When I read that line, I came up with the same censure of John. That phrase suggests he did spend a reasonable amount of time in the home with his parents and sisters which makes his actions even more reprehensible. I can't believe the Dashwoods were anything but always welcoming and pleasant as is their nature. John, no doubt, whiled away many pleasing hours at Norland. Jane Austen and Crime points out that while he did nothing illegal, he committed a moral theft. No matter how you look at it, it was unconscionable.