Persuasion 200: Father and Daughter, a Mutual Admiration Society by Mary Simonsen

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Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage.



“Do read it again, Elizabeth,” Sir Walter said to his eldest daughter as she cradled her father’s favorite book in her hands. 

“John Walter Elliot, born April 6, 1730. Married, June 12, 1758, Margaret, daughter of Thomas Masterson, Esq. of Brookhaven, in the county of Wiltshire, by which lady, he has issue. Walter, born March 1, 1760. Married, July 15, 1784, Elizabeth, daughter of James Stevenson, Esq. of South Park, in the county of Gloucester. Principal seat, Kellynch Hall, in the county of Somerset. Heir presumptive, William Walter Elliot, Esq., great grandson of the second Sir Walter.” 

Sir Walter delighted in his daughter’s reading, not only for the content, but because of the slight lisp Elizabeth had whenever she pronounced “Somerset,” Stevenson,” “South Park,” and “esquire,” an articulation that only served to enhance the reading of his family’s history. 

“One more time, dear,” Sir Walter said. 

“No, Papa. It is time for me to arrange your curls.” 

A month earlier, Sir Walter’s valet had left his position at Kellynch, the seat of a baronetcy, to serve in the house of the owner of a shipyard in dreary Devon. The man who had replaced Thomas was adequate in most regards, but could not arrange his master’s hair to save his life. That task now fell to his eldest daughter. 

“You should have tried harder to keep Thomas,” Elizabeth said, tapping her father gently on the shoulder with his comb. 

“Unfortunately, Thomas had to go,“ he said, pouting. “All he ever did was rattle on about his wages and holes in his stockings and holes in his nightshirt and holes in his shoe leather. He was positively tedious.” 

“Yes, but he could do your hair to your satisfaction.” 

“I admit as much, but the price was too high, Elizabeth. His whining unsettled me. I think he must be part Irish. That race is always complaining about something. Besides, the new man will eventually learn to do it.” 

As Elizabeth shaped the curls framing her father’s brow, she thought what a handsome man he was. Although her late mother was considered to be attractive, Elizabeth understood that her excellent good looks came through the paternal line. While looking at her dearest Papa in the mirror, she noted her own good looks and thought how they contrasted with her younger sister’s. 

If only Anne looked more like me, she might yet find a husband. Instead, there is every indication she will never marry and prove to be a drain on the family resources. But who will have her with her drab hair and dull skin. If she spent more time at her toilette, she might appear, given the proper light, to be marginally attractive. There is also the matter of her choice of attire. If only she would take my advice and select the finest silks for her dresses and employ the services of my modiste, she might attract someone. Charles Musgrove would have done for her. 

“What is going on inside that pretty head of yours, Elizabeth?” her father demanded. “I can hear the wheels spinning.” 

“I was thinking how very dull Anne is.” 

“Do you mean in appearance or demeanor?” 

“Both. Neither her looks nor conversation sparkle.” 

Her father nodded in agreement but then produced a look of puzzlement. “However, there was a time when she was quite pretty and rather witty, but she has changed, and I agree, not for the better. I wonder what happened?” 

Elizabeth shrugged, the subject no longer of interest to her. After placing the comb on her father’s dressing table, she declared him to be the most handsome man in the shire. 

“I agree. And you are the most beautiful woman in the county.” 

“Just the county, Papa? How limiting,” she said with a laugh. 

Sir Walter stood up and extended his hand to his daughter. “Shall we to breakfast? Mr. Ruggles, the carriage maker, is to arrive later this morning.”

“Oh, a new carriage!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “I just love the smell of new leather.”

Currently, I am in San Diego with my granddaughter. Although I may not be able to respond to your comments, I do enjoy reading them.

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29 comments

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  1. Mary – this is just perfect! I love the comments about his hair!

  2. What fun, Mary. I can just hear them. And I cringed about the new carriage. No wonder Sir Walter’s debt became extreme!

    • Deborah on June 26, 2014 at 4:59 am
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    Loved it. Like father like daughter. Two self-centered peas in a pod. And ugghhh….spending money on a new coach instead of paying the servants….and the both are so vain. Just as I imagined them.

    Thank you Mary. I enjoyed this look at the both of them.

    1. And don’t you think there’s something slightly creepy about them admiring each others good looks so much? Yeuck!

        • Deborah on June 26, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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        Most definitely creepy & icky!

