Season's Feather

Chapter Twenty-Three

Delilah was in the Silvester home dining room, Anthony sitting next to her at the table. She had invited him over so the two could work in the study together, or else Delilah might find herself making a bed out of her father's chair again.

But, her mind was elsewhere. In a new category that not even her mother had discussed with her, and her mother discussed everything with her. So she thought if her mother could not give her the answers. Anthony would.

"My mother told me something curious the other day." Delilah started, Anthony spared her a glance and then looked back to his food.

"Hm."

"That one should marry one's dearest friend."

Anthony looked up at Delilah, he had never broached the subject of marriage with her. Surely she wasn't trying to rush anything. He wasn't ready to be married quite yet although he was sure he would marry her.

"Are you suggesting I marry the duke?"

Delilah laughed under her breath as she shook her head, "No. But is that truly what marriage is all about, then?"

Anthony gave her a confused look, "Friendship?" He was beginning to think that she wasn't specifically asking about marriage, but rather a more intimate subject young ladies are not told about until their wedding.

"Well, I imagine it is a good start." Delilah nodded her head. "Though, most marriages are like battlefields. Even if it is a battlefield, there must be other things that hold the troop together."

Anthony shook his head, "My word! I might have thought you were trying to organize a militia."

Delilah let out a small laugh. Anthony looked up at her with a small smile.

Delilah shook her head, calming herself down. She was going to get information out of this, even if it was not much. "What I mean is..there are other things..physical..or perhaps intangible..that brings a couple together."

Anthony had to keep himself from smirking. Of course, Delilah didn't know the inner workings of the more private side of a marriage. Especially that of what happens behind closed doors. But at this moment, he had never seen someone appear so innocent, but maybe that was because Anthony was already corrupted.

"Well, yes, of course, there's more to a marriage, physical and intangible."

Delilah looked up at Anthony shocked, "Both?"

He nodded his head, "Both." Delilah shook her head in thought, Anthony just looked at her with amusement.

"But how can something be both physical and intangible when they are quite the opposite?"

Anthony broke out into laughter.

"You are beastly!" Delilah shook her head looking farther down. "Never mind."

Anthony shook his head and calmed himself, placing one of his hands over Delilah's, "No. I am not laughing at you. I am laughing at the absurdity of how little mothers tell their daughters."

Delilah nodded, leaning back into her chair, "They tell us nothing."

Anthony chuckled again, placing a kiss on her hand. "Well, I certainly cannot tell you."

Delilah looked up at him quickly, confusion flooding her silver eyes. "Why?"

Anthony sighed. "Because it is not my place."

Delilah looked down.

"In any courtship, it would be scandalous for her suitor to discuss such things with a lady." His grip on Delilah's hand tightened. She looked up at him with doe eyes, "But you're not just any suitor, are you? And besides, no one else will tell me anything. So how am I to be a good wife if I don't even know what I am expecting."