Captain Wentworth's Persuasion (29 page)

“Oh, very little. Nothing that I regard,” she assured him.

After a moment’s pause he said,“Though I came only yesterday, I have equipped myself properly for Bath already, you see.” Frederick pointed to a new umbrella.“I wish you would make use of it, if you are determined to walk; though, I think, it would be more prudent to let me get you a chair.”

“Please, no, Captain. I am much obliged for your kindness, but I need no cover from the elements, and the rain will come to nothing.” Looking away, she added, “I am only waiting for my cousin, Mr. Elliot. He will be here in a moment, I am sure.”

Just then, Mr. Elliot walked in. Frederick recollected him perfectly. There was no difference between him and the man who stood on the steps at Lyme, admiring Anne as she passed, except in the air and look and manner of the privileged relation and friend. He came in with eagerness, appeared to see and think only of her, apologized for his stay, was grieved to have kept her waiting, and anxious to get her away without further loss of time, and before they walked off together, her arm under his, Anne sent Frederick a gentle and embarrassed glance, and a “good morning to you.”

Frederick stood frozen for a few moments, confused by how quickly Mr. Elliot had whisked Anne away. He returned to his party and reluctantly joined them as they watched Anne and Mr. Elliot make their way across the busy street. As soon as they were out of
sight, the ladies of his party began talking of them.“Mr. Elliot does not dislike his cousin, I fancy?” Lady Caroline said dreamily.

Lady Susan leaned across the table as if to share a prime piece of gossip. “Oh! No, that is clear enough. One can guess what will happen there.” A shiver shot up Frederick’s spine. “He is always with them—half lives in the family, I believe. What a very good-looking man!” Frederick’s breath became shallow.

“Yes, and Miss Atkinson, who dined with him once at the Wallises, says he is the most agreeable man she ever was in company with.” Lady Amelia motioned for the wait staff to bring another pot of tea to the table. She poured a cup for Frederick and refreshed the others’ cups before adding, “She is pretty, I think; Anne Elliot—very pretty, when one comes to look at her.” Lady Amelia shot Frederick a knowing glance, but he barely registered the words she spoke.“Of course, it is not the fashion to say so, but I confess I admire her more than her sister.”

“Oh! So do I,” Caroline declared vehemently.

Lady Susan giggled, enjoying the idle talk on a rainy afternoon. “And so do I. No comparison.” Then she began to tease her cousin, “But the men are all wild after Miss Elizabeth Elliot. Anne is too delicate for them. Is that not right, Buford?”

Buford Harding cleared his throat before offering up a defense. “Miss Elizabeth Elliot has a certain charm. In her own way, she is attractive.Would you not say so,Wentworth?”

“Hmm? I am sorry, Harding, I missed what you said last.”

“I just commented on how Miss Elliot possesses a certain charm.”

“Oh, I think,” his oldest sister put aside her brother’s opinions, “from what we have observed in the past few minutes, Captain Wentworth would barely look at Elizabeth Elliot.”

“Oh, really?” Lady Susan encouraged tauntingly. “Whom do you prefer, Captain—Elizabeth Elliot or Anne Elliot?”

A thousand thoughts rushed through him. How could he stop the rumors these three would gladly carry forth? He spoke slowly. “I have known the Elliot family for many years—from before the time I received my first ship. My older brother began his clerical
career in Somerset, and, at present, my sister and Admiral Croft are letting the Elliots’ estate. Our families are not intimate, but we have a long-standing acquaintance—nearly a decade. Miss Anne is the most agreeable of the three Elliot daughters, if that is of what you speak, Lady Susan.”

“Three?” Lady Amelia interrupted. “I understood there were only the two.”

Frederick smiled.“Oh, no,” he said, savoring the moment.“The youngest sister, Mary, is now Mrs. Charles Musgrove—the same Musgrove family into which Captain Benwick will marry. Her husband will inherit the Musgrove estate at his father’s passing.The younger Musgroves reside less than three miles from Kellynch Hall. In fact, I spent much of October and November in the company of all the Musgroves and Miss Anne. Mrs. Charles suffers from a number of maladies, and Miss Anne tended her sister. I became a regular guest of the Musgroves because their son Dick served under me before his passing.”

“So you know the family well,” Lady Amelia questioned. She looked a trifle deflated.

“I traveled to Lyme with the Musgroves and Miss Anne for a day trip in late November, so that they might meet my old friends Captain Harville and his family. It was on that trip that Captain Benwick, who had taken up temporary residence with the Harvilles, first met Louisa Musgrove. Miss Anne and I were just now discussing the happy news of Captain Benwick and Louisa Musgrove’s engagement.”

Buford Harding reprimanded his family. “I am afraid, Captain Wentworth, that my sisters have vivid imaginations. I apologize if they pried into your personal affairs. It appears Bath does not offer them enough distractions to entertain them sufficiently.”

“It is of no consequence, Harding. I am not ashamed of my admiration for Anne Elliot, nor would I ever speak poorly of her.” Frederick pretended a calm he did not feel. He sipped his tea before changing the subject. “What will you do now, Lieutenant,
with Napoleon on Elba? Will you stay with the service or seek a buy out?”

Frederick sat back and feigned an interest in Harding’s schemes for bettering himself. He satisfactorily stifled the prattle of three mildly vicious young ladies—protecting Anne’s reputation. Nearly thirty minutes later, he excused himself, claiming a prior engagement with Admiral Croft. He wanted nothing more than to escape to his room at Sophia’s residence and regroup.Winning Anne Elliot would be his greatest reward—what did he care if he had to move a few mountains in order to do so? Frederick was up to the task—all he needed was a way of seeing her again—a way to be in Anne’s company. He would leave the rest to fate.

