Courtship and Marriage

Herriot's developing relationship with Helen, the girl who he marries, is a major theme in this novel. Although Herriot does not provide information about their courtship and early marriage in a chronological timeline, he tells enough about their courtship and relationship to convey how much difference his marriage to Helen makes in his life. Herriot begins his book with a story in which he curls up with his warm wife after returning from a farm call one cold winter night. Herriot considers this one of the great privileges of married life.

Herriot soon shares that his relationship with Helen was not always a sure thing. Herriot had major competition in the form of Richard Edmundson. In their courting days Herriot believes Helen's parent prefer Edmundson to Herriot. Herriot also tells of a string of unfortunate experiences in which he believes he has made of fool of...