"Colonel Brandon's Diary" continues Amanda Grange's popular
series of Jane Austen retellings. At the age of eighteen, James Brandon's life is set fair. He
is in love with his father's ward, Eliza, and he is looking
forward to a lifetime of happiness with her. But his world
is shattered when Eliza is forced to marry his brother and
James joins the army in despair. Whilst he is in the East
Indies, Eliza is badly treated and she seeks consolation
outside her marriage, leading to divorce and destitution. Returning to England, Brandon finds her in a debtors'
prison. He rescues her from her terrible position, but she
is dying of consumption and he can do nothing but watch and
wait. Heartbroken at her death, he takes some consolation
from her illegitimate daughter, whom he raises as his ward.
But at the age of fifteen, the young Eliza goes missing. Oppressed by the thought of what could have happened to her,
he is surprised to find himself falling in love with
Marianne Dashwood. But Marianne is falling in love with
Willoughby...
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