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Chapter 15

Posted on Friday, 7 September 2001

We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered. ~Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard

'You asked to see me, Tom?' Marilyn Peters asked, coming to stand in front of Thomas Hassan's desk.

'Yes, thank you Marilyn. Please sit down.' He slid a folder across the desk to her. 'Jean's papers came through this morning. He is done in a month. Do you have a replacement in mind?'

Marilyn smiled. 'I do, in fact. The only difficulty may be in convincing her to work for us. I hear that Mica gave her quite a workout.'

Hassan chuckled. 'With the state we found Mica in, I am not surprised. Well, if she is the one you want, we will make it worth her while. Make an offer she can't refuse.'

It was a beautiful fall day when Anne drove up to Uppercross Cottage. She looking forward to a nice, relaxing vacation. Uppercross was a very pretty town, surrounded by apple orchards and stands of maple trees. The cottage was hardly a cottage, as it could comfortably house twenty guests. Ivy covered, and surrounded by rambling paths and wildflower gardens, in the past it had been photographed for several home decorating magazines. Since Charles and Mary took it over, however, the house had gone through a small decline. While still a charming place to visit, the owners were just too busy to give it the care it deserved.

Mary and Charles were drinking tea in wicker chairs on the patio when Anne pulled up in front of the house. Charles put his cup down and bounded over to the car to give Anne a hug. He spun her around in a circle while Mary joined them, laughing.

Pushing her husband away, Mary slipped an arm around Anne's waist and led her into the house. Charles was left to retrieve Anne's luggage.

'Amanda is driving up tomorrow for the festival. Charles' cousin Louisa-'

'Anne worked with her at Mica.' Charles interjected, coming up behind him with two suitcases in his hands and a bag over his shoulder.

'I know! I just thought she might have forgotten that Louisa was your cousin.' Mary shot back. She turned back to Anne with an apologetic smile. 'Louisa is coming up to stay at her parents' house. She says that the two of you have befriended each other.'

'Yes, we have. She is a very nice girl.'

'She is a little spitfire, if I remember correctly.' Charles grinned. 'We've set aside your usual room. The windows are open because the room has been closed up for a while. Otherwise, everything should be ready for you.'

Charles and Mary were so happy to see Anne that they remained in her room, talking, for an hour, until Anne finally asked for time to get ready before dinner.

Once she had finished unpacking and showering, Anne relaxed in the window seat, gazing out over the brilliant autumn countryside. Through the open windows came the scents of dried leaves and apples. Anne leaned back against the sill, marveling at how wonderful it felt to be free of work-related stress and worry.

Some time later, she was awakened by the sounds of laughter somewhere below her window. She leaned forward, but was only able to see the rear end of a sleek, red automobile. The murmur of voices carried up to her ears, but she could not make out the words as the voices disappeared into the house. Within minutes, there was a knock at her door, and Louisa Muse, looking as fresh and beautiful as always, burst inside.

'Mary told me you were going to be here! I am so glad. We're all downstairs if you are ready. My brother, Hugh, just bought a new guitar, and he is going to play for everyone before dinner.'

Hugh was, indeed, playing when the girls arrived in the parlor. But the songs he was playing were sending Charles and Mary into hysterics of laughter. When he saw Anne and Louisa standing in the doorway, the twenty year old slipped his pick under the strings and calmly rose to his feet, offering his hand to Anne.

'You must be Anne Elliot. I've heard so much about you.' The seriousness of his tone and face caused Charles to double over his knees. Mary wiped her face with her sleeve and patted Charles' back.

'Forgive us, Anne. You just missed quite a show.' Charles said, gasping.

'So it seems! I'm sorry I interrupted. Please, continue!' Anne smiled, taking a seat next to Louisa on the sofa.

Hugh held the pick between his teeth as he quickly re-tuned the instrument. Then, with a grin, he struck a chord. 'I have a feeling Anne will enjoy this better than what I was just playing...'

'Oh, I know this one!' Mary exclaimed, and began singing along with Hugh in a surprisingly pleasant alto.

The concert was interrupted by dinner, but they returned to the parlor as soon as they had finished eating. Hugh again picked up the instrument, and began to take requests. He had a large repertoire, and managed to find something to please everyone. He even managed to coax Anne into singing with him once. She bowed shyly after they had finished to a standing ovation from their three-person audience.

'Anne, you have a lovely voice. Why don't you sing more often?' Louisa asked, clapping.

'Because she is terribly shy.' Mary said, slipping a deck of cards from a drawer. 'Anyone up for a game of canasta?'

Hugh begged to be excused, and continued strumming the guitar softly. After Charles mixed drinks, the other four gathered around the table and formed teams. The conversation continued as the game progressed, but was often interrupted by exclamations of triumph or disgust by the players.

Sometime after her turn in the game had passed, Anne sat back and watched everyone else. She hadn't had a happier, more relaxed evening in a long time.

'How is the new, improved Mica treating you, Louisa?' Charles was asking as he laid several cards on the table.

'It's amazing how much has changed!' She exclaimed.

'We hear that you have another interest at work now...' Mary said with a sly grin.

'Oh, there is that, too.' Louisa smiled.

'Is he anyone we would know?'

'Possibly...he spent some time in this area back in '93. His name is Frederick Wentworth.'

Anne determinedly kept her attention on the cards in front of her. Charles stole a quick glance at her, but remained silent. Mary, who had forgotten that particular piece of the past, began plugging Louisa for information. Louisa told her as much as she could, but finally threw her hands in the air with a laugh.

'We've only actually met twice. But I have just found out that his sister is your father's new tenant. Did you know that, Anne?'

'Yes, I did.' Anne responded briefly.

'He is supposed to drive up to Somerset tomorrow morning. I've made him promise to call me as soon as he arrives. I'm going to invite him to come to the festival with Hugh and I. I would like all of you to come, too. I've already promised to introduce Anne to him.'

Charles started, and stared at Anne. She looked slightly flushed, but otherwise perfectly unaffected.

'I just hope that I am well tomorrow. This pregnancy is a roller coaster ride.' Mary sighed, leaning back in her chair.

Louisa and Hugh took that as their cue to leave. They hugged everyone goodbye and promised to call to arrange a time to meet for the festival.

Mary kissed her sister and started upstairs, leaving Charles and Anne to clear up the card game.

'Anne?' Charles asked after a while.

She glanced up, and knew immediately by his expression the question he had in mind.

'It's nothing of consequence, Charles. Please don't think about it any more.'

He smiled and patted her shoulder. 'Of course. But if you need someone to talk to...'

'You've always been there. I know.' Anne smiled and gave him a hug before bidding him goodnight.

Long after the rest of the house was asleep, Anne sat up in the window, watching the silvery moonlight glisten on the trees.

She had been thinking about Frederick a lot lately. It didn't help that his name seemed to enter every conversation. Sometimes, she couldn't help but wonder how much her memories of him had changed over the years. It didn't seem possible that they had been so much in love. If they had, how could they have possibly let each other go? The only thing Anne had gained from that relationship, it seemed, was a complete inability to commit to any other man.

The next morning, Anne, Charles, and Mary were putting on their coats when a telephone call came for Anne. She asked the housekeeper if she could take a message, but was told that it was long distance.

'Go on ahead.' She told them, starting back into the house. 'You promised Louisa you would meet her at eleven. Amanda is supposed to be coming in soon, anyway. I'll take this call and wait for her, and then I will call your cell phone to find out where to meet you.'

The housekeeper led Anne into the study. Anne sat on the edge of Charles' desk and lifted the phone to her ear.

Hello, Miss Elliot, this is Marilyn Peters calling from London. Your roommate in Boston gave this number to me. I apologize for calling on a Saturday...are you free to talk?

Anne felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. 'Has something gone wrong with the contracts?'

Please, call me Marilyn. She laughed. The contracts are fine. I am calling because I understand that you are currently looking for a new position. I would like to offer you a job with Annapurna.

'I'm flattered, Marilyn, but...'

I know, Mica was a difficult experience. You did an excellent job with what you were given. Annapurna is a completely different story. I promise that you will not find another opportunity like this.

'I'm sorry, but...'

Has someone else hired you already?

'No...'

Because I am prepared to give you "an offer you can't refuse." Please, before you turn me down, take a look at it.

Anne finally gave Marilyn her e-mail address, and agreed to read the job description and Annapurna's offer before making her decision.

The others had already been at the fairgrounds for two hours before Anne and Amanda arrived. Mary and Charles were sitting on a blanket by the grandstand.

