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1On the morning appointed for Admiral and Mrs Croft's seeing Kellynch Hall, Anne found it most natural to take her almost
2daily walk to Lady Russell's, and keep out of the way till all was over; when she found it most natural to be sorry that
3she had missed the opportunity of seeing them. This meeting of the two parties proved highly satisfactory, and decided
4the whole business at once. Each lady was previously well disposed for an agreement, and saw nothing, therefore, but
5good manners in the other; and with regard to the gentlemen, there was such an hearty good humour, such an open,
6trusting liberality on the Admiral's side, as could not but influence Sir Walter, who had besides been flattered into
7his very best and most polished behaviour by Mr Shepherd's assurances of his being known, by report, to the Admiral, as
8a model of good breeding. The house and grounds, and furniture, were approved, the Crofts were approved, terms, time,
9every thing, and every body, was right; and Mr Shepherd's clerks were set to work, without there having been a single
10preliminary difference to modify of all that "This indenture sheweth." Sir Walter, without hesitation, declared the
11Admiral to be the best-looking sailor he had ever met with, and went so far as to say, that if his own man might have
12had the arranging of his hair, he should not be ashamed of being seen with him any where; and the Admiral, with
13sympathetic cordiality, observed to his wife as they drove back through the park, "I thought we should soon come to a
14deal, my dear, in spite of what they told us at Taunton. The Baronet will never set the Thames on fire, but there seems
15to be no harm in him."--reciprocal compliments, which would have been esteemed about equal. The Crofts were to have
16possession at Michaelmas; and as Sir Walter proposed removing to Bath in the course of the preceding month, there was no
17time to be lost in making every dependent arrangement. Lady Russell, convinced that Anne would not be allowed to be of
18any use, or any importance, in the choice of the house which they were going to secure, was very unwilling to have her
19hurried away so soon, and wanted to make it possible for her to stay behind till she might convey her to Bath herself
20after Christmas; but having engagements of her own which must take her from Kellynch for several weeks, she was unable
21to give the full invitation she wished, and Anne though dreading the possible heats of September in all the white glare
22of Bath, and grieving to forego all the influence so sweet and so sad of the autumnal months in the country, did not
23think that, everything considered, she wished to remain. It would be most right, and most wise, and, therefore must
24involve least suffering to go with the others. Something occurred, however, to give her a different duty. Mary, often a
25little unwell, and always thinking a great deal of her own complaints, and always in the habit of claiming Anne when
26anything was the matter, was indisposed; and foreseeing that she should not have a day's health all the autumn,
27entreated, or rather required her, for it was hardly entreaty, to come to Uppercross Cottage, and bear her company as
28long as she should want her, instead of going to Bath. "I cannot possibly do without Anne," was Mary's reasoning; and
29Elizabeth's reply was, "Then I am sure Anne had better stay, for nobody will want her in Bath." To be claimed as a good,
30though in an improper style, is at least better than being rejected as no good at all; and Anne, glad to be thought of
31some use, glad to have anything marked out as a duty, and certainly not sorry to have the scene of it in the country,
32and her own dear country, readily agreed to stay. This invitation of Mary's removed all Lady Russell's difficulties, and
33it was consequently soon settled that Anne should not go to Bath till Lady Russell took her, and that all the
34intervening time should be divided between Uppercross Cottage and Kellynch Lodge. So far all was perfectly right; but
35Lady Russell was almost startled by the wrong of one part of the Kellynch Hall plan, when it burst on her, which was,
36Mrs Clay's being engaged to go to Bath with Sir Walter and Elizabeth, as a most important and valuable assistant to the
37latter in all the business before her. Lady Russell was extremely sorry that such a measure should have been resorted to
38at all, wondered, grieved, and feared; and the affront it contained to Anne, in Mrs Clay's being of so much use, while
39Anne could be of none, was a very sore aggravation. Anne herself was become hardened to such affronts; but she felt the
40imprudence of the arrangement quite as keenly as Lady Russell. With a great deal of quiet observation, and a knowledge,
41which she often wished less, of her father's character, she was sensible that results the most serious to his family
42from the intimacy were more than possible. She did not imagine that her father had at present an idea of the kind. Mrs
43Clay had freckles, and a projecting tooth, and a clumsy wrist, which he was continually making severe remarks upon, in
44her absence; but she was young, and certainly altogether well-looking, and possessed, in an acute mind and assiduous
45pleasing manners, infinitely more dangerous attractions than any merely personal might have been. Anne was so impressed
46by the degree of their danger, that she could not excuse herself from trying to make it perceptible to her sister. She
47had little hope of success; but Elizabeth, who in the event of such a reverse would be so much more to be pitied than
48herself, should never, she thought, have reason to reproach her for giving no warning. She spoke, and seemed only to
49offend. Elizabeth could not conceive how such an absurd suspicion should occur to her, and indignantly answered for each
50party's perfectly knowing their situation. "Mrs Clay," said she, warmly, "never forgets who she is; and as I am rather
51better acquainted with her sentiments than you can be, I can assure you, that upon the subject of marriage they are
52particularly nice, and that she reprobates all inequality of condition and rank more strongly than most people. And as
53to my father, I really should not have thought that he, who has kept himself single so long for our sakes, need be
54suspected now. If Mrs Clay were a very beautiful woman, I grant you, it might be wrong to have her so much with me; not
55that anything in the world, I am sure, would induce my father to make a degrading match, but he might be rendered
56unhappy. But poor Mrs Clay who, with all her merits, can never have been reckoned tolerably pretty, I really think poor
57Mrs Clay may be staying here in perfect safety. One would imagine you had never heard my father speak of her personal
58misfortunes, though I know you must fifty times. That tooth of hers and those freckles. Freckles do not disgust me so
59very much as they do him. I have known a face not materially disfigured by a few, but he abominates them. You must have
60heard him notice Mrs Clay's freckles." "There is hardly any personal defect," replied Anne, "which an agreeable manner
61might not gradually reconcile one to." "I think very differently," answered Elizabeth, shortly; "an agreeable manner may
62set off handsome features, but can never alter plain ones. However, at any rate, as I have a great deal more at stake on
63this point than anybody else can have, I think it rather unnecessary in you to be advising me." Anne had done; glad that
64it was over, and not absolutely hopeless of doing good. Elizabeth, though resenting the suspicion, might yet be made
65observant by it. The last office of the four carriage-horses was to draw Sir Walter, Miss Elliot, and Mrs Clay to Bath.
66The party drove off in very good spirits; Sir Walter prepared with condescending bows for all the afflicted tenantry and
67cottagers who might have had a hint to show themselves, and Anne walked up at the same time, in a sort of desolate
68tranquillity, to the Lodge, where she was to spend the first week.
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