Pleasure Reading chapters 1-10

The narrator is the local spy. He uses his telescope to spy on two people taking a walk along the Cobb. The two people seem to be well-dressed and from the upper class. The narrator then shifts his telescope to the other figure standing at the end of the Cobb. Dressed in black, the figure is staring out to sea. She is a woman who appears distressed. Ernestina Freeman and Charles Smithson, the two people walking along the Cobb. The couple are engaged to be married.Charles sees the women in black standing at the far end of the Cobb. He is concerned for her safety. Ernestina tells him that the woman is nicknamed "Tragedy" and that she is awaiting the return of her lover who has abandoned her. Charles is intrigued by the story and curious to meet the woman. Ernestina thinks that her engagement to Charles is a kind of duty. She has to go through it for her father’s sake. Her father is ambitious and wants a title for his daughter. Then we meet another hero of the story this is Sarah.At the vicar’s recommendation, Mrs. Poultenay agrees to interview Sarah for the post of a lady’s companion. Her conditions are that Sarah should be god fearing, respectable and above reproach.Sarah was at one time an appointed governess to the Talbot children where she fell in love with a French Lieutenant. He falsely promised her that he would return from France and marry her. Since then she has been awaiting his return.Mrs. Poulteney takes a pleasure when she hears of Sarah’s tragic circumstances. Sarah seems like the perfect charity case, and she agrees to meet this "fallen" woman. Charles examines the seashore for fossils after having called on Ernestina and found that she would not come back until afternoon. He spends so much time there, however, that he has to take a shortcut back by an inland path. Mrs. Talbot would like to employ Sarah again and offered to do so even though she knew Sarah could not give sustained attention to her duties. Sarah trusts Mrs. Talbot’s judgement and takes the position.Mrs. Poulteney dislikes the fact that Sarah goes out alone. Mrs. Poulteney also thinks her face is too sad for some of the visitors she has. Although Mrs. Poulteney is still pleased with her new ‘toy’, she takes her to task for the way she keeps looking out to sea. They strike a bargain of sorts and Sarah restricts her visits to the Cobb. However, two weeks before this story begins, Mrs. Fairley felt it was her ‘duty’ to report Sarah for walking on Ware Commons. Mrs. Poulteneyis shocked of hearing this news.