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

Edward and Marianne disagree over whether landscapes should be laid out on Classical or Romantic principles. Sir John arrives to invite them all to tea that day and dinner the next.

Chapter 19:

After a week at Barton, Edward leaves for London. He is unhappy with his current dependence on his mother and with his family's aspirations for him to go into some "smart" profession when his own preference is to be a clergyman. Elinor is disappointed after his departure that he did not stay longer; she cannot be certain that he loves her, but controls her feelings as Marianne is incapable of doing.

Mrs. Jennings brings her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, to see the family at Barton Cottage and insists that they have dinner with them the next day. Marianne complains about how often they are invited to the Park because she finds the company there vulgar.

Chapter 20:

Mrs. Palmer is excessively friendly to Elinor, insisting that both sisters should come and stay with her. Elinor declines the invitation and diverts Mrs. Palmer by asking her if she knows Willoughby. Mrs. Palmer says that she knows that Marianne is engaged to him and will not accept Elinor's assertion that she is not.

Chapter 21:

The Palmers return home and are soon replaced by the Miss Steeles, cousins of Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings. Sir John is determined that the girls should know each other; Elinor and Marianne find that they cannot escape the acquaintance even though they find nothing to like in Anne and Lucy. In the course of Mrs. Jennings's teasing of Elinor about Edward Ferrars, it turns out that the Miss Steeles have met him at their uncle's in Plymouth.

Chapter 22:

Lucy singles Elinor out to be her particular friend, and one day confesses that she and Edward have been secretly engaged for four years. They could not make their engagement public because Edward's mother would disapprove of it on account of Lucy's lack of money.

Chapter 23:

Once she is on her own Elinor is able to give free rein to all her pain and astonishment at Lucy's news. She is convinced that Edward does love her and that he must have changed his mind about Lucy in the four years that they have been engaged. She resigns herself to giving up all hope of ever marrying Edward herself.

Chapter 24:

At Barton Park Elinor unselfishly lets Lucy talk about her engagement; we begin to suspect that Lucy told Elinor about it deliberately in to order to divide her from Edward.

Chapter 25:

Mrs. Jennings invites Elinor and Marianne to go to London with her. Marianne, despite her low opinion of Mrs. Jennings, is enthusiastic about going - Willoughby is in London. They decide to accept the invitation.

Chapter 26:

After a journey of three days, Elinor and Marianne arrive in London. Marianne immediately writes to Willoughby, and is surprised not to receive a quick reply. Colonel Brandon and Mrs. Palmer visit Mrs. Jennings's house.

Chapter 27:

Marianne remembers that the good weather will be keeping anyone who hunts in the country, and is temporarily cheerful again. Within a few days Willoughby has left his card at Mrs. Jennings's house, but avoids going to a party at the Middleton's. Elinor writes to her mother to ask her to discover from Marianne whether she and Willougby are engaged or not.

Elinor finds that the greatest pleasure of being in London is in talking to Colonel Brandon, who she sees is falling more and more in love with Marianne. This is confirmed when he asks Elinor whether it is true that her sister is engaged to Willoughby, saying that their engagement is "generally known".

Chapter 28:

Marianne finally meets Willoughby at a party; he is cold and withdrawn and Elinor concludes that whatever there was between them, it is now all over.

Chapter 29: