Readers, we may be posting our next few blogs a little more often so that we can wrap up this book before the end of the year and take a hiatus over the holidays.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

R: We finally get a massive revelation in this chapter, about both Colonel Brandon and Willoughby, because it turns out they are connected, and in the worst possible way. Colonel Brandon has had the care of a young lady, the illegitimate daughter of his childhood love (not his own daughter as most supposed), and this young lady was seduced and impregnated by Willoughby. Colonel Brandon decides to reveal all of this to Elinor in hopes of easing Marianne’s heart over the loss of a man who turns out to be a right cad.

S: Chapter 31 is by far the most informative and heart-wrenching chapter yet! No wonder Colonel Brandon is so melancholy – what a sad life he has led so far. Thinking back to when we first met Willoughby, I have even less esteem for him now and more frustration at his character and his outspoken harsh words against Colonel Brandon. He appears to me extremely foolish, not only in his conduct, but also with his speech. Before, I could believe as Marianne could, that he was just young and carefree, even if he is a cad, but now he appears to me an angry, cruel, selfish human. (Are those words strong enough?) 

I love how Austen creates a sweet bond between Colonel Brandon and Elinor, but it seems to be one only of friendship and mutual respect at this juncture. 

Also, Marianne needs to calm down. Mrs. Jennings, although desperately interested in gossip, truly does, it seems, want to ease Marianne’s mind, and Colonel Brandon hopes to do the same. I appreciated Austen reminding the reader that Marianne is so caught up in herself that she is unable to see that, despite some people being rough around the edges, they really do care about her. She instead assumes people act a certain way because that’s how she would act toward them if the roles were reversed. She has a lot of growing up to do and I hope we see that.

Despite this, Marianne finally becomes civil with Colonel Brandon! Mrs. Jennings’s assumption that Elinor and Colonel Brandon now have a thing just makes me roll my eyes. Then, as if life weren’t difficult enough for the Miss Dashwoods, enter the Steele sisters. (Shudder.) I had almost forgotten about them, so to meet them again at this point in time is vexing. I cannot imagine how Elinor was able to keep her temper with Lucy’s snide asides to her and Miss Steele’s insistence that they see Marianne. My favourite line came after Mrs. Jennings’s comment about the Dashwood sisters remaining a long time in London: ‘Lucy was silenced.’ I mean, Mrs. Jennings has no clue what’s going on, but the reader does and that line is delicious. 

It does bother me that it appears no one is getting what they want or need: Marianne needs the comfort of home and her mother, whilst Elinor needs to not run into Edward (which could happen at any of the parties they may attend). But, they are honouring their mother, so I can’t really fault them.

R: When Elinor tells Colonel Brandon’s story to Marianne I was surprised that it softened her toward the colonel, though she is still quiet and melancholy and has another fit of high emotion when she learns that Willoughby has married Miss Grey. Mrs. Dashwood decides that it would be better for Marianne to not be at Barton Cottage where she and Willoughby had so much time together, so the Miss Dashwoods stay in London as their brother and sister-in-law, the Middletons and the Miss Steeles arrive. Lucy immediately tries to ingratiate herself to Elinor again, while Marianne continues to avoid as much socialization as she can. Elinor once more faces the brunt of everyone’s feelings about Willoughby, but she bears it with equanimity in order to protect her sister.

S: It appears that everyone, except Elinor, expects her and Colonel Brandon to marry! You remember the old adage, ‘You have one mouth and two ears for a reason’? Well, most of these characters could do with that reminder, especially her brother. Elinor is perfectly aware that the Dashwoods have more money than he tries to convince her of, and his speech, while attempting to remain subtle, reminds the reader that he and Fanny are all about themselves and their wealth and their status.

R: He’s so set on convincing Elinor that he and Fanny are in dire straits and can’t do anything to help their sisters. It really emphasizes their selfishness.

‘He [John Dashwood] had just compunction enough for having done nothing for his sisters himself, to be exceedingly anxious that everybody else should do a great deal; and an offer from Colonel Brandon, or a legacy from Mrs. Jennings, was the easiest means of atoning for his own neglect.’

And neglect it was. In a society where young, unmarried ladies are forced to rely on their family’s goodwill until they’re married, John Dashwood’s neglect of taking care of his sisters is particularly egregious. Yes, they had their mother, but she was as much at the mercy of the laws of inheritance as her daughters.

S: But Edward! We don’t know how Elinor feels about the news that his mother is trying to set him up with someone, but it does seem a gloomy prospect for the Miss Dashwoods. I’d like to have Edward speak to Elinor and explain himself, because right now he is in a bit of a pickle and has annoyed me quite thoroughly.

R: All of the different threads of the story start to come together. The Dashwoods meet the Middletons (and like them very much) and Mrs. Jennings (only John Dashwood likes her) and invite all of them as well as the Steeles, Colonel Brandon and the frightening Mrs. Ferrars to their house for a dinner. They also invite the Miss Steeles to stay at the house for a week. Lucy is beside herself with nerves and excitement at the opportunity to meet Mrs. Ferrars, who is also at the dinner, and ingratiate herself with the family, which she is able to do because Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny Dashwood treat Elinor very badly based on their assumption that she and Edward feel for each other. Uncharacteristically, Elinor feels a little mean pleasure at their ‘graciousness so misapplied’.

S: Again with the not communicating! If only Marianne had been more sober-minded that Elinor might have told her about Edward’s and Lucy’s engagement! (I say being tricked and harassed trumps making a promise of being a secret keeper, but I digress.) If only she might have been able to tell someone how Lucy treats her! I’m happy she was able to tell Lucy that she had no pity for her (again, I’m not sure I would have had the guts to do something like that), and that she saw the foolishness, and found amusing the way, in which Mrs. Ferrars treated her. Truly, she is a heroine.

R: Ooh, Lucy shows up after the dinner party to twist the knife in Elinor’s back, only to be interrupted by the untimely arrival of Edward Ferrars. He is so incredibly embarrassed, and Lucy so determined to keep up the pretense of secrecy, that Elinor ends up carrying all the conversation. After a while, she leaves them (why???) to bring Marianne down, who manages to only make things more awkward for Edward and Elinor. She makes a comment about Edward’s character that almost seems to show knowledge of all the circumstances, but certainly explains why he’s maintained this secret engagement with Lucy for four years:

‘And I really believe he HAS the most delicate conscience in the world; the most scrupulous in performing every engagement, however minute, and however it may make against his interest or pleasure. He is the most fearful of giving pain, of wounding expectation, and the most incapable of being selfish, of any body I ever saw.’

I have to wonder what Lucy thought of this proclamation. 

S: I’m just throwing this out there: I dislike Lucy’s character. I can understand how a person with very little means would want to make sure her secret engagement remained secret, but she treats Elinor abominably and does not endear herself to me. The scene when Edward visits Elinor and is then caught in an awkward mess is amusing, but also frustrating. Marianne is such a romantic that she doesn’t notice the room’s atmosphere or her sister’s countenance, nor does she notice Lucy’s rude glances and sharp words. I want to take Edward by the shoulders and shout, ‘Come on, man! Stand up for yourself and quit being pushed around!’ but, I know that his fear of making the wrong choice and of disappointing one’s parents (not to mention being worried that you may never have a fortune again if you step one toe out of line) is real. 

In all, I don’t have nearly as many questions as I have before except, ‘How will this all be resolved?!’