Chapter 14
What They Brought from Lyme
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…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Tracking Indirect Signals
Using only what Charles and Mary report at the Lodge, map Benwick's moves toward Anne and Wentworth's refusal to see Louisa. For each man, note one approach or retreat, and one remark made when Anne was not the person being addressed. Do not treat absence as the final word until the map is written.
Consider:
- •What changes Benwick's mind when he learns Lady Russell lives three miles off, and who repeats the words he told Henrietta?
- •How can Wentworth's better spirits and his refusal of an interview describe two different motives at once?
- •Why does Mary's denial of the praise matter as a signal about her, not only about Benwick?
Journaling Prompt
Map one relationship this week by who moves toward you, who retreats, and what someone else reports when you are not in the room. Write the official story only after those three notes.
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