Drabble: A Change in Circumstance (Jane Austen)
Title: A Change in Circumstance
Fandom: Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey
Characters/ Pairing: Catherine/Henry
Rating/ Warnings: G
Word Count: 254
Summary: A late night communication leads to a change in the family’s position in life.
Author’s Note: Requested by wildmagelet . Another of the drabbles dedicated to my Nana. First time writing Catherine and Henry and I think I may have a bit of a plot bunny here!
A few years into their marriage the Tilneys were awoken in the night by the arrival of an express. Henry’s face turned white as he read the contents.
“Who is it from?” asked Catherine as she rocked their small daughter back to sleep in her arms.
“My father.”
“Your father? What can he want at this hour?”
“It’s Frederick,” replied Henry as he walked through to the sitting room lighting candles and the fire as he went before settling into his usual chair. Catherine followed clutching the baby and ushering in their young son who was clinging to the skirts of her nightdress. “He’s been killed. In a duel.” He looked up at Catherine and raised his eyebrows at her, as if to say, what do you think of that.
“Oh.” She blushed as images filled her head; she had lost none of her imagination. “Do we know the lady?”
“I don’t think so. It says here it was a Mr Roberts of Weymouth. It was only a matter of time. I always knew Frederick would kill or be killed.” He sighed. “You know what this means don’t you my love? I am now heir to Northanger Abbey,” his eyes fluttered to their son, “and so is little John.”
Catherine put her free arm around her small son who was sat quietly beside her on the sofa listening wide eyed to his parents’ conversation. The Tilneys sat for a while in front of the fire as they silently considered this change in their futures.
Fandom: Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey
Characters/ Pairing: Catherine/Henry
Rating/ Warnings: G
Word Count: 254
Summary: A late night communication leads to a change in the family’s position in life.
Author’s Note: Requested by wildmagelet . Another of the drabbles dedicated to my Nana. First time writing Catherine and Henry and I think I may have a bit of a plot bunny here!
A few years into their marriage the Tilneys were awoken in the night by the arrival of an express. Henry’s face turned white as he read the contents.
“Who is it from?” asked Catherine as she rocked their small daughter back to sleep in her arms.
“My father.”
“Your father? What can he want at this hour?”
“It’s Frederick,” replied Henry as he walked through to the sitting room lighting candles and the fire as he went before settling into his usual chair. Catherine followed clutching the baby and ushering in their young son who was clinging to the skirts of her nightdress. “He’s been killed. In a duel.” He looked up at Catherine and raised his eyebrows at her, as if to say, what do you think of that.
“Oh.” She blushed as images filled her head; she had lost none of her imagination. “Do we know the lady?”
“I don’t think so. It says here it was a Mr Roberts of Weymouth. It was only a matter of time. I always knew Frederick would kill or be killed.” He sighed. “You know what this means don’t you my love? I am now heir to Northanger Abbey,” his eyes fluttered to their son, “and so is little John.”
Catherine put her free arm around her small son who was sat quietly beside her on the sofa listening wide eyed to his parents’ conversation. The Tilneys sat for a while in front of the fire as they silently considered this change in their futures.