Annecouldnotresistshesaid,therefore,“Ihope,Admiral,IhopethereisnothinginthestyleofCaptainWentworth’slettertomakeyouandMrsCroftparticularlyuneasy.Itdidseem,lastautumn,asiftherewereanattachmentbetweenhimandLouisaMusgrovebutIhopeitmaybeunderstoodtohavewornoutoneachsideequally,andwithoutviolence.Ihopehisletterdoesnotbreathethespiritofanill-usedman.”
“Notatall,notatallthereisnotanoathoramurmurfrombeginningtoend.”
Annelookeddowntohidehersmile.
“No,noFrederickisnotamantowhineandcomplainhehastoomuchspiritforthat.Ifthegirllikesanothermanbetter,itisveryfitsheshouldhavehim.”
“Certainly.ButwhatImeanis,thatIhopethereisnothinginCaptainWentworth’smannerofwritingtomakeyousupposehethinkshimselfill-usedbyhisfriend,whichmightappear,youknow,withoutitsbeingabsolutelysaid.IshouldbeverysorrythatsuchafriendshipashassubsistedbetweenhimandCaptainBenwickshouldbedestroyed,orevenwounded,byacircumstanceofthissort.”
“Yes,yes,Iunderstandyou.Butthereisnothingatallofthatnatureintheletter.HedoesnotgivetheleastflingatBenwickdoesnotsomuchassay,‘Iwonderatit,Ihaveareasonofmyownforwonderingatit.’No,youwouldnotguess,fromhiswayofwriting,thathehadeverthoughtofthisMiss(what’shername?)forhimself.Heveryhandsomelyhopestheywillbehappytogetherandthereisnothingveryunforgivinginthat,Ithink.”
AnnedidnotreceivetheperfectconvictionwhichtheAdmiralmeanttoconvey,butitwouldhavebeenuselesstopresstheenquiryfarther.Shethereforesatisfiedherselfwithcommon-placeremarksorquietattention,andtheAdmiralhaditallhisownway.
“PoorFrederick!”saidheatlast.“Nowhemustbeginalloveragainwithsomebodyelse.IthinkwemustgethimtoBath.Sophymustwrite,andbeghimtocometoBath.Hereareprettygirlsenough,Iamsure.ItwouldbeofnousetogotoUppercrossagain,forthatotherMissMusgrove,Ifind,isbespokebyhercousin,theyoungparson.Donotyouthink,MissElliot,wehadbettertrytogethimtoBath?”