ThetimenowapproachedforLadyRussell’sreturn:thedaywasevenfixedandAnne,beingengagedtojoinherassoonasshewasresettled,waslookingforwardtoanearlyremovaltoKellynch,andbeginningtothinkhowherowncomfortwaslikelytobeaffectedbyit.
ItwouldplaceherinthesamevillagewithCaptainWentworth,withinhalfamileofhimtheywouldhavetofrequentthesamechurch,andtheremustbeintercoursebetweenthetwofamilies.Thiswasagainstherbutontheotherhand,hespentsomuchofhistimeatUppercross,thatinremovingthenceshemightbeconsideredratherasleavinghimbehind,thanasgoingtowardshimand,uponthewhole,shebelievedshemust,onthisinterestingquestion,bethegainer,almostascertainlyasinherchangeofdomesticsociety,inleavingpoorMaryforLadyRussell.
ShewisheditmightbepossibleforhertoavoideverseeingCaptainWentworthattheHall:thoseroomshadwitnessedformermeetingswhichwouldbebroughttoopainfullybeforeherbutshewasyetmoreanxiousforthepossibilityofLadyRussellandCaptainWentworthnevermeetinganywhere.Theydidnotlikeeachother,andnorenewalofacquaintancenowcoulddoanygoodandwereLadyRusselltoseethemtogether,shemightthinkthathehadtoomuchself-possession,andshetoolittle.
ThesepointsformedherchiefsolicitudeinanticipatingherremovalfromUppercross,whereshefeltshehadbeenstationedquitelongenough.HerusefulnesstolittleCharleswouldalwaysgivesomesweetnesstothememoryofhertwomonths’visitthere,buthewasgainingstrengthapace,andshehadnothingelsetostayfor.
Theconclusionofhervisit,however,wasdiversifiedinawaywhichshehadnotatallimagined.CaptainWentworth,afterbeingunseenandunheardofatUppercrossfortwowholedays,appearedagainamongthemtojustifyhimselfbyarelationofwhathadkepthimaway.
Aletterfromhisfriend,CaptainHarville,havingfoundhimoutatlast,hadbroughtintelligenceofCaptainHarville’sbeingsettledwithhisfamilyatLymeforthewinteroftheirbeingtherefore,quiteunknowingly,withintwen