The relationship between Cal and Marcella

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The relationship between Cal and Marcella

The relationship between Cal and Marcella begins at that moment when Cal sees Marcella for the first time. She works in the library and he is instantly fascinated by her. At this moment he still doesn't know who she is, but the reader feels that something must have happened in the past, because Cal is frightened when he hears her name.
Up to this point he tries to come closer to her, so he goes to the library to see her and he talks to her whenever it is possible, but she doesn't notice him. The first time she notices him is when he carries her groceries for her. She thanks him and then she goes away.
When he begins working on the farm of the Mortons', he has the opportunity to get closer to Marcella.
But here it also ends in short conversations. After his house burned down he is forced to live in a cottage at the Mortons' farm. Now Marcella helps him to fix up the cottage and they spend some time together.
Cal wishes for a real relationship, but he thinks of the past and he gets a guilty conscience. So he has no hope because of what he did.
One day she invites him for dinner and there he takes all his courage and kisses her. After trying to kiss her she turns him down and explains that she only likes him as a friend. In spite of that, the reader gets the impression that she secretely longs for a love-affair. On the other side, she seems to be unsure because of the difference of their ages and she also feels engaged to her husband's family.
In chapter 5 their secret wish comes true and they spend some days happily together.
This book has, like many others, no happy end and so Cal has to leave Marcella. Because of his criminal past, he is arrested by the police. But before that, he decided to write her in a letter that he is responsible of her husband's death.

by Nicole and Maren

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