Acknowledgement. This is a prequel of Northanger Abbey and I take no credit for any of the canons or the fandom. That belongs to Miss Austen.
The prequel first begins in 1763 and the timeline goes as far as 1771. The main setting is mostly Northamptonshire, Northampton, but also Middlesex and London and Wiltshire Fullerton.
It is an attempt to work with shorter anecdotes and a narration from a first person perspective of a secret or hidden character.
The story begins with Lady Cassandra de Troullope's wedding to Marquess Jamas de Feudillide in 1763 in Northampton, Northamptonshire.
'Dearest is it not three stalks from of Lilies of the Valley being hidden in your hair?'
Lady Cassandra wore three stalks of Lilies of The Valley in her hair since it was her wedding day at her future home Hatfield Keep in Northampton, Northamptonshire. Not only did it surprise the groom the pure, delicate scent reminded him of a young girl who cherished those moments when she was able to enjoy the scent from those. It was also a sign of Lady Cassandra's eagerness to please her future husband.
Lady Cassandra blushed, but still managed to smile. 'Yes, you are not mistaken, I wanted to surprise you since you spoke so passionately about them.'
I am aware of the fact that people believe that I seduced Lady Cassandra for the sole reason of her dowry. Is it that strange to see a man proposing marriage to a woman that he loves? Our reputation is the only thing that set us both apart in status, we are each other's equals. Why can I not stop to being bothered by the evil rumours that is being credited as true? I should not allow it to bother me, especially not on my wedding day. Since I am the groom the only other person that would be able to prevent our union would be my future wife. I have managed to conceal all traces of my previously troubled past.
Lady Cassandra de Troullope married Marquess James de Feuillide at the age of twenty. Her dowry was ten thousand pounds and even though that was enough of an incentive to want Lady Cassandra as a wife. Marquess James de Feuillide was immediately drawn to her the first time he laid eyes on her and Lady Cassandra soon reciprocated Marquess James de Feuillide's love and attention. The wedding was the biggest in Turnbridge, Kent in over a decade. What is remarkable is that the bride and groom were genuinely in love with each other. Everyone in Turnbride and Kent was not soon to realize that the future heirs of de Feuillide would be very fortunate indeed. From their father's side they would be eligible for wealth, estate and land but from Lady de Troullope they would gain her dowry and a place in the calendar of wills. As happy as the couple were people used to say that it was sinful to be so happy and so oblivious to ordinary people's struggles.
Two years later Lady Cassandra will give birth to her husband's first child.
'I suggest all of us pray that things will go as hoped for Lady Cassandra,' the elder woman said and in a tired voice and sighed.
The sound of Lady Cassandra's tortured screams behind closed doors reminded The Marquess that it was not the first childbirth he prayed would have a fortunate ending. The Marquess behaviour was odd he did not display any apparent level of nervosity over the fact that he was to be a father very soon. Yet his behaviour and manner shifted, now he was very anxious and seemed to fear both for his wife's life but also for his unborn child.
This time I have every reason to believe that my Lady's childbirth will have a happier ending. I do not wish to go through that same event again. My Lady is too precious and dear to me and should not be punished for loving me. Why would anyone want to punish a noble woman's loyalty towards her husband? It would be most unfortunate if this new life was sent to us only to be taken back. It would be cruel to punish the same wife by rewarding her loyalty with death. So far I have been fortunate to escape that cruel fate and I pray I would not have to know either.
Five years later Marquess James de Feuillide is sentenced at the London High Court.
The Judge gave the accused a most serious look from behind his spectacles while he harked and said. 'Marquess James de Feuillide the court will now retire to determine the seriousness of your crime.'
The accused Marquess whispered while looking down onto his feet in shame. 'I understand my Lords and I want the court to know that Lady Cassandra had no knowledge of my previous life.' The Marquess could not face to even glance over at the woman who had been deceived into living as a married woman for five years. He swallowed hard and struggled not to show his tears. He blamed himself for craving more and for adding to his first deceit.
I should have been more careful I suppose the harmonious marriage lured me into feeling confident my lie never would have been discovered. I never acted out of spite nor did I plan to deceive the woman whom I shared five years of my life with. I wish someone could, believe me and save me from this upcoming embarrassment. I suppose I should have listened to my sister and my brother. They tried to warn me constantly repeating that a lie never lasts. Perhaps if I had acted differently, I would not even have a reason to be here. I know I hurt this person by what must seem as an elaborate deceit but without this very person my life would never be the same.
The poor heart wrenching vision of the two young boys staring sadly over at him and glancing over to their mother reminded the Marquess of the fact that once he was convicted three innocent lives would be destroyed forever. The unborn life that still rested safely in its mother's womb would be forcefully removed by law as soon as it was born. The pregnant woman held her youngest closer to her chest and grabbed the older child's hand. She struggled with her tears, how could she have been so gullible to believe that the Marquess was all that he claimed to be. The mother closer eyes as she waited for the court's sentencing. Her heartbeat was already raised she was afraid that if the verdict would not be in the Marquess favour the life of her unborn baby was threatened. She hoped she would not lose this precious life and she had insisted on attending the Marquess trail despite the servants´ main and strong objections.
