Sense and Sensibility Chapter 21

Soon after the Palmers leave Barton, two young relations of Mrs. Jennings arrive. In their teens, the girls are fashionable, but the eldest, Ann Steele, is vulgar and annoying, and the younger, Lucy, is shrewd but not intelligent. The two indulge Lady Middleton's children, and flatter Lady Middleton beyond reason. Elinor and Marianne do not like them, finding them phony and without class.

Topic Tracking: Hypocrites 11

When the subject of beaux come up, Ann Steele asks Elinor a rather impolite question about her brother, and Sir John tells the Steele girls that the name of Elinor's beaux is Ferrars. Elinor is very embarrassed, because she does not want anyone to know about Edward, especially when they have not discussed anything, and his behavior has been so strange.