what I should have done.â
They dined alone that evening, and afterward, Margaret tried to cheer her sister up by playing some of their favourite music on the pianoforte, but it was easy to see that Elinor, while she made a valiant attempt to be cheerful, could not shake off the fears that assailed her.
Chapter Seven
Meanwhile, Marianne, oblivious of the concerns of both her sisters and in complete ignorance of the presence of Mr Willoughby in the neighbourhood, prepared to enjoy the expedition to Glastonbury.
Marianne never did anything by halves; it was in her nature to commit as much enthusiasm as she could muster to any activity or emotion that possessed her. The library at Delaford, though it had nothing like the impressive collection sheâd had available to her at Norland, did have a considerable array of publications, most of which had been accumulated by Colonel Brandonâs parents. His mother, in particular, had been a keen reader of historical and travel tales; consequently, while there may have been a paucity of romantic novels and poetry of the type that had captivated Marianne in her younger days, there were sufficient books, maps, and journals to satisfy the appetite of the adventurous traveller.
These had never interested Marianne much before, but, since hearing of the Percevalsâ planned expedition to Glastonbury, she had spent many hours opening up the old cabinets and taking out a large number of books in which she hoped to find some interesting information that she could share with her new friends. She did not expect that the two Misses Perceval would have done much reading about Somerset or Glastonbury; they were far more interested in discussing what they would wear and how much food and lemonade they would need to help them survive the rigours of the day.
Perusing the books and journals, Marianne was disappointed that while most gave adequate accounts of the towns and villages of Somerset, and others noted the many ruined abbeys and monasteries in the county, only one work provided her with a satisfactory description of Glastonbury, with its ancient history going back to the seventh century and suggestions that it was a site linked to the romantic tales of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. She also found references in both fiction and poetry to the Arthurian legends and read them avidly. Absorbed for the first time by something outside of what she considered to be her somewhat humdrum life at Delaford, Marianne read eagerly and made copious notes.
Determined to discover more, she sent a note to Margaret at the parsonage, requesting that she should seek information in the libraries to which she had access in Oxford. Clearly the excitement generated by her forthcoming journey to Glastonbury had driven all Margaretâs travel plans out of her mind; Marianne had quite forgotten that her sister was leaving for France at the end of the week.
***
Arriving at the home of the Percevals on Friday afternoon, Marianne was pleasantly surprised. The house was a spacious and comfortable if rather nondescript residence, with few of the distinguishing features of places like Norland or even Barton Park, but it had been furnished with some style, and the Perceval family paid her a great deal of courtesy, ensuring she was comfortable and complimenting her on her appearance, her hair, her gown, and her singing, and persuading her to entertain them after dinner, which Marianne did gladly. Though she did not count them her equals in either elegance or erudition, she clearly appreciated their praise, which transported her once more to the days when she, talented and beautiful, had been the centre of attention in their social circle.
The Percevals, as a family, were a somewhat diverse lot; the parents appeared to be old-fashioned people such as one might meet in any English country community, hospitable and good-natured, but not greatly interested in matters that did not directly concern
They dined alone that evening, and afterward, Margaret tried to cheer her sister up by playing some of their favourite music on the pianoforte, but it was easy to see that Elinor, while she made a valiant attempt to be cheerful, could not shake off the fears that assailed her.
Chapter Seven
Meanwhile, Marianne, oblivious of the concerns of both her sisters and in complete ignorance of the presence of Mr Willoughby in the neighbourhood, prepared to enjoy the expedition to Glastonbury.
Marianne never did anything by halves; it was in her nature to commit as much enthusiasm as she could muster to any activity or emotion that possessed her. The library at Delaford, though it had nothing like the impressive collection sheâd had available to her at Norland, did have a considerable array of publications, most of which had been accumulated by Colonel Brandonâs parents. His mother, in particular, had been a keen reader of historical and travel tales; consequently, while there may have been a paucity of romantic novels and poetry of the type that had captivated Marianne in her younger days, there were sufficient books, maps, and journals to satisfy the appetite of the adventurous traveller.
These had never interested Marianne much before, but, since hearing of the Percevalsâ planned expedition to Glastonbury, she had spent many hours opening up the old cabinets and taking out a large number of books in which she hoped to find some interesting information that she could share with her new friends. She did not expect that the two Misses Perceval would have done much reading about Somerset or Glastonbury; they were far more interested in discussing what they would wear and how much food and lemonade they would need to help them survive the rigours of the day.
Perusing the books and journals, Marianne was disappointed that while most gave adequate accounts of the towns and villages of Somerset, and others noted the many ruined abbeys and monasteries in the county, only one work provided her with a satisfactory description of Glastonbury, with its ancient history going back to the seventh century and suggestions that it was a site linked to the romantic tales of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. She also found references in both fiction and poetry to the Arthurian legends and read them avidly. Absorbed for the first time by something outside of what she considered to be her somewhat humdrum life at Delaford, Marianne read eagerly and made copious notes.
Determined to discover more, she sent a note to Margaret at the parsonage, requesting that she should seek information in the libraries to which she had access in Oxford. Clearly the excitement generated by her forthcoming journey to Glastonbury had driven all Margaretâs travel plans out of her mind; Marianne had quite forgotten that her sister was leaving for France at the end of the week.
***
Arriving at the home of the Percevals on Friday afternoon, Marianne was pleasantly surprised. The house was a spacious and comfortable if rather nondescript residence, with few of the distinguishing features of places like Norland or even Barton Park, but it had been furnished with some style, and the Perceval family paid her a great deal of courtesy, ensuring she was comfortable and complimenting her on her appearance, her hair, her gown, and her singing, and persuading her to entertain them after dinner, which Marianne did gladly. Though she did not count them her equals in either elegance or erudition, she clearly appreciated their praise, which transported her once more to the days when she, talented and beautiful, had been the centre of attention in their social circle.
The Percevals, as a family, were a somewhat diverse lot; the parents appeared to be old-fashioned people such as one might meet in any English country community, hospitable and good-natured, but not greatly interested in matters that did not directly concern
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