English maiden married: a novel (4)
I believe the answer is:
emma
'novel' is the definition.
(novel by Jane Austen)
'english maiden married a' is the wordplay.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation).
'maiden' becomes 'm' (cricket abbreviation).
'married' becomes 'm' (abbreviation, e.g. in genealogy).
'e'+'m'+'m'+'a'='EMMA'
(Other definitions for emma that I've seen before include "novelist's work" , "book" , "classic work" , "Jane Austen heroine" , "Miss Woodhouse?" .)