My Favorite Jane Austen Scene by Susan Kaye

My Favorite Jane Austen Scene by Susan Kaye

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth—a milestone that invites both celebration and reflection. Two and a half centuries later, Austen’s world still glows with irresistible charm. Her unforgettable characters, razor-sharp wit, and sharp storytelling continue to enchant new generations, inspiring devotion not only to The Six but also to the many adaptations, reimaginings, and tributes her work has sparked. From bookshelves to movie screens to pilgrimages across the English countryside, Austen’s presence feels as spirited and enduring as ever. But what is it in her writing that continues to resonate so deeply?

This last year, I invited some of my favorite Austen authors, readers, and scholars to share the scenes that linger long after the last page. We are three-quarters of the way through my year-long series. I have been a fan of author Susan Kaye since 2007, when her Persuasion variation None but You was released. That same year, we met briefly when she signed my book at the Jane Austen North America Annual General Meeting in Portland, Oregon. This year, we reconnected when we submitted stories to the anthology To Mark the Occasion: Birthday Tales for Jane Austen's 250th, coming soon, with all royalties marked for Jane Austen Literacy Foundation. Here, Susan shares why this oft-overlooked scene in Persuasion is her favorite. —Chrstina Boyd

by Susan Kaye

My favorite scene in Persuasion has not been included in any of the adaptations and has never been ruined for me by the opinions of any director or actor. Huzzah for me! The scene opens with Anne caring for Little Charles in the drawing room. She skipped dinner at Uppercross the night before to avoid Wentworth, using the boy as an excuse. Captain Wentworth enters. He’s surprised to find her there, and she’s unsettled at being interrupted. He explains himself, and she tells him that the Musgrove sisters are upstairs with Mary. He makes chit-chat by saying he hopes the boy is better. He then takes up a post looking out the window. Both are relieved that conversation has been avoided.

Until Charles Hayter enters. I assume he’s looking for Henrietta. Austen spends the opening pages of Chapter 9 explaining the family dynamics between the Hayters and the Musgroves and Henrietta’s distraction by the shiny new officer in the neighborhood. This clarifies why Hayter isn’t thrilled to encounter that very fellow.

Wentworth attempts conversation, and Hayter promptly opens the newspaper to signal ‘buzz off’ to the captain. Nothing tense about this scene.

In the midst of all this grown-up behavior, someone lets Little Walter into the room, quietly closing the door behind him. I have always assumed it was that faithful nursery maid, Jemima. She has a reputation as a gadfly, and I’m sure her child-minding skills are the same.

Chapter 9, Persuasion. E. Brock illustration, 1898

So, Little Walter sizes up the situation and figures his best bet is to harass his ailing brother. He makes a beeline for the couch. Finding his Auntie Anne in the way, he gets on her back. He’s being a pest, and she shoos him away once, but he’s having a good time, so he crawls up onto her back again. For good measure, he reaches around her neck to hang on even tighter.

That strapping example of manhood, Cousin Charles, demands the boy get down and come to him. Little Walter is approximately two. What do you think happened? He squeezed tighter. The boy is a stout child, so this pushes Anne’s head down when suddenly someone loosens his hands and literally lifts her burden away. She knows Wentworth has done it for her.

Her feelings are wrecked. She can’t even speak to thank him. All she can do is hang over Little Charles and listen to ‘the noise he (Wentworth) was studiously making with the child, that he meant to avoid hearing her thanks, and rather sought to testify that her conversation was the last of his wants.’ He’s sympathetic, but he’s not ready to hear her acknowledgement of his kindness.

Wentworth does not strike me as the baby talk sort, so I imagine he was letting Little Walter know he was the spitting image of his grandfather. Minus epithets and vulgarities. Soon, his mother and aunts come to the rescue, and this frees Anne to leave and try to put some order to her feelings.

I wrote this scene in one of my books, imagining Frederick’s hand brushing Anne’s neck as he freed her. This was a shock to them both.

For days, Anne observed Frederick interact with the Musgrove family, particularly Henrietta and Louisa. She has also seen his kindness to Mrs. Musgrove when she lamented her son, Richard. Wentworth knew the young man was a lout, and yet, for a grieving mother, he played nice and said comforting things. And now he has reached out in kindness to her.

The following chapter describes the Walk to Winthrop, where he again considers her and goes out of his way to make certain she is cared for. The ice is melting, and it’s lovely to watch.

What do you think? Do you need to revisit these same pages?

Susan Kaye, author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Kate might be said to be living the dream: happily married to her better half, Bill, and sharing their rambling Kansas home with her daughter, son-in-law, and their lively brood. Their town is affectionately dubbed “Widespot,” largely because “a-really-long-drive-to-anywhere-exciting” felt a bit too on the nose.

She has been writing for more than twenty-five years, and since 2007, her stories have reached readers. Her literary path began with a deep love for Jane Austen’s Persuasion and soon expanded into an enduring fascination with the Royal Navy—thanks, in no small part, to Captain Wentworth. That same blend of sharp observation, heartfelt yearning, and a touch of drama threads through her own work.

When she isn’t crafting tales about love’s persistence across the decades, Susan can be found wrestling with uncooperative technology, coaxing life from her garden with mixed success, or savoring a good cuppa while plotting her characters’ next turns. She believes that even life’s quietest moments hold a story—usually one with generous humor and an unexpected spark of joy.

For readers drawn to second chances, quick wit, and the gentle unfolding of everyday life, Susan hopes her books offer a welcoming place to land. Connect with Susan via her website.