'Louisa and the others went off to the game booths. Mary needed a rest.'

'The others?' Anne asked, spreading another blanket next to Mary, who did look a little green.

'Louisa's friend Frederick brought his sister and her husband, and two other friends.' Mary said, leaning back on the blanket with a sigh.

'...One of which,' Charles laughed, 'you might possibly recognize...'

'Anne!'

She had not seen Lindsey for nearly five years, and had forgotten about the accident. There was a moment of awkwardness, and then she and Lindsey were in each other's arms, laughing.

'And you might remember Michael Cutler...my husband!' Michael set the brakes on Lindsey's wheelchair and turned to give Anne a hug.

'It's good to see you again.'

'Where are the rest?' Mary asked, squirming in her seat.

'They are on their way. Harry wanted to get one of those blooming onions.'

'Oh, that doesn't help at all!' Mary groaned. 'Please, no food talk!'

'Do you want to leave, Mary?' Charles asked.

Anne rose to her feet. 'I'll get her some water. I-'

'Hello, everyone.'

Anne froze. She would have known that voice anywhere. Very slowly, she turned around.

He was taller and broader than she remembered. And his hair was dark, almost black. But the voice was the same...and the eyes.

He glanced her way, raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth to speak. And then Mary threw up.

Anne leaped to her feet, and helped Mary to hers. 'Please...' she faltered when her eyes fell on Frederick's chest. 'Excuse us...'

And then everyone was moving. Lindsey grabbed Mary's other arm, and they were off to the bathroom. There was no time to think, or to feel.

Charles drove the car up, and Mary was settled into the front seat. Anne hopped into the back with a bucket, in case Mary was sick again on the way home. The good-byes were hurried, and Anne didn't catch Frederick's eye again until they were pulling away. She was not at all sure how to read the expression on his face.

Chapter 16

Posted on Friday, 14 September 2001

Happiness is good health and a bad memory.
~Ingrid Bergman~

Frederick shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he watched the car drive away. Of course he had expected to run into her eventually, but not here...not now. Thankfully, the reunion had been so brief that there was no time for awkwardness, and Mary had provided enough distraction so that only he and Anne knew the real reason for the stunned expressions on their faces.

Please...Excuse us... The only words he had heard her speak, in a soft voice so familiar that, even after all of these years, it still sent a thrill through him.

But that was really the only similarity between the Anne of his memory and the Anne of the present. The thick chestnut hair that he had once so loved was tightly braided, and seemed darker. Her face had lost its fresh-faced flush, and looked rather pale and drawn. Frederick had caught one quick glimpse of Anne's eyes, which seemed shadowed and not at all happy behind her stylish glasses. This Anne Elliot was a pale shadow of the girl Frederick had once loved.

He was worried that she was so greatly altered. She looked like a woman who had led a life full of disappointments. On the other hand, the fact that she was so changed comforted him in an odd sort of way. It made it easier to convince himself that this was a completely different person from the girl he had loved so deeply. It would be easier to guard against strong feelings towards a woman who looked like a stranger to him, than it would have been if she had not changed.

'You look worried.' Louisa observed, tucking her arm through his. 'Don't worry, Mary will be fine.'

'What?' He asked sharply, startled by her sudden approach and intrusion into his thoughts. Then, glancing down at Louisa, he gave her a bright smile. 'Oh...I'm sure she will be.'

'You men are never very good about sickness, are you?' She laughed. 'Ready to hit the stands again?'

'Yes...of course.' Frederick agreed lightly, disentangling his arm from hers as they began walking.

'You know Anne, don't you?'

'I used to...but that was a long time ago.'

There was a brief pause as they made their way across the crowded fairgrounds to the food and game stands. While they waited in line at an apple stand, Frederick glanced up at the hillside. The late afternoon sun had turned the bright maple and oak leaves almost transparent. Taking a deep breath of the fresh autumn air, he finally began to feel better.

'It is a nice day for a festival, isn't it?'

'Beautiful.' Louisa agreed, slipping a few bills across the counter. 'How long ago did you and Anne meet each other?'

Frederick bit back his growing irritation and answered her in that cool, calm voice that made it seem that he did not have a care in the world. 'Eight years. So you see, I can hardly claim to know her anymore.'

'She is a nice lady. Has she changed much since you knew her?' Hugh asked, appearing beside them just in time to steal a bite of his sister's apple pie.

Louisa slapped Hugh on the wrist and took her fork from him. 'Buy your own!'

Frederick looked down at his own piece of pie. Suddenly, it did not look very appetizing. 'Here, have mine. I'm not hungry anymore.'

'Thanks. So...Anne...how has she changed?'

'She has changed so greatly that I barely recognized her.'

'What is different about her?'

'She used to be...rosier...happier.' He groaned inwardly, but was determined not to let his exasperation show. 'Can we please talk about something else? I do not find Anne Elliot a particularly interesting subject.'

'How do you think Anne took it?' Lindsey asked Mrs. Russell as Frederick, Louisa, and Hugh re-appeared on the edge of the crowd.

'I don't know. It all happened so suddenly.' She answered, studying Frederick's laughing face.

'Did she talk about him much over the years?'

'Never...to me.'

'I think, before I left, his name came up less than a half-dozen times. She always turned the conversation. I wonder what she is feeling. I wonder what he is feeling.'

'He didn't seem affected at all.' Mrs. Russell commented coldly. 'He seems to be pretty cozy with Louisa.'

'Why don't you like him?' Lindsey asked. 'He is a wonderful man. If Anne and Michael did not exist, I would have done everything I could to win Frederick.' She smiled.

'You are entitled to your opinion. Wentworth just isn't Anne's type. She needs someone stable and successful.'

Lindsey laughed. 'I don't think you can complain about his success now.'

'Yes, well...I just think that she needs someone more...settled.'

'Don't you think that you should let her decide what she needs?'

'Well...that is long over, anyway, and it is fairly obvious that it's not going to start up again.' She lowered her voice as the threesome approached their small group. 'I think it's best that we don't mention this particular part of the past to Anne. The less said, the better. Whether or not his presence affects her, references to their former relationship have to be uncomfortable.'

'I suppose I agree.' Lindsey sighed.

'Furthermore, we have to keep Anne out of his company if we can at all help it.'

'Now that I don't agree with. Anne is an adult. She can handle herself. Why don't we just let them be and see what happens?'

Anne and Charles ate a lonely dinner while the doctor was with Mary. Charles hardly spoke at all, because he was too busy worrying about his wife. The silence did not bother Anne, because her own thoughts were too turbulent for her to be a good dinner companion.

Anne was still reeling from that one tiny moment of contact with Frederick. Eight years, she kept telling herself, should be more than enough to erase feelings that had developed over several months. It was ridiculous for a grown woman to be affected so strongly. But no matter how she tried to reason with herself, her mind kept returning to one question: What had he felt upon seeing her again?

These thoughts kept her occupied until the doctor returned.

'Please believe me, Mr. Musgrove.' The doctor said, forcing Charles back into his seat. 'This happens to many pregnant women, and in itself, is nothing to worry about. Mary is completely healthy, otherwise. She just needs some rest and plain foods for a few days.'

'Thank you, James.' He quickly shook hands with the doctor, then raced upstairs to his wife.

Anne served dessert to the doctor while they discussed Mary's condition.

'Frankly, Anne, your sister tends to make herself sick by working herself into strange mental states. She is convinced that she is fat and ugly, and that no one will pay attention to her unless she demands it. In her mind, the only way to do that is to get sick, because it wins her the most sympathy. Once Charles is more level-headed, I am going to suggest that we send a counselor to see your sister once a week. I would hate for her to work herself into a state of mind that might harm the baby.'

'Are you telling me that her sickness today was purely imagined?'

'Not exactly...she slowly begins to think she is sick until she becomes so worked up that she actually does become sick. The fact that pregnant women are prone to indigestion doesn't really help matters.'

'What can we do for her?'

'You, Charles, and her friends need to constantly affirm her, and provide her with distractions to keep her mind off of her condition. Once we begin counseling, she will probably need someone to talk to. She seems to depend on you. Are you able to stay in the area for a while?'

'I am between jobs, so I can stay as long as she needs.'

'I believe a month should be sufficient. She is due in two weeks. After the child is born, I will line up a home care nurse for her.'

The doctor was just driving away when a tiny, red sports car buzzed up the driveway and stopped directly in front of Anne. Hugh Musgrove rolled down the passenger's side window and leaned over the seat.

'Louisa sent me to fetch you. She says that you ought to see more than just five minutes of the festival. The dancing is starting up soon, and then there are fireworks...'

