Ch2>

Anne had been too little from home, too little seen.

And sure enough, things have been getting better the more Anne travels and (as you say, JanELT) moves in other circles. :-)

Better, that is, apart from Captain Fly-in-the-ointment Wentworth giving her some grief, but now he's keeping his distance, and I like the way Captain Benwick's star is rising. Anne believes with hindsight that she would have been happier if she had married an ardent young commander and shown a cheerful confidence in futurity (ch4). Captain Benwick is an ardent young commander, and I like his particular reasons for being attracted to Anne (gratitude and a common interest) at least as much as Captain Wentworth's in the year six (youthful bloom). He even has a pleasing face (ch11). If Charles Musgrove has read his feelings correctly, and Anne can return them, I think they'd make a good couple. She's part way there already:

Ch12>

...she felt an increasing degree of good-will towards him, and a pleasure even in thinking that it might, perhaps, be the occasion of continuing their acquaintance