Sense and Sensibility

Henry Dashwood, his second wife, and their three daughters live for many years with Henry's wealthy bachelor uncle. That uncle decides, in late life, to will his property first to Henry, then to Henry's first son John, and then to John's three-year-old son Harry. The uncle dies, but Henry lives just a year after that. On Henry's death, the new owner of the estate, then, is John Dashwood, the child of Henry's first marriage. Henry's second wife, Mrs Dashwood, and their daughters, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, inherit only a small income.