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soliciting a family…visit； and bounded their views to carrying back
one Daughter with them； no difficulties were started。 It was
general pleasure and consent。—Their invitation was to Miss
Charlotte Heywood； a very pleasing young woman of two and
twenty； the eldest of the Daughters at home； and the one； who
under her Mother’s directions had been particularly useful and
obliging to them； who had attended them most； and knew them
best。—Charlotte was to go；—with excellent health； to bathe and be
better if she could—to receive every possible pleasure which
Sanditon could be made to supply by the gratitude of those she
went with—and to buy new Parasols； new Gloves； and new
Broches； for her sisters and herself at the Library； which Mr。 P。
was anxiously wishing to support。—All that Mr。 Heywood himself
could be persuaded to promise was； that he would send everyone
to Sanditon； who asked his advice； and that nothing should ever
induce him （as far as the future could be answered for） to spend
even five shillings at Brinshore。
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CHAPTER III
very neighbourhood should have a great Lady。—The great
ELady of Sanditon； was Lady Denham； and in their
Journey from Willingden to the Coast； Mr。 Parker gave
Charlotte a more detailed account of her； than had been called for
before。—She had been necessarily often mentioned at
Willingden；—for being his Colleague in Speculation； Sanditon
itself could not be talked of long； without the introduction of Lady
Denham and that she was a very rich old Lady； who had buried
two Husbands； who knew the value of Money； was very much
looked up to and had a poor Cousin living with her； were facts
already well known； but some further particulars of her history
and her Character served to lighten the tediousness of a long Hill；
or a heavy bit of road； and to give the visiting Young Lady a
suitable Knowledge of the Person with whom she might now
expect to be daily associating。—Lady D。 had been a rich Miss
Brereton； born to Wealth but not to Education。 Her first Husband
had been a Mr。 Hollis； a man of considerable Property in the
Country； of which a large share of the Parish of Sanditon； with
Manor and Mansion House made a part。 He had been an elderly
Man when she married him；—her own age about thirty。—Her
motives for such a Match could be little understood at the distance
of forty years； but she had so well nursed and pleased Mr。 Hollis；
that at his death he left her everything—all his Estates； and all at
her Disposal。 After a widowhood of some years； she had been
induced to marry again。 The late Sir Harry Denham； of Denham
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Jane Austen： Sanditon 19
Park in the Neighbourhood of Sanditon had succeeded in
removing her and her large Income to his own Domains； but he
could not succeed in the views of permanently enriching his
family； which were attributed to him。 She had been too wary to
put anything out of her own Power—and when on Sir Harry’s
Decease she returned again to her own House at Sanditon； she
was said to have made this boast to a friend ‘that though she had
got nothing but her Title from the Family； still she had given
nothing for it。’—For the Title； it was to be supposed that she had
married—and Mr。 P。 acknowledged there being just such a degree
of value for it apparent now； as to give her conduct that natural
explanation。 ‘There is at times；’ said he—‘a little self…importance—
but it is not offensive；—and there are moments； there are points；
when her Love of Money is carried greatly too far。 But she is a
goodnatured Woman； a very goodnatured Woman；—a very
obliging； friendly Neighbour； a chearful； independant； valuable
character； and her faults may be entirely imputed to her want of
Education。 She has good natural Sense； but quite uncultivated。—
She has a fine active mind； as well as a fine healthy frame for a
Woman of seventy； and enters into the improvement of Sanditon
with a spirit truly admirable—though now and then； a Littleness
will appear。 She cannot look forward quite as I would have her—
and takes alarm at a trifling present expence； without considering
what returns it will make her in a year or two。 That is—we think
differently； we now and then； see things differently； Miss H。—
Those who tell their own Story you know must be listened to with
Caution。—When you see us in contact； you will judge for
yourself。’—Lady D。 was indeed a great Lady beyond the common
wants of Society—for she had many Thousands a year to
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bequeath； and three distinct sets of People to be courted by； her
own relations； who might very reasonably wish for her Original
Thirty Thousand Pounds among them； the legal Heirs of Mr。
Hollis； who must hope to be more endebted to her sense of Justice
than he had allowed them to be to his； and those Members of the
Denham Family； whom her second Husband had hoped to make a
good Bargain for。—By all of these； or by Branches of them； she
had no doubt been long； and still continued to be； well attacked；—
and of these divisions； Mr。 P。 did not hesitate to say that Mr。
Hollis’ Kindred were the least in favour and Sir Harry Denham’s
the most。—The former he believed； had done themselves
irremediable harm by expressions of very unwise and unjustifiable
resentment at the time of Mr。 Hollis’s death；—the Latter； to the
advantage of being the remnant of a Connection which she
certainly valued； joined those of having been known to her from
their Childhood； and of being always at hand to preserve their
interest by reasonable attention。 Sir Edward； the present Baronet；
nephew to Sir Harry； resided constantly at Denham Park； and Mr。
P。 had little doubt； that he and his Sister Miss D。 who lived with
him； would be principally remembered in her Will。 He sincerely
hoped it。—Miss Denham had a very small provision—and her
Brother was a poor Man for his rank in Society。 ‘He is a warm
friend to Sanditon’—said Mr。 Parker—‘and his hand would be as
liberal as his heart； had he t