Fan fiction:
My story starts where sense and sensibility ends. The marriage of Marianne and Col. Brandon. After they got married they got three little kids; George, Harriet and Emma. Three loud, loving and sweet children with all three harts of gold. Elinor and Edward also wanted kids but sadly enough it was not possible.
It might look like Marianne had forgotten Willoughby but he kept hunting her in her dreams. She saw his face every night and always woke up sweating and longing for Willoughby. Col. Brandon was devastated, he did not know what to do to make Marianne just as happy as Willoughby had once made her. He tried reading poems, playing the piano all day and doing all the work around the house but he couldn't help Marianne's constant longing for Willoughby.
In the summer of the next year there was a letter sent to Marianne with no sender on it. The words were so delicately written, with such passion in each letter, with so much feeling behind them that Marianne didn't need to look twice. It was from Willoughby.
Elinor and Edward were in London. They were looking for houses there even though they both preferred a house in the countryside, Edward worked in London and they couldn't afford to live so far away anymore. As they walked the pavement they encountered Miss Grey, Willoughby's wife. She ran up to them and asked them this: 'You are related to Marianne Dashwood, if I'm not mistaken. I'm in very much need to speak with her, could you maybe do me a favour and give her this letter?' Elinor took the letter out of her hand and said 'What are your intentions?' 'It has to do with Willoughby.' She said. Elinor saw the desperation in her eyes and knew that Miss. Grey really did have something of great importance to say so she gave her word and kept the letter to give to Marianne.
Col. Brandon had a strange feeling, something wasn't quite right. Marianne hadn't eaten for days, hadn't come outside, hadn't done anything with the kids, she just was there, but also not. She had this look in her eyes like she was in shock. She did not speak a word when they were together, he didn't know what to do. At night, whilst lying in bed, he asked her what was going on. At first she denied, that she was perfectly fine and that he did not need to worry about her but as he kept asking the words eventually came out.
Marianne didn't mean to tell her husband but she had never been a good liar. She read him the letter and as she read it all the feelings she hadn't felt for days came at once. She cried, screamed, laughed and yelled.
He had been on the way for days, not eating, not resting, with is eyes open at all times scared of what dangers might occur. As he rode through the country, looking for her he kept the words he wrote down on paper in his mind. There as past no day in which I did not have you in my mind…..The smell of flowers reminds me of your love…..I hope with all my heart that you can once forgive me…meet me again to show me you feel the same desire….in the field where I first met you….yours and yours only, Willoughby. He was exhausted, and more dead than alive but he kept going.
Elinor came through the door, handing over the letter immediately saying she didn't want Marianne to feel heartbroken again. She told her the story about meeting Miss. Grey, explained everything and went home.
The letter looked exactly the same as the previous one, a bit more crumpled but exactly the same. Marianne went to her room, locked the door and started reading.
Dear Marianne,
Hereby I would like to inform you that John Willoughby went missing. He left at night, taking only his coat, a bottle of water and his horse. The day before he left he was talking very strangely. He repeated the sentence over and over again. You might wonder why I am telling you this, well the sentence he was saying was: I hope with all my heart that you can once forgive me, my sweet Marianne.
I know that you have had a brief attraction before he met me. He always assured me that is was nothing but a small distraction from normal life but I don't think that is entirely true. I could have kept this information for myself and let him die in the night but I couldn't help but about the scars that would leave on my heart.
I hope you can once find each other and really experience true love.
Greetings, Miss Willoughby.
The upcoming days Marianne did not eat, did not sleep and was more dead than alive. And on the night of 12 December two bodies were found in a field; lying next to each other, holding hands and with hope in their dead eyes.