Chapter 7: Which takes place during Chapter 16 of Northanger Abbey

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The request which Eleanor had made to Miss Morland, of her favouring them with her company during dinner, had not been entirely of her own devising. It had been the General who had instructed her to do so and even though Eleanor and Henry were both very eager to spend more time with her, they could not understand why their father would be and the wariness that this uncertainty inspired threw a gloom over the whole visit. Neither Henry nor Eleanor could be in truly high spirits when their father was present and at this time they were both driven to silence by their incomprehension of the situation. Henry especially listened with astonishment to his father's expressions to Miss Morland, for they were numerous and full of civility and even affected gallantry. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bring himself to talk much and Eleanor suffered from the same affliction. Miss Morland seemed aware of a change and as the evening went on, she seemed increasingly desperate to please and Henry blamed himself for not being able to put her at ease. When she took leave of them in the evening his father bestowed on her such an array of thanks, invitations and compliments, that the subdued adieus of his children hardly had a hope to be heard. By Miss Morland, however, they certainly were and she looked at them both so anxiously and wished to see them again soon so earnestly, that both Henry and Eleanor resolved to make amends for this dinner at tomorrow's ball.

Before the evening of that ball arrived, however, there was an arrival of a different sort. Their bother, Captain Frederick Tilney, who was now on leave from the army and had promised their father to join them as soon as may be, had finally arrived in Bath. The affection Henry felt for his brother was by no means equal to that which he felt for his sister, but he greeted him with sincere pleasure after so long a separation. Frederick, who did not have a disposition for sitting at home, readily agreed to accompany them to the ball that evening and the whole family set off in good time.

As soon as they entered the ballroom and their father had left them to go speak to some particular friends, it was the joint object of both Eleanor and Henry to find out Miss Morland. Many things might now have happened to delay their satisfaction and try their resolve, but as it was the crowded ballroom did a remarkably poor job of concealing the young lady from their notice. They spied her almost immediately and upon drawing near her, were greeted with equal delight and affection.

Eleanor immediately attached herself to her, meaning with pleasant conversations and warm professions of regard, to make up for her earlier silence and Henry immediately asked Miss Morland if she could be prevailed on to stand up with him again as soon as the dancing began.

"I would be delighted!" said she and he smiled on her, saying that he would return in a moment.

He went then to find his brother who, after having been introduced to Miss Morland and Mrs. Allen, had walked off, evidently disinterested in their further acquaintance. Henry felt his rudeness and attempted to bring him back to their party, walking with him and asking him if he did not mean to dance.

"Dance?" Frederick scoffed, with a dismissive glance at the company around them. "I shall do no such thing. I wonder at you, Henry, for finding it at all possible, under the present circumstances."

"Please yourself, Frederick," Henry said airily. "And leave me to do the same." He knew his brother too well to quarrel with him and quickly left him to himself, going to collect Miss Morland soon after. Miss Morland, he knew, was looked at with some admiration as he led her down the dance. And well she might, he thought, for she looked remarkably pretty this evening. It is certainly to Henry's credit that he should think so, for though it was very true, the admiring looks were turned towards them as a couple much more than they were directed at her in particular. The two of them seemed so well-matched. He smiling so amiably and speaking with such warmth, and her looking up at him with such lively admiration in her eyes, that they were a joy to behold.

At the end of this very agreeable dance, Henry was rather unwelcomely pulled away by his brother.

"What can you mean by this, Frederick?" Henry said, somewhat nettled. "Am I to have no enjoyment in dancing because you choose to be dull?"

"No indeed," his brother replied. "Quite the opposite. Who, pray tell, is that pretty little thing sitting down just there? I saw her speak to one of your partner's party, is she acquainted with her?"

Henry looked round and saw Miss Thorpe, sitting down beside her mother. She sat as if resolute to remain seated, but moved her head so often and cast such expressive looks toward the different corners of the room, as to assure she would attract at least some notice.

"That is a Miss Thorpe," Henry answered. "A particular friend of Miss Morlands, and-" he added, "I believe, of her brother's."

Frederick chose not to take this hint. His eyes were fixed most particularly on Miss Thorpe's lovely face and he said:

"If your partner would be so kind as to introduce me to her, I would be quite happy to stand up with her friend, if the lady means to dance of course."

