Persuasion 200: Both Lady Russell and Anne Elliot pause for thought – by Cassandra Grafton

Lady Russell felt this break-up of the family exceedingly. Persuasion, Chapter Five

Lady Russell reflects on the Eliots’ departure as Anne takes her leave of the local families



IMGP3860Turning away from the window, Lady Russell sighed softly. She had watched Anne walk down the lane from Kellynch Lodge every day since coming to stay with her, intent upon doing her duty and calling upon all the local populace to bid them farewell on behalf of her father.

Anne had spent the first few days attending to the estate workers and their families, taking a large basket upon her arm each morning filled with provisions to share and returning foot-sore and weary each evening, the empty basket seeming to weigh ever heavier as Lady Russell watched her trudge back up the lane.

Shaking her head, she walked across the sitting room towards the door. She needed a distraction for her troubled thoughts, her deep concern for Anne’s situation vying with her unhappiness over the family’s unfortunate position, yet as she passed her fine walnut writing desk, she paused, her hand resting lightly on the elegant chair accompanying it.

A capable and sensible woman, Lady Russell had little need of counsel from others and rarely sought it, but there were times when the ear of a friend would always be welcome. Should she write? It was some years since she had felt such a need; indeed, it was not since the year six…

Brushing that thought aside, she sat down at the desk. Would it suffice in aiding her to sort out the jumble of tangled thoughts jostling for attention in her head? It had answered in the past; would it perchance be a relief to share her despair over the break up of the Kellynch family and their removal from the district?

Leaning forward, Lady Russell selected a pen and pulled a sheet of paper onto the blotter. Dipping the pen into the ink well, she paused in thought for a moment, then began to write.

My dear friend,

Forgive me the long delay since my last. Something has come to pass of an unsettling nature, and how I long for your ear once more, and thus I take the liberty of so addressing you. Whilst the intelligence I am about to share is not of a cheerful nature, I hope you will forgive me the indulgence; in the past, I have found it cathartic to pour out my thoughts to you, and you have ever been there to receive them. I trust on this occasion you will afford me the same tolerance as always.

Sir Walter and Elizabeth are removed to Bath, with Anne remaining in Somersetshire until I may escort her there myself at Christmas. Yes, it is so: the Elliots no longer live at Kellynch. But not only is the village already so altered for me – full of melancholy, it affects me deeply – but the Hall is being let to another.

IMGP5762Though I find it painful now to look upon the deserted grounds, the abandoned walks and the untended rose garden, and can anticipate no longer the daily intercourse, which had become precious by habit, come Michaelmas my heart will be tasked once more.

For then such a beloved home will be given over to others – all the precious rooms and furniture, groves and prospects looked upon by strangers’ eyes.

Oh how deeply I feel the disruption of the family…

As the gilt clock upon the mantel chimed each half hour, the scrape of Lady Russell’s pen continued as she spilled all her sadness and frustration across several full sides of parchment.

~o0o~

As the church bells chimed the hour of two in the afternoon, Anne stepped out onto the lane from the parsonage and closed the wooden gate behind her, drawing in a long, soothing breath of the autumnal air.

IMGP3869It was done; her visits had concluded with a call upon the Reverend Fothergill and his wife and their small clutch of children. The gentleman’s compassion, though discreetly expressed, was draining after yet another morning of calls, this time upon the local families with whom the Elliots had socialised for many years, and Anne could only feel relief the ordeal was over.

Sir Walter and his eldest daughter had condescended to maintain certain acquaintances in the neighbourhood, all of whom Anne had felt obliged to take a proper leave of. Though mostly landed gentry, their station in life was sufficiently low as to ensure their ready welcome at Kellynch, for it always pleased Sir Walter to remark the difference between them and himself.

For Anne, it was more bittersweet. Few of her childhood friends remained in the neighbourhood, as most had found their own establishment by now, but as neither of her sisters had found any more time for her as a child as they did now, she felt a closer bond to those friends remaining and thus felt the separation more deeply than taking leave of her sisters.

IMGP3863With a soft sigh, Anne turned her steps back towards Kellynch. She was hungry; no one had thought to offer her anything beyond a cup of tea. The visits had been short, curtailed on both sides by embarrassment, effectively restricting all manner of conversation and replacing it with awkward silences.

