Lady Russell and Mrs Croft were very well pleased
with each other: but the acquaintance which this
visit began was fated not to proceed far at present;
for when it was returned, the Crofts announced themselves
to be going away for a few weeks, to visit their connexions
in the north of the county, and probably might not
be at home again before Lady Russell would be removing
to Bath.
So ended all danger to Anne of meeting Captain Wentworth
at Kellynch Hall, or of seeing him in company with
her friend. Everything was safe enough, and
she smiled over the many anxious feelings she had wasted
on the subject.
Though Charles and Mary had remained at Lyme much
longer after Mr and Mrs Musgrove’s going than
Anne conceived they could have been at all wanted,
they were yet the first of the family to be at home
again; and as soon as possible after their return
to Uppercross they drove over to the Lodge.
They had left Louisa beginning to sit up; but her
head, though clear, was exceedingly weak, and her nerves
susceptible to the highest extreme of tenderness; and
though she might be pronounced to be altogether doing
very well, it was still impossible to say when she
might be able to bear the removal home; and her father
and mother, who must return in time to receive their
younger children for the Christmas holidays, had hardly
a hope of being allowed to bring her with them.
They had been all in lodgings together. Mrs
Musgrove had got Mrs Harville’s children away
as much as she could, every possible supply from Uppercross
had been furnished, to lighten the inconvenience to
the Harvilles, while the Harvilles had been wanting
them to come to dinner every day; and in short, it
seemed to have been only a struggle on each side as
to which should be most disinterested and hospitable.
Mary had had her evils; but upon the whole, as was
evident by her staying so long, she had found more
to enjoy than to suffer. Charles Hayter had been
at Lyme oftener than suited her; and when they dined
with the Harvilles there had been only a maid-servant
to wait, and at first Mrs Harville had always given
Mrs Musgrove precedence; but then, she had received
so very handsome an apology from her on finding out
whose daughter she was, and there had been so much
going on every day, there had been so many walks between
their lodgings and the Harvilles, and she had got
books from the library, and changed them so often,
that the balance had certainly been much in favour
of Lyme. She had been taken to Charmouth too,
and she had bathed, and she had gone to church, and
there were a great many more people to look at in
the church at Lyme than at Uppercross; and all this,
joined to the sense of being so very useful, had made
really an agreeable fortnight.
Anne enquired after Captain Benwick, Mary’s
face was clouded directly. Charles laughed.
