oh, you sly thing! it was the misses dashwood she wanted to see, not delaford, mamma! i have heard nothing but 'miss dashwood this, miss dashwood that' for i don't know how long! and what do you think of them now you do see them, lucy? my mother has talked of nothing else in her letters since you came to barton, mrs dashwood. mr palmer--are they not the very creatures she describes?
why, mr palmer! do you know you are quite rude today? he is to be an mp, you know, mrs dashwood, and it is very fatiguing for him for he is forced to make everybody like him-- he says it is quite shocking--
i know mr willoughby extremely well-- not that i ever spoke to him but i have seen him forever in town. your sister is monstrous lucky to get him. mamma says colonel brandon is in love with her as well, which is a very great compliment for he hardly ever falls in love with anyone.
oh! if only this rain would stop!
she ate nothing at dinner.
miss dashwood, if only mr willoughby had gone home to combe magna, we could have taken miss marianne to see him! for we live but half a mile away.
no, i cannot believe it is that far, for you can see the place from the top of our hill. is it really five and a half miles? no! i cannot believe it.
tell us all!
it is the best plan in the world.
mr palmer, do you not long to have the misses dashwood come to london?
of course she can!
who indeed?
this is very merry!
what a stroke of luck for lucy and edward to find a parish so close to barton! you will all be able to meet very often. that will cheer you up, miss marianne. i do declare i have never disliked a person so much as i do mr willoughby, for your sake. insufferable man! to think we can see his insufferable house from the top of our hill!
i shall ask jackson to plant some very tall trees.
i hear miss grey's bridal gown was everything of the finest--made in paris, no less. i should have liked to see it, although i dare say it was a sorry affair, scalloped with ruffles--but what do the french know about fashion?
i am resolved never to mention mr willoughby's name again, and furthermore i shall tell everyone i meet what a good-for nothing he is.
we are very proud of our little thomas, colonel--and his papa has such a way with him.
there you are, miss dashwood! mr palmer and the colonel have locked themselves up in the billiard room. come and meet little thomas. where is miss marianne?
oh, very good. that is the great advantage of the countryside--all the fresh air and.  and all the fresh air.
he is the best child in the world-- he never cries unless he wants to and then, lord, there is no stopping him.
she has probably taken shelter in one of the greenhouses!
one thing is certain--she will be wet through when she returns.
you'll wear yourself out, colonel! do not worry! a day or two in bed will soon set her to rights!
mrs bunting! mrs bunting!