I do think also that there is a little bit of this in his purpose in staying. His love, his heart was rejected by Anne because he was not good enough. Well now he is rich, well established in his career, handsome, and well sought after by all who see him. He is intoxicated with all the flattery!

But I think perhaps that he can't help but to be attracted to wanting to see more of Anne, though there is little proof. We know Anne wants to avoid him at all times (which disturbs me a little), but she is constantly thrown together with him in the social circle. He, on the other hand, travels over to the cottage in search of the Musgrove girls knowing he will see Anne, stays a bit longer at Uppercross and responds rather quickly to requests to dine together with the M family, again, knowing Anne will most likely be in thier company. Is he trying to fool himself into thinking that he is 'so over her'and can behave so well within her presence? Or perhaps he is hoping for a glimpse of an inkling of a renewal of her love for him? No matter how many times I read this novel, I get very caught up in the delicious agony they both experience at Uppercross. I just love it!