Confections, Kin, and Austen

Soothing Cinnamon (Pride & Prejudice)

A poor wood-cutter said to his wife: "What is to become of us?"
Answered the woman: "We will take the children out into the forest and leave them alone."

"And in short, my dear brother, I do not know what is to be done!"

Edward Gardiner considered advising his sister or, more to the point, her husband; and as he had so many times before, he thought better of it. "If it would help, we would be glad to have the girls stay with us after Christmas."

He wished she did not look so pleased at the suggestion. But as the arrangement pleased everyone else as well, Mr. Gardiner forbore mentioning that too.

A Vanilla Pinch (Persuasion)

On the way Hansel crumbled his bread and often threw a morsel on the ground. When the moon came they set out but found no crumbs, for the birds had picked them all up.

The oldest Musgrove girls were closest to their eldest brother, who in turn doted on them; it was common for the three to walk the path between Uppercross and Kellynch together. Henrietta and Louisa grew in appreciation for Miss Anne Elliot nearly as much as Charles, smiling to hear him drop compliments and court favours. They left for school certain of good news.

Their eventual disappointment was whispered at night away from all other ears. He seemed happy enough with the scraps of Elliot polish found in Miss Mary. It seemed Anne, though still their friend, flew too high for catching.

Nuts, Fruit, and Gum (Northanger Abbey)

At midday they reached a house built of bread and covered with cakes. Hansel broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant against the window and nibbled at the panes.

It was astonishing how nurturing an atmosphere Northanger Abbey took on when looked at from a fresh perspective. Every day Miss Morland delighted in some new discovery, prompting equal elation with her young hosts.

"Oh Mr. Tilney, wherever did you get these!" was her happy cry when Henry brought in new cherries. Eleanor ordered a marzipan made from these and last summer's almonds, which they feasted on like kings while playing at charades.

How delicious good company was proving to be.

Sharp Peppermint (Mansfield Park)

The old woman locked Hansel behind a grated door. Then she cried: "Get up, lazy thing, and cook something good for your brother. When he is fat, I will eat him."

The gentlemen remaining behind, Fanny was shut in the coach with only her aunts for the ride back to Mansfield.

"I am astonished what a sluggard you can be," Mrs. Norris continued the harangue begun at the parsonage, "to idle by the card table, and make everyone wait! Then to expect more from your uncle, with him nearby, for a brother already given so much. A wonder Sir Thomas tolerates any Price at all: I should not be so generous with someone so determinedly ungrateful."

Fanny took all the blame at once: she would not have William's cause harmed for the world.

Warm Caramel's Foam (Lady Susan)

Then Gretel gave her a push that drove her far into the oven and shut the iron door. Oh! she howled quite horribly, but Gretel ran away and the godless witch was miserably burnt to death.

Lady Susan monopolized the meal's discourse, spreading praise of London over every other topic. It made Catherine Vernon hot to observe how coolly her brother's affections were toyed with or Frederica's abilities dismissed, mockery aimed at lover and daughter alike.

Over desert her ladyship announced said girl would join her in town. "I trust we will not want for attractive company!"

Catherine's smile lacquered her firm tone. "As you will have so much, you can not deny us the pleasure of keeping Frederica here."

It was satisfying to baulk cruelty, if only by half; better to have done with Lady Susan entirely.

Chocolate Dark and Rich (Emma)

As they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch's house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels.

Though happy for the resolution of his brother's distress, John Knightly could not resist tweaking his sister by two marriages. "I have explained to little Henry that he will not be master of Donwell Abbey after all," were his grave words to Emma before her wedding.

She laughed and responded in kind. "You must work that much harder, to make up the difference in his expectations."

They looked as one with fondness at said boy playing with his uncle. In the warm autumn sunset their forms appeared more similar, differences blurring, so that the future Knightly heritage might be glimpsed and cherished.

Golden Honeycomb (Sense and Sensibility)

Then rushed in and threw themselves round their father's neck. He had not known one happy hour since he left them; the woman, however, was dead. Then they lived in perfect happiness.

The Dashwood sisters were no strangers to loss. Neither, indeed, were their new husbands. Some souls were easier to mourn, for being dead, while others lived to pain them anew. But there was a fellowship here as well, for they all possessed a brother worthy of regret.

With new families installed at the Parsonage and in the manor, Delaford became a hive of restorative activity. And whenever the Ferrars and Brandons gathered together—as they pretty nearly did every day—they found it sweet to enjoy, at last, relations who produced joy enough to replace all past sorrows.