'Marquess James de Feuillide, the court has now returned are My Lords ready to deliver the verdict of this man?'
'We have Your Honour and the court and Lords finds Marquess James de Feullide to be guilty of bigamy and thus this marriage is to be annulled. The young sons' will be removed from their mother's care just as the Marquess unborn child will share the same.'
The Marchioness whispered to her children as the men approached her to attempt to fulfil the order of the London court. 'Hush my darlings' mother will always love you, now you must be strong my darlings. James promise to look after your brother in me and your father's place.' As the devastated wife watched her marriage get annuled she became aware of the future presence of her unborn child, the baby began kicking franticly inside its mother's womb.
The Marquess looked up and exclaimed in desperation 'My Lords, I beg you to ensure the court shows mercy on those two young boys and for their pregnant mother. I do not think the court would want to be responsible for a premature birth!'
Lady Cassandra's marriage was invalid and the reason was serious enough to end in a possible annulment. After five years of marriage it came as a most unpleasant surprise to the Marquess wife that she would have to endure a public trail. As if the gossip and rumours was not bad enough as they were, now Lady Cassandra feared her reputation had been tarnished. Even as the daughter of the Duke of Daventry. which suddenly was not worth much. Lady Cassandra's status naturally suffered at great lengths at the revelation of her good husband's deceit. Everyone in court that day wondered if the Marquess illegitimate wife was as gullible as she appeared. Nobody wanted to believe that she was not part of the deception. The Marquess reaction from the spectators was not unfounded it was much easier to assume that Lady Cassandra had known her marriage was invalid, to believe the opposite was to admit that anyone could become victims of the same cruel fate.
Still in London, serving time at the London prison.
'Marquess James de Feuillide, this is what the prison has to offer you today. We apologize for not being able to serve you meals of killed game. Your diet may soon have to suffer.' A prison guard said as he handed the Marquess his food through the bars. He laughed and chuckled as he left.
Half-jokingly with sarcasm he said and smiled. 'I believe I will manage to survive.'
The taste of the prison's meagre and simple serving that consisted of plain loaves of white bread with an overbearing crust served alongside a bowl of lukewarm water as sad as it was it reminded the Marquess of his youth and childhood. Tears began forming in the corner of his eyes as he struggled with the meal. Once again the Marquess was forced to accept he was a victim of severe hunger, which in time would turn into starvation, unless he accepted that this was to be his diet for the rest of his life.
Will I ever be able to believe in love again? My love has been presented with the biggest obstacle of all but I must remain determined that all will resolve itself. Yet I have been reduced to a defeated lover that has been forcefully separated from the only person that had a chance of confirming me. I suppose I should accept my punishment, yet every time I hear that surname mentioned my heart skips a beat. It must be the cruelest punishment of all to have me sent to London while the answers to my problems now are found in Northamptonshire, Northampton. If only we could meet again, I promise that I would explain it all. I wish I knew what happened to two children and I wonder if my Marchioness has had our third child yet. I was hoping that a third would turn out be a daughter seeing that we already had two beautiful sons. What difference does my intention make when that should be the least of my worries? I fear their lives will not be easy from now on, all because of me.
The Marquess is whisked off to serve his prison sentence in a London jail; he was almost as gullible as the spectators from the court had thought that the Marquess wife was. In efforts to save his love, restore his reputation and regain the trust from the person that mattered most to him. The Marquess was foolish enough to believe a complete confession would have to be sacrificed. If he wanted to convince the only woman he claimed he ever loved, that he was innocent. Unfortunately, though the letter never reached its destination and the entire scheme had been unraveled by a lovesick man hoping he still had a chance with the love that he lost.
One year later news of Lady Cassandra de Troullope's marriage reaches the London jail.
'Mr. Fairbanks or whatever your name may be. We thought you would like to know that Lady Cassandra de Troullope just announced her promise of marriage to a Mr. Morland a simple but distinguished clergyman of Wiltshire, Fullerton.' The prison guard said with disgust, as he eyed the poor excuse of a man through the outside of the bars.
The fraudulent man exclaimed in anger behind grinded teeth. 'I refuse to believe anything you say about Lady Cassandra de Troullope, unless it is publicly announced and put down on print. I need physical evidence if I am to believe that!'
Since the Marquess crime was more severe than originally thought, his previous object of attention refused to visit him. Lady Cassandra blamed herself for believing in the lie; it had seemed too good to be true from day one. All Lady Cassandra wanted now was to forget she ever had been married, yet the marriage was annulled since the man she thought she was to be married to already have entered into the holy union several years before they even met each other. Everything had been nothing but an orchestrated lie and Lady Cassandra felt as if she had wasted five years of her love of living in a lie or participating in a charade. As far as Lady Cassandra was concerned she never wanted to be reminded of her annulled marriage. Since she entered the marriage believing it was valid even though she now had a chance to marry in legally binding ceremony. The chances of her ever being married was very slim, her virtue had been lost five years ago. Very few men would ever want to explore the possibility of making her their wife.
