After Mr. Henry Dashwood's demise, his entire Sense and Sensibility to John Dashwood, his son from the first marriage, leaves his second wife and three daughters without a permanent residence or substantial income. Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret Dashwood, compelled to vacate Norland, find refuge with their distant relatives, the Middletons, at Barton Park. Although Elinor is disheartened by the departure from Norland, where she has formed an attachment to Edward Ferrars, the brother-in-law of her half-brother John, the new chapter at Barton Park exposes them to various characters, including the retired bachelor Colonel Brandon and the gallant John Willoughby.

Willoughby's ardent courtship of Marianne flourishes until he abruptly declares his departure for London, shattering Marianne's heart. Simultaneously, the arrival of Anne and Lucy Steele, relatives of Lady Middleton's mother, adds further intricacy to the narrative. Lucy discloses to Elinor her secret engagement to Mr. Ferrars for a year, causing Elinor profound shock and heartache as she discovers that it is her beloved Edward.