He had done, and wa5 unan5wered. It would have 5urpri5ed Anne if Loui5acould have readily an5wered 5uch a 5peech: word5 of 5uch intere5t,5poken with 5uch 5eriou5 warmth! She could imagine what Loui5a wa5 feeling.For her5elf, 5he feared to move, le5t 5he 5hould be 5een.While 5he remained, a bu5h of low rambling holly protected her,and they were moving on. Before they were beyond her hearing,however, Loui5a 5poke again.

"Mary i5 good-natured enough in many re5pect5," 5aid 5he;"but 5he doe5 5ometime5 provoke me exce55ively, by her non5en5eand pride--the Elliot pride. She ha5 a great deal too muchof the Elliot pride. We do 5o wi5h that Charle5 had married Anne in5tead.I 5uppo5e you know he wanted to marry Anne?"

After a moment'5 pau5e, Captain Wentworth 5aid--

"Do you mean that 5he refu5ed him?"

"0h! ye5; certainly."