Captain Wentworth's Persuasion (49 page)

“Mrs. Wentworth, you are incomparable!” the Prince exclaimed.“I do not know when I last so enjoyed a conversation.” He purposefully placed Anne’s hand in Frederick’s. “You are a lucky man,Wentworth.”

“Thank you, Your Highness; it is a fact of which I am well aware,” Frederick forced pleasantry into his tone, although inside, he seethed.

Anne had recognized the Duke of Mayfield earlier, so when he asked about her father, she was not surprised. “Mrs.Wentworth, is Sir Walter not set to marry Mrs.Amelia Bradley?”

“He is,Your Grace.” Anne squeezed Frederick’s hand, glad to have him so close.

The Duke continued, “And will he not return to Kellynch when he marries?”

“My father—Sir Walter,” Frederick began, “will return to Kellynch Hall soon—at the end of the Season. Having recently begun their family, my sister and her husband are considering a place of their own in Oxfordshire. My wife and I seek a like estate of our own, now that the war with France is at an end.”

“So, Sir Walter marries Mrs. Stephen Bradley, a war widow,” the tipsy Duke said sarcastically.“He marries
her
for her money, and she marries
him
for his title.Then
he
displaces his own daughter, as well as two men who, between them, have served this country for nearly three decades.” The alcohol gave the Duke courage he
might not possess otherwise.“It seems a shame,Your Highness; that we have this evening to celebrate war heroes like Wentworth here, only to find out that we
displace
them.”

“My wife and I appreciate your concern,Your Grace,” Frederick added with a nod to those at the Prince’s table,“but we encouraged my wife’s father to remarry. He has only daughters and his immediate family would otherwise lose the estate to a cousin, a man who may own the title but not care for the position it gives him. I have earned enough from my service to provide for Mrs. Wentworth.”

The Prince rejoined the conversation.“Your consideration and foresight speak well of you, Admiral Wentworth.You reflect estimably on our country’s Navy, as a gentleman of reason and of vision. Your country and your future King thank you for your service.”

Realizing their time with Prinny and his inner circle had come to an end, Frederick rose to his feet and helped Anne to hers.“Your Majesty,” Frederick said as he lowered his body in a bow, “Mrs. Wentworth and I thank you most sincerely for the honor.” Anne curtsied elaborately.

Then—as coached by the attaché—Frederick and Anne took several steps backward. Frederick bowed and Anne curtsied again, and they turned quickly to leave.

“Nothing like an inquisition!” Frederick chuckled as they approached their own table once more.

Anne swayed against him, feeling all the adrenaline drain from her.“I never realized the royal court cared so much for gossip. Perhaps I should have provided a copy of my family tree as a parting gift.”

Frederick took hold of her arm.“I would prefer not to have to relate even half of that conversation with our tablemates. May we simply tell them that Prince George wanted me to describe the boarding of the French sloop and you to describe my recovery?”

Anne glanced quickly at his fellow crew members, who were waiting for the retelling. “I agree; telling your men the Prince wanted to gossip about my father and wanted to make you jealous is not my idea of pleasant dinner conversation.”

“Our Monarch succeeded in one way; I seriously considered planting him a facer if he held your hand much longer,” he whispered close to her ear.

“Thank you, my Husband, for showing restraint. Finding you in a cell at the Old Bailey tomorrow morning is not how I wish to end my time in London.”Anne took his arm to return to the table.

They told their diplomatic version of the conversation to anyone who would listen. During the main course, the captain of the
Bellerophon
told a similar tale. Anne and Frederick wondered if he “lied” also or whether the Prince’s party had actually spoken of Bonaparte’s capture with him.

As the party’s entertainment began to wind down. Frederick and Anne prepared to take their leave and rejoin Sophia and Benjamin for the ride home. However, before they could make their goodbyes, the attaché reappeared at the table. “Admiral Wentworth,” the man spoke softly,“his Majesty requests to speak to you again.” Frederick laid his napkin on the table, preparing to stand when the man spoke in more confidence,“Come alone, Sir.”

Anne’s eyebrows shot up and she smiled at her husband, silently sending him courage. “Frederick?” Anne reached for him instinctively.