'Oh...I don't know.' Anne said, leaning in the open window. 'Mary is sick, and I think I should stay with her...'

'Nonsense.' Charles protested, appearing behind her. 'You haven't been to the festival in years. Go ahead. Mary is sleeping soundly, and probably won't wake until morning.'

Anne tried to protest, but Charles wouldn't hear of her staying behind. She finally agreed to go along, after giving Charles a hug and imploring him to call her cell phone if there was the slightest change in Mary's condition.

'Are they all still there?' She asked Hugh as she fastened her seat belt.

'Oh, yes.' He replied, shifting gears to send the car zooming down the empty country road. 'Everyone's having a great time. The other group is a lot of fun, especially Wentworth. He wasn't very kind to you, though.'

Anne's stomach flip-flopped. 'How is that?'

'Well, I asked if you had changed at all, and he replied, very shortly, that you were so greatly altered that he wouldn't have known you. We tried to dig deeper, but he would have none of it, and completely closed the conversation.'

Anne was devastated. Of course she had changed greatly: working for Mica had done nothing for her looks. She was much paler and thinner than before, and was no longer the sweet, pretty girl that Frederick would remember. Frederick, on the other hand, had become even more handsome. It was obvious that he took care of his body. He seemed taller, broader, and the dark hair seemed to make his blue eyes even more stunning.

'Well, then,' She replied weakly, but in a light tone of voice. 'I am prepared to hate him.'

'I can't imagine you hating anyone.' Hugh laughed. 'And I can't really blame him for shutting us down so completely...after all, Louisa and I did grill him about you. Any man would feel pressured, especially when bothered about a woman he hasn't seen for years.'

The conversation made it clear to Anne that she no longer held any power over Frederick. It helped in a way, because she now knew how to act around him. During the entire car ride, however, her heart raced wildly. Several times, she almost asked Hugh to take her back, but she finally decided that she might as well get this first real meeting over with.

The sun was just beginning to set when they joined the rest of the group. Torches had been lit around the perimeter, illuminating the dance floor and stage as the main act began to warm up. Wine and laughter flowed freely. Frederick was nowhere to be seen. Anne gave a great sigh of relief as she accepted a glass of wine from Michael.

Lindsey invited Anne to sit next to her, giving Michael a significant look.

'We're glad to have you back, Anne. How is Mary?'

'She will be fine.' Anne replied, taking a large sip of her wine. 'Did you have a good time today?'

'We had a great time!' Louisa cried as she came to join them, followed by Frederick. 'Anne, do you remember Frederick Wentworth?'

Their hands barely touched when he reached out to shake her hand. 'Yes...although he is...' She had meant to stun him by using his own cutting response, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words. 'I...barely recognized him with dark hair.' She winced after saying it, because she thought it sounded so stupid.

Frederick's blue eyes met hers with a brief, amused smile. But the moment didn't last, as Louisa handed him a bottle of wine and several glasses. Anne sipped her own wine, trying not to watch Frederick as he so capably poured wine for the rest of the group.

Amanda Russell and Samantha Croft joined the group, seemingly having struck a sort of friendship in the hours since Anne had left.

'Do you like the house?' Anne asked, once again feeling that her speech capabilities had dropped to a second grade level.

'Oh, yes, we are extremely happy with it! We feel so lucky to be in such a beautiful house in such a wonderful part of the country. I am just about as happy now as I have ever been in my life. Because we don't have children, all that I require now is for my dear Dickon to marry and provide me with a few nieces to spoil.'

'Wouldn't he find that difficult, in his current career?' Mrs. Russell interjected, carefully avoiding Anne's gaze.

'Oh, no! He so enjoys the business side of Annapurna that he has pledged to only do one acting project every year. He has a beautiful home in London...'

Anne blushed when she heard this, and was aware that Frederick had glanced quickly in her direction.

Lindsey chuckled, leaning over to whisper in Anne's ear. 'Yes, we heard once we all returned. We got quite a laugh out of it. Michael and I, that is.'

Anne wasn't quite sure how to respond. She wanted to ask about Frederick's reaction, but didn't dare with him so nearby.

'But even one project a year requires a lot of time away, filming and traveling, not to mention any side projects he may do for the company...' Mrs. Russell continued, for some reason determined to prove Frederick's inability to keep a wife happy.

'This is true, but other men bring their wives and girlfriends along.' Samantha replied, smiling at her brother.

'I don't necessarily condone that, Samantha.' Frederick said, handing her a glass of wine. 'It often becomes a distraction. It is terribly disruptive to have young children running around, getting into things.'

'What about Michael? Doesn't he bring Lindsey everywhere?'

'Lindsey is different.' Frederick said, grinning at Lindsey. 'She is more than an asset to us. Sometimes, I think she should be on the Annapurna payroll.'

'He will feel differently about this issue when he is in love.' Samantha said to Mrs. Russell with a smile.

'I'm sorry, but I doubt it. I, for one, do not want anything distracting me on the set. If I direct, as I plan to someday, I will rarely allow families on the set.'

'You just wait until you are married. You will only be happy if your directors allow you to bring your young wife along. Don't look at me like that! Just wait...you will find some girl and fall head over heels for her. You are rich and successful, why shouldn't you start thinking of marriage?'

'Yes, I suppose I could use some company through the long winter months when projects are scarce.' He laughed. 'All I need is a pretty, cheerful girl who is very impressed with me, and who is intelligent, sweet, and kind.' As he spoke, he realized that he was describing the Anne Elliot he used to know, and a slight flush crossed his face. 'Find me a girl like that, and I'll start working on those nieces for you, Samantha.'

'And when you have that beautiful wife and those gorgeous little girls, you'll beg directors to let them travel with you, and come on the set.'

'We're back to that, are we? You married people always presume to know how us singles will behave when we achieve your happy state. Are you so certain that I won't just park my family in a country house and leave them there for months on end while I peruse my career?'

The lights on the stage suddenly flared on, and the band began playing infectious dance music. Frederick rose to his feet. 'Excuse me, Sam, but while I am still single, I can think of more interesting ways to spend my time.' He softened his remark with a delightful smile, then held his hand out to Louisa. 'May I have this dance?'

Amanda Russell quickly excused herself, claiming that she had already stayed longer than she had planned. Hugh Musgrove wandered off with a group of friends. As everyone else had a partner, Anne volunteered to stay behind to watch their things.

She sat, tapping her feet, while the others danced. Occasionally, especially during the slower songs, her eyes brimmed with tears. But she was content enough not to be dancing, so that she could watch unobserved. Hugh had returned to ask her once, but she told him that she was just as happy to sit and listen to the music, freeing him to join some friends from college.

She couldn't help but watch Frederick. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood. His eyes and teeth flashed in the torch light as he laughed and spun Louisa around the floor. He had never looked so handsome or as charming in her memory as he did tonight.

Once, during a slow song, he seemed to be looking at her while he spoke to Louisa. Later, as Hugh brushed through with his friends, Frederick caught him by the elbow. Anne was close enough to read their lips as Frederick asked if Hugh might dance with Anne. Hugh laughed and responded that he had already asked, but it seemed that Anne didn't dance. Frederick's eyes fell on her for a moment, and then he spun Louisa around so that his back was to her.

The night went by quickly. By the time the band finished its last set, the temperature had dropped considerably. Louisa, who was wearing a light summer dress, began to shiver. Frederick was very attentive, and wrapped one of the blankets around her, and rubbed her shoulders. Anne trailed behind, ignoring the tiny pang in her heart as she watched them.

'Did you have a good time?' Lindsey asked Anne.

'Yes, I did.'

"You look awfully tired.'

'I...suppose I am.' Anne replied. She gave Lindsey a hug, then hurried over to Hugh's car.

Louisa reached up to kiss Frederick on the cheek. 'I had a great time.'

'So did I.' He said, handing her into Hugh's car. 'Goodnight, Hugh.' He paused a moment before walking over to one of the open rear windows. 'Goodnight, Anne.'

Lindsey reached back to cover Michael's hand where it rested on the handlebars of her chair. 'We're so lucky.'

'Yes,' Michael said, closing both of his hands around hers as he watched Frederick walk away from the little red car. 'We are.'

