Christopher Brandon ran down the stairs of his Delaford estate hurriedly buttoning the coat of his military uniform. He was getting married and try as he might his nerves were getting the better of him. He was about to marry an angel: Marianne Dashwood. His old army buddies laughed at him as he fumbled with the brass buttons on his red coat and even fumbled with his words. Christopher was rarely flustered, but this one woman meant so much to him that he could hardly help but be nervous. He thought about having a brandy with his friends to celebrate, but decided that would make him even less coherent. Finally, Christopher's old friend, Sir John Middleton, took him aside to talk as one married man to a future married man. "Brandon, my boy, you mustn't be so nervous. This is the happiest day of your life and Marianne loves you. If you don't relax you're going to make her nervous too. Have you given any thought to tonight?"

"Tonight?" Brandon looked at him in a very confused manner. He was unsure as to what exactly Sir John was getting at though he did have a good hunch.

"Your wedding night. What's the plan?" John asked with only slightly veiled excitement.

"That is hardly any of your business, John, even if you are a very close friend. What happens tonight is strictly between Marianne and me." Brandon was slightly put out at the impertinence of his long time friend, but managed to keep his temper in check, but try as he might he couldn't help but blush. "Marianne is very young I don't want to frighten her by making any grand plans. I'm not going to force her to do anything she's not ready to do."

"My dear boy, Marianne loves you dearly. Don't let your sentimentality for her make you not ask her to do her wifely duty." John said in a firm tone of voice.

"She's very young and we have time to produce heirs. Now, I'm going to get married. Are you coming with me?" Christopher said angrily as he strides to the front door, flings open the front door and quickly climbs into the awaiting carriage. The truth is he's not sure he's ready for the wedding night, let alone thinking about making grand plans. He doesn't want to be the kind of husband that demands such things of his wife all the time anyway.