erifshewereequallysatisfiedwithhersituation,forachangeisnotveryprobablethere.ShehadsoonthemortificationofseeingMrElliotwithdraw,andnooneofproperconditionhassincepresentedhimselftoraiseeventheunfoundedhopeswhichsunkwithhim.
ThenewsofhiscousinAnne’sengagementburstonMrElliotmostunexpectedly.Itderangedhisbestplanofdomestichappiness,hisbesthopeofkeepingSirWaltersinglebythewatchfulnesswhichason-in-law’srightswouldhavegiven.But,thoughdiscomfitedanddisappointed,hecouldstilldosomethingforhisowninterestandhisownenjoyment.HesoonquittedBathandonMrsClay’squittingitsoonafterwards,andbeingnextheardofasestablishedunderhisprotectioninLondon,itwasevidenthowdoubleagamehehadbeenplaying,andhowdeterminedhewastosavehimselffrombeingcutoutbyoneartfulwoman,atleast.
MrsClay’saffectionshadoverpoweredherinterest,andshehadsacrificed,fortheyoungman’ssake,thepossibilityofscheminglongerforSirWalter.Shehasabilities,however,aswellasaffectionsanditisnowadoubtfulpointwhetherhiscunning,orhers,mayfinallycarrythedaywhether,afterpreventingherfrombeingthewifeofSirWalter,hemaynotbewheedledandcaressedatlastintomakingherthewifeofSirWilliam.
ItcannotbedoubtedthatSirWalterandElizabethwereshockedandmortifiedbythelossoftheircompanion,andthediscoveryoftheirdeceptioninher.Theyhadtheirgreatcousins,tobesure,toresorttoforcomfortbuttheymustlongfeelthattoflatterandfollowothers,withoutbeingflatteredandfollowedinturn,isbutastateofhalfenjoyment.
Anne,satisfiedataveryearlyperiodofLadyRussell’smeaningtoloveCaptainWentworthassheought,hadnootheralloytothehappinessofherprospectsthanwhatarosefromtheconsciousnessofhavingnorelationstobestowonhimwhichamanofsensecouldvalue.Thereshefeltherowninferiorityverykeenly.Thedisproportionintheirfortunewasnothingitdidnotgiveheramoment’sregretbuttohavenofamilytoreceiveandestimatehimproperly,nothingofrespectability,ofharmony,ofgoodwilltoofferinreturn