As she passed the churchyard, Anne paused. Then, she walked under the lych-gate and turned towards the church, its mellow golden stone awash with autumnal sunshine.

She did not go inside, however, but followed the stone-flagged path towards the west side of the churchyard and stopped before the elegant railings surrounding a well-tended grave with an ornate, decorative headstone. Her mother’s final wish, granted begrudgingly by her husband, had been to be laid to her last rest in the outdoors, on a rise where the setting sun would caress her with its gentle rays each evening, not entombed in the dismal Elliot family crypt inside the church.

Pushing aside the iron gate, Anne stepped forward to stand in front of the stone bearing her mother’s name. Slowly, she mouthed the words as she read yet again the inscription: Here lyeth Elizabeth Elliot, wife of Sir Walter Elliot, beloved mother of Elizabeth, Anne and Mary, who departed this world, the 12th day of December 1800.

Dropping to her knees, Anne bowed her head in prayer for a moment before raising slightly damp eyes to the words once more.

“Dearest Mama, how I miss thee yet,” she whispered, reaching out a hand to trace the carved letters of her mother’s name. “No matter how many winters pass since you left us, nor how many new springs are born, I miss you more and more. For your love, for your counsel, for your caring…” She stopped and sniffed back a rising sob. “Once I am gone to Bath, I shall no longer be able to visit with you…”

She drew in a shallow, shaky breath, then shook her head. “Come, Anne,” she admonished herself. “That is enough. What did you say of yourself – as your mother always counselled? Be strong, be sensible – and smile.”

IMG_1206Straightening her shoulders, she sat back on her heels, wiping a hand quickly across her eyes. Then, she noticed the empty metal vase discarded near the base of the headstone. Snatching it up, she went to fill it with water from the stone trough near the church door and hurried back, the vase now filled with an offering of wild flowers quickly gathered from around the churchyard. 

Placing the vase back on its plinth, Anne stepped back to admire their innocent, natural beauty, but then she frowned. The vase seemed to be tilted to one side and, on closer inspection, she realised the stone beneath it was not sitting level. Leaning forward, she soon saw the cause: something pale, a thin wedge of some sort, lay beneath and prevented it from lying flat.

Carefully placing the vase to one side, she studied the piece of stone, then pushed at the narrow gap where the protrusion was, surprised to discover it was only paper. Tugging would not release it as she could barely grasp it, so thin was the edge displayed, but then she realised the stone was loose and, her curiosity at its height, she grasped it with both hands and pulled it out.

Catching her breath, Anne’s hand flew to her mouth. She had revealed a small, sunken enclosure, on top of which was a folded piece of parchment, quite thick to the touch – crisp and fresh, the ink was perfectly legible and the hand fully recognisable.

IMGP3868Cautiously, Anne picked it up and studied it, turning it over to examine the seal. Then, she looked down into the cavity and realised there were others. Reaching in she removed another still almost intact though severely weathered, the parchment almost brown with age. Faded though the direction was, the hand appeared to be the same. Below these were merely remnants, soiled and damp, of what might have been previous letters.

Moved beyond measure, she swallowed on a sudden restriction to her throat. Then, she placed a soft kiss upon the most recent letter, touching her hand to the lettering of her mother’s name before carefully replacing the letters, ensuring the most recent fitted more neatly into place and dropped the stone back upon its hidden treasure.

Tempted though she was to take them with her, a precious memento, she would not betray to her good friend the discovery of her secret. In Lady Russell, she had found someone who had striven to be as good as a mother to her, and despite any past differences of opinion, Anne could never forget this and would ever love her for it.

She turned away and walked slowly back to the lych-gate, pausing there to cast one last lingering look towards where her mother lay. Then, she hurried out into the lane and began to walk briskly back up the hill to Kellynch Lodge.

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40 comments

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    • Jane Odiwe on September 3, 2014 at 5:33 am
    • Reply

    What a beautiful piece of writing, Cassandra, but you have completely reduced me to tears! Perfectly done-you’ve managed to create a whole story in a few short passages-I wish you’d hurry up and get started on another book-I can’t wait to read it!!! A fabulous episode!

