Persuasion 200: Captain Wentworth Hears News of Kellynch

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We are told in chapter 3 of Persuasion how the Crofts learned Kellynch was for let, but we are not told how Captain Wentworth heard they had taken it. Presumably, it would have been in a letter from his sister, and would have come as quite a shock.



The CroftsIt arrived in the morning post – a perfectly innocent looking letter in his sister’s hand. And so Captain Wentworth was perfectly composed when he sat down at his desk to open it and just as perfectly unprepared for what alarming news the contents would convey.

My Dear Frederick,

So much has happened since I wrote you last, and what exciting news I have for you! Our efforts at finding a suitable house in Somersetshire could not have come to a more fortuitous conclusion. As I told you was his intention, the admiral went down to the quarter sessions at Taunton, meaning at the same time to look in on some advertised places in that vicinity. Although none of these suited him at all, he chanced to there hear of the possibility that Kellynch Hall itself might soon be to let…

Captain Wentworth halted in some alarm.

Kellynch! Good God, no.

He could not see the word written, even after all these years, without thunder clouds gathering in his head, without a sting like an hundred hailstones raining down upon his pate. What sore memories that name invoked! What unwelcome feelings it stirred from the depths to which he had attempted to exile them. But he must know more. Regardless of the painful storm brewing, the captain was compelled to read on… to see if there were any news of her to be found.

…The admiral says that rumors run rampant as to the sorry state of affairs in the Kellynch family, but I am not one to repeat gossip. What he learnt to be true upon speaking to the family’s man of business (a Mr. Shepherd, who happened to be most conveniently in Taunton as well) is this. Sir Walter Elliot had been persuaded to accept the idea of leasing the manor house out in order to relieve the considerable pecuniary difficulties in which he finds himself.

 

We therefore arranged to see the place and were very well pleased with it indeed, both the admiral and myself. And being anxious not to cause the baronet any further embarrassment, we were sure to make no argument over the terms. The long and short of it is that we are to take possession of the house by Michaelmas! I trust we may have the honour of receiving you there soon afterward.

 

Undoubtedly you know the place that I mean, since you were so near by it in 1806, while visiting our brother at Monkford. Although I suppose you could have had no occasion to call on the Kellynch family yourself, perhaps you were at least able to glimpse the house and grounds while in the vicinity. I am certain you never thought then to one day see me made its mistress.

 

Come as soon as you can, Frederick, and we shall hope to have it in our power by then to introduce you to the finest company such a country province can supply.

 

Yours, etc.

Sophy

Anne ElliotYes, he knew the place! By God, he knew it all too well. It was her home. It was where he had called on her so many times, where much of their rapid courtship had transpired, and where she had at last put an end to it. The letter had not mentioned the lady by name, but her face had immediately risen up in Captain Wentworth’s mind’s eye nonetheless.

Anne.

Wentworth allowed himself a moment and a sigh. Then, before other dangerous sensations could get the upper hand, he took care to feed the fires of anger, still burning for how cruelly Anne had wounded his pride. So much about the woman angered him, not the least of which was the knowledge that she still held some power over him. She continued to plague his mind despite the passage of time. Persistent discipline might have tolerably tamed her memory, diminished her influence, but it had failed to banish her completely from view. And now this unwelcome reminder had instantly undone the diligence of the last eight years. Of all the houses in Somersetshire, why must the admiral and his sister have settled on Kellynch? Was he never to be free from Anne Elliot?

The more pressing question, however, was what to do about Sophy’s invitation. What excuse could he conjure up to avoid revisiting the scene of his former mortification? The Kellynch family might be gone – Anne too, presumably – but what of the house itself? How could he enter it again without a thousand unwanted recollections assailing him? Everything he saw would remind him of her, and of her rejection – every room, every furnishing, the prospect from every window.

They had, all of them, cast him off as unworthy – not only Anne. It was her sister, her father, and that interfering Lady Russell as well. Consequently, he had sworn never to subject himself to the punishment of setting one foot in that neighborhood or speaking a single word to its inhabitants again. So there was an end to the matter, invited or not.

His decision made, Captain Wentworth pushed the offending letter away, rose from the desk, and turned his back with resolve. But as he went about his business that day, he had a much more difficult time turning his mind away from the problem. He knew he would have to tell his sister something about why he would not come. Declining the invitation temporarily would be easily done, but Sophy would not be denied the pleasure of showing off her new home forever. It was not right that she should be either!

The more the captain thought about the situation from his dear sister’s perspective, the more he began to revise his opinion. He would be willing to endure a great deal to avoid disappointing her. Perhaps it might be possible for him to go to Kellynch after all. The situation there had substantially altered from what it was eight years ago, he considered. Indeed, the tables were quite turned now! The pompous baronet had fled, forced to give up his house to strangers – in fact, to the rejected sailor’s own sister and brother. The irony of this revolutionary change would no doubt be lost on a man of Sir Walter’s limited penetration, but the reversal of fortunes was no less satisfying for that one regret.

persuasion wentworth ciarin hindsFrederick chuckled to himself, and a lazy smile began spreading across his face.

“Very well, then,” he said to the empty room. “I will go to Kellynch. I will go with my head held high. Others might, but I certainly had nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, I am vindicated. By my success, I have proven them all wrong.”

His outward bravado went a long way towards quelling Captain Wentworth’s misgivings over the prospect of visiting Anne Elliot’s home again. So long as he could keep his confidence (and his anger) in tact, all would be well.  

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22 comments

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    • Ruth Clapp on September 18, 2014 at 12:19 am
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    Perfect! I love the way Captain Wentworth came to the right decision.

    1. Thanks, Ruth. I was inspired by a scene in my Persuasion based novel: The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen. It’s turning out to be great source material for P200!