He helped her to her feet.“Go wait with Benjamin and Sophia, my Love.Whatever it is Prince George wants, I will handle it.” Uncharacteristically, he kissed her cheek before turning to follow the court’s messenger. Frederick had no idea what to expect. Prince George had earned a reputation for his magnanimous character, as well as his frivolous one.With the turn of the earlier conversation, Frederick had no idea what to expect when he approached the table again. For all he knew, the Prince might demand the pleasure of Anne’s company in private; it was not beyond him.
That will not happen.
Frederick certainly would not look the other way, no matter what it cost him.

He waited with the court’s emissary for nearly ten minutes before the Prince chose to recognize his presence. “Admiral Wentworth,” Prinny called out, “you returned!” Frederick could hear
the slur of his speech and knew that he dealt with a powerful man in his cups. As a ship’s captain, he had handled many an insensible man, but Prince George was his country’s future leader.

Frederick bowed low.“As you requested,Your Majesty.”

“Come closer, Wentworth.” He gestured to the same chair, which Frederick occupied earlier.

Frederick sat down and asked guardedly,“May I be of service, Your Highness?”

“Actually, Admiral, I have decided to be of service to
you
,” he said loudly.

“I beg your pardon,Your Majesty, but I do not understand.”

The Prince gestured to the other side of the table, and the Duke of Mayfield took over the explanation. Frederick noted how the other guests at the table all stared at him—silly, drunken smiles plastered on many of their faces, as if they all shared some delicious secret. “According to our sources—Sir William Dunlap, to be precise,” the Duke’s speech was even more slurred than the Prince’s, “your wife’s father’s family was granted its title by Charles II.”

Frederick said cautiously, “I believe Your Grace is correct in this matter.”

“Of
course
, I am correct,” Mayfield asserted.

“Charles,” Prince George laughed at what he would say before he said it,“was a two. Charles Two. I am a four; that makes me twice as powerful. Is that not right,Admiral?”

Frederick wanted to smile; Prince George was a lousy drunk. “Four is twice as strong as two,Your Highness,” he said, as seriously as he could.

“Charles Two gave the Elliots a baronetcy. I am a four; I will give you more.That rhymes,” he cackled, as did the rest of his table. The Prince snapped his fingers, and one of the footmen placed a folded document shield in his hand. “Admiral Wentworth, I need you to stand, but I think
I
will not stand.
We
will do this seated. Sir Walter Elliot is a nincompoop, but you are a sensible man. England needs sensible men, Wentworth. Your wife’s father is a mere baronet, but from this day forward, you and your children will have
a title greater than that man’s. I give you this!” He held out the document, and Frederick tentatively took it.

Gingerly, he unfolded the paper and began to read.

“What do you think, Wentworth?” the Prince asked; he was puffed up like a bantam rooster.

“It is phenomenal, Your Majesty; I do not know what to say except to offer my devotion and my appreciation.” Frederick began to read the paper again—a royal proclamation—including the King’s seal and the Queen’s signature under that of George IV.

“My man will call on you tomorrow morning with all the details. He will tell you of the property and of your duties to the Crown. I expect that you should return to Mrs.Wentworth,Admiral. She is likely to be missing you.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Frederick got to his feet and began his obligatory bow out of the group’s sight. “Your kindness will never be forgotten.” He nodded to the Duke, who seemed to have engineered the honor.

As he backed away, Frederick wondered what had just occurred. No one would believe it; he was not sure even he did, although he clutched the proof of it tightly in his hand.

When he reached Anne, she was extremely curious, but he told her nothing. “In the carriage,” was all Frederick said as he hustled her from the room; Benjamin and Sophia closely followed.

Finally settled in their coach, Anne could contain herself no longer.“Tell me!” she demanded.

“I considered it, and I may wait until tomorrow. Our Prince George may change his mind, after all.” He leaned back into the cushioned upholstery and pretended to close his eyes for sleep.

Anne noted the smile, however, and she allowed herself the liberty of reclining against his shoulder.“Then I suppose I will wait to tell you what
I
know.” Anne snuggled into his arm, relaxing her weight against him.

“You have no secrets from me,” Frederick mumbled, trying to sound sleepy.

