Anne saw nothing, thought nothing of the brilliancy of the room. She was thinking only of the last quarter hour, and her mind took a hasty range over it. Frederick's words, his expressions, and his manner had been such as she could see in only one light. He had been released by Louisa, and had come to Bath to renew his offer to her!
Mr. Elliot had maneuvered to sit next to her, but she had no inclination to talk to him. Instead, she searched the room for Frederick, but to her disappointment he could not be found. We shall meet again. He will look for me.
The concert began. Anne made a show of listening to the music but her thoughts remained on Frederick. She now knew his feelings, but he still did not know hers. I must tell him, but how shall I manage it?
Certain that Frederick was somewhere watching, Mr. Elliot sought to dissuade his rival by sliding closer to Anne on the bench, more than was proper. The bench was so full that she could not retreat from him due to the unknown gentleman on her other side. In the interval succeeding an Italian song, he asked her to translate the words and she politely obliged. Then, with a raised voice, he showered her with flattery and thinly veiled references to matrimony. It was misery for Anne to think of Mr. Elliot's attentions. Their evil was incalculable.
When the first act ended, Mr Elliot unhappily found himself invited by Elizabeth and Miss Carteret, in a manner not to be refused, to sit between them. For once, Anne felt gratitude towards her sister. With her new freedom, Anne employed some strategy of her own, eventually moving to the end of the bench with an extra vacant space at hand. Such was her situation when she sighted Frederick not far off. His demeanor reflected doubt and lacked his usual confidence. Only by very slow degrees did he come at last near enough to speak to her.
"Good evening, Miss Elliot."
"Good evening, Captain Wentworth. How do you like the concert?"
"I confess I am rather disappointed. I shall not be sorry when it is over."
Afraid that he might leave before they could come to an understanding, she sought to encourage him.
"Perhaps you have not been able to enjoy the performance to its best advantage. I do hope you will give the second act a chance. This bench is exceedingly well placed for hearing the music."
She looked at him with eyes of glowing entreaty. Noticing the empty spot next to her, he appeared to consider it as a place well worth occupying. At that moment, a touch on her shoulder obliged Anne to turn round. It came from Mr Elliot. Though his demeanor stated otherwise, he apologised for the intrusion. Anne must be applied to, to explain Italian to Miss Carteret. Anne could not refuse, and Mr. Elliot beamed as he stole Anne away.
A few minutes were inevitably consumed; and when able to return, Anne rejoiced to find Frederick resolutely sitting on the bench. He had seen Mr. Elliot's triumphant look and decided he would not be so easily defeated. Not until Anne told him otherwise. As Anne took her seat beside him, he said nothing but gave her a look of half agony, half hope.
~~END OF CHAPTER~~