Marry is the Very Theme

"I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright."

December 18th

All was not right in Fitzwilliam Darcy's world. He ought to be in Juliette's company; instead, he was waiting on his aunt's pleasure at his uncle's table without her. Her family had been invited to last week's gathering, but they were quite conspicuously absent this time. The table was less crowded without the Capulets but so much less enjoyable. The only thing her absence offered him was freedom. It wasn't freedom from Juliette, and it wasn't freedom to enjoy himself, though.

It was the freedom to glower while he decided who he despised the most.

I'll Give Thee Remedy

"To do a great right, do a little wrong."

December 3rd

"How could you have 'forgotten' to meet with Catesby? That was the only reason I sent you to Maerdilean!" 

Albany shrugged, perpetually undisturbed by his wife's fury. "If it was important, you should have sent someone else."

High Fortune

"And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges."

November 29th

It was a quiet evening in Andrew Fitzwilliam's study. He was entertaining his father-in-law, Orsino Nowell, who was also the Senior Governor of Verona. While a frequent occurrence, these evenings were not quite what he had hoped for. Before his marriage, Andrew had envisioned a strong alliance which would elevate them above everyone else in the duchy. Reality was somewhat different. While Lords Nowell and Fitzwilliam were often politically aligned, the personal relationship was far less balanced. Nothing delighted Orsino more than to antagonize Andrew - mostly for amusement but also as revenge for marrying his favorite child. Andrew endured the torment to keep the alliance strong, which only encouraged his father-in-law more.

Serious Vanity

"We are advertised by our loving friends."

November 3rd

A minute after stepping up to examine the target, Desdemona was still nervous. Bottom Summerdream could hardly be made to stop talking at times, but she was now suspiciously quiet. Finally, she had to ask, "Well, what do you think?"

"I think I'm glad I'm not the target."

The Weaker Vessels

"Beware of entrance to a quarrel."

October 25th

The grief of the Montagues had turned the corner.