stillbewiththem,AnnewouldhavebeenashamedtohaveitknownhowmuchmoreshewasthinkingofLymeandLouisaMusgrove,andallheracquaintancetherehowmuchmoreinterestingtoherwasthehomeandthefriendshipoftheHarvillesandCaptainBenwick,thanherownfather’shouseinCamdenPlace,orherownsister’sintimacywithMrsClay.ShewasactuallyforcedtoexertherselftomeetLadyRussellwithanythingliketheappearanceofequalsolicitude,ontopicswhichhadbynaturethefirstclaimonher.
Therewasalittleawkwardnessatfirstintheirdiscourseonanothersubject.TheymustspeakoftheaccidentatLyme.LadyRussellhadnotbeenarrivedfiveminutesthedaybefore,whenafullaccountofthewholehadburstonherbutstillitmustbetalkedof,shemustmakeenquiries,shemustregrettheimprudence,lamenttheresult,andCaptainWentworth’snamemustbementionedbyboth.AnnewasconsciousofnotdoingitsowellasLadyRussell.Shecouldnotspeakthename,andlookstraightforwardtoLadyRussell’seye,tillshehadadoptedtheexpedientoftellingherbrieflywhatshethoughtoftheattachmentbetweenhimandLouisa.Whenthiswastold,hisnamedistressedhernolonger.
LadyRussellhadonlytolistencomposedly,andwishthemhappy,butinternallyherheartrevelledinangrypleasure,inpleasedcontempt,thatthemanwhoattwenty-threehadseemedtounderstandsomewhatofthevalueofanAnneElliot,should,eightyearsafterwards,becharmedbyaLouisaMusgrove.
Thefirstthreeorfourdayspassedmostquietly,withnocircumstancetomarkthemexceptingthereceiptofanoteortwofromLyme,whichfoundtheirwaytoAnne,shecouldnottellhow,andbroughtaratherimprovingaccountofLouisa.Attheendofthatperiod,LadyRussell’spolitenesscouldreposenolonger,andthefainterself-threateningsofthepastbecameinadecidedtone,“ImustcallonMrsCroftIreallymustcalluponhersoon.Anne,haveyoucouragetogowithme,andpayavisitinthathouse?Itwillbesometrialtousboth.”
Annedidnotshrinkfromitonthecontrary,shetrulyfeltasshesaid,inobserving—
“