http://nickwhit.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] nickwhit.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] trennels2010-03-18 09:01 pm

Nicola's feelings for Patrick

Picking up on a comment in an earlier post that Nicola only regarded Patrick as a friend, I rather thought it evolved into more than that - certainly by RAH when Nicola wants to look special at the Merricks' New Year party; and is delighted when Patrick asks her to dance with him 'practically continuously'. And even at the end of RMF, I took the last page about Nicola understanding Persuasion far more than Ginty knew to refer to her feelings for Patrick. (But it's a long time since I read Persuasion.) Whaddya think?

[identity profile] ooxc.livejournal.com 2010-03-23 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
I had always assumed that Patrick was a tongue in cheek portrait until someone who knew AF said that she was a completely committed pre-Second Vatican convert. I had to read the whole series again in the light of that
As for Nicola and Patrick - it's not necessary to me to wonder about the future - since WW2, how many people marry their neighbours/childhood friends? Not saying it never happens - but increasingly unusual?