Chapter 17

Love and stoplights can be cruel.
~ Sesame Street ~

To: elianne@somerset.net
From: mapeter@annapurna.com
Subject: Annapurna's offer

Dear Anne,

I hope you had a nice weekend. Again, I apologize for having bothered you on Saturday, but I wanted to speak with you as soon my recommendation was accepted.
As promised, I have attached a copy of Annapurna's offer to this message. Please look it over at your leisure and let me know what you think. If you have any hesitations or questions, please let me know, and we will sort them out. I hope that you will join our team. I know that you would be a valuable asset to Annapurna!

Thank you, and have a great week.

Marilyn Peters

'Oh...Charles, look at this!' Anne called, staring at the screen.

Charles took the chair next to her and reached over to enlarge the Adobe Acrobat window. He began to laugh as soon as read the first paragraph of the contract. 'She's right. You can't turn this down.'

'But...they want me to move to London!'

Charles hit the print button. 'Annie, sweetheart, you are young, single, with nothing holding you back. You would be crazy to turn this down.'

'I was miserable at Mica.'

'Mica was a dinosaur. From what I have heard, Annapurna is a well-oiled machine.'

'But my family and friends are here.'

'Think about it.' He pulled the papers from the printer and set them in front of her. 'Anne...just think about it.'

Anne stared silently at the contract without voicing her greatest concern. But Frederick Wentworth works for Annapurna.

Frederick often found himself in Anne's company during the next few weeks. At first he was very aware of her, always wondering how his presence affected her. Whenever they were forced together, he found himself growing cold and aloof. They rarely spoke more than a "hello" or a "goodbye" to each other.

It disturbed Frederick, who thought that he could get along with anyone, that he was handling this situation so badly. Why should he not be able to talk to Anne, the gentlest person on earth? Perhaps it was because he was afraid that he might find himself still in love with her. Certain that he was not, Frederick tried several times to prove it by speaking to Anne. It was apparent, however, that she had no desire to speak to him. She had acquired an uncanny ability to melt into the shadows. Any approach on his part was skillfully parried by Anne. Frederick was often left standing alone after these confrontations, utterly confused as to what had just happened.

Realizing that the likelihood of their ever becoming friends was minuscule, Frederick finally gave up trying to mend fences with Anne. Louisa Muse unwittingly became a welcome distraction.

Frederick had strict personal rules about dating co-stars, but he had heard that Louisa held the same views. He never, therefore, took her flirtatiousness seriously. It was pleasant to befriend a pretty young woman who seemed to greatly enjoy his company, without having to worry about messy emotional consequences. He also saw their friendship as part of his job: he was required to remain on good terms with his co-star until the movie was released. He was, therefore, more than willing to accompany Louisa on whatever little adventures she managed to dig up.

Louisa's latest desire was to track down a celebrity who had recently moved into the area. The house was known, but not the name of its new owner. Louisa recruited everyone but Mary and Anne to head over to Winthrop, as the estate was called. The little party set out from Uppercross just after breakfast, in Charles' shiny new sports car. Anne and Mary stood at the window and watched them leave, then settled down for a quiet morning in the library.

In early afternoon, the two sisters had just sat down to tea when there was a great commotion in the front hall. Hugh, Charles, and Frederick entered first, followed by Louisa and two very tall, very handsome people.

'Henrietta Groves!' Mary gasped, setting her cup on a saucer with a clatter as she stared at the blonde.

'And Charles Hayter.' Louisa shouted, pulling him into the room. 'Of course you know who he is!'

Mary was speechless. Everyone else stood around, laughing and smiling. Anne was struck by the ridiculousness of the situation and, having dealt with enough celebrities in her life, rose to her feet.

'Henrietta...how nice to see you again. Mr. Hayter, I am pleased to meet you.' She shook both of their hands, then asked them to sit. More tea was ordered while chairs were arranged.

It hardly avoided Anne's notice that Frederick was surrounded by females. Henrietta and Louisa had claimed the chairs at his side, and were competing for his attention. Charles Hayter, who had been trying to engage Henrietta in conversation, finally excused himself to refill his plate. He did not return to the small group, instead taking a seat between Charles Musgrove and Anne.

'I thought that I might join some intelligent conversation.' His voice had a slight edge as he stirred his tea.

'Intelligent! I have never heard a word that was not intelligent come from Wentworth's mouth.' Charles responded, glancing towards the group.

'Oh, Wentworth is fine, I am sure. I could hardly tell. The girls were so busy drooling over him that no one had a chance to slip a word in edgewise.'

Anne stole a quick glance towards that end of the room. Indeed, both Henrietta and Louisa were leaning as close to Frederick as the arrangement of their chairs would allow. Frederick was resting back in his chair with an amused, and slightly confused, smile on his face as he glanced between the two animated women.

'Excuse me, Hayter, but I thought that you and Henrietta were...' Charles grinned.

'Oh, we are...sometimes. Henrietta is a butterfly who refuses to be pinned by any man. I've had the good fortune of keeping her in my net longer than others...However, when she sees a handsome young thing like Wentworth...' He trailed off, frowning as Henrietta, laughing, clutched Frederick's arm. 'What do you think of him? Henrietta seems to know him very well.'

'As we were walking over, Frederick told me that they worked together at one time. Weren't they in a movie together?'

'He was an intern on the movie.' Anne corrected.

'Is he...with Louisa?' Charles Hayter asked hopefully.

'No...they are going to be co-stars in a movie. However, I believe that Louisa is hoping for more. Frederick seems to enjoy her company. I think that it would be a good match.'

Charles Musgrove's answer did not seem to entirely satisfy Charles Hayter. He sat in silence for a while, glowering across the room as the competition between Henrietta and Louisa became even more heated. Finally, his agitation reached a head, and he leaped to his feet.

'Please excuse me, Miss Elliot, Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove. I...just remembered that I have business to take care of at home. I hope to see you again soon.' And he was gone.

That evening, Louisa had arranged for everyone to meet at a local pub. Anne arrived at the same time as Hugh Musgrove.

'Hugh, aren't you a bit young?'

'Not in London.' He grinned.

'But we're not in London.'

'Would you rather wait alone?' He teased. 'Besides, they won't ask...here.'

'You are a troublemaker.' She smiled. 'Very well, you can keep me company...but you must promise not to touch anything alcoholic.'

'Scout's honor.' He replied. 'Can I get you something?'

Hugh returned some time later with Anne's lemonade, and a Coke for himself.

'Have you seen Lou with that Wentworth guy?'

'Yes...it's nice that they are becoming friends.' Anne said slowly.

'Friends! Well, that's one way of putting it.'

They sipped their drinks in silence for a while. Anne felt awkward sitting in a bar with a twenty-year-old. She began to fidget as the minutes ticked by. Hugh disappeared, returning a few minutes later with another lemonade for Anne and a pitcher of Coke for himself.

'Do you think they went to another place?'

'No, Louisa is always late everywhere she goes.'

Anne nodded. She was bad enough with men, but was clueless as to a subject that would interest this college frat boy. 'Why did Louisa change her name?'

'To Muse? Because it is much more romantic than Musgrove. It has done her well over the years...men like having their very own muse.' He laughed at his joke, but stopped when he saw that it had not amused Anne. 'Henrietta did the same...to Groves.'

'She is related to you?'

'Distantly. She is a third-cousin once removed or something like that. I've never really tried to sort it out.'

'Why did Charles never mention it to me?'

'I don't think he had ever met her before. Maybe he didn't even know, or care, about the connection.'

By this time, nearly an hour had passed. Anne began to get concerned. 'I hope nothing has happened to them.'

Hugh pulled a cell phone from his pocket. 'Oh, I didn't hear it ring.' Anne rolled her eyes as he checked his messages. 'Louisa. Charles Musgrove's conference call went later than planned. She and Henrietta are waiting for him to finish changing.'

'Oh. Did she say anything about the rest?'

'No. They must be on their way.' He emptied the rest of the pitcher into his glass and ordered another. 'Would you like to dance?'

'Oh, no, thank you.' She looked at him closely. 'Hugh...is there more than just Coke in that glass?'

He drained half of his glass in one gulp. 'Well...there is ice...'

She slid the glass from his grip and raised it to her nose. 'Hugh...' She said, warningly.

Just then, the door opened again. Frederick Wentworth looked surprised to see Anne alone with Hugh. He nodded and greeted them, then went to the bar to order a drink. Returning to their table, he took the farthest stool from Anne's.

Hugh sat slightly crooked on his stool. 'Hiya, Wentworth.'

'Hello, Hugh.' Frederick glanced in Anne's direction. 'Hello. Where is everyone?'

'Louisa, Henrietta, and Charles Musgrove are on their way.'

'Oh.' Frederick shifted awkwardly on his stool. 'Linds and Michael are staying in tonight.'

