Always this jolly? (4,2)
I believe the answer is:
ever so
This clue is a double definition.
'always this' is the first definition.
('it was ever so')
'jolly?' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
(Other definitions for ever so that I've seen before include "Intensifier" , "Greatly" , "To a very great extent" , "Jolly" , "Extremely" .)