] --Willoughby, who had been keeping a prior involvement with another woman from Marianne, suddenly and without warning finds himself in an uncomfortable situation where both women are there with him!

] Edward, who had been keeping a prior involvement with another woman from Elinor, suddenly and without warning finds himself in an uncomfortable situation where both women are there with him!

I was just getting ready to start a thread on parallels concerning the three suitors but it will fit very well here. It is similar to what you have said except I was going to make the point that all three suitors, Col. Brandon, Edward and Willoughby all had former attachments. You, however, have added another dimension which I hadn't caught concerning Edward and Willoughby and the disconcerting situation of being confronted with both their finacees and the 'other woman' in the same room.

] As always, the parallels point out some key differences.

Yes, this is true. I'll have to keep a closer watch for these.

]...Edward is exceedingly embarassed, can hardly sit down, can barely speak, forgets the requirements of polite conversation, and mutters unintelligibly.

:-) This sounds so Edward, doesn't it?

] It kind of gives me a cold feeling when I think about how Willoughby can turn his feelings off and on like this, and show no remorse or discomfort when he ought to.

Yes, and I do plan some sort of spiel on Willoughby but not at this time. I need a bit more time to gather my thoughts.