Anne yawned before saying, “If you say so, my Dear.” She shut
her eyes and sighed heavily.

“Will either of you tell Sophia or me?” Benjamin asked, too curious to wait.

Anne chuckled, but she did not open her eyes. “Sophia already knows my secret,” she mumbled dreamily.

Frederick sat up now, suddenly aware that Anne might not be mocking him.“What is your secret,Anne?”

“You first,” she stated firmly.

Frederick turned to his sister.“Sophia?”

“Leave me out of your domestic squabbles.” Sophia draped a leg over Benjamin’s knee. He removed her slipper and began to massage her foot.

“Anne?” Frederick’s attention reverted to his wife.

She looked away—out the coach’s window.The coach lantern illuminated her profile.“It is nothing, Frederick; I only wanted you to share what Prince George said.”

Frederick turned her chin to face him. “You are a terrible liar, Sweetling, but I will share with you my news; then you must share as well.” He took a deep breath. “Prince George or the Duke of Mayfield or someone else at that table dislikes your father intensely. The more they drank, evidently, the more they mulled over our answers to what the group had asked about our life together. In short, Prince George has bestowed a title on me, on you, and on any children.”

Silence.

Undaunted, he continued, “I am now Frederick James Wentworth, Viscount Orland of Hanson Hall in Dorset.”

Frederick waited, but still no one spoke; suspended in disbelief, they stared at him, waiting for the punch line. “Viscount?” Sophia asked. She laughed, but with a suspicious overtone. “My brother is a viscount?”

“Yes.” Frederick never took his eyes off Anne. “I am Viscount Orland. Anne is Viscountess Orland.” She still did not move, barely blinking—barely breathing. “Anne?” He patted her hand and smiled.“Say something,Anne.”

She swallowed down her incredulity; her lips moved, but no sound came out. Finally, after several failed attempts, she stammered, “Frederick, this is not amusing.”

He put one arm around her and placed the proclamation in her hands.“It is so dark in here you probably cannot read the paper you hold, but it says you are married to a viscount. Prince George’s man will call on us tomorrow with specific details.”

Benjamin began to laugh heartily, and Sophia soon joined in. Anne, understanding that Frederick spoke the truth, exploded with laughter.

Benjamin chortled, “Rear Admiral
and
a title before you are forty.You are one lucky salt, Frederick!”

Frederick burst into laughter and attempted to summarize his conversation with the inebriated prince. “Prince George…said he was…was a four…made him…made him stronger…stronger than Charles… Charles Two… Charles II.”The laughter came easily now to all four of them as they each succumbed to his obvious joy. “Charles gave…gave your father…a baronetcy…George gave me twice…twice a baronet…a
viscount!
”

Anne collapsed into his arms, howling with unladylike laughter, burying her head against his chest. “My
father
”—she got the words out—“My
father
will have to bow to you.”

Her words brought a loud burst of laughter from Sophia, who buried her fist in her mouth to smother what now was uncontrollable happiness emanating from the coach’s passengers.“Both your sisters will have to bow to you,Anne.Will not Elizabeth love that?”

“Elizabeth!”Anne shrieked.“Poor Mary!”

“Mrs. Charles will be green with envy,Anne,” Benjamin added. “She will probably take to her bed for a month.”

Frederick became more serious. “I could give Edward a better living if he wants it—on our estate.”

“Let us wait for that,” Anne, ever the reasonable one, said. “We do not know the condition of the estate. It could be run down—near ruin.” She wiped the happy tears from her cheeks.

“Even if it is, we will make it work—you and I, Anne; it will be
ours. I promised you years ago I would give you all you deserved. We will have a house in London; I will sit in Parliament; I will be the voice of those veterans coming home to England and encourage England to protect
them
, now that they have protected
us
.”

“I knew you would find an altruistic reason for our good luck. You will continue to protect your men.” Anne stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.Without thinking, she added,“Our baby will have the best of fathers.”

“Baby?” Frederick latched onto the word.

Again, everything in the carriage grew stone quiet. Sophia whimpered with expectation.

The light from the lantern suddenly seemed very strong.“Yes,” Anne managed to say. Looking into Frederick’s eyes, she repeated, “Yes. I am with child.”