Five Reasons I Would Rather Marry Captain Frederick Wentworth Than Fitzwilliam Darcy ~ a guest post from Susan Kaye!

Five Reasons I Would Rather Marry Captain Frederick Wentworth Than Fitzwilliam Darcy

~ from Susan Kaye

Reason Number 5: The Crofts. There’s nothing in the world wrong with Georgiana Darcy. She’s a sweet-natured girl, but she is a girl. Her concerns are dresses, friends, and marriage. I’m past all that. W-A-Y past all that. I like better the idea of sitting around the fire, drinking adult beverages, and exchanging stories about Sophia and the Admiral’s far-flung adventures. And there is also the fun of hearing about Frederick’s misbegotten youth. Family, I think, are much more likely to spill about things like that when there is an equality of members. Having the “Lord of the Manor,” like Darcy can put a crimp in those sorts pf exchanges.

Reason Number 4: The last words of Persuasion are: “…she (Anne) must pay the tax of quick alarm for belonging to that profession which is, if possible, more distinguished in its domestic virtues than in its national importance.” In other words, sailors are known for being handy around the house. Well, handy in some things that happen to be part of the domestic litany. One of those virtues was, I’m sure, sewing. Though he was an officer, when he was of the lower ranks he would not have had the spare cash to hire a steward and so was obliged to do his own mending. Now, I’m sure he’s got a valet to handle the day-to-day concerns of his wardrobe, but it’s nice to know a man can take care of himself in a MacGyver-ish sort of way.


Reason Number 3: Frederick’s skill as a hairdresser. Sailors were also known for having the long braid down their backs. In Wentworth’s time is was a real point of pride. Combing and dressing your buddy’s hair was one of those services you performed for a friend. That made you “tie mates.” And again, though Frederick was an officer, he would have started in the lower ranks, probably as a midshipman. They had tie mates too so braiding, clubbing—wrapping a braid or ponytail with a dark ribbon—would have been a skill he picked up along the way. This being the case, if Anne and Frederick were ever travelling and a lady’s maid was hard to come by, the Captain could step in and whip up a do for Anne with no trouble at all. I love a man who’s clever with his hands!

Reason Number 2: While Darcy may have had the sheriff at his beck-and-call, and be able to drum up a few dozen men to stand for Pemberley in a war, could he load, level and fire a cannon? Frederick could. Sure, Pemberley probably had the turrets, and could be easily defended from marauders, but did Darcy even own the goods? I’m sure he had a collection of pistols and rifles that was impressive, but could he lob an iron ball a couple hundred yards? Men love to stand around and look at the destruction caused by their toys. Cannons leave BIG, DEEP marks. Frederick could do that all by himself.


Reason Number 1: Frederick Wentworth has a job WITH benefits! I know, I know, Darcy had 10 thou a year in income and that’s guessed to be only three percent of the total amount of Darcy Unlimited. But, as we have seen in this present global economy, all you need is a country defaulting on its loans, a few international corporations investing in the wrong markets, a little deflation of a currency or two, and you have a big pile of I. O. U.s, no liquidity, and unfunded pension debt that is going to bankrupt everyone in sight. Frederick Wentworth had a skill, a trade, something that would enable him to rebuild if the unthinkable should happen. In the year ’06, he had some cash after his cruise to the West Indies, “but spending freely, what had come freely, had realized nothing.” The guy learned his monetary lessons the hard way. While this outré package of talent may not thrill the likes of Caroline Bingley, it makes me lean towards the guy who can land on his feet after a blow to the career. Aside from the romantic challenge of Elizabeth Bennet, I’m not sure what Darcy’s capable of career wise.

So, all in all, I like Wentworth’s skills and proven record in the world of work. Darcy is a lovely accessory to take to a ball or party, but the Captain is the guy I want taking care of my “domestic virtue,” if you know what I mean. ;-)

Susan Kaye
Author of None But You and For You Alone
Blogging at Jane Started It!
Twitter: @susankayewriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susan.kaye2

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DEETS:

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