Hugh's second pitcher arrived, but Anne was too busy avoiding Frederick's glance to notice.

The next person to enter was Charles Hayter. Anne heard a few people at the bar shout: 'Hey, isn't that...' as he walked by. Hayter, obviously in a miserable mood, ignored them and headed straight for the table. He looked a little upset to see Frederick Wentworth. He sat next to Anne, pretending to watch the band as an excuse to turn his back to Frederick.

'Hello, Hayter.' Frederick called.

'Oh, hello Wentworth.' Charles Hayter muttered over his shoulder.

'Are you OK?' Anne asked Hayter, glancing quickly at Frederick.

'Fine.' He muttered, closing the conversation.

After being so deliberately cut by Charles Hayter, Frederick excused himself to use the washroom.

Between Hayter and Frederick, Anne had forgotten about Hugh. She was startled, therefore, when he suddenly grabbed her arm, laughing.

'Annie, my dear, you refused to dance with me at the festival. You must tonight.'

'Hugh, please!' Anne protested.

But Hugh would have none of it. He pulled Anne's glass from her hand, sloshing lemonade onto the table, and yanked her to her feet. 'You're much better looking without these.' He said, pulling her glasses from her face.

'Hugh, you're drunk.' Anne cried furiously, trying to retrieve her glasses from him. 'You promised...scout's honor, you said.'

'Never was a scout.' He slurred. 'C'mon, Anne.' He clamped an arm around her waist. 'Dance with me.'

'Leave her alone, Hugh.' Hayter shouted. But Hugh just pulled Anne closer, making her terribly embarrassed and uncomfortable. It didn't help at all that the other patrons of the pub were watching and laughing.

Suddenly, Anne found herself free of Hugh's embrace. She stumbled slightly, and felt a firm hand on her back, steadying her. Closing her eyes, she sank onto a stool. Opening them a few seconds later, she saw that Charles Hayter was looking at her queerly, but he had apparently not moved from his stool. Frederick Wentworth was holding Hugh by the arm, and was leading him to the door.

Anne stared after them in shock, watching through the glass doors as Frederick handed Hugh into a taxi and leaned through the window to give cash and directions to the driver. She was so undone that she could not speak when he returned. In fact, he seemed determined to avoid her gratitude, for he passed straight by the table, to head for the bar. Anne closed her eyes as the small breeze caused by his passing touched her face.

Just then, Louisa, Henrietta, and Charles Musgrove arrived. Anne used the commotion the bar patrons made at their arrival to escape to the restroom, where she cried her heart out. Then, a few minutes later, she corrected the damage to her face, and rejoined the group. She blended silently into the background as Henrietta pulled Frederick out onto the dance floor.

Chapter 18

Posted on Thursday, 4 October 2001

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hurt.
~ Max Lerner~

The country surrounding Uppercross was stunning in the fall. Sugar maples made up a majority of the forest, painting the hillside every color from soft gold to fiery red. Brilliant autumn colors slid across the glassy surface of Sandpiper Lake as the sun slipped low on the horizon. The cool, crisp air carried the scents of apples and dried leaves. Uppercross was the perfect haven to escape the stresses of big city life.

Other than Kellynch itself, Uppercross was Anne's favorite retreat. She had spent many early autumn evenings over the years walking the hillside as the sinking sun shone straight through the leaves, intensifying the colors until they were almost unbearably beautiful. A visit to the Musgroves' estate rarely failed to work its magic on Anne's spirit.

This time, however, it was different. She had left Mica only to find her soul buffeted with another sort of storm in the arrival of Frederick Wentworth. Uppercross was simply too peaceful to provide Anne with any sort of refuge from her turbulent thoughts. She was able to put on a calm, aloof front in Frederick's presence, but she left each confrontation completely drained and exhausted. By the end of three weeks, she felt near collapse.

Every day spent in Frederick's company reminded her of what she had so carelessly tossed aside. He had gained the confident and relaxed manner that came from knowing exactly where he stood in the world. He sparkled in conversation, where his quick, intelligent mind found a clever response for every topic. His once boyish face had become firmer, his body stronger, and his voice had become deeper and softer. If possible, his eyes were an even more bewitching blue. It did not help at all that he had exceeded everyone's expectations, and had proved Amanda Russell completely wrong. Frederick Wentworth, the adult, was a hundred times more appealing than Dickon, the boy ever could have been.

Everyone in Anne's circle of friends was completely taken with Frederick, especially since he had so capably taken care of Hugh two nights ago at the pub. Even Mary and Charles brought his name up at least once during every conversation. As a result, Anne found herself escaping to the countryside more than ever. The forested hillside was the only place in Uppercross she did not associate with Frederick Wentworth. Anne's daily walks were the only times she truly felt free.

Anne returned to Uppercross Cottage late on Sunday afternoon to find Louisa and Frederick waiting in the parlor. Although the two actors had been discussed dozens of times at the Cottage over the weekend, Anne had not seen them since the incident.

When Anne entered the room, Frederick was staring out of the window while Louisa prepared two cups of tea.

'I can't believe the countryside around here. I've never seen such brilliant color...' Frederick mused, leaning against the window frame.

'Have you been here long?' Anne asked, removing her coat. 'Charles took Mary to the clinic for an appointment...'

Frederick glanced around at the sound of her voice, but since Anne was not directly addressing him, he returned his attention to the countryside.

'We've just arrived.' Louisa said, walking over to hand a cup of tea to Frederick. He thanked her quietly, then took a chair by the fireplace.

'By the way...did you hear that Henrietta and Charles eloped?' Louisa asked, handing a cup to Anne before she began to pour another.

'No!' Anne's surprise was visible as she and Louisa joined Frederick by the fire.

'Yes! Charles was so jealous of Frederick that he tried to start a fight with him after you left on Friday night. He commanded Frederick to meet him outside, and stomped off. Frederick refused to fight, sending Henrietta instead. After a while, they began to shout at each other so loudly that we could hear them inside! We were all so worried that we went outside, but by then they were-'

'I'm sure Anne doesn't need you to go into that much detail...' Frederick interjected, grinning.

'Anyway, when they came up for air, they didn't even notice us as they leaped into a taxi. Henrietta sent a message over to me this morning to say that we won't be seeing them for a while, because they've gone off to get married. It's finally a case of true love winning out in the end, isn't it?' Louisa asked, beaming.

Anne stared at her feet, blushing.

Frederick coughed, setting his teacup aside. 'I've come to say goodbye...to all of you.' He added awkwardly, as if he did not want Anne to think he had come just for her. 'I promised Mr. Hassan that I would stop by Mica during my hiatus in the States.'

'Oh...it's a shame that you couldn't stay longer.' Anne said softly, and somewhat insincerely.

Frederick gave her a small frown. 'Three weeks is longer than I intended...but it has been nice...' He trailed off, unconsciously fidgeting with the collar of Anne's jacket, which rested on the chair next to him.

'I'm leaving soon, too. Annapurna has offered to help me find an apartment, and they have several for me to view. I've already put it off longer than I should have...but I had a nice distraction.' Louisa said with a smile in Frederick's direction.

'Do you have a roommate yet?' Anne asked, trying very hard not to look at Frederick.

'No...I wish I did, though. I am afraid of paying rent as a single occupant. If you take the job at Annapurna, perhaps we could room together!'

'When are Mary and Charles due back?' Frederick interrupted gently, recognizing the trapped look in Anne's eyes.

'They only left for the city an hour ago. I doubt they will be back before six.' Anne replied, giving Frederick a small, grateful, smile.

'I only have twenty minutes...my plane leaves from Boston in two hours.' Suddenly realizing that he had been playing with Anne's coat, Frederick dropped his hands guiltily to his lap. 'Will you please tell Charles and Mary that I stopped by, and wish them well on the birth of their child?'

'Yes, of course.'

'It's been...nice...seeing you again, Anne.' He said slowly, holding a hand out to her.

Anne stared at him for a moment before slipping her hand into his. It was a peace offering, she supposed. 'Yes, you too, Frederick. Please...take care of yourself.'

'You too...Anne. Perhaps we will meet again...at Annapurna.'

'Goodbye, Anne.' Louisa said, slipping an arm around Anne's shoulders.

Having completely forgotten Louisa's existence, Anne flushed guiltily as she dropped Frederick's hand to hug her.

After Frederick and Louisa left, Anne realized that she had been holding her breath. She let it out in a deep sigh, and sank into a chair. She felt completely defeated, but also completely relieved. He was gone, and she was free. She felt as if her bones had melted, and her muscles had all turned to feathers. It felt marvelous. She thought she even smelled peaches.

