Evangelina comforted her mother and sisters as much as she was able to but also checked on all her father's legal affairs. She wanted things to be in order for her half brother though she doubted he would thank her for it. All the town's people paid their condolences and offered her family as much help as they could. On the day of the funeral almost the whole town came in a show of support and respect towards her father.

Her half brother had arrived a few nights before with is wife arriving only a day before the funeral. After the event on the way home it became abundantly clear that Mrs. Fanny Dashwood wanted them gone. Eva knew there was not much they could do and in a way secured her family against it by taking out of the home their more expensive items. All of it being jewelry and items gifted specifically to them. She didn't want them fighting her over Marianne's piano or her own harp. It had surprised her mother but after a weekend in Mrs. Fanny Dashwood's tender care she sighed a breath of relief.
Despite Fanny's clear disregard many of the people in town were loyal supporters of theirs. She was certain after Mr and Mrs. Benson's visit there were stories of their improper treatment circulating the social circles. Which could prove to be useful if Eva decided to hinder her half brother and his wife. She hoped not to but it is always good to keep the option open. As an unmarried woman she had to make use of these types of tactics with great care for she would not have any sort of backing should it all be thrown back at her.

The only reasonable girl, besides Evangelina herself, was Elinor. Eva took great comfort in her sister's level-headed out look and was more inclined to spend time with her than anyone else. At least until Mrs. Dashwood's brother came to visit. It seemed her sister was taken into the fold of love, a doomed one at that, in her opinion.

Eva thought about different ways to get out of the current situation but there were only a few options. They needed to look for lodging elsewhere but how to go about it was the true challenge. Perhaps she should marry some rich man and broker a deal of sorts in order to give her family a comfortable living. They would feel guilty though, to allow her to sacrifice in such a way. If not that option perhaps find a home within budget and live off of her mother's income until they married at which point they would need their husband's say so in order to help their mother at a later time. That did not seem too promising, Eva doubted her sister's abilities to find a good match who would allow such a thing. Perhaps she could write short stories or offer her assistance to a noble in matters of finance. Either way she would need references and a great deal of time in order to create a larger network of people in a new location.

There was a meeting with in a few days that Evangelina was invited to at Lady Garrett's estate. Perhaps there she could ask the women for ideas on which course of action would be the best to take. It all was very unclear but a vague sense of hope was better than none at all.