In my newest novel, The Bride of Northanger, the hero and heroine, Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland respectively, are a romantic pair who have fought against many obstacles (mostly in the shape of his ogre-like father, General Tilney) on their path to love. This sequel to Northanger Abbey has plenty of Gothic thrills and mysteries, but it starts off on the most romantic night possible – the wedding night of Henry and Catherine. Read about it in this romantic excerpt.
The Bride of Northanger – Chapter Two
The wedding was not one that would have made a show according to the General’s ideas; but his approval of the quiet ceremony and homely refreshment afterwards, was not required, for he was happily not among those present. The bride’s father read the service with proper emotion in his voice, and after a light collation, and the considerable business of being kissed by all her numerous brothers and sisters, the bride and groom were duly seated in his carriage, she in her new bridal finery and he in the very same handsomely caped greatcoat that she had first admired. And so they drove away, among many good natured cries wishing them good health and good luck.
Once before, Catherine had journeyed on this road, alone and miserable, exiled from Northanger Abbey by her present father-in-law; but on this occasion, with what entirely different feelings did she seat herself in Henry’s curricle, and rejoice in the smart equipage, as the pretty, fast-stepping horses made good speed on the road toward what she already gladly thought of as home. Even the fleeting thought of the family curse, that would intrude, gave only an exciting fillip to her happy spirits.
It was a journey of fifty miles, for Woodston was twenty miles closer to Fullerton than Northanger; but with only a rest at Salisbury, and stopping for some cold victuals at Marlborough, the young couple crossed into Gloucestershire and reached Woodston village after a journey of not more than seven hours, long before they could tire of being on the road, or of being in each other’s company.
All good things, as her mother was fond of saying, come to an end, however, and so Catherine alighted from the carriage with a spring, as fresh and as gay as she had started out in the morning, and after turning the horses over to his groom, Henry, with feelings of the greatest gladness, invited his bride into her new home.
Catherine had seen Woodston before, but now there was all the fresh delight of discovering every thing Henry had done to the place, to prepare it for her reception. Her conviction, from her only previous visit, that it was the most delightful of all houses in the world, was swiftly confirmed.
The servants welcomed her warmly, and she was shown to her freshly decorated, pretty chamber, where her new maid, Annette, the young niece of the housekeeper, and very happy and important in her new position, helped her to change her dress. Still not at all fatigued, Catherine stepped outside into the grounds, where Henry was waiting for her, accompanied by his dogs.
“Oh! How the little terrier puppies are grown,” she cried.
“That is in the natural course of things, as you last saw them a year ago,” Henry told her with a smile.
“How I do love them,” she exulted, kneeling down. “I might say I married you for their sake, only I don’t want to make you jealous.”
“Jealous of Archimedes and Artemis?” Henry pretended outrage.
“Not of their names, at any rate,” Catherine amended.
After fifteen minutes’ romp on the grass, Henry looked at the sky, as if pleased with every thing that was under it. “My housekeeper, Mrs. Billings – our housekeeper, I mean – hinted at some fine preparations going on for our supper. Perhaps we had better go in and pretend surprise.”
As they passed into the house, Catherine paused for another rapturous look at the drawing-room, that she had thought perfection, even before there was a stick of furniture in it. Last year there had been nothing to be seen but polished floors and long windows looking out onto the green meadows; but Henry, with some advice and assistance from his sister, had fitted it up charmingly. Two low seats by the fire looked particularly inviting, and Henry pointed out the well-filled book case nearby.
“Here are Cowper, and Crabbe, and Scott,” he said enthusiastically, “and we will read poetry together, and some science, this winter – I have some mind to build an orrery.”
“Will we? How delightful! Is it a bird-cage?”
“No, my love, a thing to trace the stars.”
His cheek was close to hers, but after a few moments Catherine’s attention was distracted by the entrancing wall-paper, in a pretty pattern with Chinese birds and flowers.
“Why! Those are hyacinths!”
“Eleanor sent for the paper from Paris,” Henry explained, “to commemorate how first you learned to love a hyacinth, and then, myself – or at least, my dogs.”
“Our dogs,” Catherine reminded him, “though I hope to claim the privilege of my new married state, and have the naming of the next litter myself.”
