Her plan of sitting with Lady Russell must give way for the present.

They all three called in Rivers Street for a couple of minutes; but

Anne convinced herself that a day's delay of the intended communication

could be of no consequence, and hastened forward to the White Hart, to

see again the friends and companions of the last autumn, with an

eagerness of good-will which many associations contributed to form.

They found Mrs Musgrove and her daughter within, and by themselves, and

Anne had the kindest welcome from each. Henrietta was exactly in that

state of recently-improved views, of fresh-formed happiness, which made

her full of regard and interest for everybody she had ever liked before

at all; and Mrs Musgrove's real affection had been won by her

usefulness when they were in distress. It was a heartiness, and a

warmth, and a sincerity which Anne delighted in the more, from the sad

want of such blessings at home. She was entreated to give them as much

of her time as possible, invited for every day and all day long, or

rather claimed as part of the family; and, in return, she naturally

fell into all her wonted ways of attention and assistance, and on

Charles's leaving them together, was listening to Mrs Musgrove's

history of Louisa, and to Henrietta's of herself, giving opinions on

business, and recommendations to shops; with intervals of every help

which Mary required, from altering her ribbon to settling her accounts;

from finding her keys, and assorting her trinkets, to trying to

convince her that she was not ill-used by anybody; which Mary, well

amused as she generally was, in her station at a window overlooking the

entrance to the Pump Room, could not but have her moments of imagining.

A morning of thorough confusion was to be expected. A large party in

an hotel ensured a quick-changing, unsettled scene. One five minutes

brought a note, the next a parcel; and Anne had not been there half an

hour, when their dining-room, spacious as it was, seemed more than half

filled: a party of steady old friends were seated around Mrs Musgrove,

and Charles came back with Captains Harville and Wentworth. The

appearance of the latter could not be more than the surprise of the

moment. It was impossible for her to have forgotten to feel that this

arrival of their common friends must be soon bringing them together

again. Their last meeting had been most important in opening his

feelings; she had derived from it a delightful conviction; but she

feared from his looks, that the same unfortunate persuasion, which had

hastened him away from the Concert Room, still governed. He did not

seem to want to be near enough for conversation.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024