Chapter Text
Which of the two sisters was preferred by Captain Wentworth was as yet doubtful, when a letter from Shropshire should alter the focus of the entire company for some time. Edward Wentworth, so he wrote to his brothers and sister in a rather humorous fashion, had had quite enough of waiting for his siblings to follow his invitation to witness his marital bliss and had instead decided to come to Somerset, along his new wife Isabella. They wished to be put up at Kellynch, of course, and should stay for two weeks at the least and as circumstance allowed, longer. A second consideration, the letter revealed, had also weighed into the decision. Isabella’s brother was to come for business into Crewkerne and they should like to meet with him there, staying in town for a few days. Of that, however, Sophia would not hear. A coaching inn in an unfamiliar town could hardly provide the backdrop a fraternal meeting after many months warranted, and so instead the young man was invited to Kellynch to meet his sister and brother-in-law under more comfortable circumstances. It was all quite settled before Sophia had even replied to the letter, and the scheme was enthusiastically agreed to by everyone involved. Soon the guests were on their way to Kellynch.
Wentworth anticipated the reunion with his brother with two dominating feelings: great joy in seeing him again and seeing him happy, and dread for his judgement, for he was the only soul about to know of his thwarted engagement with Anne Elliot. But when the pair at last climbed from the chaise, all of it was forgotten. In appearance Edward had changed little, the family resemblance remaining strong, even as he was a little shorter in stature than his younger brother, having to his chagrin been outgrown at the age of eighteen. Having encountered no great deal of sun and wind to threaten his complexion as Sophia, nor suffered any great grief beyond the early loss of their parents which had allowed him to avoid even the faint lines marking Frederick’s face, his occupation and marital felicity had only added another layer of calm happiness to his disposition. Overall he appeared rather some years younger than either of his siblings, who noted it with faint amusement.
Isabella Wentworth was a pretty, dark haired creature of five-and-twenty with good humour and sparkling, soulful eyes, who immediately claimed her husband’s siblings as her own. The journey had been pleasantly uneventful and yet, every detail which was told was uttered in such an amusing fashion that they all felt rather diverted and they had not ceased to speak by the time they’d reached the parlour.
It was not until tea had been served when Edward asked his sister suddenly: “So, how did you happen to settle on Kellynch of all places?”
At this his eyes wandered to Frederick, who had found interest in a bird outside the window and therefore not received his question.
“Oh, it just happened to become available, just as we were looking for a place to settle in the country,” the Admiral provided. “Rather good luck it was. The Elliots wished to remove to Bath and we wished to move into Kellynch and it was all worked out in no time at all.”
Edward appeared relieved at such news, though nobody but his brother should notice.
“So, they are all gone to Bath then? Aside, of course, from Miss Mary, as was. I believe she is married into Uppercross? She did well for herself. A very good family, the Musgroves, if memory serves me right.”
“Oh, yes,” the Admiral answered. “The Musgroves have been most amiable neighbors. Most amiable. Frederick likes to spend all his time with them, and no wonder,” he said happily, “for Mr Musgrove has two very pretty daughters. Lively things they are, the both of them, and he might yet carry one or the other off if he could only decide which one.”
Laughter answered him and the flaming of the Captain’s cheeks. Frederick felt Edward’s eyes rest on him, but chose not to engage. He suspected his brother would find out soon enough that not near all the Elliots had removed to Bath.
“Speaking of which,” Sophia said, refilling Isabella’s tea cup. “My brother has neglected to tell us how exactly you have come to meet. As your brother is coming from Hampshire into Somerset on business, I must assume your family stems not from Shropshire?”
“Oh, no, not at all,” Isabella said quickly, after swallowing her mouthful of seed cake. “My sister had met a young solicitor, Mr Foster, at the seaside, some three years ago and married him. We were very close and so I was heartbroken to see her move all the way to Shropshire, alas, I came to visit her for some months in the spring, and as soon as I laid eyes on the vicar at Brambury church I knew at once, I must have him.” She smiled fondly at her husband. “It turned out he felt just the same and not seven weeks thence we were wed.”
She laughed. Sophia shared a fond look with her Admiral, pressing his hand, undoubtedly in remembrance of their own brief courtship.
“The Wentworth decision,” her husband rumbled. “They do not beat about the bush in matters of importance.”
“And luckily so,” Isabella agreed. “For I do not know what I should have done if Edward had not asked me to marry him before my time in the village was through. I should have become desperate.”
“We couldn’t have that,” Edward twinkled and pulled her hand to his lips. Frederick was quickly reaching the measure of marital felicity and silent mentions of his own unmarried status he could bear.
“So this brother of yours, when are we expecting him to join us?” he asked before any more stories of romance could be exchanged.
“Clifford? Oh, I believe around Monday or Tuesday. Depending on his business dealings, of course. I should wager he is rather curious to meet yourself and the Admiral. He had rather wished to go into the navy himself, but father would not hear of it. ‘My heir will not drown off the coast of Gibraltar, and that’s the end of it’ he used to say.”
She laughed lightly. Frederick thought on this. He had never before considered that being the heir of a landed gentleman might have its drawbacks.
“And mind you, I think he is tired of his solitude, poor thing,” Isabella added. “With both myself and Tilly up in Shropshire, he is left with only mama and Aunt Berta at Rosebourne House, neither of whom are at all amusing.”
“A grave fate indeed,” Sophia laughed. “It remains to hope that he shall find Kellynch and all his new family more to his liking.”
“Oh, I have no doubt on that account,” Edward said quickly, throwing his brother a strange look. Frederick knew it well. ‘Be nice’ it said. He did not know how he had come to deserve such wordless scolding, for he was rather looking forward to his new acquaintance.