What! Mary to go home when all the drama will orbit Louisa and all the attention to be had with the importance of nursing will remain in Lyme? Never! Caring for anxious family at home cannot possibly out-appeal nursing Louisa’s broken head in Lyme. I think even if she was “touched” by the thought of the Musgroves’ suffering she could not sacrifice her own needs for theirs.

I think to cajole Mary the goal has to coincide with her interest and in this instance it doesn’t. She wants to stay in Lyme. Mary might claim at Uppercross she would be too anxious and upset to be of help to the others as she claimed too much feeling to be of help to Little Charles (7). It is difficult for me to believe Mary will be of any use to Louisa or anyone else in Lyme but as long as that is where she wishes to be her capabilities are sure to remain in synch.

I imagine (courtesy of Ch. 7) Mary’s response to the suggestion she is more needed at home than in Lyme:

"I mean to stay with you, Charles, for I am of no more use at home than you are. If I were to shut myself up for ever with Henrietta and your parents, I should not be able to relieve their anxiety. We would merely be distraught and agonized all together. Anne will go; Anne can undertake to go home and take care of them. She has not the feelings of a sister or daughter. When she knows my mind, I am sure, it will be Anne's own proposal, and so I shall stay with you, which will be a great deal better, for it is too unkind to be without my husband and I can be as useful as Anne. I am sure Anne will agree for Louisa is my sister and she is nothing to Anne.”