I think that Col. Brandon captivates me more than any of the other characters, even beyond Elinor, whom I like immensely.
Maybe it is his quiet resolve. His love that is always there, always constant, and never showy. I am a little miffed that Marianne did not come to love him without the time factor. I guess, the best that can be said is that she did grow to love him, and that counts for something.
He deserved her love, and the way she treated him put her in the red, but he never saw it that way. He only ever loved her, in spite of herself.
Maybe that is the captivating part of it all. She reminded him of someone that did return his love, seeing the value within him. He loved that woman in spite of her circumstance, in spite of the consequences of all the pain in her life. The toll those things took on her health did nothing to assuage his love and kindness for her.
What a man. What a gentleman. I want to slap Marianne for being so dull as to not recognize his unwavering determination in love. It took her "time," to realize it. And even though I want to slap her, Col. Brandon only loved her.
Regina G
