The title is from a line in the song "Billy Boy" concerning the topic of courtship and dates from an unknown source in 19th century America. "Oh, where have you been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy? Oh, where have you been,
Charming Billy? I have been to seek a wife, She's the joy of my life,
She's a young thing And cannot leave her mother."
This is one of the book-ends, although Jessica only appears in the prologue.