“I find my present situation unpleasant; any escape would be most welcome.” Recollecting herself, she made a brief effort at better civility: “Indeed, I am honoured by your proposals, and accept your offer with all my heart.” Here Miss de Bourgh was forced into a little falsehood, if the substitution of heart for design can be considered inconsequential. Anne may have had a momentary struggle in discovery that her own heart—under the careful example of Lady Catherine, and in the sincerest flattery of imitation—had room for no-one but herself. If Anne struggled inwardly at the exchange of one form of tyranny for the self-imposed shackles of revenge, she congratulated herself, on the whole, as getting the better of the exchange, renouncing the restraints of Anne de Bourgh—or even Anne Fitzwilliam or Anne Darcy—for the lighter bonds of Lady Elliot.

Such were Anne’s musings, when she was at length roused by Sir William. Imputing Anne’s silence as the embarrassment which naturally follows such a declaration, he looked most earnestly into her face. “Anne, I can provide your means of escape, and do so most willingly, but I fear your mother would never forgive you if we announced an engagement at present. She feels that she has been scorned as a result of this contretemps, and the thought that she might punish you for my errors is insupportable. Your superior knowledge of your mother must decide our next steps. Do you believe her resentment to be implacable? I am eager to propitiate her anger by any possible expedient. What is your inclination?”

Miss de Bourgh found herself momentarily at a loss. Lady Catherine, she knew, would wish to pretend that the event occurring between herself and Sir William had never happened at all, and would rely upon Sir William’s conduct as a gentleman to allow the occasion of her embarrassment to go no further. An obvious beginning, therefore, must be that Anne pretend to know nothing of the recent misunderstanding, and continue as before; Sir William must, in order to keep any semblance of domestic peace, not mention their agreement to anyone, and to all outward appearances, and certainly to Lady Catherine, they must exhibit no alteration of conduct.

“Had Lady Catherine really appeared to be in love? Had she certainly believed you to be offering for herself rather than for me?” asked Anne, more to the purpose of hearing it again, rather than being in any serious doubt of the matter.