'Here see for yourself-if you are able to read from that distance.' The prison guards laughed as they waved an issue of the Daily Courant in the air while laughing uncontrollably. The laughter echoed through the stone walls of the London prison and the Marquess suddenly was silenced.
I knew I would have to accept that fairy tale would come to an end soon enough. Why could I not be content with my life at Kenilworth Keep? To hear it end less than a year later is nothing but a cruel joke. It must be this other rival that has used his charm to get his way. I do not believe this person is sincere, I wish that could send a warning than I might be able to resume hoping that my guilt soon will be explained. Should this other person ever manage to produce progeny, it is fortunate for them that I am stuck here where I am. If only Mr Morland knew that I not only accepted her one virtue as she believed I was her lawful husband it should come as no surprise that our short marriage saw the birth of newborn children. I wonder if Lady Cassandra cared enough to tell her future husband of this fact. The remorseful bigamist thought as he struggled to fall asleep at night.
Now Mr. Morland has just announced to his parents that he will be married after all. His parents are first relieved, but later worried at their modest home Southbound Monastery in Fullerton, Wiltshire.
'Are you absolutely certain you wish to marry that woman? She is a most amiable woman. I do wish her a happy future. She for one, deserves it. But I'm not convinced I love her enough to have her as a daughter-in-law.' Mrs. Morland's voice thickened and she struggled to form words. The tears were coming for two reasons; it was the first time her younger son ever mentioned marriage that pleased her tremendously. Yet she had heard rumors of the Duke of Daventry's daughter being previously connected to a man who was guilty of fraudulently presenting himself as a Marquess. That marriage was annuled and apparently only lasted for five years. If her son kept on persisting that it was Lady de Troullope or no woman at all it would break her heart since the Duke's only daughter had been deceived for years living with a man that posed as her husband.
Mr. Morland put his arms around his shoulders, he was determined that Duke of Daventry'only daughter was his one true love. As far as Mr. Morland was concerned, Duke of Daventry's daughter, Lady Cassandra de Troullope was the first and only women that made him want to pursue marriage. That pleased his elder parents, yet they were concerned about his choice of bride.
The elderly Mr. Morland gave his son a most serious look since he too was concerned. 'Son, it would be a lie and understatement which neither would be accurate since Lady Cassandra's dowry would enable you to have a very comfortable future. What concerns us both is that Lady Cassandra never would be able to remarry if her first marriage to Marquess James de Feuillide had not been annulled.'
Mr. Morland through his arms up in the air as he exclaimed, 'Father, Mother I do appreciate your worry and concern of my future wife.'
The father leaned in closer to be nearer to his son; he cleared his throat, then said. 'We think very highly of Lady Cassandra de Troullope. Your mother and I both have our concerns if you still insist that she shall be your wife. We want you to marry someone young enough to give you children.'
Mr. Morland was overcome with strong emotions and knocked over the chair when he stood up to suddenly.'I love her no matter what her title or her surname is. Since my fate was to be a vicar I would be able to enjoy a very comfortable life since Lady Cassandra Troullope's dowry was in the amount of ten thousand pounds. But by all means if you think you found someone more worthy than she be sure to tell me so! I doubt you have managed to find someone younger of a nicer pedigree with a higher dowry than Lady Cassandra de Troullope.'
Mrs. Morland sighed and gave her son a most heart-wrenching look. 'If you truly love her and want to marry the Duke of Daventry'sdaughter then neither I nor your father can prevent the wedding. We have said everything there is to say to make you reconsider.'
The father nodded in agreement with his wife. 'Son I do not think you realize exactly what it would require to have the Duke of Daventry's daughter as your wife. Can you honestly tell me without hesitation that you fully understand that your life would change in an instant? Are you fully prepared for all the responsibilities that a marriage Lady Cassandra de Troullope would have?
No plea or begging from Mrs Morland would convince her younger son to reconsider his decision to marry Lady Cassandra de Troullope no matter what, not even Mr. Morland, William's father would manage to persuade his son to try to find another woman worthy enough to be a vicar's wife. Mr Morland knew that his marriage might mean he never would become a father, not to any child from Lady Cassandra de Troullope. Yet he was prepared to sacrifice that chance since he knew he loved the Lady Cassandra de Troullope, a woman five years his senior in age.
For the sake of his father's surname it would still live on since he had been born as a third son. If for some reason his two nephews would fail to have heirs than he was certain that one of his older sisters would have a young nephew or niece.
Lady Cassandra de Troullope had finally reason to believe in love again, after five years it seemed as if she would be able to end her unfortunate marriage with Marquess James de Feuillide. It seemed very likely another man was willing and able to offer her a second promise of marriage. Lady Cassandra knew she would lose her title and her status, once she had managed to make Mr Morland offer her a promise of marriage Lady Cassandra suddenly seemed to doubt... She knew she would survive since she already lost her reputation and her virtue all those years ago...