprehend what my cousin did to
Mrs. Smith. It is so terrible! I am horrified that he is our relation!” she exclaimed.

Frederick felt her anxiety. “Tell me what you know. Is there some way we may help your friend?”

“Mr. Elliot was an associate of the late Mr. Smith,” she began to explain. Frederick leaned back in his seat. “Because of that, Mr. Elliot knew much about me—my friend spoke often of our times together. He had taken a dislike to my father and sister years ago, but with me, he had a new ‘in’ with our family, and he had a double motive to his visits: Mrs. Clay gave a general idea among my father’s acquaintances of her meaning to be the new Lady Elliot, and, unfortunately, despite my warning months ago, my sister was blind to the fact. Mr. Elliot returned to Bath to fix himself here for a time, with the view of renewing his former acquaintance and recovering such a footing in the family, as might give him the means of ascertaining the degree of his danger of losing the title and of circumventing the lady if he found it material.”

“What of your friend? How did Mr. Elliot betray her?”

“As I said earlier, Mr. Elliot and Mr. Smith were long-standing friends. The Smiths often loaned him money prior to Mr. Elliot’s marriage. His wife was wealthy—but from the trade class—and wealth was the basis of Mr. Elliot’s wooing game. Even after my cousin’s marriage, they were as before, always together, and Mr. Elliot led his friend into expenses much beyond his fortune.

“From his wife’s account of him, Mr. Smith was a man of warm feelings, easy temper, careless habits, and not strong understanding, much more amiable than his friend, and very unlike him—led by him, and probably despised by him. Mr. Elliot, raised by his marriage to great affluence and disposed to every gratification of pleasure and vanity which could be commanded without involving himself, and beginning to be rich, just as his friend found himself to be poor, seemed to have no concern at all for that friend’s probable finances, but, on the contrary, prompted and encouraged expenses, which ended in the Smiths being ruined.

“The husband died just in time to be spared the full knowledge
of it. It was not until his death that the wretched state of his affairs became fully known.With a confidence in Mr. Elliot’s regard, more creditable to his feelings than his judgment, Mr. Smith appointed him the executor of his will; but Mr. Elliot refused to act, and the difficulties and distresses, which this refusal heaped on Mrs. Smith, in addition to the inevitable sufferings of her situation, brought on anguish. I find myself
quite
indignant!

“She told me she had applied to Mr. Elliot for assistance many times, and she showed me return letters, which displayed his hard-hearted indifference. In my opinion, no flagrant, open crime could be worse! Mrs. Smith related incident after incident, creating a dreadful picture of ingratitude and inhumanity.”

Frederick thought out loud. “It is beyond reprehensible that a man—a gentleman, no less—should treat a woman as such!”

“There was one circumstance,” Anne continued,“in the history of her grievances of particular irritation. She has good reason to believe some property of her husband’s in the West Indies, which was for many years under a sort of sequestration for the payment of its own encumbrances, might be recoverable by proper measures, and this property, though not large, would be enough to make her comparatively rich. But there was nobody to stir in it. Mr. Elliot did nothing, and she can do nothing herself, equally disabled from personal exertion by her state of bodily weakness and from employing others by her want of money. She has no natural connections to assist her even with their counsel, and she cannot afford to purchase the assistance of the law. She really ought to be in better circumstances! Just a little trouble in the right place might do it! I fear the delay might be even weakening her claims, and that is hard to bear!”

“Anne,” he said as he squeezed her hand,“I may be able to help Mrs. Smith.”

“How, Frederick?” She sat now on the edge of the seat.

His smile grew larger by the second. “I did not serve twice in the West Indies without connections. If your friend’s property claim is legitimate, I know to whom to apply for retribution. She may sell the property, for there are many in the Americas seeking
such land opportunities, or we may secure the proper overseer to handle it for her. I will help Mrs. Smith find out to whom to write; if she will permit it, I can act for her and see her through all the petty difficulties of the case.”

Before she thought what she did,Anne threw herself into Frederick’s arms, and he instinctively pulled her onto his lap.“Oh, Frederick,” she cackled with glee, “I knew you would make it right! You always do!” Her arms went around his neck, and Anne gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then she sprang up. “Let us go see Mrs. Smith now.” But Frederick pulled her back onto his lap.

“In a moment, my Love,” he whispered. “Let me hold you while I can.These moments will have to sustain me until our wedding day.” He held her tightly to him, and Anne rested her head on his shoulder. “I love you more than life,” he whispered softly. He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger.“Your hair is like silk,” he murmured against the side of her face as he kissed her temple.“I dream of it down and spread across my pillow.”