SirWalter,indeed,thoughhehadnoaffectionforAnne,andnovanityflattered,tomakehimreallyhappyontheoccasion,wasveryfarfromthinkingitabadmatchforher.Onthecontrary,whenhesawmoreofCaptainWentworth,sawhimrepeatedlybydaylight,andeyedhimwell,hewasverymuchstruckbyhispersonalclaims,andfeltthathissuperiorityofappearancemightbenotunfairlybalancedagainsthersuperiorityofrankandallthis,assistedbyhiswell-soundingname,enabledSirWalteratlasttopreparehispen,withaverygoodgrace,fortheinsertionofthemarriageinthevolumeofhonour. Theonlyoneamongthem,whoseoppositionoffeelingcouldexciteanyseriousanxietywasLadyRussell.AnneknewthatLadyRussellmustbesufferingsomepaininunderstandingandrelinquishingMrElliot,andbemakingsomestrugglestobecometrulyacquaintedwith,anddojusticetoCaptainWentworth.ThishoweverwaswhatLadyRussellhadnowtodo.ShemustlearntofeelthatshehadbeenmistakenwithregardtoboththatshehadbeenunfairlyinfluencedbyappearancesineachthatbecauseCaptainWentworth’smannershadnotsuitedherownideas,shehadbeentooquickinsuspectingthemtoindicateacharacterofdangerousimpetuosityandthatbecauseMrElliot’smannershadpreciselypleasedherintheirproprietyandcorrectness,theirgeneralpolitenessandsuavity,shehadbeentooquickinreceivingthemasthecertainresultofthemostcorrectopinionsandwell-regulatedmind.TherewasnothinglessforLadyRusselltodo,thantoadmitthatshehadbeenprettycompletelywrong,andtotakeupanewsetofopinionsandofhopes. Thereisaquicknessofperceptioninsome,anicetyinthediscernmentofcharacter,anaturalpenetration,inshort,whichnoexperienceinotherscanequal,andLadyRussellhadbeenlessgiftedinthispartofunderstandingthanheryoungfriend.Butshewasaverygoodwoman,andifhersecondobjectwastobesensibleandwell-judging,herfirstwastoseeAnnehappy.ShelovedAnnebetterthanshelovedherownabilitiesandwhentheawkwardnessofthebeginningwasover,foundlittlehardshipinattachingherselfasamothertothemanwhowassecuringthehappinessofherotherchild. Ofallthefamily,Marywasprobablytheonemostimmediatelygratifiedbythecircumstance.Itwascreditabletohaveasistermarried,andshemightflatterherselfwithhavingbeengreatlyinstrumentaltotheconnexion,bykeepingAnnewithherintheautumnandasherownsistermustbebetterthanherhusband’ssisters,itwasveryagreeablethatCaptainWentworthshouldbearichermanthaneitherCaptainBenwickorCharlesHayter.Shehadsomethingtosuffer,perhaps,whentheycameintocontactagain,inseeingAnnerestoredtotherightsofseniority,andthemistressofaveryprettylandaulettebutshehadafuturetolookforwardto,ofpowerfulconsolation.AnnehadnoUppercrossHallbeforeher,nolandedestate,noheadshipofafamilyandiftheycouldbutkeepCaptainWentworthfrombeingmadeabaronet,shewouldnotchangesituationswithAnne. Itwouldbewellfortheeldestsisterifshewereequallysatisfiedwithhersituation,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,ofgoodwilltoofferinreturnforalltheworthandallthepromptwelcomewhichmetherinhisbrothersandsisters,wasasourceofaslivelypainashermindcouldwellbesensibleofundercircumstancesofotherwisestrongfelicity.Shehadbuttwofriendsintheworldtoaddtohislist,LadyRussellandMrsSmith.Tothose,however,hewasverywelldisposedtoattachhimself.LadyRussell,inspiteofallherformertransgressions,hecouldnowvaluefromhisheart.Whilehewasnotobligedtosaythathebelievedhertohavebeenrightinoriginallydividingthem,hewasreadytosayalmosteverythingelseinherfavour,andasforMrsSmith,shehadclaimsofvariouskindstorecommendherquicklyandpermanently. HerrecentgoodofficesbyAnnehadbeenenoughinthemselves,andtheirmarriage,insteadofdeprivingherofonefriend,securedhertwo.ShewastheirearliestvisitorintheirsettledlifeandCaptainWentworth,byputtingherinthewayofrecoveringherhusband’spropertyintheWestIndies,bywritingforher,actingforher,andseeingherthroughallthepettydifficultiesofthecasewiththeactivityandexertionofafearlessmanandadeterminedfriend,fullyrequitedtheserviceswhichshehadrendered,orevermeanttorender,tohiswife.