In the first half of the novel Anne looked on while FW courted another woman (who couldn’t compare—but that doesn’t diminish the anguish), and now we finally see the tables turned on Wentworth --and I for one thoroughly enjoy it! His competition is more serious than was Louisa for Anne. Louisa was an amiable, sweet-tempered girl, and not deficient in understanding, but Mr. Elliot is a wealthy, intelligent, handsome relation.

I love the scene at Molland’s where his acquaintances (who JA seems to put there just to torment him) make it explicit:

One can guess what will happen there. He is always with them; half lives in the family, I believe. What a very good-looking man!