Chapter Chapter Summaries of Sense and Sensibility - Study Guide by Jane Austen

delighted by the romance of the incident. They ask Sir John about him, who fills them in on where he lives and what his reputation in the county is.

Chapter 10:

Willoughby is a welcome visitor at the cottage; Marianne finds that he is identical in every detail to her idea the perfect man, and her mother is no less taken with him. Only Elinor judges him more carefully. She sees that Colonel Brandon really does admire her sister, and defends him when Marianne and Willoughby are scathing about him.

Chapter 11:

Marianne and Willoughby make no attempt to hide their feelings for each other; Mrs. Dashwood excuses them, but Elinor is less indulgent. She is unhappy at Barton; she misses Edward and finds that only Colonel Brandon is his equal among all her new acquaintances. In one particular conversation with him he hints that he has suffered from unrequited love before, which increases Elinor's sympathy towards him for Marianne's total lack of interest in him.

Chapter 12:

Elinor becomes convinced that Marianne and Willoughby are engaged; when Marianne is forced to decline his present of a horse she overhears him offering to keep it for her until she has a home of her own, implying that that home should be his, and Margaret (the youngest sister) reports seeing Willoughby cut off a lock of Marianne's hair.

At dinner at Barton Park Elinor is subjected to Mrs. Jennings' attempts to find out the name of her suitor; Margaret gives it away that his name begins with an F.

A plan is made for going the next day to a beautiful park that belongs to Colonel Brandon's brother-in- law.

Chapter 13:

The outing is cancelled. Colonel Brandon receives a letter summoning him to London immediately and the others cannot get into the park without him. They amuse themselves by driving around the country. Later it is revealed that Marianne and Willoughby, who had detached themselves from the rest of the party, went to Allenham, Willoughby's house. Elinor is shocked that Marianne's did this while Mrs. Smith, Willoughby's guardian, was there and berates her sister for her indiscretion.

Chapter 14:

Mrs. Jennings wonders at Brandon's sudden departure, believing that it has something to do with a Miss Williams who she claims is his "natural daughter".

Elinor is astonished that Marianne has not told her family that she and Willoughby are engaged, as she believes their behaviour proves them to be. That evening Willoughby shows even more attachment than usual to Barton Cottage and everyone in it.

Chapter 15:

Willoughby announces that he has to go to London immediately; he has been ordered there by Mrs. Smith, who has "exercised the privilege of riches on a poor dependent cousin". His manner in saying goodbye is awkward. In their discussion after his departure Mrs. Dashwood is eager to exonerate him from any suspicion, but Elinor cannot be so optimistic. She insists that Marianne and Willoughby may not be engaged. Mrs. Dashwood replies that she is sure that they are, even though no announcement has been made. Marianne is suffering under "a violent oppression of spirits" and cannot restrain her tears.

Chapter 16:

Marianne indulges her grief by revisiting places she and Willoughby had been together and playing all the songs they used to sing. One day, when she and Elinor are out walking she imagines that she sees Willoughby riding towards them, but it turns out to be Edward Ferrars, who has been in Devon for two weeks and has come to pay them a visit.

Chapter 17:

Edward seems at first out of spirits, but revives slightly while talking with Elinor and Marianne, until an accusation from Marianne of his being "reserved" plunges him back into gloom.

Chapter 18: