Otheropportunitiesofmakingherobservationscouldnotfailtooccur.Annehadsoonbeenincompanywithallthefourtogetheroftenenoughtohaveanopinion,thoughtoowisetoacknowledgeasmuchathome,wheresheknewitwouldhavesatisfiedneitherhusbandnorwifeforwhilesheconsideredLouisatoberatherthefavourite,shecouldnotbutthink,asfarasshemightdaretojudgefrommemoryandexperience,thatCaptainWentworthwasnotinlovewitheither.Theyweremoreinlovewithhimyetthereitwasnotlove.Itwasalittlefeverofadmirationbutitmight,probablymust,endinlovewithsome.CharlesHayterseemedawareofbeingslighted,andyetHenriettahadsometimestheairofbeingdividedbetweenthem.Annelongedforthepowerofrepresentingtothemallwhattheywereabout,andofpointingoutsomeoftheevilstheywereexposingthemselvesto.Shedidnotattributeguiletoany.ItwasthehighestsatisfactiontohertobelieveCaptainWentworthnotintheleastawareofthepainhewasoccasioning.Therewasnotriumph,nopitifultriumphinhismanner.Hehad,probably,neverheard,andneverthoughtofanyclaimsofCharlesHayter.Hewasonlywronginacceptingtheattentions(foracceptingmustbetheword)oftwoyoungwomenatonce.
Afterashortstruggle,however,CharlesHayterseemedtoquitthefield.ThreedayshadpassedwithouthiscomingoncetoUppercrossamostdecidedchange.HehadevenrefusedoneregularinvitationtodinnerandhavingbeenfoundontheoccasionbyMrMusgrovewithsomelargebooksbeforehim,MrandMrsMusgroveweresureallcouldnotberight,andtalked,withgravefaces,ofhisstudyinghimselftodeath.ItwasMary’shopeandbeliefthathehadreceivedapositivedismissalfromHenrietta,andherhusbandlivedundertheconstantdependenceofseeinghimto-morrow.AnnecouldonlyfeelthatCharlesHayterwaswise.
Onemorning,aboutthistimeCharlesMusgroveandCaptainWentworthbeinggonea-shootingtogether,asthesistersintheCottageweresittingquietlyatwork,theywerevisitedatthewindowbythesistersfromtheMansion-house.
ItwasaveryfineNovemberday,andtheMissMusgrovescamethroughthelittlegrounds,andstoppedfornootherpurposethantosay,thattheyweregoingtotakealongwalk,and,therefore,concludedMarycouldnotlik