Sense and Sensibility Chapter 19

Edward stayed a week at the cottage. Elinor attributed his poor spirits to his family situation, with his mother controlling both him and his fortune. Edward wants to take orders in the church, but that is not good enough for his family; they expect him to be a lawyer or army officer, both of which did not suit him. Edward leaves Barton in the same sad mood in which he came.

Elinor was calm at Edward's departure; there were no tears and she could speak his name with ease. This behavior puzzled Marianne, who was acting quite differently in the absence of her love, Willoughby. Soon after Edward leaves the Middletons, two new guests, Mr. Palmer, and his pregnant wife Charlotte, Mrs. Jenning's daughter, are brought over. Mrs. Palmer is an excessively happy woman, while her husband is a quiet but rude man who likes to ignore his wife; Mrs. Palmer finds this funny.

The Middletons invite the Dashwoods to dinner, and they are unable to refuse. Marianne complains about the burden of attending all these boring parties, but Elinor reminds her that a few weeks ago, when the company was different, Marianne had no complaint about the Middletons and their parties. Marianne can only stand these parties if Willoughby is there.