“You shall do all the naming in this family,” promised Henry, raising a faint blush in Catherine.
Henry next took his lady in to the dining-room, where roasted spring lamb and green peas were brought in, followed by strawberries and a large white cake that the cook had prepared in their honour. Glasses of wine were poured out as they sat by the fire, and read their first poem together. It was not a long one, only an extract from the Lyrical Ballads.
“The eye it cannot chuse but see,
“We cannot bid the ear be still;
“Our bodies feel, where’er they be,
“Against, or with our will.
After reading it, Henry, his eyes demurely lowered, proposed an early retiring.
He took up his candle, and showed Catherine to her room, where the maid waited to comb out her hair. At just the proper moment he returned, to make what he must have felt a daring proposal: that instead of setting up rooms of their own, they should sleep altogether in hers, and his be used only as a dressing-room and to keep some of his papers and books.
This seemed to Catherine only a very sensible and natural proposal, for it was no more than what her parents had always done, though she could not look at him as she agreed to it; and so they retired to bed, and together blew out the candles.
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Thank you, Diana! I do love your variations on Austen and this is delightful.
Author
Thank you very much, Elspeth! Catherine and Henry are such a charming young couple to work with!
Archimedes and Artemis! really?
Lovely excerpt, thanks!
Author
So glad you enjoyed it, Agnes! Come to think of it, I don’t quite know where Archimedes and Artemis came from…
Ooh, this has whetted my appetite for more of your book! I only haven’t bought it yet because I haven’t had time to read it, but I must change that soon.
Author
Jo, that’s good, I’m glad you got whetted! 🙂 It’s not a long book, can read it in an evening.
Marital bliss! Long may it continue (although from the blurb it seems they may have a problem or two!)
Really enjoyed this excerpt despite Northanger not being my favourite of Jane’s books.
Author
Glynis, thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Writing this book helped me to see more and love more in Northanger Abbey!
Ah, so they are married and started on the road to marital bliss. May they keep their love strong as they fight against the evils of the world together.
Author
Well, they do have some fights ahead, but I think you’ll see their love remains strong!
Love Pindar! Oh I loved their story, and I loved the cover that I bought the paperback! Don’t enter me in the giveaway.
Author
Thanks, Carole, for buying – reading – and liking! 🙂
Love your story Diana!. Looking forward to reading all of it.
Author
Thank you, Joan! Hope you keep on enjoying it!
I am so glad you have published a new book. Congratulations. I thought the writing is as witty as Jane Austen’s. Thank you for the giveaway.
Author
Thank you, Eva, it does feel wonderful to have done a new book, after so long. No one is as witty as Jane Austen, but I am more thrilled by the compliment than I can say!
so excited to read the rest! Pindar is so cute. I guess I will not be sleeping anytime soon!
Author
Hi Jen, yes, the book has some “sleepless” scenes but I hope you’ll think it’s fun. And I’m so glad you like my pretty cat Pindy! 🙂
I enjoy your writing so very much. Thanks for the pleasure you give us all. Also, Pindar is an excellent cat.
Author
Thank you for such a kind and wonderful thought, Barbara! And yes, our Pindar is a most excellent cat indeed!
What a lovely scene!!! I love Catherine’s enthusiasm for everything; she is the complete opposite of a Miss Bingley who is pleased with very little.
Thank you for sharing it with us, Diana!! You have definitely brightened my day!!
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Author
Yes, Catherine is a sweetie, Susanne! I most definitely do NOT want to write a variation with Miss Bingley as heroine!
Northanger Abbey is one of my favorite Austen’s and I’m looking forward to reading this. There are so many P&P variations that it’s nice to see other books getting the treatment.
Author
I agree, Teresa. There’s a lot to enjoy, and to write about, in Northanger Abbey.
This was wonderful and I love that Pindar will be the one selecting the winner!
Author
Thanks! Yes, Pindar will do a good job. She is very wise!
Pindar is a beauty. What is going to happen, after the lights go out, to change this wedded bliss?
Author
Ah, read the whole book to see, Denise! I’m glad you admire my pretty Pindy.
Very entertaining, and just what I would expect from you. Every word and every incident is exactly what might have happened, with no words or phrases or behavior to jolt the reader into remembering this was written recently. I am sure Jane Austen would approve!
