So, what if...

[huggeroftrees]

What if, and bear with me here... What if we queered Persuasion? I lover Persuasion, it's totes my favourite Jane Austen, no disrespect intended. But still, what if...?

Say we take as our premise a British version of "don't ask, don't tell" (as long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses). Ladies living with female companions are totes a thing already, older spinsters of quality setting up home together to save on the bills and allow them to maintain a quality of life they have become accustomed too once they're too old for the marriage mart.

Anne Elliot obviously wouldn't be allowed to set up in an establishment like that at a young age. Her attraction to Miss Wentworth would naturally be seen as a youthful silliness, especially while she was still of an age to make a good empression on society and receive a favourable offer.

But later... When she had a good many seasons under her belt and had attracted no offers... The idea of Anne Elliot setting up with the now rich widowed Lady (used to be Wentworth) would be 'respectable'.

Comments

[finisterre]

Jumping right in to say I would READ THE SHIT out of that. Especially because Anne’s natural reticence would play into it, and lady Russell would talk her out of friendship with Miss Wentworth and then frederica would come into money etc etc

[huggeroftrees]

Exactly! And the premise that it Was kinda for Anne's good holds true. Lady Russell couldn't know that it would work out, and maybe Anne should have been able to stand up to her (as in the real thing) but there isn't massive blame on either side.