      • Martha Claycomb on September 3, 2014 at 9:28 am
      • Reply

      i agree. very, very sweet.

      1. Thank you, Martha!

    1. You’re so kind, Jane. Sorry for the tears, though! 🙁

      I feel like my Muse is returning, so here’s hoping! 😀

    • Deborah on September 3, 2014 at 6:25 am
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    Oh, my! How beautifully written. I am speechless. As Jane says, “Perfectly done…..a whole story in a few short passages.” It touched my heart. 🙂

    1. Awww, thank you, Debbie! You’re always such a wonderful, supportive reader!

  1. Yes, beautiful!

    1. Thank you, Diana! Much appreciated!

    • Maggie Griscom on September 3, 2014 at 7:27 am
    • Reply

    Oh my goodness! How beautiful. The photographs added atmosphere to the writing. They were all soft and fragile looking…like Anne’s feelings. I can’t say more but Thank you. What a wonderful gift so early in the morning.

      • Linda Shen on September 3, 2014 at 9:31 am
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      Yes, the photo about the house and flower and decorated so beautiful, how did you take the picture, how did you find the place so beautiful.

      1. Thank you for your interest, Linda!

        The photos (except for the one of the cottages at the bottom of the post) are all taken in a village called Martock in Somerset where we used to live. As Kellynch is in Somerset, it felt appropriate to use some to represent the village and the houses Anne might have visited.

        (The cottages at the end are at Stourhead in the neighbouring county of Wiltshire).

    1. Thank you, Maggie. So pleased you enjoyed it and the photos too!

    • Carol Settlage on September 3, 2014 at 9:59 am
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    Dear Cassandra, you always write with so much heart! It is a pleasure reading your stories and getting inside the feelings of the characters. It helps me feel more tender toward Lady Russell, for sure! I must admit, when Anne first discovers the letter, I wondered for a minute if it might be something that her beloved Captain Wentworth might have written to the mother of the lady he loved! 🙂 It seemed a little strange to me that he was not even mentioned, but the story here was about her other losses, I think! It was indeed a complete little story! Thank you!

    1. You are so kind, Carol!

      You are quite correct, Anne’s sadness here was about leaving her beloved Kellynch and her one link to her mother.

      It’s a good thought, re Wentworth, but the scenes we are adding can’t disturb the natural pattern of the novel, and if Anne saw he had written to her mother, I am not sure she could resist reading/keeping it (I don’t think I could!!) and who knows where that might go! Perhaps that’s a great idea for Persuasion variation!

  2. I completely agree with all the wonderful comments above. This is such a touching, sensitive scene, giving us great insight into Lady Russell and Anne. I’ve never liked Lady Russell very much, and this made me want to give her a second chance.

    1. Thank you, Susan, and for the shares on Facebook!

      I think it’s fairly logical to resent Lady Russell because we feel so badly for Anne and Wentworth having to part, but I genuinely believe she acted in what she felt were Anne’s best interests at the time.

  3. I too agree with the comments above – Susan expressed my thoughts precisely. Well done Cassandra!

    1. Thank you, Dave! Much appreciated!

  4. Thank you for gifting us with two touching scenes, Cassandra. The accompanying photographs are lovely and give us the mood to immerse ourselves into Anne and Lady Russell’s shoes. Forgive me for not remembering the detailed plot of Persuasion as I read it several years ago, but does Anne live with Mary when Admiral Croft and his wife come to live in Kellynch Hall? Is this when Lady Russell is away on vacation?

    1. Yes, you are correct, Luthien! Lady Russell takes herself off visiting after the Elliots leave Kellynch. She drops Anne at Mary’s where she is to stay until Lady Russell returns (near Christmas) to escort her to her family in Bath. Therefore, she is not around when the Crofts move into Kellynch.

      So pleased you enjoyed the post and the photos!

    • junewilliams7 on September 3, 2014 at 3:00 pm
    • Reply

    You made me cry! I too have never liked Lady Russell, but this demonstrates that she truly does love Anne. Not for selfishness, not for worldly acclaim, but for her genuine and constant friendship that endures beyond the grave.

