Chapter Text
Despite all he had seen and the superstitions often given to his profession, Frederick Wentworth never believed in ghost stories or hauntings. At least not until he was finally compelled by his dearest sister to visit their new home, a place that housed many old pains he had long thought buried.
Of all the estates in the whole of England, why did they have to settle upon Kellynch? When he closed his eyes and thought of that place -thought of all connected to it - he felt himself akin to drowning before being thrust into the light of remembering a past life:
It was spring when he had first arrived, with the cool reminders of winter in the air that danced in the coming summer’s sunlight, bringing teasing hints of flowers in bloom within it. There was such warmth that touched everywhere within him; warmth that was showered upon him by brotherly affection and maidenly regard. On the breeze he could almost feel the laughter as music that could dance in time with his happiness, because he had been happy there for those few brief weeks so long ago.
In the years that followed, and often despite himself, whenever he was feeling low, those reminders came upon him so strong that he could almost smell flowers instead of salt on the wind, and see those dancing brown eyes that had loved him so entirely- or so he had thought. But, despite those momentary respites harsh reality always followed, crashing in upon him once more and leaving him alone with no flowers, no warmth, no dancing and no true love after all. For, if she had really loved him-
Clearing his head of those thoughts once more, Frederick resumed packing, glimpsing the letter from his sister that confirmed when he was expected and wishing that he was going to his brother, or with Benwick to the Harvilles instead. Anywhere but-
Perhaps he believed he was haunted after all.
In opposition to this sat Sophia Croft, the eldest of the Wentworths, who allowed superstition to live alongside her well-earned sense and understanding. Like Frederick she had seen much of the world, and unlike their brother Edward did not have divine devotion to turn to for explanation instead. While she may not, wholly, disbelieve in ghosts, she did, wholeheartedly, believe in fate. Anyone who knew her love story with her husband would attest to that; and Sophia, were she privy to her brother’s love story of almost eight years prior- well, she just might hold that belief to be all the more true.
Alas, she did not know those details of his previous visit to the area, or what trepidation he felt at returning to it now. So, she was merely content with his coming and ensuring that his stay would be as comfortable of one as possible.
“West,” she called to the housekeeper as she surveyed the vacant bedrooms in Kellynch Hall’s family wing, unable to make up her own mind on the matter before her, “What do you know about these rooms?”
Mrs West had come to the family as a young maid when the former Lady Elliot had first arrived at Kellynch, and grew with the family until, just after the good lady’s untimely death, she had taken over as housekeeper. Having spent so long working for the Elliot family, and despite her own feelings about certain members of said family, she still was not yet sure how to live under the command of anybody else.
“Ma’am?” She tentatively asked, looking between the three opened doors along the grand hallway. “They’re bedrooms.”
Mrs Croft laughed to herself with a shake of her head, being far too used, thanks to her husband’s time in the navy, to servants of varying quality to take offense or feel annoyance. After all, the Croft’s living on shore would be an adjustment to everyone involved. “I was looking more particularly for specifics of their differing qualities. You see my brother is to join us shortly and while he is accustomed to modest accommodations on board ship, I want him to see Kellynch in its best light. And, since I hope he shall be with us for a while-” at least until he marries and finds an estate of his own, she thought to herself, “-I want to find him a room that will best suit over multiple seasons.”
With this clarification in mind Mrs West eagerly set off down the hall to show the new mistress her expertise of Kellynch. Starting with the room of the woman she missed the most. “Miss Anne’s room faces the front of the house and is one of the smaller, which means it is often the most warm,” she said with a sombre smile that held much affection easily seen by the other woman. “She decorated the room herself. The wallpaper and the little painted details were all added as a memorial for her mother after Lady Elliot's passing, far too soon.”
“It must be very noisy on nights when one entertains,” Mrs Croft pointed out as she spied the drive near the window.
“She never seemed to mind, for she could have moved into Miss Mary’s room after she married, but Miss Anne never did. Which is a pity, for I prefer the prospect from that window. You can spy the fields and the wild patches towards Uppercross from here.”
Having moved between rooms, Mrs Croft did own that this one did have a superior vantage, and also looked larger.
“I own,” Mrs West added with a sentimental sigh, “That while I know rooms cannot feel, I always felt sorry for this one, so often and so long spent being empty, while the others had their continued purpose throughout the years.”
“Then, I suppose, this room shall be perfect for Frederick.” Her smile widened when Mrs West brightened. She had been torn between this and the room she now took to be Elizabeth’s, one that was by far more ornately grand in both furnishings and decoration. Both, she knew, would have to be made over to suit her brother, but how could she deny the room (and Mrs West), such an occasion and such a renewed purpose?
“I shall see what we have for papers and furnishings already on hand for you to determine if anything might suit, and I will see that Rogers looks over the windows and chimney. Oh, we always make sure they’re set for winter, but it has been an age since anyone has stayed here proper…”
Mrs Croft smiled as she followed behind Mrs West who was eager to set about this task, more certain than ever that she had chosen correctly and feeling in her bones that there were good things in store for her brother by staying there.