OnthemorningappointedforAdmiralandMrsCroft’sseeingKellynchHall,AnnefounditmostnaturaltotakeheralmostdailywalktoLadyRussell’s,andkeepoutofthewaytillallwasoverwhenshefounditmostnaturaltobesorrythatshehadmissedtheopportunityofseeingthem.
Thismeetingofthetwopartiesprovedhighlysatisfactory,anddecidedthewholebusinessatonce.Eachladywaspreviouslywelldisposedforanagreement,andsawnothing,therefore,butgoodmannersintheotherandwithregardtothegentlemen,therewassuchanheartygoodhumour,suchanopen,trustingliberalityontheAdmiral’sside,ascouldnotbutinfluenceSirWalter,whohadbesidesbeenflatteredintohisverybestandmostpolishedbehaviourbyMrShepherd’sassurancesofhisbeingknown,byreport,totheAdmiral,asamodelofgoodbreeding.
Thehouseandgrounds,andfurniture,wereapproved,theCroftswereapproved,terms,time,everything,andeverybody,wasrightandMrShepherd’sclerksweresettowork,withouttherehavingbeenasinglepreliminarydifferencetomodifyofallthat“Thisindenturesheweth.”
SirWalter,withouthesitation,declaredtheAdmiraltobethebest-lookingsailorhehadevermetwith,andwentsofarastosay,thatifhisownmanmighthavehadthearrangingofhishair,heshouldnotbeashamedofbeingseenwithhimanywhereandtheAdmiral,withsympatheticcordiality,observedtohiswifeastheydrovebackthroughthepark,“Ithoughtweshouldsooncometoadeal,mydear,inspiteofwhattheytoldusatTaunton.TheBaronetwillneversettheThamesonfire,butthereseemstobenoharminhim.”—reciprocalcompliments,whichwouldhavebeenesteemedaboutequal.
TheCroftsweretohavepossessionatMichaelmasandasSirWalterproposedremovingtoBathinthecourseoftheprecedingmonth,therewasnotimetobelostinmakingeverydependentarrangement.
LadyRussell,convincedthatAnnewouldnotbeallowedtobeofanyuse,oranyimportance,inthechoiceofthehousewhichtheyweregoingtosecure,wasveryunwillingtohaveherhurriedawaysosoon,andwantedtomakeitpossibleforhertostaybehindtillshemightconveyhertoBathherselfafterChristmasbuthavingengageme