the time he first met Anne, and I have always thought that was primarily what Lady R held against him, and I still feel that way. It could, however, be possible that Lady R was smarting inwardly over having married "just a knight," and wanted more for the daughter of her friend. I don't like Lady R anymore on the 4th or 5th reading of the book than I did the first time!

And Lady E would not be the first woman in history to fall for a handsome face with little behind it! Although I always had the feeling from the inscription in the Elliott record book that her death caused Sir Walter more pain than is indicated by his "present" conduct...by the time we see the family, Lady E has been dead for almost 13 or 14 years, and, other than Lady R, Anne seems to be the only one who still remembers her.