gilpin25 | Sense and Sensibility Drabble: A Very Proper Wife

I owe so many things - like fics, reviews of fics, review replies to fics, any fic things I haven't covered but probably owe anyway, news posts and New Year greetings. The catch-up post will have to wait a little longer, but I have owed this birthday drabble to

katyscarlett76 for far too long.

Title: A Very Proper Wife
Author:

gilpin25
Rating: G
Format & Word Count: Drabble(ish), 200 words
Summary: It struck her then how unequal their knowledge of each other was.
Author's Notes: For the lovely

katyscarlett76, who requested a Brandon/Marianne drabble, for the prompt dance. This is my first ever attempt at the world of Jane Austen and am not sure how I feel about the result, though the long sentences were at least familiar, lol. Feedback is always appreciated, if only to tell me to quit at one... ;)

A Very Proper Wife

She had determined on study, on sober reflection; of remaining for ever more at her mother’s side and leaving uncontrollable passions behind for a lifetime of calm contemplation and usefulness to all.

Instead, she danced with her newly acquired husband and found it impossible not to smile at the rustle of her silk gown, the lively Scotch air of the music and, most of all, at the joyful animation on her husband’s face. There was a lightness that existed between them, a unity of mind and thought that she relished. Now here was a man she could dare to tease regarding such things as flannel waistcoats, and wonder how he would respond in kind.

It struck her then how unequal their knowledge of each other was. How romantic a lifetime of discovery would be.

“I have no gift for love,” he’d said to her, and she’d thought that not only did he do himself a great disservice but at once resolved to prove him wrong.

She had determined to make the best of this, to do the best for him; but she realised, with the most heart-felt delight and longing, that there would be no need.

This would be the best.

Back soon, hopefully with another birthday fic if I can get it to behave.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Definitely don't quit!! I haven't read any Jane Austen in about a year, so I'm not as familiar with her style as I should be, but I thought it was excellent!

I love fluff. And especially this written in her POV, because I felt the book didn't go enough into Marianne's feelings for him.

It struck her then how unequal their knowledge of each other was. How romantic a lifetime of discovery would be.

That seemed very her to me - a perfect observation that she would have. Really great all around! You've got nothing to worry about here! (As usual! :D)

Don't tell anyone, but I think it's about three years since I read any Jane Austen and I had the speediest and most worried look at S & S before tackling this. (It almost took me back to exam days, lol.)

So I'm greatly reassured to hear that you liked this. It seemed a shame to me that so much time is given to Marianne and Willoughby, and then it ends quite quickly with the news that she's going to marry Brandon - much like with R/T, just another paragraph or so on that would have been much appreciated. I like to think that their marriage would have brought back all her energy and enthusiasm, but in a much more mature way, and given and restored so much to him, too. Glad you think this works and thanks for commenting!:D

I really like this. Elegant, I think, is the word. It's a lovely quiet contemplation that has a great deal of calm about it, which makes Marianne's realisation rather fitting, I think, after all her fiery passion, being with the Colonel is rather like coming home. Hope you try this pairing again sometime! :D

Am very happy to hear you liked this - and I grinned at the word 'elegant' as I think that's part of the charm of Jane Austen's writing, while not one I'm used to trying to emulate in some way! I like to think that Marianne would have discovered that a love which starts less romantically may be all the stronger and longer-lasting for it, and that that's a romantic thought in itself. Besides, I rather like the idea of the possibility of seeing all the potential and the things she didn't know about the Colonel reawakening all her energy and enthusiasm, as would seeing him filled with joy at marrying her...

Thanks for the thoughtful words!:D

Oh thank you so much, this is wonderful : )

I love it! It's very Marianne and I loved the little ref to flannel waistcoats ;) You've really captured Jane's style. It's perfect!

Sorry to give you headaches, I was just stretching you ;) And actually I still owe you an Emma/Knightley from that drabble meme ages ago which is giving me similar problems so I guess we're even ;)

Am so glad you like it! It was definitely a bit of a panic-stricken stretch, but it's good to get out your comfort zone and obviously I can say that a lot easier now it's actually done, lol.

I think part of my panic was that I hadn't read the book for a long time, whereas the film is firmly in my head (possibly as a result of seeing it multiple times;)). I did remember the flannel waistcoats line, though, and love the idea of Marianne and Brandon having a gently teasing and loving relationship which builds and builds into something long-lasting for them both. I liked the idea of her realising that there was just as much romance with these kind of possibilities in front of them, and it reawakening all her enthusiasm and energy.

Good luck with the Emma/Knightley, but don't worry about it if it still induces headaches. (What you need is for them to show the film again!;)) And many thanks for the lovely comments.:D

Oh, this is lovely! A perfect drabble, as well as a perfect picture of who Marianne and Brandon are/become over the course of S&S.

How romantic a lifetime of discovery would be.

That is so very romantic, and I think it's very much the sort of thing Marianne, now better acquainted with the world, would think -- she got to know Willoughby in only a few hours, and as Elinor rightly pointed out, there was nothing left after that, and Willoughby didn't stick around. Of course this image is only strengthened by having Alan Rickman in the role being very mysterious and romantic...

Also love that you brought up the flannel waistcoat bit! That line always cracks me up, and I think in time Marianne would laugh at herself and it would be a great joke between them.

And it's so interesting that you've put the word "longing" there in the next-to-last line. It seems like marriage would be the end of longing -- but I think it's quite true that it's only the start of longing!

I suppose since my review's getting longer than your drabble, I'd better stop, lol. But this is just wonderful. And I do hope you'll try some more Marianne/Brandon sometime, because I think you've got just as astute observations about them as about R/T that would make for fabulous fics. And there's just not enough Austen fic out there!

Am SO glad you enjoyed this as I think these 200 words took me twice as long as a 1000 R/T ones would have, lol.

I had to have a very hasty look at the book as it had been a while since I'd read it while, thanks to multiple viewings, the film is firmly in my head. I did remember the flannel waistcoat line, and thought it would be nice to think of Marianne, rather to her own surprise, imagining herself going so far as to tease him about it - and wondering how he'd respond in kind.

I also like to think that being sadder and wiser, she'd come to realise that there's many different kinds of romance and that realising their potential, as well as seeing her husband being so visibly joyful at marrying her, would fill her with delight and 'longing' to discover them. And build into something much stronger and longer-lasting for them both. I simply can't believe sober, studious Marianne would last very long, as neither could you in your fic, lol. It's nice to think that Brandon would restore her enthusiasm to her, and a lot more besides.

Thanks so much for such wonderful comments and encouragement to try this pairing again. I may have to build up to it... ;)

Your Marianne makes it impossible not to smile right along with her. I love the sense of possibility and potential here, the idea that thinking about spending a lifetime with her husband and learning more about him gives her delight and longing.

And the title is brilliant, because Marianne is absolutely a proper wife for Brandon, but probably not in the way that most of her era would have meant by that phrase.

Of course, I'm also pleased that they have the good sense to be dancing to a Scotch air. ;)

Very glad to hear it made you smile; I liked the idea of her realising that the possibilities in front of them both are, in their own quieter way, as romantic and exciting s anything she'd imagined before with Willoughby. And that seeing her husband so animated with joy at marrying her would reawaken her old enthusiasm and energy... for him and their marriage.

I'm very pleased you liked the title because, yes, that's exactly what I meant by it - echoes of R/T, in fact, lol.

I'm also pleased that they have the good sense to be dancing to a Scotch air.

Obviously, it's a Strathspey in 4/4 time. It would fill everyone with delight. ;)

I forgot to say that I love your icon! :)

Sense and Sensibility Drabble: A Very Proper Wife

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