CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Marianne slept very little that night, and woke up the next morning with a headache and pain in her heart. She refused to eat, and soon after breakfast went out to walk around remembering the walks she used to take with Willoughby, crying as she went. After returning to the cottage, she spent the rest of the day playing Willoughby's favorite songs on the piano, stopping often to burst into tears.

After a few days of crying to herself, she became more calm, but remained quiet in her sadness. No letter from Willoughby came, which did not surprise Marianne. Her mother was shocked, however, and Elinor again became worried. But Mrs Dashwood could always give a reason for a letter not yet arriving.

"Remember, Elinor," said she, "Sir John always receives our mail for us. This engagement between Marianne and Willoughby must remain a secret. Therefore, Willoughby knows he must not write, for fear that Sir John and the others would discover the truth."

Elinor agreed, but was still quite uneasy about the situation.

"Why do you not ask Marianne if she is, indeed, engaged to Willoughby? Surely she would tell her loving mother the truth," Elinor said to her mother.

"Of course not. Perhaps they are not engaged; such a question would only bring her more pain and suffering."

Elinor thought her mother's reason was a bit foolish, considering that Marianne was only seventeen years old. She again suggested that her mother ask, but Mrs Dashwood was far more romantic than practical.

Several days passed before Willoughby's name was spoken in Marianne's presence. One evening, Mrs Dashwood picked up a book that Willoughby had been reading to them during the evenings.

"We have never finished our reading, Marianne. Our dear Willoughby went away before we could finish it. We will put it away until he returns. But, it may be months, perhaps, before he returns."

"Months!" cried Marianne, with strong surprise. "No—nor many weeks."

Mrs Dashwood was sorry for what she had said, but Elinor was pleased that Marianne's response was so confident that Willoughby would soon be returning.

One morning, about a week after Willoughby's departure, Marianne decided to join her sisters on a morning walk. This was the first time since Willoughby's leaving that she had not gone off walking alone. As they were walking, they saw a man on horseback coming towards them.

"It is Willoughby! I know it is!"

"Indeed Marianne, I think you are mistaken. It is not Willoughby!" cried Elinor.

"I am sure he has come! I know how soon he would come."

Marianne then began walking forward quickly, but was soon disappointed to discover it was Edward Ferrars who was coming to see them.

Although Marianne was disappointed that her beloved Willoughby had not come to meet her, she was delighted for her sister, and welcomed Edward with great cheerfulness.

Marianne asked Edward if he came directly from London. No, he had been in Devonshire for nearly two weeks.

"Two weeks!" Marianne repeated, surprised that he had been so long near Elinor without seeing her earlier. He looked rather nervous as he added that he had been staying with some friends, although he said nothing more about such friends. During their conversation, Elinor was quite shocked at Edward's cold behavior towards them.

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