Expectations of Happiness by Rebecca Ann Collins Page A

fairs and festivals being organised around the county for Harvest Home. Aware that his wife did not take a great interest in these public activities, he had provided her with everything she could need to pursue all of her hobbies and did not expect that boredom would pose a problem for her.
    In previous years, Mrs Dashwood would arrive to spend a few weeks at Delaford and keep her daughter company, affording Marianne some respite from the tedium of life alone at the manor; but this year, following the death of Lady Middleton, Mrs Dashwood was otherwise engaged.
    Visiting the parsonage, Colonel Brandon drew Elinor’s attention to the date of his departure for Ireland and asked especially that she attend on her sister as often as her parish duties would allow, since Mrs Dashwood was not available to visit. Elinor assured him she would do so with pleasure. She retained, as well as her sisterly affection, a strong sense of family responsibility toward Marianne.
    When Elinor had visited her sister after the funeral of Lady Middleton, she had noticed that she was not in good spirits and had tried to discover the reason for it, but Marianne had successfully avoided answering any questions, save in the most superficial way. She had confessed that she had grown tired of reading and had begun writing a diary. “I intend to record everything I do and feel each day, for at least a year, after which I shall read it over and decide if it is worthwhile to continue the exercise,” she had declared, causing Elinor to smile and say, “Indeed? That should keep you busy,” only to have her sister interrupt abruptly, “I wonder you should say that, Elinor, you must know how little I have to do each day that is of any real interest to me; I should be surprised if I could fill half a page.”
    Following this odd exchange, Elinor had come away believing her young sister was bored, but she had as yet no appreciation of the depth of her discontent. Sometime later, however, after the colonel had left for Ireland, Elinor visited her sister again, taking with her a letter from their mother in which she declared her resolve to remain at Barton Park for a further month at least, attending upon the ailing Mrs Jennings and assisting her cousin, Sir John Middleton, with his household.
    I really feel it is not possible for me to leave at this time, when Mrs Jennings is still quite unable to even contemplate travelling alone to London or Cleveland. Indeed, it would appear that the Palmers are not at Cleveland, having decided to take their summer holiday at Ramsgate this year. That would mean Mrs Jennings would be quite alone, and I cannot imagine what she would do all day.
    â€”Mrs Dashwood wrote.
    As for my poor cousin, Sir John, he seems quite unable to decide on how anything is to be organised in the household. I understand Lady Middleton was a most meticulous mistress. The housekeeper relies almost entirely on me for instructions regarding provisions and menus, and I have to wonder how they will get on without me. One must hope they are all honest and will not take advantage of my poor cousin.
    Elinor was astonished that Mrs Dashwood could be relied upon to organise an establishment the size and status of Barton Park, but she was even more disconcerted by the news that her mother appeared to have no plans to join them at Delaford as she had hoped. She was concerned too that Marianne would be exceedingly disappointed at the news; Marianne was much closer to her mother than were either Elinor or Margaret. Indeed, so alike were they in manner and disposition, they could, but for the difference in their ages, have been sisters.
    Elinor had expected that Mrs Dashwood would return within the month, which seemed now to be very unlikely, and she, worried that Marianne would resent her mother’s absence, had a suggestion. “I know you miss Mama a great deal, my dear, so Edward and I wondered if you would like to join us when we