About the Book:
Jane Austen Lived a Quiet, Single Life–Or Did She?
Tradition holds that Jane Austen lived a proper, contemplative, unmarried life. But what if she wed a man as passionate and intelligent as she–and the marriage remained secret for 200 years?
The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen resolves the biggest mystery of Austen’s life–the “lost years” of her twenties–of which historians know virtually nothing.
* Why the enduring rumors of a lost love or tragic affair?
* Why, afterward, did the vivacious Austen prematurely put on “the cap of middle age” and close off any thoughts of finding love?
* Why, after her death, did her beloved sister destroy her letters and journals?
The Marriage of Miss Jane Austen trilogy answers these questions through a riveting love affair based on the history of the times and accurate details of Austen’s own life.
Read an Excerpt:
Featured in Feb/Mar 2017 Issue: Crossover Edition
Chapter 13
“How can you look at a creature as exquisite as the butterfly and not believe in God?” Jane asked.
“I believe in the wonder of a butterfly as much as you,” Ashton replied.
“What could be simpler than the fact that God created the butterfly? All the creatures, in all their glory?”
“It’s pointless to invoke God as the answer. It’s like a child asking why the sky is blue and we say, because. Why does the sun shine? God. Why does the moon rise? God. The answer brings all inquiry to a halt.”
“How could butterflies come in so many different designs? Do the ladies get together to determine what to wear?”
“Man has used selective breeding to improve our cattle and sheep, crossbred plants to improve our crops. Surely Nature with all its resources has a mechanism to effect even greater change.”
“Whatever the mechanism may be, it requires a Being to create it,” Jane argued. “Mr. Paley put forth the argument very well. If the world is as complex as a watch, then there must be a Watchmaker.”
“This isn’t about butterflies, is it?” He spoke with a surprisingly quiet voice.
“We are having a baby.”
“Ah, I see.”
“How can two human beings, by themselves, create something that becomes a new and precious human being?”
“Nature has had eons to practice, and millions of forms of life to practice on.”
“It is inconceivable that such a miracle could occur without God’s intervention.”
“To make you happy, I must believe? You are afraid for my soul, Jane?”
“I am afraid for our children. That you will teach them things I find offensive. I promise to keep our sanctimonious vicar at bay—if you will promise not to undermine my instruction of the children through sarcasm and disbelief.”
“Sarcasm is not a tool to be used on the innocent.”
“I will not let you poison our children against the Church.”
“No poison. The gentlest of vaccinations, perhaps.”
“We will raise our children Christians.”
“Make them Methodists, would you? Anglicans could do with a bit of enthusiasm.”