well received by them.  In a worldly view, he had nothing to gain by being on terms with Sir Walter; nothing to risk by a state of variance.  In all probability he was already the richer of the two, and the Kellynch estate would as surely be his hereafter as the title.  A sensible man, and he had looked like a very sensible man, why should it be an object to him?  She could only offer one solution; it was, perhaps, for Elizabeth’s sake.  There might really have been a liking formerly, though convenience and accident had drawn him a different way; and now that he could afford to please himself, he might mean to pay his addresses to her.  Elizabeth was certainly very handsome, with well-bred, elegant manners, and her character might never have been penetrated by Mr Elliot, knowing her but in public, and when very young himself.  How her temper and understanding might bear the investigation of his present keener time of life was another concern and rather a fearful one.  Most earnestly did she wish that he might not be too nice, or too observant if Elizabeth were his object; and that Elizabeth was disposed to believe herself so, and that her friend Mrs Clay was encouraging the idea, seemed apparent by a glance or two between them, while Mr Elliot’s frequent visits were talked of.

Anne mentioned the glimpses she had had of him at Lyme, but without being much attended to.  “Oh! yes, perhaps, it had been Mr Elliot.  They did not know.  It might be him, perhaps.”  They could not listen to her description of him.  They were describing him themselves; Sir Walter especially.  He did justice to his very gentlemanlike appearance, his air of elegance and fashion, his good shaped face, his sensible eye; but, at the same time, “must lament his being very much under-hung, a defect which time seemed to have increased; nor could he pretend to say that ten years had not altered almost every feature for the worse.  Mr Elliot appeared to think that he (Sir Walter) was looking exactly as he had done when they last parted;” but Sir Walter had “not been able to return the compliment entirely, which had embarrassed him.  He did not mean to complain, however.  Mr Elliot was better to look at than most men, and he had no objection to being seen with him anywhere.”

Mr Elliot, and his friends in Marlborough Buildings, were talked of the whole evening.  “Colonel Wallis had been so impatient to be introduced to them! and Mr Elliot so anxious that he should!” and there was a Mrs Wallis, at present known only to them by description, as she was in daily expectation of her confinement; but Mr Elliot spoke of her as “a most charming woman, quite worthy of being known in Camden Place,” and as soon as she recovered they were to be acquainted.  Sir Walter thought much of Mrs Wallis; she was said to be an excessively pretty woman, beautiful.  “He longed to see her.  He hoped she might make some amends for the many very plain faces he was continually passing in the streets.