Sense and Sensibility IV

Marianne is desperately upset by Willoughby's desertion, but tells Elinor that they were never engaged. Mrs Jennings tries to cheer her up, disliking Willoughby for deserting a girl whom he loved because he was in debt and a richer woman came along. Elinor hopes that staying in London may distract Marianne a little but she is very unhappy. Colonel Brandon visits, and then he tells Elinor that he knows things to Willougby's discredit. He was in love with a cousin, as a young man, and his father insisted that the girl married his older brother. Colonel Brandon was in the army then and was sent to India. He came home a few years later and found that his love had had an unhappy marriage and his brother had divorced her for adultery. Col Brandon found Eliza living in poverty, with her small child, and he looked after her till she died. He then took on her daughter, also Eliza, and became her guardian. To Elinor's horror, he then reveals that his ward is now 17 and he had been paying for her to live with a lady, who looked after young girls...She made friends with a girl from school, and went to stay in Bath, where she met Willoughby. He seduced her, in spite of her being a young lady, and got her pregnant. He then left her to fend for herself. Col Brandon found his foster daughter and looked after her, as she was close to her confinement. But her life is ruined, having had an illegitimate child. Soon afterwards, Marianne and Elinor go with Mrs Jennings to stay at Cleveland, the estate of Mrs Jennings' son in law, Mr Palmer. He and his wife have just had their first baby. However Marianne becomes ill, and her mother is sent for.