Henry gave his brother a silent look, but then said in as neutral a tone as he could command:

"I shall ask Miss Morland directly."

He then returned to his partner, who looked very relieved to see him return with a smiling aspect, but rather surprised when he made his enquiry.

"That is very kind of your brother," she answered. "But I am very sure Miss Thorpe does not mean to dance at all this evening."

Henry had suspected no other answer and promptly conveyed it to his brother. Frederick made no reply beyond a rather mocking smile and immediately walked away. Henry returned to Miss Morland and they recommenced their dancing. The lady, evidently, still had to quiet her own solicitude for his disappointed brother.

"Your brother will not mind it, I know," said she, "because I heard him say before that he hated dancing; but it was very good–natured in him to think of it. I suppose he saw Isabella sitting down, and fancied she might wish for a partner; but he is quite mistaken, for she would not dance upon any account in the world."

Henry smiled. How pleasant and fair the world must be, he thought, when seen through the eyes of a Catherine Morland. How well-meaning every action, how just every thought and how noble every heart. "How very little trouble it can give you to understand the motive of other people's actions," he said teasingly.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"With you, it is not, How is such a one likely to be influenced, What is the inducement most likely to act upon such a person's feelings, age, situation, and probable habits of life considered — but, How should I be influenced, What would be my inducement in acting so and so?"

"I do not understand you."

"Then we are on very unequal terms," he smiled. "For I understand you perfectly well."

"Me? Yes; I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible."

"Bravo!" he laughed. "An excellent satire on modern language."

"But pray tell me what you mean," she entreated.

"Shall I indeed?" he said, pretending to possess great scruples. "Do you really desire it? But you are not aware of the consequences; it will involve you in a very cruel embarrassment, and certainly bring on a disagreement between us.

"No, no; it shall not do either; I am not afraid."

"Well, then, I only meant that your attributing my brother's wish of dancing with Miss Thorpe to good nature alone convinced me of your being superior in good nature yourself to all the rest of the world."

Henry had the sincere pleasure of seeing Miss Morland turn quite pink and she hastily disclaimed the compliment. Her confusion gave way to a very particular pre-occupation and they danced in silence for some minutes, Henry being too generous to force her to talk while her head was evidently still full of what had painted her cheeks with roses.

Miss Morland's mind being so pleasantly engaged she did not notice as Henry did that another couple had joined the dance. His brother was now dancing with Miss Thorpe and directing a most self-satisfied smile towards Henry when their eyes met. Henry prepared for Miss Morland's surprise and possible dismay, and when the dance brought the two couples together to give each other hands across, it came. Miss Morland looked at her friend with unrestrained wonder and was answered only by a slight shrug and a smile.

"I cannot think how it could happen! Isabella was so determined not to dance," Miss Morland exclaimed to Henry as soon as Isabella was no longer likely to hear.

"And did Isabella never change her mind before?" asked he gently. He was not at all surprised. Miss Thorpe was not the sort of young lady to shy away from attention and his brother was not the sort of young man to easily resign himself to a denial.

"Oh! But, because — And your brother! After what you told him from me, how could he think of going to ask her?"

"I cannot take surprise to myself on that head. You bid me be surprised on your friend's account, and therefore I am; but as for my brother, his conduct in the business, I must own, has been no more than I believed him perfectly equal to. The fairness of your friend was an open attraction; her firmness, you know, could only be understood by yourself."

He meant to divert his fair partner, but she was not so easily distracted. "You are laughing; but, I assure you, Isabella is very firm in general."

"It is as much as should be said of anyone. To be always firm must be to be often obstinate. When properly to relax is the trial of judgment; and, without reference to my brother, I really think Miss Thorpe has by no means chosen ill in fixing on the present hour."

Miss Morland gave him a rather doubtful look, but she was soon persuaded to think no more of it, at least for the present. Henry teased her pleasantly on former favourite subjects and soon she willingly once again bestowed all of her attention only on himself. A great thing both for her peace of mind and his enjoyment in the evening.

...

A/N: Just a short one, but some of the chapters in Northanger really are very very short. Soon we'll actually be going to Northanger and you know what that means. Flirting, drama, more flirting and then Drama.

Big thanks to TheWalkingDebt who found me both here and on AO3 and left a lovely encouraging review!