—Lord Byron,“When We Two Parted”

 

Frederick spent a restless night, but in the morning he left Sophia’s house on Gay Street with a new resolve. He hated that Mr. Elliot had made inroads with Anne while he languished in Shrewsbury, but Anne was not
promised
to the man, so Frederick still had a chance. Plus, he thought it positive that she risked her family’s censure by speaking to him—to actually leave her table and seek him out for private conversation. Likely, she had spotted him prior to his entrance with the Hardings and stood near the door, waiting to talk to him.

In addition, the situation at Lyme had not unduly distressed her. Anne knew a level of apprehension for Louisa’s recovery, but she also demonstrated a concern for him. She cared whether Louisa’s engagement destroyed a long-standing friendship.

Finally, when she had left yesterday, reluctance showed on Anne’s face. She wanted to remain with him.At least, that was what Frederick preferred to believe.

The only time Frederick saw Anne that day was on Pulteney Street. He spoke to some of the Admiral’s naval cronies before starting up the right-hand pavement, heading toward the main shopping district. “There she is,” he murmured. Anne sat in an
upscale coach. Seeing her there, Frederick began walking in the same direction the coach traveled. Regularly, he turned his head to glance at her, while pretending to observe the busy street commerce. He wondered for a moment if he could wave down the coach—until he recognized Lady Russell’s livery. At first, he thought Lady Russell must have seen him also, her eyes being turned exactly in direction for him, of her being in short intently observing him, but he noted the woman pointing to one of the houses along his side of the street. Anne nodded to her godmother in response. Perversely, Frederick stepped to the street at the intersection, striking a pose of interest in the local architecture. He hoped Anne would see him clearly; he prayed she would recognize his smile of approval. Frederick stood his ground, seeking Anne’s face for as long as the coach remained in sight, then he turned once more toward Gay Street.

Unfortunately, Frederick did not see Anne anywhere—a day or two passed without producing anything. The theater and public rooms where he was in attendance were, obviously, not fashionable enough for the Elliots, whose evening amusements, according to the society pages, were solely in the elegant stupidity of private parties.

His encounter with Anne at Molland’s told Frederick where he would find her this evening, though. Despite the dumbfounding surprise of encountering her that day, he did recall Lady Susan asking specifically about a special concert scheduled for this very night. It was a concert for the benefit of a person patronized by Lady Dalrymple, one of the Elliots’ relatives. As he dressed, Frederick reasoned aloud,“The concert was really expected to be a good one, and I am very fond of music.” If he could only have a few minutes of conversation with her again, he fancied he should be satisfied; and as to the power of addressing her, he felt all over courage if the opportunity occurred.

Attired in his full dress uniform, Frederick took a deep breath and settled his nerves before the door opened for him, and he
strode into the octagon-shaped room, to be met immediately by a vision of the Elliot family—Sir Walter, two of his daughters, and Miss Elliot’s companion—stationed by one of the fires. A satisfied smile crept across his face, and he slowed his pace, trying to figure out a way to approach them in order to speak specifically to Anne. He could pay his sister’s respects to the family. The Elliots would disdain his familiarity, but speaking to Anne was what was important. But a look of contempt from Miss Elizabeth Elliot made him question his choice, and he prepared only to bow and pass on.

To his pleasure, however, Anne, nearest to him, made yet a little advance and placed herself directly in his path. Despite the formidable father and sister in the background, Anne instantly spoke, “How do you do?”

Frederick touched her arm and led Anne out of the straight line to stand near her before responding. “Miss Anne, I am pleased to see you. I am well. May I assume that you are, too?”

“I am, Captain.” Looking furtively over her shoulder at her family’s glare, she said softly, “I was not sure you would remember my conversation with Lady Susan regarding the concert.”

Frederick felt a rush of happiness. “I believe I told you years ago, Miss Anne, there is little about you of which I take no note. Plus, you remember my fondness for great music.”

“It should be very entertaining, Captain,” she assured him. “Lady Dalrymple is a connoisseur of Italian opera.”

“Then I shall be most pleased, Miss Anne.” He smiled down at her. “I experienced many such performances in Mediterranean port cities; from tonight’s program, I noticed some with which I became familiar in Romola, Italy, in the region of Tuscany.”

“It sounds so beautiful!
Romola
. Do you not simply adore the sound of the word?” She laughed lightly before looking off wistfully. “At least, you were able to come unarmed for Bath’s weather. It is to be a star-lit evening.”

“My hand will seem empty,” he teased. Standing before her, Frederick had a full view of her family over Anne’s shoulder. “I assume that your family is in health,” he said when he could think
of nothing else.

Sir Walter must have heard the inquiry because Frederick suddenly became aware of a whispering between her father and Elizabeth, and, to his surprise, Sir Walter judged so well as to give him a simple acknowledgment of acquaintance while Elizabeth Elliot offered a slight curtsy. This, though late and reluctant and ungracious, was better than nothing, and Frederick dutifully made a distant bow in return.Their actions seemed to raise Anne’s spirits.

After talking of the weather and of Bath and of the concert, the conversation began to flag, but Frederick was in no hurry to leave her. Just seeing her renewed his hopes.With a little smile—a little glow, he said, “I have hardly seen you since our day at Lyme. I am afraid you must have suffered from the shock, and the more from its not overpowering you at the time.”

She assured him, “Captain, what I felt was concern for all involved, nothing more.”

“It was a frightful hour,” he said, “a frightful day!” Frederick passed his hand across his eyes—the remembrance still too painful. Forcing calmness, he added, “As we previously discussed, the day produced some effects—had some consequences, which must be considered as the very reverse of frightful.”

“I should hope it would be a very happy match. There are on both sides good principles and good temper.”