CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Soon enough, Marianne was well enough to receive visitors. Colonel Brandon looked quite upset at seeing her look so pale and sickly, remembering the look of his dear Eliza before her death. Marianne fully recovered in nearly four days, and the family made plans to return to Barton cottage. Colonel Brandon agreed to take them home, which they were grateful for. Marianne and Elinor were sincerely upset in having to leave Mrs Jennings. They were grateful to her kind support, and so full of respect for her.

As they approached Barton, Marianne began to cry, overjoyed to be home, but still hurt, remembering the times she had had there with Willoughby. One morning, a few days after they had arrived home, Elinor and Marianne were taking a walk when Marianne stopped, looking towards a nearby hill.

"There, exactly there. There I fell, and there I first saw Willoughby." After a few moments of silence, she began to speak again. "I do not regret falling in love with him, but I wish I could know that he was not always cheating me and that poor unfortunate girl."

"Will you feel better if you do know?"

"Yes, my heart will then be at peace."

Elinor then explained the story of Willoughby's arriving at Cleveland. Marianne listened in silence, sometimes crying quietly to herself. Marianne then realized that the amusement she and Willoughby shared was in laughing at others, and she had suffered greatly since it ended. She knew that she had once loved him, but she could never feel such emotions after knowing his true character.

(end of section)