The White Hart — Persuasion

Anne goes home with one relief. She owes Mr Elliot no tenderness. He stands against Captain Wentworth, and the harm of last night is plain. Every other view is worse. Lady Russell will be hurt. Her father and sister have mortifications ahead, and she cannot see how to stop them. Not slighting Mrs Smith has brought her what no one else could have told. She must speak to Lady Russell, then wait. The fear she cannot share is the one about Wentworth.

She has missed his morning call. He is asked again for the evening, after hints that Elizabeth, so Mrs Clay says, could not refuse. Both women enjoy the father-and-son picture. Anne knows Mrs Clay must hate the man who blocks her real aim, yet the welcome is smooth. When he comes, the smiles look false beside the letter and beside his treatment of Mrs Smith. Anne stays cool, and she means to undo the extra intimacy without a scene. He tries again to tease her about the old praise. The charm is gone. He leaves Bath the next morning for most of two days. She would almost accept Mrs Clay as Lady Elliot, if that would free the house from his manoeuvres.

She plans to tell Lady Russell on Friday, and waits until Mrs Clay has gone. The knock is Charles and Mary Musgrove. They are at the White Hart with Mrs Musgrove, Henrietta, and Captain Harville, whose business began the trip. Henrietta is buying wedding clothes. Charles Hayter has a living to hold, so both sisters may marry within months. Louisa is recovered and quiet, with Benwick reading beside her. Anne can laugh without envy. Elizabeth will not show a thinner table, so the Musgroves are asked to an elegant evening instead of dinner, to meet the Dalrymples and Mr Elliot. Anne puts the Rivers Street talk off for a day and goes to the inn, where she is welcome because she helped them in distress.

Wentworth arrives with Harville. She fears the jealousy of the concert still rules him, because he will not come near enough to talk. Mary, at the window, insists the man with Mrs Clay is Mr Elliot. Anne says he left at nine. He is watching her. She looks, sees that it is Mr Elliot, and hopes she sounded calm. The visitors already smile as if they know the rumour. Charles has a theatre box and has included Wentworth. Mary says they are promised to Camden Place to meet the heir. Charles asks what Mr Elliot is to him. Wentworth listens with his whole soul, and those words turn his eyes to Anne. She says she would rather the play than the party. Tuesday is settled. He comes near her and says that eight and a half years is a period. Henrietta calls them away before he can go on. Sir Walter and Elizabeth enter, and the warmth dies. Elizabeth gives cards, with one set apart for Wentworth, because a man of his air will suit her drawing-room. His look is surprise, then contempt when Mary says the card delights him. At home Anne listens to the party plans and cannot tell whether he will come. She tells Mrs Clay she was seen with Mr Elliot after he was supposed to be gone. Guilt shows for a moment, then a smooth story of a chance meeting in Bath Street and a head too full of tomorrow to remember it.