      • junewilliams7 on September 3, 2014 at 3:47 pm
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      PS – and I like the idea that Anne knows that when she is in Bath, her mother’s grave isn’t untended and forgotten, because LR is there.

      1. That’s a good point! It hadn’t really occurred to me, but you are right!

    1. Sorry, June! 🙁

      I do think Lady Russell acted in what she felt was Anne’s best interest, no one else’s, at the time. Was it the right advice? You could argue either way, though of course we all feel so sad for Anne being parted from her Captain!

    • Kara Louise on September 3, 2014 at 6:27 pm
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    What a lovely surprise this story was. Beautifully done!

    1. Thank you so much, Kara Louise! Really appreciate it!

  5. This made me cry! So lovely, and the pictures were the perfect accompaniment. I can’t imagine losing my mom – and if the rest of my family were as awful as the Elliots (thank God they aren’t), it’d make the loss that much worse. I have mixed emotions regarding Lady Russell sometimes but this was such a sympathetic scene. Thank you!

    1. Sorry to raise tears, Monica! 🙁

      So pleased you enjoyed the photos. I share your mixed emotions about Lady Russell but her attachment to her friend is enduring, and I believe she shares this love to include Anne too. I always feel, of the three daughters, Anne is most like her mother was.

    • Stephanie Mudd Carrico on September 3, 2014 at 7:57 pm
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    a beautiful piece…puts Lady Russell in a new light (still not a fan of the lady) but I can see her heart is in the right place and will give her the benefit of the doubt. This is a bright spot in Anne’s dismal existence, she deserves so much more from life.

    1. Yes, she does, Stephanie, I agree! Poor Anne – this is a very sad time for her, not just having to leave all that is dear to her at her family home but also knowing her time in the country is limited before she will be confined to Bath for several years.

    • Carole in Canada on September 3, 2014 at 7:58 pm
    • Reply

    Tears and heartbreak but still she smiles. Like others before me have said, beautifully written. It is nice to see this side of Lady Russell and one is almost able to forgive her. The scene at her mother’s graveside has gone a long way in helping. Thank you.

    1. Thank you, Carole. I am so pleased you enjoyed it.

  6. Absolutely gorgeous scene, Sandra!! So touching…
    Thank you for sharing your lovely writing with us — and I enjoyed the beautiful pictures you chose to accompany your scene, too 😉 .

    1. Thank you, Marilyn! They are from a Somerset village where we used to live and I felt the cottages represented well those Anne may have visited.

    • Kathy on September 5, 2014 at 1:01 am
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    I’ll add my praise as well — the whole chapter was very touching. It was nice to see this “side” of Lady Russell who seemed so interfering in the original, but now we see how she has suffered a loss of a dear friend as well. I think Anne’s remembrance of her mother’s advice is also bittersweet — I think it would be OK for Anne to “be strong, be sensible, and smile” if her life wasn’t so devoid of affection from her family. So in some ways I found her mother’s advice to be even sadder because she was doing nothing but be strong and sensible for her ungrateful family!

    1. I know, poor Anne. It really isn’t much of a life, is it, when she is so insignificant to so many who should care for her. I am glad her mother doesn’t know how she is treated. 🙁

      The ‘be strong, be sensible, and smile’ is Maria Grace’s line from an earlier P200 excerpt.

  7. Lovely and very touching post, Cassandra. Beautiful writing style as always.

    1. Sorry, Janet, only just seen this comment! Thank you so much for stopping by when you are so busy!

    • Sheila L. M. on September 12, 2014 at 6:37 pm
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    Yes, both Lady Russell’s letter to her old friend, Anne’s visit to her mother’s grave and the discovery of the letters tucked under the stone were very moving. I have tears in my eyes. The photographs, also, add to the whole atmosphere. Like several have mentioned Lady Russell produces mixed feelings. We know she loves Anne but we resent that, over all others, her words pushed Anne to reject Capt. Wentworth. Here it is brought home that her relationships with both the mother and daughter are based on love and true concern and thus motivated from all the right reasons. Thank you for a beautiful touching piece..

  8. Thank you, Sheila! Sorry for delayed response, only just realised there were some additional comments on this post!

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