own, as she had hoped to
see more of them;--an exertion in which her husband, who attended her
into the room, and hung enamoured over her accents, seemed to
distinguish every thing that was most affectionate and graceful.

CHAPTER XLII

One other short call in Harley Street, in which Elinor received her
brother's congratulations on their travelling so far towards Barton
without any expense, and on Colonel Brandon's being to follow them to
Cleveland in a day or two, completed the intercourse of the brother
and sisters in town;--and a faint invitation from Fanny, to come to
Norland whenever it should happen to be in their way, which of all
things was the most unlikely to occur, with a more warm, though less
public, assurance, from John to Elinor, of the promptitude with which
he should come to see her at Delaford, was all that foretold any
meeting in the country.

It amused her to observe that all her friends seemed determined to
send her to Delaford;--a place, in which, of all others, she would now
least choose to visit, or wish to reside; for not only was it
considered as her future home by her brother and Mrs. Jennings, but
even Lucy, when they parted, gave her a pressing invitation to visit
her there.

Very early in April, and tolerably early in the day, the two parties
from Hanover Square and Berkeley Street set out from their respective
homes, to meet, by appointment, on the road. For the convenience of
Charlotte and her child, they were to be more than two days on their
journey, and Mr. Palmer, travelling more expeditiously with Colonel
Brandon, was to join them at Cleveland soon after their arrival.

Marianne, few as had been her hours of comfort in London, and eager as
she had long been to quit it, could not, when it came to the point,
bid adieu to the house in which she had for the last time enjoyed
those hopes, and that confidence, in Willoughby, which were now
extinguished for ever, without great pain. Nor could she leave the
place in which Willoughby remained, busy in new engagements, and new
schemes, in which _she_ could have no share, without shedding many
tears.

Elinor's satisfaction, at the moment of removal, was more positive.
She had no such object for her lingering thoughts to fix on, she left
no creature behind, from whom it would give her a moment's regret to
be divided for ever, she was pleased to be free herself from the
persecution of Lucy's friendship, she was grateful for bringi