  1. Shannon, I loved reading Wentworth’s reactions to his sister’s letter and the way he slowly revises his opinion about the visit! Getting that peek into his mind as he comes to this new understanding is delightful, and his “plan” to keep his confidence high and show off his success to “the neighborhood” is equally so. You did a wonderful job with this scene — I really enjoyed it 😀 .

  2. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn, and that it rang true for you. As you know, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the world of Persuasion. And along the way I’ve given a lot of thought as to how Captain Wentworth would feel about returning to “the scene of his former mortification.”

  3. Lovely progression, Shannon. I enjoyed both Wentworth’s anger and his triumph. I really feel for him.

    • Deborah on September 18, 2014 at 5:53 am
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    I enjoyed this look into Wentworth’s reaction to his sister’s letter. It seems to parallel his reaction and progression of feelings for Anne later in the book. I loved the progression of his thoughts from anger to ‘ I’ll show them all I’m over Anne.” Uh. hu….sure. Little does he know, but we have the foresight he doesn’t have. Wonderfully done!

    1. Yup. He’s only fooling himself – now and later when he sees Anne as you say. 😉

    • Nancy on September 18, 2014 at 7:12 am
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    One of the better expansions of a hidden scene in an Austen book. I quite like Wentworth– I prefer him to Darcy- and think you have stayed within the bounds of the character created by Jane Austen. A very enjoyable scene.

    1. Thank you, Nancy! – a very fine compliment.
      I love Darcy as much as the next girl, but he’s not the only Austen hero worth exploring, is he?

    • Jane Odiwe on September 18, 2014 at 7:41 am
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    I loved hearing Wentworth’s voice in this episode, Shannon, and being privy to his thoughts! Lovely!

    • suzeja on September 18, 2014 at 7:49 am
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    I enjoyed Wentworth’s thought process!

    • Maggie Griscom on September 18, 2014 at 8:51 am
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    Yes to all of the above! I enjoyed the pictures. That is my favorite version of Persuasion. As always thanks for the insight and the discussion

    • Linda Clark on September 18, 2014 at 1:33 pm
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    You’ve given us an excellent, and I might add enjoyable, look into Captain Wentworth’s thoughts about a possible revisit to Kellynch Hall. I had never thought him so deeply angered by Anne’s refusal of him, but rather sad and thoroughly disheartened. He may have convinced himself he no longer cares for her, but we so enjoy the renewal of his affections by the end of the book, don’t we!

    1. Thanks for your comments, Linda.
      Wentworth’s distaste for what had passed between them had to be strong enough to account for keep him from coming back to try Anne again when his circumstances improved, and for why he treated her with disdain when he did see her again. “He had imagined himself indifferent, when he had only been angry” (chapter 23). He admits to being resentful in his famous letter and his “angry pride” is blamed for how he behaves. I see his anger/resentment as a sort of defense mechanism, a way of protecting himself against the possibility of being hurt by her again. That was a pretty big wall to break through, but fortunately they eventually did!

        • Deborah on September 18, 2014 at 4:52 pm
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        I agree that anger and resentment form a big wall and is a great defense mechanism. And, unfortunately, through experience, I know it can be held as a defense against being hurt again for a very long time; yes, even years. Glad he was able to finally let go of it later.

  4. This was great, I really enjoyed the glimpse into Frederick’s mind. What an awkward situation – the things we do for siblings! lol

    I really like the photos you chose, as well. Thanks, Shannon!

    1. True, Monica. He must have felt a little like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca – “Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.” Or more like, “Of all the manor houses, in all Somersetshire, in all of England, my sister settles on Kellynch.” Ah, but we know it was fate… or actually Jane Austen at work. This is what she writes about it in “The Persuasion of Miss Jane Austen”:

      When Anne parted with Captain Wentworth upon breaking their engagement, she never had any idea of seeing him again. He had been so angry when he went away, so wounded in his soul and in his pride, that his intentionally soliciting a second encounter with her could not be expected. It is, therefore, incumbent upon me to design a situation wherein they might meet again by happenstance.

    • Stephanie Mudd Carrico on September 18, 2014 at 7:53 pm
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    What a terrific chapter..so glad to get into Wenworth’s head…how very angry and hurt he still is…shows how deeply he still feels for Anne..even though he doesn’t realize it yet..I feel you got his emotions spot on.

    • Sheila L. M. on September 19, 2014 at 11:20 am
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    Lovely. This brought tears to my eyes. I sat down and re-watched this version of Persuasion on DVD two nights ago so the feelings incurred are fresh in my mind. Two wounded individuals, adrift and struggling to overcome the rend in their souls.

    But, thanks for showing how he struggled with that decision – hard to do but thankfully he loves Sophy enough to decide to chance the memories…and pain.

  5. It’s true we never get to read Wentworth’s point of view concerning Sophie and her husband taking up residence at his ex-lover’s home but your imagination of his reaction could have been how it is. Good job, Shannon.

    • Kathy on September 20, 2014 at 7:14 pm
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    I really liked this. After following many excerpts of Anne’s life, it was good to get into Captain Wentworth’s head, and find out where he was with his memory of Anne. I also was thinking of that line in Casablanca as well! I enjoyed his reflection on the inability of Sir Walter to recognize the irony of leasing his home to the Wentworth’s relations. Thank you!

    • Carole in Canada on September 29, 2014 at 10:18 pm
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    He doth protest too much! I did enjoy his thought process though! I am sure he would prefer another battle on water than one on land…lol. Thoroughly enjoyed his perspective!

    By the way, returned yesterday from vacation and had read your book ‘For Myself Alone’. Loved it!!!!

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