Persuasion

Captain Wentworth had already travelled to Bath when Anne spoke to Admiral Croft. Anne is out walking with Elizabeth, Mr. Elliot, and Mrs. Clay when it begins to rain. They step into a shop to wait out the rain when they notice Lady Dalrymple’s carriage further down the block. The carriage has space for two, so Elizabeth and Mrs. Clay are offered a ride back to Camden-place once Lady Dalrymple is ready. The women wait in the shop as Mr. Elliot runs an errand for Mrs. Clay. From the window, Anne notices Captain Wentworth walking down the street with friends. Rather than hide from him, Anne intercepts Captain Wentworth when he enters the store. They talk briefly, and Anne feels “agitation, pain, pleasure, a something between delight and misery” (165). However, Anne perceives Wentworth to be more distant than he was at Uppercross. Though Elizabeth recognizes Wentworth, she fails to acknowledge him before she leaves with Mrs. Clay. Captain Wentworth offers Anne an umbrella for her walk home, but Mr. Elliot returns and escorts Anne from the shop. With Anne gone, the women of Captain Wentworth’s group gossip about the possible courtship between her and Mr.