"Seeking the Niceties of Marriage", by Gratiana Lovelace, 2021 (Done)

Ch. 09: Courting Couple

"Seeking the Niceties of Marriage", Ch. 09: Courting Couple,June 12, 2021 by Gratiana Lovelace (Post #1389) 

(An original Regency Romance story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2021; All rights reserved) [(1) story cover above far left]

[Illustrations: I cast my stories as I write them. So from time to time, I will illustrate my story with actors and such, including: Richard Armitage as Lord Edward Carlisle, Daniela Denby-Ashe as Lady Emily Creighton, Blake Ritson as Lord Kittredge Wells, Polly Walker as Lady Patience Creighton, Bill Nighy as Lord Nigel Creighton the Earl of Stoke, and others as noted.]

[Author's Note: This original Regency romance is a work of fiction, and as such, any character names, scenes or other descriptions were made at the creative discretion of this author. And this is a gentle romance (G to PG-13), but with some frank discussions about love and marriage put to humorous effect. This is my disclaimer.]

Ch. 09: Courting Couple

Whereas most fiances court each other before they become engaged—in order to ascertain their suitability for each other--Lord Edward the Viscount Carlisle's and Lady Emily Creighton's formal courtship was so quickly over taken by their betrothal/engagement that they missed doing the usual courting activities niceties. So Lord Edward vows to correct that deficit and to woo his Lady Emily with courting activities the week before they are wed.

In part, Lord Edward wants to woo Lady Emily in order to firmly establish that she wants to be his wife. He wants no repeats of the last time he wed—with a reluctant wife who ran away to her death in a carriage accident as she eloped with her lover. Though it was not Lord Edward's fault, the tragic end to his late wife Lady Edith Lawrence Carlisle still haunts him. Had Lady Edith's parents—so eager were they to claim a Viscount and Earl in waiting for their daughter--taken into account their daughter's wishes of loving another, then the whole result of their not doing so could have been avoided.

However, there is an initial hiccup in Lord Edward's courtship quest to woo Lady Emily. After their most satisfactory dowry and marriage settlements negotiations on Saturday, Lord Edward and Lady Emily took a light luncheon with her parents. This allowed Lady Creighton to observe him and to own that Lord Edward the Viscount Carlisle has gentlemanly manners and uses the proper cutlery set before him—and his napkin rather than his sleeve. But then Lady Creighton whisks her daughter Lady Emily to the modiste's for the afternoon for wedding gown fittings to temporarily shorten the length of Lady Creighton's own decades old but still lovely wedding gown for her daughter to wear on her wedding day. There are also one or two ladies delicate unmentionables that will also be created for Lady Emily, that were not already found within her new wardrobe this year.

So this leaves Lord Edward and his best friend Lord Kittredge Wells with a spare Saturday afternoon to fill in which to entertain themselves—but seven days before Lord Edward's and Lady Emily's wedding. And Lord Kitt takes his role as Lord Edward's Best Man attendant very seriously—not the least of which is due to the fact that Lord Kitt has never been this close to a wedding party before. Nor is he likely to be ever again—with Lord Kitt disavowing himself from ever seeking the marital state.

So these two gentlemen head to their tailor's for them each to have new wedding suits made for themselves. Of course, Lord Kitt's wardrobe is so vast that there is no need for him to expand his wardrobe for several years—unless he wishes to keep up with the fashions of the day, which he does.

And Lord Edward's muscles have grown in the five years since his first marriage—through exercise to exhaust himself, to keep his masculine nature needs at bay. So now with his Lady Emily soon to be his bride, Lord Edward needs to have a new wedding suit made for his broader shoulders and muscled arms and legs. And not so unnaturally, Lord Edward views his previous wedding suit attire to be tainted by association—with his first marriage that did not last long. So Lord Edward is starting fresh—with a new wedding, a new wife, and a new wedding suit.

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