Sense and Sensibility

Mrs Dashwood is devastated when her beloved husband dies. The late Mr Dashwood's estate and fortune are bequeathed by law to his son from a previous marriage, to the delight of John’s rapacious wife, Fanny. Mrs Dashwood and her daughters are forced to move to a tiny cottage on a cousin’s estate in Devonshire, to start their lives again.

Colonel Brandon is called away on urgent business and Marianne and Brandon's rival, Willoughby, are left to fall blissfully in love. Elinor finally receives her visit from Edward, but his behaviour is so odd and distant that she is far from reassured. Sir John's nieces, the Miss Steeles, come to Devonshire and Elinor receives the shock of her life...

Marianne learns the full extent of Willoughby's betrayal. The shock of this news is severe for Marianne and her health begins to deteriorate. When Elinor learns that Edward intends to honour his engagement to Lucy Steele, even though this means being disinherited by his mother, she and Marianne decide to leave London. With Willoughby and Edward both seemingly gone, all looks lost for the Dashwood girls...

Elinor has promised to keep the secret of Edward Ferrars' engagement to Lucy Steele. She manages to conceal her unhappiness even from Marianne, who is overjoyed that the two sisters are to visit London, as Willoughby lives there.

Marianne's heart is doubly broken by a yet more callous rejection by Willoughby. Elinor is to meet Edward's mother who, ignorant of the engagement to Lucy Steele, plans to marry him to the heiress to a great fortune.

The sisters are to end their unhappy stay in London. Elinor is now as desolate as Marianne, for the secret of Edward's engagement is out at last and he intends to stand by it. Mrs Ferrars has cut him off without a penny, settling her entire estate on his brother Robert.