What happens to Louisa Musgrove at Lyme?

Louisa jumps from the steps of the Cobb at Lyme, is not caught in time and falls onto the pavement below, hurting her head badly. She recovers slowly while staying in Lyme.

Who does Louisa Musgrove marry?

Louisa becomes engaged to Captain Benwick, whom she met while she was recovering at Lyme.

Did Wentworth love Louisa Musgrove?

He liked her, and people expected the two to marry, but his heart was never really hers. Her engagement to Captain Benwick lets him see this clearly.

From Persuasion

Louisa Musgrove

Mary’s bold sister-in-law • Daring and cheerful

A lively, headstrong young lady who loves adventure and insists on having her own way.

Who is Louisa Musgrove?

Louisa Musgrove is a lively young lady from the Uppercross Great House who loves music, dancing and adventure. She admires Captain Wentworth’s exciting sea stories and boasts that nobody can ever change her mind. Her headstrong ways lead to a scary tumble at Lyme, but she heals with rest and care and finds her own happy ending.

Louisa Musgrove is a character in Persuasion, the 1817 novel by Jane Austen, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.

What is Louisa Musgrove like?

lively
bold
headstrong

Louisa Musgrove’s story

Louisa and her older sister Henrietta are the two grown-up daughters of the Musgrove family of Uppercross. They are cheerful and fond of company, and when Captain Wentworth arrives they both enjoy his attention. Louisa is the more high-spirited of the two, and she is the one who seems to catch his eye.

She likes the way sailors speak and live, and she praises firmness of mind. Her fall at Lyme happens when she insists on being jumped down the steps of the Cobb once more, and she lands on the ground and does not wake. She is carried to the Harvilles’ house, where she is nursed for weeks. Anne and Wentworth are both greatly shaken.

While she recovers, Louisa and Captain Benwick, a quiet naval officer staying with the Harvilles, grow fond of each other. They become engaged, which frees Wentworth from the belief that he is expected to marry her.

“Louisa had the higher spirits”

Jane Austen, the narrator, comparing Louisa with her sister Henrietta. From the original 1817 novel by Jane Austen.

A moment to remember

On the windy sea wall, Louisa laughs and jumps into Frederick’s arms, then wants to jump again even after he warns her the steps are slippery.

Mary Musgrove: her sister-in-law
Captain Frederick Wentworth: the officer she admires
Anne Elliot: the friend who helps after her fall

Talk about it

Louisa liked always getting her own way. When is it smart to listen to someone else’s advice?

Questions about Louisa Musgrove

What happens to Louisa Musgrove at Lyme?: Louisa jumps from the steps of the Cobb at Lyme, is not caught in time and falls onto the pavement below, hurting her head badly. She recovers slowly while staying in Lyme.
Who does Louisa Musgrove marry?: Louisa becomes engaged to Captain Benwick, whom she met while she was recovering at Lyme.
Did Wentworth love Louisa Musgrove?: He liked her, and people expected the two to marry, but his heart was never really hers. Her engagement to Captain Benwick lets him see this clearly.