Love in the Fall: A Novel

Daniel was suddenly shaken awake by an obese, bald-headed man with a gruff, gravelly Manchester accent, which Daniel recognized from hearing the Gallagher Brothers in interviews on MTV. It was the verger, Reg, who had worked at the college for almost fifty years. “No sleepin’ in the chapel. Do one now and be off. That’s a top lad.” Daniel apologized and told Reg it was his first day at the college...

The complimentary mixed drinks and wine on the airplane had made Daniel groggy as the bus came to a stop on the High Street at Queen’s Lane, about 350 yards from the Magdalen College porter’s lodge, where he was told to report. In addition to the hangover, he felt a lingering sting in the back of his head from the protestor’s rock, along with bruises on his knees from the Lieutenant’s heave-ho. He...

“Everyone is pinned, as you asked,” said Hiba, who had distributed the welcome packs to each scholar except for one, Daniel, whose envelope she held against her chest. “Here you are, Mr. Perrin,” she said. “Right. Thank you,” said Daniel, out of breath. Hiba turned her attention back to Susan. “The coach will be here in a moment. Do you need to go upstairs and retrieve your bag? You will be going...

Daniel woke up to the sound of Tom getting dressed for morning PT, but he pretended to be sleeping until his Marine roommate had gone. Daniel then got right up, shaved, and pulled out clothes for the day, thinking he would have a walking adventure for a few hours and return just in time to keep the schedule. He relished the opportunity to wear his slightly baggy, thrift-store grey suit as a subtle...

As they laid face to face, both Daniel and Susan felt a thrill from the other’s warm breath, and their pale cheeks glowed red. Susan quickly gathered her wits and popped up, momentarily straddling Daniel before catching her knee on the bottom of her robe, falling over. The people hustling to get out of the hotel paid no attention at first, but Susan’s assistant, Hiba, finally noticed them, as did...

Part I Chapter 1 As the tower of Magdalen College, Oxford came into Daniel Perrin’s sight for the first time, he was daydreaming of Susan, whose name would have been a little old-fashioned for a woman of her generation, except she had a slight schoolmarm quality that had not yet found its purpose in childrearing. Susan’s parents had had respectable professional hopes for their only offspring, whom...