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I love Brian Crain’s music, and over the past few days, I have been working on listening to this playlist while I have been writing. (It is nine hours long, and I am at about the four-hour mark.)  I find this music calms and focuses me, and those were two things I needed heading into the last few day of November.

November is National Novel Writing month — a month in which writers pledge to write novels of at least 50,000 words. I considered taking the challenge, but when I mentioned it to my husband, he thought it would be better if I did not attempt such a feat. He knew that with all the other things I had to do this month, adding such a daunting challenge would only cause stress, frustration and a cranky wife. So, instead, I set my goal a bit lower…a novella of at least 30,000 words… and last night, I made it! The first draft of the No Other Choice is complete and ready to begin the polishing process. 🙂

I am including an excerpt below, but remember, excerpts from this part of the story may contain spoilers. So, read at your own risk!

Starting next Monday, I plan to take a break from posting song and story connected music for a few weeks. Instead, I will share some of my favourite songs of the season.

“BRIAN CRAIN – 143 Song Golden Collection, 9 HOUR Piano Music Playlist for Studying.” YouTube.  YouTube video posted by YirumaCollection, 13 Nov. 2014.

From No Other Choice:

Rycroft pushed the door open slowly and shivered slightly at the coolness of the air.  He held high the candle Mr. Bennet had given him  as he looked around the room.  He saw her in the corner.  Curled into a ball in a large chair.  Her face was peaceful and her shoulders rose and fell as she breathed slowly and steadily.  He placed the candle on the table.  It must not have been so dark when she first entered, for a candle sat unlit next to her.  “Mary,” he called softly as he shook her shoulder gently.   “Mary.”

Her eyes fluttered open for a moment, and she smiled at him before closing them again.

“Mary, ” he called again.  “You must wake.”

This time, her eyes snapped open.  “Oh,” she said as she pulled herself into proper posture.  “I did not mean to fall asleep.  I only wished a few moments of quiet.”

Rycroft chuckled as she immediately checked her hair.  “Not a strand out of place,” he assured.

”How did you find me?” she asked.  “Has everyone arrived?  What time is it?”

He still her hands.  “Your father told me I could find you here.  I came early, which I know is poor form so do not lecture me.”  He smiled at the scowl she gave him.  “It is yet an hour before the others arrive, and an hour and a half before we dine.”  He rubbed her fingers with his hands. “Your fingers are so cold. I am surprised you do not catch a chill napping in here.”

“The rest of me is quite warm,” she assured him.  “It is only because my fingers were outside of my coverings.”  She tried to pull her hands out of his.  “We should not be here alone,” she said softly.

“We have permission from your father,” he replied.    “Your mother and sisters think I am in your father’s study. We are safe.”   He sat back on his heels where he kneeled beside her chair.

“But someone may come looking for me,” she argued.

He shook his head.  “Mrs. Darcy will see that they do not.”

“And why is that?” asked Mary.

“I have asked her to see to it.”  He shifted trying to make his position more comfortable.

“You have?”

He nodded.

“So, you have purposed to have a private conversation?”  Her heart raced slightly at the thought.

He smiled.  “I have.”  He hoped that the slight widening of her eyes and the faint pink tinge to her cheeks were signs that she would welcome his addresses.

She tipped her head to the side and raised her brow as she smiled at him. “Then, you may wish a chair instead of the floor for comfort.”

“Very true.”  He rose from the floor and pulled a chair close.  “I am not sure how to begin,” he said as he sat down.  “I wish to marry you, you see, but to just say so seems rather direct and not at all the thing.”

Her mouth hung open for a moment before she closed it and gave a small shake of her head.  “It is most certainly direct,” she said.

Passenger. “PASSENGER – ‘And I Love Her'” YouTube. YouTube, 03 Feb. 2015. Web.

I am at that point in the story where sharing any excerpt poses a risk of a spoiler, so I apologize for any spoiler this excerpt may contain.

From No Other Choice: 

“I am sorry,” said Rycroft.  “I promised Bingley I would protect her from schemers and yet, it is I who has brought this schemer to her.” His jaw and fists clenched.

