tymilesofeachother.CaptainHarvillehadneverbeeningoodhealthsinceaseverewoundwhichhereceivedtwoyearsbefore,andCaptainWentworth’sanxietytoseehimhaddeterminedhimtogoimmediatelytoLyme.Hehadbeenthereforfour-and-twentyhours.Hisacquittalwascomplete,hisfriendshipwarmlyhonoured,alivelyinterestexcitedforhisfriend,andhisdescriptionofthefinecountryaboutLymesofeelinglyattendedtobytheparty,thatanearnestdesiretoseeLymethemselves,andaprojectforgoingthitherwastheconsequence.
TheyoungpeoplewereallwildtoseeLyme.CaptainWentworthtalkedofgoingthereagainhimself,itwasonlyseventeenmilesfromUppercrossthoughNovember,theweatherwasbynomeansbadand,inshort,Louisa,whowasthemosteageroftheeager,havingformedtheresolutiontogo,andbesidesthepleasureofdoingassheliked,beingnowarmedwiththeideaofmeritinmaintainingherownway,boredownallthewishesofherfatherandmotherforputtingitofftillsummerandtoLymetheyweretogo—Charles,Mary,Anne,Henrietta,Louisa,andCaptainWentworth.
ThefirstheedlessschemehadbeentogointhemorningandreturnatnightbuttothisMrMusgrove,forthesakeofhishorses,wouldnotconsentandwhenitcametoberationallyconsidered,adayinthemiddleofNovemberwouldnotleavemuchtimeforseeinganewplace,afterdeductingsevenhours,asthenatureofthecountryrequired,forgoingandreturning.Theywere,consequently,tostaythenightthere,andnottobeexpectedbacktillthenextday’sdinner.ThiswasfelttobeaconsiderableamendmentandthoughtheyallmetattheGreatHouseatratheranearlybreakfasthour,andsetoffverypunctually,itwassomuchpastnoonbeforethetwocarriages,MrMusgrove’scoachcontainingthefourladies,andCharles’scurricle,inwhichhedroveCaptainWentworth,weredescendingthelonghillintoLyme,andenteringuponthestillsteeperstreetofthetownitself,thatitwasveryevidenttheywouldnothavemorethantimeforlookingaboutthem,beforethelightandwarmthofthedayweregone.
Aftersecuringaccommo