An Accidental Honeymoon

In Short

Set along the quiet inlets of the Maryland coast, An Accidental Honeymoon is a lighthearted 1911 romantic comedy of errors by David Potter. When New York playwright Thomas Fessenden travels south for a house party, a chance encounter with a girl wading in a creek sparks an unexpected sequence of mishaps. Through mistaken identities, a sudden squall on the Chesapeake Bay, and a hasty wedding of convenience on the North Carolina coast, two people find themselves bound together before they fully understand who they have married. The book endures as a charming period piece driven by playful dialogue and seaside atmosphere.

The Story

The story opens along a quiet wood-road near Sandywood, Maryland, where Thomas Fessenden rescues a young woman who believes she is about to be bitten by man-eating eels. She calls herself Betty Landis, claiming to be a farmer’s niece. Fessenden, enchanted by her playful spirit, playfully adopts the moniker "Mr. Puddin' Tame" and kisses her, earning a sharp reprimand.

When Fessenden arrives at the local estate of his friends, the Cresaps, he finds himself pressed into service entertaining the dark-eyed, enigmatic Miss Madge Yarnell. Madge’s intense behavior and sudden interest in Fessenden's movements stem from a hidden drama involving a mutual acquaintance, the reckless Charles Danton. Receiving a secretive note signed "Betty," Fessenden sneaks away to White Cottage for a supper of fried chicken and music. Soon after, he takes out his small newly acquired sloop, the Wisp, only to discover Madge Yarnell hiding in the cabin. Realizing Madge intends to follow him to his rendezvous, Fessenden locks her in the cabin and slips away to meet Betty for a picnic at a rustic inn.

The web of confusion thickens rapidly. Madge abruptly departs for Baltimore after confronting the pair on a country road, while fellow guest Harry Cleborne drops dark, ambiguous warnings to Fessenden about a mysterious woman residing at White Cottage. Unaware of the tangled romantic intrigaps around them, Fessenden and Betty set sail on the Wisp for a brief excursion to a nearby island. A sudden, violent squall catches them off guard, tearing the boat from its moorings and driving it out into the roaring darkness of the bay.

For hours, Fessenden fights the storm at the wheel while Betty stands by him in oversized oilskins. The wind carries the small craft all the way down to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Upon making land, they encounter Charles Danton and Madge Yarnell, who have just married aboard a larger yacht after resolving their own turbulent past. To protect Betty's reputation after their unchaperoned night at sea, Fessenden and Betty agree to marry at the local church, with the understanding that they will remain merely friends until they return home via the Dismal Swamp.

As they sail back through the sounds, Fessenden finally demands the truth about Betty's background. She confesses that she is not a poor country girl at all, but Elizabeth "Roland Cary" Cary, a high-society heiress from a prominent Baltimore family who had taken refuge at her old nurse's cottage to shield a friend from scandal. Realizing her true identity and the depth of her courage, Fessenden sheds his reservations, and their accidental arrangement turns into a true marriage of love.

How It Unfolds

An encounter by the creek Fessenden carries a young woman out of a Maryland stream, mistaking her for a child until her sharp wit and indignant reaction to an impulsive kiss prove otherwise. She introduces herself informally as Betty, setting off a lighthearted flirtation based on half-truths.

Secrets at Sandywood At the Cresap estate, Fessenden navigates tea-party gossip and the brooding, watchful presence of Madge Yarnell. A brief, cryptic note from Betty invites him to sneak away to White Cottage for an unannounced visit.

Stowaways and storm clouds Attempting to sail his sloop Wisp to his meeting with Betty, Fessenden finds Madge lurking in the cabin to intercept him. He locks Madge inside to escape, but his idyllic outings with Betty are soon interrupted when a sudden squall sweeps their boat out into open water.

Swept down the coast Fessenden and Betty endure a perilous, wind-battered night aboard the Wisp as the gale drives them south toward Cape Hatteras. Working together to survive the storm, their camaraderie transforms into deep mutual trust.

A Kitty Hawk ceremony Landing safely in North Carolina, they meet Madge and Charles Danton, who have just wed. To preserve propriety after their unintended journey, Fessenden and Betty marry in a small village church before setting off on a slow boat trip home.

Unmasking on the water While cruising through the quiet sounds, Fessenden presses for answers about Betty's past and discovers she is actually Elizabeth Cary, a celebrated Baltimore socialite. The revelations erase his lingering doubts, leaving them to begin their real life together.

The People

• Thomas Fessenden: A twenty-eight-year-old New York writer and songwriter who arrives in Maryland expecting a quiet countryside retreat. He wants simple recreation and romance without complicated obligations, but his chivalrous instincts draw him into unexpected perils and a hasty marriage that tests his patience and honor.
• Betty (Elizabeth "Roland Cary" Cary): A spirited, highly educated Baltimore socialite masquerading as a humble farmer's niece at her former nurse's home. She seeks freedom from social expectations and wishes to protect a friend in distress. Her sharp humor, courage during the storm, and gentle persistence help her win Fessenden's devotion.
• Madge Yarnell: A striking, intense brunette from Baltimore who acts with fierce determination. Tormented by her complicated past with Charles Danton, she aggressively tracks Fessenden's movements under the mistaken belief that he is aiding her rival, only to resolve her own romance in the end.
• Charles Danton: A cynical, wealthy acquaintance whose past indiscretions drive much of the off-stage tension. His sudden redemption through his love for Madge brings the secondary plot to a swift close.

In Its Own Voice

"I took you for a child. That dress, you know, and----" "And my being in paddling."

Fessenden's initial meeting with Betty in the Maryland creek establishes the breezy, light banter that carries their relationship through its early misunderstandings.

"If--if we must be drowned, I want to be near you, Bob White--please."

As the squall batters the Wisp in the dark waters of the bay, Betty refuses to shelter alone in the cabin, choosing instead to share the danger on deck.

"Must I ask you again? Will--will you kiss me?"

In the quiet darkness of the cabin after all secrets have been revealed, Betty turns their platonic agreement into a genuine commitment.

What It's Really About

An Accidental Honeymoon explores the friction between rigid social expectations and personal authenticity. Beneath its lightweight romantic plot lies a gentle satire of high-society conventions, where upper-class figures play roles and hide behind aliases to escape the scrutiny of their peers. The story questions whether true intimacy can develop when individuals are stripped of their background and status—as Fessenden and Betty are while stranded on a stormy sea. The wilderness of the Chesapeake Bay serves as a neutral ground where pretense fails, allowing genuine character, bravery, and affection to emerge outside the watchful eyes of Baltimore society and polite house parties.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy early twentieth-century popular fiction, classic maritime adventures, and mistaken-identity comedies will find An Accidental Honeymoon a fast-paced, entertaining read. Potter writes with a fluid, nostalgic rhythm that captures the salt air of the Chesapeake, the quiet backwaters of the Eastern Shore, and the technical details of small-boat sailing.

The book is free of heavy exposition, focusing instead on rapid dialogue and scenic shifts. However, modern readers should keep in mind that it is very much a product of its era (1911). The plot relies heavily on the rigid social propriety of the period—where an unchaperoned night spent surviving a storm on a sailboat is enough to mandate an immediate wedding to save a woman's reputation. The dialogue also carries the somewhat theatrical phrasing common to Edwardian popular romance. For those willing to accept these period tropes, the novella offers a crisp, sweet narrative of sea spray, summer afternoons, and unexpected romance.

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