There is no doubt that Dickens was infatuated with Ternan. He wrote passionate letters to her that contained explicit sexual references. In one letter, he wrote that he longed to "taste that ripe red mouth... devour [her] luscious body."
However, the extent of their physical relationship is unknown. Some biographers believe that they never actually had sex, while others believe that they did.
What is clear is that the relationship eventually became a burden for Dickens. He felt guilty about cheating on his wife, and he was worried about public scandal.
In 1858, Dickens ended the affair and sent Ternan abroad to France. She returned to England a few years later but never saw Dickens again.
Ternan herself never spoke publicly about her relationship with Dickens. According to one of her relatives, she "took it to her grave."
Although the specific details of their relationship may never be known, there is no doubt that the romance between Charles Dickens and Ellen Ternan was significant and ultimately tragic.