Edith woke up early the morning after her wedding. Her whole body was aching.
It was not because her husband had maltreated her in any way. Of course not. Sir Anthony Strallan was the perfect gentleman, with or without clothes.
No, Edith's body was aching because she had used muscles that she didn't normally use. Muscles that she had never used in quite that way before.
She had used those muscles making love to Anthony, of course. She was still marvelling about it, that it had actually happened. At long last, after all these years, they were finally married. And they had finally had their wonderful, happy wedding-night.
...
While she and Anthony were courting she had overheard her Granny saying something about 'Strallan nonsense'. She had only heard that part of the sentence and wondered what exactly her Granny had meant. But Edith had decided that it was best not to ask. Either she might get upset about the explanation or her Granny might get upset about Edith overhearing what she had said.
Edith liked the expression very much, it was so cute. 'Strallan nonsense' sounded like something very happy. So maybe that was what she and Anthony had been doing tonight. Enjoying some Strallan nonsense.
They were so happy together. All their silly little jokes, laughing so much together. There was always something to joke about. Even during all of the seriousness of the wedding night and that first time they made love as husband and wife, as Sir Anthony and Lady Edith Strallan.
Of course marriage and lovemaking was serious. But there was always room for a little bit of nonsense. Some lovely Strallan nonsense!
...
She looked at Anthony's sleeping face. He was so beautiful, so peaceful. She could see him smiling in his sleep. He looked so happy and content.
And suddenly, still in his sleep, she heard him actually chuckle. Laughing in his sleep!
She wondered what that could be all about. Some silly dream perhaps.
Some more Strallan nonsense!
...
By now Edith was a Strallan herself, not a Crawley. And it really felt like she had moved to a happier place and a happier family. Anthony had been alone and miserable many times at Locksley, many sad things had happened to him here. But Locksley was still a happy place for him, because his childhood there had been so happy. Because he was a loved child.
On their way home in the car after the wedding, when they saw Locksley in the distance, Anthony had asked her if she thought it looked like a ginger-bread house.
"Yes, perhaps. It has the right colours."
"Well, in that case I have something very important to tell you", he added with a wry smile. "Don't eat it! You will destroy your teeth."
Edith laughed. Some more Strallan nonsense!
Anthony smiled at her with a happy glint in his eye.
"My father said that to my mother, the first time they met. So I thought I should pass it on to you. One can never be careful enough with these things", he added, pretending to be very serious. "And I would hate it if you got your teeth destroyed just because I didn't warn you."
He was giving her that teasing smile again. He was so adorable. Edith just couldn't stop smiling.
Wonderful Strallan nonsense! Passed down through the generations.
She saw Anthony - or maybe herself - telling their little son or daughter not to eat the house. Yes, this was what was going to happen, she was sure. They were going to have children, and they were going to give their children a wonderful childhood.
With very much love and lots of Strallan nonsense.
...
AN: Thank you for reading! Please review!
In this story Anthony hasn't tried to jilt Edith at all.
I just thought Violet's phrase about 'Strallan nonsense' was too good a title to let it go to waste. Which made me come up with this little piece of happy fluff.