rnedthatthehousecouldaccommodatenomoreandyetperhaps,by“puttingthechildrenawayinthemaid’sroom,orswingingacotsomewhere,”theycouldhardlybeartothinkofnotfindingroomfortwoorthreebesides,supposingtheymightwishtostaythough,withregardtoanyattendanceonMissMusgrove,thereneednotbetheleastuneasinessinleavinghertoMrsHarville’scareentirely.MrsHarvillewasaveryexperiencednurse,andhernursery-maid,whohadlivedwithherlong,andgoneaboutwithhereverywhere,wasjustsuchanother.Betweenthesetwo,shecouldwantnopossibleattendancebydayornight.Andallthiswassaidwithatruthandsincerityoffeelingirresistible.
Charles,Henrietta,andCaptainWentworthwerethethreeinconsultation,andforalittlewhileitwasonlyaninterchangeofperplexityandterror.“Uppercross,thenecessityofsomeone’sgoingtoUppercrossthenewstobeconveyedhowitcouldbebrokentoMrandMrsMusgrovethelatenessofthemorninganhouralreadygonesincetheyoughttohavebeenofftheimpossibilityofbeingintolerabletime.”Atfirst,theywerecapableofnothingmoretothepurposethansuchexclamationsbut,afterawhile,CaptainWentworth,exertinghimself,said—
“Wemustbedecided,andwithoutthelossofanotherminute.Everyminuteisvaluable.SomeonemustresolveonbeingoffforUppercrossinstantly.Musgrove,eitheryouorImustgo.”
Charlesagreed,butdeclaredhisresolutionofnotgoingaway.HewouldbeaslittleincumbranceaspossibletoCaptainandMrsHarvillebutastoleavinghissisterinsuchastate,heneitherought,norwould.SofaritwasdecidedandHenriettaatfirstdeclaredthesame.She,however,wassoonpersuadedtothinkdifferently.Theusefulnessofherstaying!ShewhohadnotbeenabletoremaininLouisa’sroom,ortolookather,withoutsufferingswhichmadeherworsethanhelpless!Shewasforcedtoacknowledgethatshecoulddonogood,yetwasstillunwillingtobeaway,till,touchedbythethoughtofherfatherandmother,shegaveitupsheconsented,shewasanxioustobeathome.
Theplanhadreachedthispoint,whenAnne,comingquietlydownfromLouisa’sroom,couldnotbuthearwhatfollowed,fortheparlourdoorwasopen.
“Thenitissettled,Musgrove,”criedCaptainWentworth,“thatyoustay,andthatItakecareofyoursisterhome.Butastotherest,astotheothers,ifonestaystoassistMrsHarville,Ithinkitneedbeonlyone.MrsCharlesMusgrovewill,ofcourse,wishtogetbacktoherchildrenbutifAnnewillstay,noonesoproper,socapableasAnne.”
Shepausedamomenttorecoverfromtheemotionofhearingherselfsospokenof.Theothertwowarmlyagreedwithwhathesaid,andshethenappeared.
“Youwillstay,Iamsureyouwillstayandnurseher”criedhe,turningtoherandspeakingwithaglow,andyetagentleness,whichseemedalmostrestoringthepast.Shecoloureddeeply,andherecollectedhimselfandmovedaway.Sheexpressedherselfmostw