'Would you like some pie?'

Anne opened her eyes to see Hugh standing in front of her with two steaming pieces of peach pie.

'It's a peace offering. I'm leaving for college, and I didn't want to leave with you still thinking I was an idiot college boy who goes around hitting on older women. It would make my weekends home really strange.'

Anne groaned, sagging back in her chair. She closed her eyes, dragging a hand across her face. 'I really need to get out of here.'

The neighborhood seemed terribly empty that next week. Lindsey and Michael had flown back to London, and the Crofts were attending a conference for retired navy officers. Charles and Mary were, understandably, preoccupied as Mary's due date approached. Left to her self, Anne had plenty of time to come to a decision about her future. All roads pointed towards Annapurna.

Annapurna's offer was truly incredible, and Anne could not justify turning it down just because she had a romantic past with one of the company's employees. Frederick's presence had been overwhelming, but that was only because it was the first time she had seen him in eight years. It was bound to get easier. There would also be many more distractions in London...and with Frederick's filming schedule, there was a chance that they would rarely meet. Frederick had been aloof, but very gentle with Anne, and she could not believe that he would make things difficult for her.

Anne would never admit to herself that one reason she finally decided to take the position was the fear that, if she did not take the job, Frederick would slip out of her life as completely as he had eight years ago.

Once the decision was made, Anne started to look forward to the move. She had spent enough time in stagnant waters. It was time to start living again. London would be a brand new world.

Marilyn was extremely pleased to hear from Anne. She had been so confident of Anne's acceptance that plans were already in place. In fact, Anne learned that she was only one of nearly a dozen people who would be starting at Annapurna sometime within the next month. The human resources department had quite a few activities planned to welcome the new hires, and to make their transition as smooth as possible. Anne hung up the phone very excited to begin, knowing that she had made the right choice.

Mary went into labor an hour after Anne gave Annapurna her decision.

Charles was completely useless, and nearly drove Mary crazy. When Mary's time came near, he was so distraught that his attitude began to rub off on his wife. The doctor commanded Charles to go outside for ten minutes to calm down. Anne replaced him in the delivery room, and held Mary's hand while she screamed at the doctors to put her under.

The doctor obviously wished that it were Anne, and not her high-strung sister, who was in labor.

'You will be perfectly fine, Mary. I promise. The pain is normal, and I can't do anything more about it than we already have. I can't knock you out because we need your help to deliver this little guy.' He turned to Anne. 'I think it's time for Charles to return.'

Charles came back just as the doctor caught the first glimpse of the baby. He took one look and was promptly sick. Anne and the doctor exchanged amused grins as a nurse set about taking care of the new father.

Walter Elliot Musgrove was born just after dinner. Charles collapsed into a chair next to the bed, and soon began snoring. The baby was taken away to go through all of its "welcome to earth" procedures. By the time he was finally returned to the recovery room, Mary had also fallen asleep. Anne held her sleeping nephew for over an hour. She was just falling asleep herself when Mary woke up.

'Is he awake?' Mary asked weakly.

'Yes, but he's awfully drowsy. Do you want to hold him?'

'No, I'm too tired and sore.'

Anne tucked the blanket closer around the baby. 'He's a handsome little man. He is going to be a heartbreaker, just like his father.'

'Heartbreaker!' Mary snorted. 'If he is going to go to Harvard, like his father, he will need to keep his priorities in line. No frivolous flirtations for him...they only bring the grades down.'

'I'm sure he will be fine.' Anne laughed. 'You have at least fifteen years before you have to start worrying about girls.'

Mary smiled dreamily. 'And then, after he's successful and settled, we will find him a charming, wealthy girl. It will be perfect.'

Anne gazed down at the baby, smiling as he wrapped a tiny hand around her finger. 'As long as he is happy.'

'Will you do me a favor, Anne? Call Rachel and tell her that we will need her to begin on Monday. You can also make your arrangements, too, now that I've had the baby.'

'Sure.' Anne said slowly, rising to her feet as the nurse returned to collect the baby. She had planned all along to leave once the baby was born, but after all of the time she had spent caring for her sister, she had expected a somewhat warmer dismissal. 'Do you want to call Father, Elizabeth, and Amanda?'

'No...' Mary sank back into the pillows and closed her eyes wearily. 'Knowing Liz and Dad, they will not care at all, or will interrupt my every word. Amanda will have a million questions. I have no energy to deal with any of them. Can you call for me?'

'Of course.' She reached out to squeeze her sister's hand. 'I'm sure that they will all be thrilled and extremely proud of you. I know I am.'

Chapter 19

Posted on Thursday, 11 October 2001

Stranger, if you passing meet me and desire to speak to me, why should you not speak to me? And why should I not speak to you?
~Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass~

A brisk gust of wind, laced with the first snow of the season, shot straight down Frederick's collar as he climbed from the car. He grinned as he turned his collar up against the cold. Another week and he would be in southern Italy, praying for cool breezes.

Arriving at the Mica offices half an hour early, Frederick was surprised to find the conference room entirely full. He had to charm a chair from a secretary in the main office. When he returned to the room, two people moved to make space at the table for him. Frederick gave them a smile as he rolled his chair between them.

'Why is everyone here on time today?' He asked, removing his coat.

'It's the last Friday of the month.' the man on Frederick's left replied, as if it explained everything.

Frederick gave him a blank gaze and, when he received no response, turned to the elegant, silver-hared woman on his right. She smiled.

'They bring in a catered meal. Apparently, it is one of Annapurna's tools to placate Mica's disgruntled employees.' She gave an arch smile to the gentleman Frederick had first spoken to. 'Actually, it is rather splendid.'

'You must have come from Annapurna, then. You don't seem at all disgruntled.' Frederick commented by way of starting a conversation.

'Last day, Mr. Wentworth?' The man on Frederick's left asked in a not-so-friendly voice.

'Yes...I fly back to London tomorrow.' Frederick replied politely, trying to catch sight of the name printed on the gentleman's briefcase.

'Are we so insignificant that we're only worth a week's visit?' The man asked, eyes flashing.

One disgruntled Mica employee... 'Quite the opposite, I assure you, Mr. Roberts. During my month-long holiday, I visited my sister in Somerset. Because I was going to be in the area, Mr. Hassan asked me to visit Mica.'

'He sent you to check up on us?' Mr. Roberts asked, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his ample belly.

'In a way. Mr. Hassan wants to make sure that everything is going smoothly. He has the greatest confidence in Matt Marshall's team...but it never hurts to make sure. Do you have a specific concern that I can take back to him, Mr. Roberts?'

The man backed off, muttering to himself, as the caterers entered with a cart of steaming plates. There was a general chaos as everyone filled their plates. Once they were settled and silently eating, Matt Marshall entered.

'Good morning, everyone. I apologize for making you wait. I had a telephone call from Annapurna.' He tossed a three-ring binder and several notebooks on the table. 'Before we begin, I would like to thank Frederick Wentworth for spending the week with us. Together, we have identified several areas where we can still use some help from our mother company. Frederick is going to be our advocate at Annapurna's staff meeting on Monday.'

He walked over to shake Frederick's hand. 'We wish you well on your next film. It sounds like you will soon be too busy, and too famous, to visit us anymore.'

Frederick grinned and murmured an appropriately humble and witty response.

'Also, for those of you who travel back and forth between Mica and Annapurna, I have received a list of Annapurna's newest employees: Elena Anderson, Caroline Aselton, and Marcus Dalton are joining the marketing team. Yolanda Enger is the new locations manager. Some of you might remember Anne Elliot. She was Mica's attorney during the merger process...'

Frederick allowed himself a small, celebratory smile while Marshall continued to read the rest of the names on the list.

'Now, on to business...' There was a collective groan as Marshall flipped a notebook open to reveal the meeting's agenda.

Frederic called Marilyn Peters immediately after the meeting. 'It went quite well, actually. There is still a little animosity between the old employees and the new ones...but nothing Matt can't handle.' He paused, grinning. 'By the way, you've made the right decision in hiring Anne Elliot. I'm sure of it.'

'I think so, too. Thank you for reminding me how well she did at Mica. It would have taken a unique person, indeed, to so calmly and skillfully sort out the mess Mica had gotten itself into.'

'Anne is a unique person.' He agreed.

'You seem to know her well.'

Frederick frowned. 'I have great confidence in her abilities...but I'm not sure I can claim to know her well at all. I did see quite a lot of her while I was visiting my sister...but we did not speak much.'

