Elliot, we begin to hear strange things of you (smiling in her face). But
you have not much the look of it, as grave as a little judge!'

Anne blushed.

'Aye, aye, that will do now, it is all right. I thought we were not
mistaken.'

She was left to guess at the direction of his suspicions; the first wild
idea had been of some disclosure from his brother-in-law, but she was
ashamed the next moment, and felt how far more probable it was that he
should be meaning Mr. Elliot. The door was opened, and the man evidently
beginning to _deny_ his mistress, when the sight of his master stopped
him. The Admiral enjoyed the joke exceedingly. Anne thought his triumph
over Stephen rather too long. At last, however, he was able to invite
her up stairs, and stepping before her said, 'I will just go up with you
myself and show you in. I cannot stay, because I must go to the Post-
Office, but if you will only sit down for five minutes I am sure Sophy
will come, and you will find nobody to disturb you--there is nobody but
Frederick here,' opening the door as he spoke. Such a person to be
passed over as nobody to _her_! After being allowed to feel quite
secure, indifferent, at her ease, to have it burst on her that she was to
be the next moment in the same room with him! No time for recollection!
for planning behaviour or regulating manners! There was time only to
turn pale before she had passed through the door, and met the astonished
eyes of Captain Wentworth, who was sitting by the fire, pretending to
read, and prepared for no greater surprise than the Admiral's hasty
return.

Equally unexpected was the meeting on each side. There was nothing to be