Chapter 12 Summary
In Lyme the next morning, Anne and Henrietta are the first to get up and decide to go for a walk along the beach as they wait for the others to awaken. They are soon joined by Louisa and Wentworth and the others, then they all head to breakfast together. On their way, a very elegant young man in stylish clothes, who demonstrates gentlemanly manners, steps to the side to allow them to pass. The man pays special attention to Anne and stares at her as she walks by. Anne notices this. She also sees that Wentworth reacts to this man by watching him and then by looking back at Anne to see what the young man was looking at. Anne feels as if Wentworth sees her through new eyes, and possibly he approves of her looks more than he had recently. Maybe Wentworth is finally seeing her as the Anne he had once loved.
Later, as the group is finishing breakfast, they see the same young man again. They notice he has a servant and a very elegant horse and carriage. They watch through the window of the inn as the man enters his carriage and drives away. Wentworth asks one of the workers at the restaurant if he knows the name of the man. The worker says the man is Mr. Elliot. Upon hearing this, Mary blurts out that he must be her cousin—this is the Elliot who is heir apparent to the Elliot fortune. They did not know one another because Mr. Elliot and Sir Walter (Mary and Anne’s father) have not had much to do with one another in recent years. This is the same Mr. Elliot whom Elizabeth had fancied marrying several years ago, the Mr. Elliot who had chosen instead a woman with a lot of money.
Once the excitement of crossing paths with Mr. Elliot passes, Captain and Mrs. Harville along with Captain Benwick join the group for a last walk around Lyme before the Musgroves, Anne, and Wentworth must return to Uppercross. Captain Harville, once he has Anne’s attention, thanks Anne for her gentle consideration of Benwick the previous night. He appreciates Anne’s ability to get Benwick to talk. Anne assures Harville that all Benwick needs is time to heal.
Louisa then insists that they walk along the shoreline one more time before they leave. Mrs. Harville knows her husband tires from too much walking (he still suffers from a wound he received while in the navy), so she tells them she and her husband will walk home. The others walk along the Cobb, a sea wall that runs along the beach. When Louisa begins her descent of the stairs, she waits until Wentworth is at the bottom and then warns him she is about to jump. Wentworth is supposed to catch her. Wentworth attempts to warn her that it is too dangerous, but Louisa does not listen to him. She springs from the high steps too fast, and Wentworth is unable to break her fall. Louisa hits her head on the pavement and passes out.
Henrietta sees the accident and faints. Mary screams. The men freeze in their positions. Only Anne keeps her clear head. She tells Benwick to run for a doctor, and then she administers some basic first aid to Louisa. The Harwicks hear there was an accident and rush back to the Cobb. When they see what has happened, they insist that Wentworth carry Louisa back to their home. After examining Louisa, the doctor announces that no bones have been broken. The injury to the head does not look serious, but they will have to wait to ascertain the damage done to her brain.
It is decided that Charles and Mary will stay to help take care of Louisa. This leaves Wentworth available to take Anne and Henrietta home. There is little conversation made during the drive back to Uppercross, but Anne senses that Wentworth has regained an appreciation of her. It was she who acted calmly in the emergency. For all Wentworth had to say a few days ago about his admiration of Louisa’s conviction in not allowing others to persuade her, maybe now he understands this trait is not without flaws. If Louisa had listened to the warning Wentworth had given her, she would not have suffered this accident.
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