Author
Dorothy, I thank you so much for understanding so well what it is I try to do!
Oh, Pindar’s Choice. How cute! I’m so glad you included Pindar’s picture. Thank you for the excerpt. That was delightful. It was also the proverbial calm before something happened… yes? I can’t wait to read this. Thank you [and Pindar] for the generous giveaway.
Author
Oh, yes, J.W. Garrett, there are plenty of thrills and chills in this book! But peaceful, sustaining, true love, as well. I hope you’ll enjoy the whole book. The responsibility for choosing the winner is properly laid on Pindar, because not only is she beautiful, but she is also a very judicious, wise cat.
I always love your creations, Diana. <3
Author
You’re very kind, John! Thanks so much for reading them! 🙂
How sweet!!! So glad Catherine and Tilney are married and grouchy General Tilney didn’t not attend. Looking forward to reading more.
Thanks for commenting, Hollis! Glad you liked this, and I hope you enjoy the rest!
Lovely excerpt! And as a Greek, I heartily approve of the names Artemis and Archimedes ! ☺️😊
I’m happy you enjoyed this, Sophia! I believe Henry went to Greece on his Grand Tour, and that was his his inspiration for the names. At least in my own mind. Jane Austen doesn’t mention it!
Such a lovely passage to read. Although I already have an autographed copy of your book, I would appreciate it if you could rub some catnip on my entry for Pindy’s edification.
Author
Thanks for commenting, sweet Beth Janelle! I have to use catnip sparingly, it makes Pindy insane!
You have me interested. I’ve never been a big fan of this novel, but I’m interested to see how you continue to develop the characters/story. That might help in my liking the overall story better.
Author
Well, I’ll tell you, Sarah B, as I was working on the story and examining the original in the closest detail, I came to have new insights and like and understand it much, much better than I ever had before. I hope some of that shows!
I like the scene very much, as I did the whole book. And the cover picture is exactly Catherine.
Gracia Fay
P.S. Pindar has the good fortune of looking very much like my (otherwise incomparable) Taliessin, presently reposing between my screen and keyboard.
Thank you for commenting, Gracia Fay, and I’m so happy you enjoyed my book! I’m so interested to know that your Taliessen resembles my beautiful Pindar – no wonder we both gifted them with the names of glorious ancient bards!
If I say how much I miss having a cat since our last one died, will that give me an advantage in the giveaway? 🙂
Author
Lois: Huge.
Thank you for the excerpt. I am delighted to see Catherine move beyond the events at the Abbey. I look forward to the rest of the story. Thanks for the opportunity of this giveaway.
Author
Thanks for commenting, Mary. Yes, following Catherine beyond the original story has been rewarding, because it was a pretty fresh field!
Interesting take on Northanger. To be honest, I don’t remember the puppies at all, but then I don’t think they were critical to the plot. I hope that Eleanor will be appearing in your book as she was truly a good friend to Catherine and Henry. Also wonder whatever became of Isabella and also Frederick? They weren’t very pleasant but they did help to move the plot along with their shenanigans.
Author
Thanks for commenting, R.G. Rose. Oh, yes, all our old friends have important roles in my book – we reunite with Eleanor (and her new husband), as well as Isabella and her awful brother John Thorpe. Some extremely shocking things happen to some of these characters, so I do hope you will read the novel! Best wishes, Diana
All your questions will be answered by the time you have finished the book. Diana doesn’t miss anything!
The puppies were part of Catherine’s first visit to Woodston. “a charming game of play with a litter of puppies just able to roll about”
Author
Thank you filling in the previous commenter, Dorothy Willis. Too true, isn’t it, that she’ll meet Isabella and Frederick again! I had to giggle, knowing what is in store!
All the best,
Diana
That’s a lovely excerpt, Diana. Thanks for sharing some romantic scenes with Henry and Catherine. I am eager to take a peek into their married life beyond the first night as husband and wife.
Thank you Luthien – I’m glad you enjoyed it, and the book tells all about their married life!
Pindar the Cat has chosen her friend LOIS as the winner of the giveaway! Lois, will you please contact me (birchalls@aol.com) with your address, so I may send you your copy of The Bride of Northanger.
Best wishes,
Diana