The Steele Sisters: A Sense and Sensibility Tale

Lucy Steel found it simple to capture the heart of Edward Ferrars, but keeping it after four years of a secret engagement is more difficult. He has fallen in love with Elinor Dashwood, As narrated by the 'dull-witted' elder sister, Anne Steele, the campaign to get Edward to the marriage ceremony without risking the loss of his fortune is one requiring wily intelligence, which Lucy has in abundance. Anne does not censure her sister's duplicity. Indeed, she often aids in it, for it is widely believed that she herself, being 'plain' cannot expect to win a husband of her own. Edward will have to support both sisters. Anne has no qualms about listening to the private conversations of others or reading their letters. She records any information she gains in her journal, which she keeps hidden, for some of the things she witnesses border on the scandalous. As she writes of her journal, "If someone should find it!" The sisters' swift journey from their uncle's house in Plymouth to some of the finer houses in London is achieved, in Anne's view, by their ability to be "monstrous agreeable" to anyone who can better their circumstances. Completely adept at flattery, they are welcomed almost everywhere. Some of the events Anne recounts are, as she writes, "shocking!" and "scandalous!", but that is what is needed if a reluctant fiance is to be kept on the right path.