CHAPTER IX.

CaptainWentworthwascometoKellynchastoahome,tostayaslongasheliked,beingasthoroughlytheobjectoftheAdmiral’sfraternalkindnessasofhiswife’s.Hehadintended,onfirstarriving,toproceedverysoonintoShropshire,andvisitthebrothersettledinthatcountry,buttheattractionsofUppercrossinducedhimtoputthisoff.Therewassomuchoffriendliness,andofflattery,andofeverythingmostbewitchinginhisreceptiontheretheoldweresohospitable,theyoungsoagreeable,thathecouldnotbutresolvetoremainwherehewas,andtakeallthecharmsandperfectionsofEdward’swifeuponcreditalittlelonger. ItwassoonUppercrosswithhimalmosteveryday.TheMusgrovescouldhardlybemorereadytoinvitethanhetocome,particularlyinthemorning,whenhehadnocompanionathome,fortheAdmiralandMrsCroftweregenerallyoutofdoorstogether,interestingthemselvesintheirnewpossessions,theirgrass,andtheirsheep,anddawdlingaboutinawaynotendurabletoathirdperson,ordrivingoutinagig,latelyaddedtotheirestablishment. HithertotherehadbeenbutoneopinionofCaptainWentworthamongtheMusgrovesandtheirdependencies.Itwasunvarying,warmadmirationeverywherebutthisintimatefootingwasnotmorethanestablished,whenacertainCharlesHayterreturnedamongthem,tobeagooddealdisturbedbyit,andtothinkCaptainWentworthverymuchintheway. CharlesHayterwastheeldestofallthecousins,andaveryamiable,pleasingyoungman,betweenwhomandHenriettatherehadbeenaconsiderableappearanceofattachmentprevioustoCaptainWentworth’sintroduction.Hewasinordersandhavingacuracyintheneighbourhood,whereresidencewasnotrequired,livedathisfather’shouse,onlytwomilesfromUppercross.Ashortabsencefromhomehadlefthisfaironeunguardedbyhisattentionsatthiscriticalperiod,andwhenhecamebackhehadthepainoffindingveryalteredmanners,andofseeingCaptainWentworth. MrsMusgroveandMrsHayterweresisters.Theyhadeachhadmoney,buttheirmarriageshadmadeamaterialdifferenceintheirdegreeofconsequence.MrHayterhadsomepropertyofhisown,butitwasinsignificantcomparedwithMrMusgrove’sandwhiletheMusgroveswereinthefirstclassofsocietyinthecountry,theyoungHayterswould,fromtheirparents’inferior,retired,andunpolishedwayofliving,andtheirowndefectiveeducation,havebeenhardlyinanyclassatall,butfortheirconnexionwithUppercross,thiseldestsonofcourseexcepted,whohadchosentobeascholarandagentleman,andwhowasverysuperiorincultivationandmannerstoalltherest. Thetwofamilieshadalwaysbeenonexcellentterms,therebeingnoprideononeside,andnoenvyontheother,andonlysuchaconsciousnessofsuperiorityintheMissMusgroves,asmadethempleasedtoimprovetheircousins.Charles’sattentionstoHenriettahadbeenobservedbyherfatherandmotherwithoutanydisapprobation.“ItwouldnotbeagreatmatchforherbutifHenriettalikedhim,”—andHenriettadidseemtolikehim. Henriettafullythoughtsoher