This confirms Elizabeth did think Mr Elliot was interested in her despite at least Lady Russell being clear he was there for Anne.

Do Mrs Clay and Elizabeth still think Mr Elliot is after Elizabeth rather than Anne? Is Elizabeth very dense or just seeing what she wants to?

Is Mr Elliot capable of love? could his pursuit of Anne really be explained by anything else (as it doesn't assist with his goals)?

Is Mr Elliot a sociopath?

Does she know Anne at all? Has her experience at the hands of Mr Elliot made her question whether there is any real friendship?

He's referring to Mrs Smith here, completely unaware that Anne is in contact with her. The audacity to use her memory to his advantage when he doesn't care for her now

Colonel Wallis is very useful - telling the Elliot's about the first wife earlier and here ensuring Mr Elliot gets the seat by Anne, then distracting Elizabeth to keep her happy. He's been, I think, entirely removed from the adaptations. This the only time we see him in the book

He's attempting to "rescue" her again (this would make it 3 if he succeeded) how terrible for him that she is instead "rescued" but her cousin, the very man who's attention awakened him to his own feelings

Not sure if she's implying that Anne will move away when she marries or Mr Elliot will convince her to drop the friendship

Is this the first hint that he is slowly seducing her behind the scenes?

Oh the irony! He's the reason Mrs Smith is in financial straits. Mrs Smith returns the favour by bad mouthing him (quite rightly) to Anne. Having "no surname of dignity" means Mrs Smith could be anyone so Mr Elliot doesn't make the connection

It's possible Mr Elliot is in her thoughts here

She refers to him as not handsome! Henry Golding as Mr Elliot is one of the few gifts of Persuasion 2022 (tried to attach a picture but it didn't work)

This is a hilarious image - all based on the family tree. Mr Elliot is part of the family but Sir Walter is not his father, he is the head of the family estate

Yet when it comes to Mr Elliot, who is still in mourning and was actually married, everyone is fine with him pursuing Anne

This is a great cliff hanger to end the first volume. Will Louisa live? It seems like Captain Wentworth intends to marry her but what about Anne? and what of the mysterious cousin and heir?

Captain Wentworth is too polite to say what he really thought of Dick Musgrove but, unlike Mr Elliot, he does show his emotions and thoughts aren't always pleasant

We are hearing the echo of Sir Walter and Elizabeth's opinions/words. This is a strange introduction for the main character, she is ignored and secondary. Chapter 1 focuses on Sir Walter and then the family context, Chapters 2 and 3 are a group setting (and people finally speak). A first time reader may not identify Anne as the main character till chapter 4 when the text pivots to focus on her. In chapter 1 we hear of Elizabeth's disappointment with Mr Elliot but the history with Wentworth is hidden till Anne is alone. Modern texts tend to have more active, vibrant main characters (like Lizzy Bennet) who have agency and push the story forward through their choices and actions. Fanny Price in Mansfield Park is another good example of the sort of main character modern readers struggle with.