    2. Thanks, Deborah. I have to admit I’m influenced by the Amanda Root P&P. I thought that Sir Walter was brilliantly played. I appreciate all your comments.

        • Deborah on June 27, 2014 at 5:07 am
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        I exactly envisioned Sir Walter & Elizabeth from that version of Persuasion so you described them perfectly.

    • Jane Odiwe on June 26, 2014 at 12:11 pm
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    You captured them perfectly, Mary-what an odious pair!

    • Sheila L. M. on June 26, 2014 at 2:18 pm
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    What peacocks! Wearing silk, ordering new carriages while his man had holes in his stockings and holes in his nightshirt and holes in his shoe leather! Oh, we will see who sits on the shelf! Think – when Sir Walter dies and his heir moves in who is out in the cold, especially if our “dear” heir has the surveyors there to sell off property. Perfectly pictured, Mary.

    1. What a good idea, Sheila! We’ve done prequel scenes. Why not epilogue scenes? Jane Austen doesn’t tell us what happens afterward to Sir Walter, Elizabeth, and Mr. Elliot, but it would be great fun to image and write it!

        • Sheila L. M. on June 26, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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        I am happy to oblige – would just love to read those scenes as I am sure your the other readers would, also.

          • Deborah on June 26, 2014 at 4:44 pm
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          That would be so Mich fun! Great idea! I second the vote doe sequel chapters.

    • Sheila L. M. on June 26, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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    pardon the typo

    1. I agree. Sequels would be fun. I have to admit that seeing Sir Walter’s and Elizabeth’s expressions would be priceless!

    • junewilliams7 on June 26, 2014 at 8:58 pm
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    Ooh, that silly girl! As if she and her father would countenance spending money on silk dresses for Anne. I wonder what Elizabeth would say if her ever decided to marry again….

    Thank you for the peek into the father-daughter convo, Mary! Enjoy your grandkids while you have them this summer. <3 <3

    1. Thanks, June. I’ve been with my granddaughter since 6/6, and I am enjoying every minute of it. Will see my grandson again in August. Revisiting sights in San Diego where I took my daughters when they were young. Lots of fun. Mary

  3. Really enjoyed reading about the vain father and daughter. How very disagreeable, but what a laugh!! Really nicely done, Mary!

    • Stephanie Carrico on June 27, 2014 at 4:58 pm
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    Enjoyed this fly on the wall moment between these two..
    what conceit, such vanity..
    However did Anne survive such neglect and still turn out
    so well.

    1. Hi, Stephanie. I think the reason Anne turned out so well is b/c she is a middle child. I also happen to be a middle child, and I’m a wonderful person. 😉 Thanks for commenting.

        • Sheila L. M. on June 27, 2014 at 9:55 pm
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        OK, now as a first born you made me laugh – don’t start anything here with your dear readers….LOL

    • Carole in Canada on June 27, 2014 at 9:59 pm
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    Vanity thy names are Sir Walter and Elizabeth! I third the vote on epilogue stories! Loved this chapter Mary!

    1. Thank you, Carole.

    • Kathy on June 27, 2014 at 10:35 pm
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    This was so well-written because they both came across as squirm-inducing! Blech! They are like the myth of Narcissus who was captivated by his own reflection. I would also like to read the epilogue for this story, just for the guilty pleasure of seeing Sir Walter’s face disfigured by some kind of benign but persistent and itchy rash. But I guess the best part of an epilogue would be for Anne and Frederick not to have to deal with her shallow, self-absorbed family any more!

    1. A rash can be arranged. 🙂

  4. Like father, like daughter. This is good, Mary. I wish they get some sort of punishment for putting their own interest ahead of others and being unkind to Anne. I seconded Kathy’s suggestion in respect to rash on both Sir Walter and Elizabeth.

    1. Thanks, Sylvia. Birds of a feather…

    • Maggie Griscom on July 1, 2014 at 7:40 am
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    Why is it that Anne is “plain” and they worry about her not ever marrying and Elizabeth is older she is already on the shelf for her time. Guess if you are perfect it doesn’t matter if you are vain and have a weird relationship with your father. Great characters. Enjoy the grandchildren!

    1. Thanks, Maggie. I always found Sir Walter and Elizabeth’s relationship strange. Apparently, he had the good sense to marry a good woman, but he pays attention to only one of their three children. Huh!

  5. Hmmm, does she love the smell of new leather more than her own appearance? I think not!

    Delightfully done, Mary; loved Sir Walter’s moaning about his valet (Irish indeed?!)

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