Chapter 20

           SirWalter,histwodaughters,andMrsClay,weretheearliestofalltheirpartyattheroomsintheevening;andasLadyDalrymplemustbewaitedfor,theytooktheirstationbyoneofthefiresintheOctagonRoom.Buthardlyweretheysosettled,whenthedooropenedagain,andCaptainWentworthwalkedinalone.Annewasthenearesttohim,andmakingyetalittleadvance,sheinstantlyspoke.Hewaspreparingonlytobowandpasson,buthergentle“Howdoyoudo?”broughthimoutofthestraightlinetostandnearher,andmakeenquiriesinreturn,inspiteoftheformidablefatherandsisterinthebackground.TheirbeinginthebackgroundwasasupporttoAnne;sheknewnothingoftheirlooks,andfeltequaltoeverythingwhichshebelievedrighttobedone.

           Whiletheywerespeaking,awhisperingbetweenherfatherandElizabethcaughtherear.Shecouldnotdistinguish,butshemustguessthesubject;andonCaptainWentworth’smakingadistantbow,shecomprehendedthatherfatherhadjudgedsowellastogivehimthatsimpleacknowledgementofacquaintance,andshewasjustintimebyasideglancetoseeaslightcurtseyfromElizabethherself.This,thoughlate,andreluctant,andungracious,wasyetbetterthannothing,andherspiritsimproved.