One thing that jumped out at me for the first time on this reread was the exchange between Mrs. Croft and Mrs. Musgrove at the beginning of the letter scene -- the part where Mrs. Croft says she disapproves of "an uncertain engagement, an engagement which may be long. To begin without knowing that at such a time there will be the means of marrying, I hold to be very unsafe and unwise, and what I think all parents should prevent as far as they can." We learn that when Anne and FW hear this, they involuntarily look at each other, and I found myself wondering for the first time if FW is thinking that even his own sister, that paragon of kindness and good sense, would have given the same advice as Lady Russell eight years earlier. This little speech is perhaps one more sign that JA doesn't want us to dismiss Lady R out of hand.