The happiest two years in her life were from eighteen to twenty. These two years, full of youthful vigor, were the happiest for Clarisse. During these years, her relationship with Jonathan was generally calm and happy.
She never crossed his boundaries, and he was considerate towards her. Throughout these years, she stood quietly and uncomplainingly behind him, always there whenever he turned around.
During these two years, Jonathan spent one year recuperating and another year making sweeping reforms. He was incredibly busy every day, with no rest days or holidays, consumed by work.
He had no time or energy to dwell on his past relationship with Catherine or to acknowledge Clarisse's deep, unspoken love for him.
Jonathan prohibited the cultivation of opium, established factories to employ the idle workforce, set up schools to improve the educational level of local children, and opened hospitals to treat the public at minimal cost.