'I'm sure that she will be glad to have a friend here.'

Frederick sighed, leaning back in his chair to gaze out of the window. 'Can you do me a favor, Marilyn? Don't mention that I had anything to do with this. I would rather just you and I know.'

The wind whipped past, carrying snowflakes so light that they would never last on the ground. Anne buttoned her wool coat against the unusually cold October weather, wishing she had thought to carry her gloves.

'You could have waited inside.' Charles said, jogging towards her. 'I didn't drop you off at the curb to make you stand outside in the cold.'

'I will be breathing filtered air for hours once I board the plane...I wanted one last breath of America.'

Charles grinned. 'You always were such a sentimentalist.'

Anne shrugged, glancing around. 'Any sign of them? Liz said that she would meet us here...'

'I haven't seen them. They must have been delayed.'

'Well...should we go check my baggage?' Anne asked as she bent to grab the handle of her Pullman. Charles took charge of Anne's other two bags and led her towards the check-in area.

They waited in a small coffee shop for Anne's father and older sister. It was nearly an hour before Anne's cell phone rang.

Where are you?

Shouldn't I be asking you that question? Anne thought angrily as she gave her sister directions from the main entrance to the café.

Walter and Elizabeth Elliot arrived ten minutes later. 'You could have told us it was next to the Grill. I would have known, then.'

'Well...you found it.' Anne said, rising to her feet. 'Hello, Liz, Dad.'

Walter looked around him for a chair, finally stealing one from a nearby table, ignoring the occupants' protests that someone was sitting there. Elizabeth left to order a dairy-free, fat-free latté.

'I can't believe you turned Arnold's offer down.' Walter said by way of a greeting.

'I had no desire to spend my days at a chemical factory, no matter how well they would have paid me. In fact, Annapurna's offer left Arnold's in the dust.' Anne replied. 'Besides, I have experience with production companies...'

'Elizabeth has a new job.' Walter said, smiling, as Elizabeth rejoined them.

'I am senator Westin's Personal Image Consultant.'

'What on earth is that?' Charles asked, choking on his beer.

'I tell him which suit and tie to wear for every occasion, which people he should and shouldn't be seen talking to, what entrée to order, what women he can and cannot dance with...things like that.'

'That's ridiculous!' Charles snorted. 'I've never heard of such a thing.'

'It is very important for high-ranking officials to maintain a good public image...especially if they plan to run for President!' Elizabeth said smugly, scooping the foam from the top of her latté.

Anne rose to her feet suddenly. 'My plane boards in half an hour. I'd better head towards the gate.'

They said goodbye at the security check-in. Anne hugged Charles first.

'Thank you so much for coming with. Say goodbye to Mary again for me, and give Wally a kiss.'

'I will. Take care of yourself Anne.' He lowered his voice so that only Anne could hear it. 'No matter what they say, you've made the right decision. Have fun!'

Anne squeezed him tightly before turning to hug her sister. 'Goodbye, Elizabeth. Enjoy your new job. Thank you for driving all the way up here to see me off.'

'We were coming here anyway...daddy has a meeting at Harvard tomorrow.'

'Oh...' Anne forced a smile. 'Well, thank you for coming to the airport, then.' Elizabeth barely returned Anne's embrace before stepping back.

Walter held out his hand to his middle daughter. 'Remember, Anne, call Arnold when you've had your fill of this movie business.'

Anne shook her father's hand. 'Thank him again for me, but I probably won't be calling. I appreciate the thought, though.' Unable to leave without hugging her father, Anne slipped her arms around his neck.

Walter patted her back awkwardly. 'Fine, fine...Let me know if you need some money...'

Anne stepped back, smiling sadly. It was a very little thing, but it was the closest her father ever got to saying he loved her.

Anne had traveled overseas enough to know that booking a first class ticket was the only way to sleep semi-comfortably. It also had the added bonus of being the first area seated. The plane was still relatively empty when Anne boarded, so she leaned her seat back and took a book out to read while she waited for take-off.

'Anne! I heard you took the job. Are you heading over already?' Louisa Musgrove asked with a bright smile as she stuffed a small bag into an overhead compartment.

'Louisa!' Anne exclaimed, moving over so Louisa could take the seat next to her. 'I had nothing better to do in Uppercross...Mary has a nanny and a nurse now. I thought that I might as well start right away.'

'Frederick and I have the two seats in front of you. Isn't this funny?'

'Frederick? Isn't he supposed to be in Boston with Mica? And I thought you were flying to London last week to look at apartments.'

'Frederick only had a week at Mica. I didn't want to fly alone, so I decided to wait a week so that I could hook up with him. Annapurna will hold the apartments until I get a chance to look at them. You will get your pick of them too, unless you want to live with me!'

'Anne! What are you doing here?'

Frederick looked very tall next to the overhead compartments. He ducked under them to lean on the back of the seat in front of Louisa.

'I am going to meet with Marilyn Peters...'

'That's right, I heard you took the job. Congratulations!' He grinned, holding out his hand.

'Thank you.' She shook his hand briefly.

'Excuse me.' Frederick moved into his seat to let a good-looking, dark-haired gentleman in his early thirties pass. As the man walked by, he happened to glance down at Anne. He paused for a moment, smiled, then continued down the aisle.

'He was checking you out!' Louisa cheered.

Anne tried to quiet her, embarrassed. 'He was probably looking at the seat number above my head. My seat companion hasn't come yet...'

'That was a checkout if ever I saw one! Wasn't it, Frederick?'

He shrugged. 'I wasn't looking. We should probably take our seats...they've just shut the doors.'

'If your seat mate doesn't show up, I'll move back later so that we can talk.' Louisa promised.

Frederick let Louisa have the window seat in front of Anne so that he could stretch his long legs into the aisle. Anne could just barely see his profile through the crack between the seats.

'I forgot to tell you that I heard from Henrietta today.' Louisa told Frederick as she fastened her seat belt.

'What did she have to say?' He asked, smiling at the stewardess as she handed him the gift bags the airline gave to its first class passengers.

'She is deliriously happy. She thanked me for making her go outside to Charles Hayter that night.' Louisa said as she began to dig through her gift bag. She pulled out a small package. 'I'll trade you my shoe shine kit for your lip gloss.'

'Oh, it was you who talked her into it?' There was laughter in Frederick's voice as he handed his gift bag to Louisa.

'It may have been your idea, but she was ashamed of her behavior, and didn't want to talk to him. I told her that she would lose him if she didn't go after him. It would have been silly for her to throw him away just because she was nervous. Don't you agree?' She asked, dumping the contents of Frederick's bag out in her lap so that she could find the lip gloss.

'I agree that she would have made a tremendous mistake by not following him. Henrietta is very careless with her heart.' Frederic murmured, helping Louisa clean up her mess. 'It was obvious to me that she was in love with Hayter, but she sure didn't show it. To lose him because she was too embarrassed to ask his forgiveness is unthinkable! To risk your happiness and the happiness of others because you are weak...it is unforgivable! She was lucky to have your friendship.' Frederick ended hotly.

'Thank you.' Louisa replied in a very pleased voice. 'I never would have thought that Henrietta Groves, the screen siren, could be weak or afraid...she has men falling at her feet.'

'You have all the confidence and strength of spirit, while she has all appearance of it. Most yielding characters like Henrietta cannot be truly happy. Henrietta's case, I hope, is an exception because of your influence.' He paused as the stewardess began her seat belt routine, then continued in a lowered voice. 'You, Louisa, are sure to find happiness because you are brave enough to seek it out. I am confident that you will be as beautiful, bright, and happy when you are ninety as you are now, if you keep your fortitude and strength of mind. Don't ever sell your happiness short merely to save your pride or to please others.'

Anne closed her eyes, heartily wishing that she had taken a seat in coach. She pushed the call button. If she had to stay in this seat, at least she could ask for headphones to block out Louisa and Frederick's voices. Otherwise, the flight would be torture.

'Speaking of losing happiness because you are weak...I feel so sorry for my poor cousin Charles.'

'Why is that?' Frederick asked.

Louisa lowered her voice, obviously thinking that Anne would not overhear. 'He was in love with Anne.'

Frederick said nothing.

'He even proposed to her.'

'What?' Frederick asked in a shocked whisper. 'And she refused him? When was this?'

'About five years ago, and only once. He never asked again. They broke up pretty soon after that. If he was braver, I think he could have had her. It would have been best for him...Charles once had such potential. Now, he is a shell of what he was even three years ago. Mary is a nice girl, but she is too frail and too high-strung. Charles is the kind of man who needs an organized, energetic, devoted woman behind him to push him to success. Mary is too wrapped up in herself.'

