Sense and Sensibility III

THe Middletons have more visitors, two sisters, the Miss Steeles, who are distant relatives. They are not so likable as Mrs Jennings, and are clearly sucking up to Lady Middleton by adoring her children. Lucy, the younger of the 2 is clever and pretty, while Anne is rather stupid and plain. Lucy works up a friendship with Elinor, and then tells her that she is engaged to Edward Ferrars but it is a secret, as she is not highly born or well to do and his family will not like the match. Elinor feels unhappy, she loved Edward and beleived that alhtough they had not spoken about love, he was falling in love with her. She can see that Lucy is an adventuress, and is clinging to an engagement with Edward because of his family wealth. But Lucy has letters of his and mentions a ring she gave him, which Elinor has seen. Mrs Jennings is going back to London, and asks the older Dashwood girls to be her guests, and Marianne is very keen to go, because WIlloughby is in London. Elinor finds the journey wearing because her sister is not particularly polite to Mrs Jennings, and she has to keep up good manners. In London, Marianne is highly emotional as Willoughby does not call on them. She has another suitor, Colonel Brandon, who is quite a bit older than her but she is cool towards him, thinking him too old for love. Elinor is sorry for Marianne, but regrets her bad manners at times. Then they meet Willoughby at a party and he is visibly shocked and gives her a cool acknowledgement. The following day he writes to her and tells her that he is engaged to another woman and returns her letters. Marianne collapses with grief and shock.