The first time I read Persuasion, I accepted everyone's conclusion in ch.14 that the reason CB never came to visit was because he was either too shy or not as interested in Anne as they all thought. Now, however, I'm wondering if he didn't come because he was already switching his affections to Louisa! Apart from his talents as a quick-change artist (which is what really bugs me), it strikes me that what LR thought about Captain Wentworth is actually true of CB: "The man who...had seemed to understand somewhat of the value of an Anne Elliot, should,...afterwards, be charmed by a Louisa Musgrove."