'Why did she refuse him?'

'No one knows. They were great friends; they still are. He was very much in love...we all thought it was a great match. Anne's friend, Amanda Russell, has too much influence in her life. She was very upset that Anne and Charles lived together for a while. Perhaps she did something to break them up. I don't know...but it's the only reason I can think of.'

'Perhaps Anne didn't-' Frederick started suddenly, and turned to glance between the seats. 'I forgot that she was behind us. I hope that she didn't hear...'

Anne pretended to be sleeping as she peered at Frederick's worried face through her eyelashes. Her heart was pounding so hard that she was afraid to breathe.

A stewardess dropped a pair of headphones into the seat next to Anne. She pretended to wake slowly, then put the headphones on in time to catch the beginning of an in-flight movie.

Any higher feelings Frederick had held for Anne had obviously died. Frederick thought her weak and careless. He had not forgiven her, and was disgusted by others who acted similarly. He greatly admired Louisa and had given her such compliments that some would think him in love. However, Frederick's curiosity about Anne's relationship with Charles, and his concern at the possibly that she might have overheard, confused Anne. Deeply disturbed, she stared blindly at the screen as the movie flashed by.

Early the next morning, Anne drifted in and out of sleep, eternally grateful that no passenger had come to claim the seat next to hers. There were a few sounds in the cabin as other passengers began to stir. The gray light that filtered through the edges of the window shades gradually brightened. After several minutes of trying unsuccessfully to get comfortable, Anne decided to use the bathroom before more people woke.

She stumbled slightly getting out of her seat as the plane went through some turbulence. A hand reached out to steady her, and she found herself staring into Frederick's blue eyes. His hair was rumpled, and it looked like he hadn't slept all night. He gave her a tired smile, removing his hand from her elbow as soon as she had regained her footing.

Anne nodded, then continued on without speaking. Reaching the bathroom, she locked the door behind her, and sat down dizzily on the closed lid of the toilet for a moment. Frederick may not have forgiven her for being so careless with him, but he did not hate her. He had shown, once again, that he cared for her safety. His smile, though tired, had been friendly. He no longer loved her, but he apparently felt some sort of friendship towards her.

Anne's resulting emotions were so overpowering that she sat in the bathroom until someone banged rudely on the door. She quickly used the toilet, splashed her face with cool water, and brushed her teeth. Giving a weak smile to the glowering women waiting in line, she made her way back to her seat.

Louisa was up now, and the blinds had been raised. Frederick must have also made a trip to the bathroom because his hair was damp. Both of them were eating breakfast. Anne greeted them wearily, and sank into her seat just as two gentlemen came up behind her.

'Wentworth! We thought that was you!' One of them said, grinning.

'Harville and Benwick!' Frederick cried, shaking their hands vigorously. 'We've been on this plane...how many hours? And I didn't see you?'

'We came in just before they closed the door. We are on the other side, at the front.' Said the man called Harville, who quite obviously needed the support of the chair in front of Frederick. 'Ned, here, saw you when you got up to use the W/C.'

'Have a seat, Dick.' Frederick said, pointing to the seat opposite. 'Is the altitude bothering your leg?'

'I'm an old man.' He laughed, sinking into the seat.

A stewardess came by to ask the other man to sit down.

'You can sit here.' Anne said to him, moving her bag off of the seat next to her.

'Thank you. I'm Ned Benwick.'

'Anne Elliot.' She replied, shaking his hand.

'I'm sorry.' Frederick said, laughing. 'I forget my manners on an airplane. Ned, Dick, meet Anne Elliot and Louisa Musgrove, both new employees of Annapurna. Anne, Louisa, meet Edward Benwick and Richard Harville. Ned is an incredible tenor, and Harville has the broadest range for a bass I have ever heard. They are among the most snobbish actors...they refuse to do anything that does not involve a stage and a life audience. '

'That's not true...we've been corrupted as you were. We're joining you on Twelfth Night.'

'And to think that at the beginning Hassan and we had such disdain for the screen. How did he convince the two of you? A harem in your hotel suite?'

The two men chuckled and tossed good-natured insults back in Frederick's direction. Eventually, rather separated from Frederick and Louisa by the high seat-backs, Anne and Edward Benwick fell into an easy conversation. In some ways, he reminded Anne of herself. There was something reflective in his eyes and a certain sadness in his smile she could identify with.

They discussed news and books until the plane landed at Heathrow. Harville and Benwick accompanied them to the baggage claim, and then outside to find taxis.

The air held a chill, but it was not quite as bitter as the wind in Boston. Everyone put their warm coats back on, and Anne dug her gloves out of her suitcase. There was quite a long line of people waiting for taxis, so they had to stand outside for quite a while.

While they were talking, the tall, dark-haired stranger from their plane passed by. He stopped, giving Anne a frankly admiring glance and a wide smile, before continuing on to the car rental desk.

'I don't think you can deny it now, Anne.' Louisa said, laughing.

Anne gave her a small smile, avoiding Frederick's gaze. Perhaps I'm not so pale and plain after all..

Harville and Benwick demanded to be let in on the joke. They both agreed that the gentleman had certainly seemed to be interested in Anne.

'You should go ask his name and number!' Louisa cried, pointing to where he stood in line.

'He could have been just as interested in stealing my wallet.' Anne murmured, embarrassed.

'Not with a coat that fine. You're just too shy, Anne. He obviously liked the way you look...'

Frederick took a long glance at Anne's face. Her cheeks and nose were pink from the cool air, and her eyes were bright. She seemed to be hiding a pleased smile. A brief image of Anne as a twenty-year-old girl flashed into Frederick's mind, and he found himself thinking that she hadn't changed quite as much as he had first thought.

'Go after him!'

'Too late.' Anne said with a mock frown. 'He's getting into the parking lot shuttle.'

'Just wait...' Louisa was unable to stop the shuttle, but she did go to the rental window. She returned with a smug smile.

'William Elliot from Boston, Massachusetts, employee of Annapurna Pictures!'

'William Elliot?!' Anne and Frederick exclaimed at the same time. They gave each other a strange glance, then Frederick gestured for Anne to speak first.

'A young attorney named William Elliot used to work at my father's tax firm in Boston. I wonder...'

'He was hired the same time you were, Anne.' Frederick added with an ironic smile. 'You are going to be in his orientation group.'

Louisa, Benwick, and Harville began to laugh. 'It should make life much more interesting. To think that you already have an admirer at Annapurna, and you haven't even started work yet!'

'Nothing will come of it.' Anne interrupted quietly.

William Elliot had left Walter Elliot's firm on very bad terms. They spent a lot of money training him and sending him to conferences and workshops, but he left as soon as he had enough experience. He had terribly insulted the Elliot firm, and charmed some of Walter's best clients over to the next firm he joined. It took Walter several years to woo those clients back.

Elizabeth's blatant interest in William may have been a major factor in both his decision to leave, and in the bad feelings he left behind, but it did not excuse his behavior towards the firm.

The group finally reached the front of the taxi line. Benwick and Harville secured Frederick's promise to meet them for drinks sometime during the week, and to bring Anne and Louisa. After they were gone, Frederick turned to the girls.

'I don't want to let you go off alone...we can share a cab.'

'I thought Annapurna would send a car for you.' Louisa said, grinning.

'Well...it's a Sunday, and the driver has the day off.' Frederick said, slightly embarrassed. He opened the back door of the taxi for the girls.

When he found out that Louisa and Anne were both staying in a hotel until they could find apartments, Frederick was upset.

'They should have found you homes to stay in. I have more than enough room...as Anne knows.' He said with an impish grin in her direction.

Anne blushed. 'No...I don't think that would be wise. You have work to do before you start filming. I don't want to intrude.'

Louisa hesitated for a moment before answering. 'I suppose I agree with Anne...We both have rooms at the Ritz. Have you stayed there before, Anne?' Anne nodded. 'Well, I haven't. If I was staying anywhere else, I would have jumped at the chance, Frederick, but I want to feel like a movie star, even if I am not one yet.'

Frederick talked with the girls while the bellhops loaded their luggage onto carts. When it was time to leave, he took both of their hands.

'Have a nice stay. I hope to see both of you tomorrow.'

Louisa dimpled and squeezed his hand in both of hers. Anne gave him a small smile, then turned to follow the bell boy up to her room, leaving Frederick and Louisa to say goodbye however they desired.

Continued In Next Section