“And you wish to do harm to him,” said Darcy quietly.  “But he is a friend and it feels wrong to think of harming him.”

Rycroft nodded.  “But what he has planned…”

“Is reprehensible.  I understand far more than you know,” said Darcy.  “You remember I was once friends with Wickham.”

Again Rycroft nodded.  “I know I must deal with Blackmoore, but what of Mary?”

“I shall speak to her,” said Elizabeth.  “Perhaps her affections have not been engaged.”

Rycroft’s shoulders relaxed as a weight lifted off them.

“You have not failed her.”

Rycroft looked at Darcy in surprise.

Darcy gave him a wry smile.  “As I said, I understand far more than you know.  You have kept your promise to Bingley.  Did you not hear of a scheme and take immediate steps to prevent harm?”

Darcy stood and Rycroft followed.

“Go home, Rycroft.  Miss Mary shall be well.  The most dire circumstances have been avoided.”

Elizabeth took Rycroft’s hat from the table and handed it to him as he reached the door.  “Thank you,” she said.

“For what?” he asked in surprise.

“For caring for my sister.”  She smiled at him.  “You do care for her, do you not?”

Rycroft turned his hat in his hands.  “Very much,” he admitted.  There was no denying it any longer.  She had left, and instead of feeling relieved and his mind clearing and righting itself, he found that his world seemed to be lying at his feet in pieces.

Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm.  “A library, an aunt and a ball.”

He chuckled despite his gloom.  “If it becomes necessary, Mrs. Darcy.  If it becomes necessary.”

Emerson Drive. “That Kind of Beautiful.” YouTube.  29 June 2010.

First, I must say I adore this song, and this group is (another) one of my favourites!  Now, on to the story excerpt portion of this post. Lord Rycroft is having a “something you just can’t explain” moment and has come to Darcy for advice.

From No Other Choice:

Darcy’s brows rose, and his smile grew.  He was definitely enjoying this.  “Then, we have an impasse for I shall not be parted from my wife today.”

Rycroft blew out a breath.  “Very well, if you insist.”  He shifted again in his chair.  “There is a lady of my acquaintance who seems to have a very peculiar and disturbing effect on me.”  From the corner of his eye, he saw Elizabeth motion toward the door with her head, but Darcy shook his, and she remained seated.  “I find myself seeking out opportunities to be In her presence, even when  I know she is going to disagree with me or wish me to leave.  And today, when we were out riding, I wished to run off a friend because she seemed to favour his attentions. And,” he swallowed and spoke softly, “her beauty…” He raised his eyebrows but did not finish.  “Why?  What is wrong with me, and how do I fix it?”

Darcy’s smile had grown quite wide.  “And if someone were to threaten her?”  Darcy chuckled. “You do not need to tell me. I can tell by your look of horror that you would do whatever you needed to protect her.  Correct?”

Rycroft nodded.  “What do I do?”

Darcy looked at Elizabeth. “You marry her.”

Rycroft was sure his heart had stopped beating at the statement.  “Marry her?”

Darcy nodded.  “It sounds to me as if you are in love with the lady, and I find myself a great proponent of marriage these days.”

Rycroft had risen and was pacing the room.  “In love?”

“Yes, cousin, in love.  It is not such a horrible place to be.”

Rycroft shook his head. “No, I have simply been out of town for too long.”

Darcy laughed.  “There were no ladies in the country?”

Rycroft shot him a look of displeasure.  “None to my liking. Very grasping.”

“Ah, unlike the ladies of the ton.”

Rycroft did not miss the note of sarcasm in Darcy’s voice.  “I cannot marry her.”

“And why is that? Inferior standing?”

Rycroft rolled his eyes.  “She is not titled, but she is a gentleman’s daughter, not that standing is of great importance to me, as you well know.  She would make a fine countess.”

“Is she married?”

“No.”

“Betrothed?”

“No.”

“Has she been so tainted by scandal that your standing would suffer?”

“No.”

“Then, I really do not see a reason why you cannot marry her,” said Darcy.

Rycroft huffed and folded his arms across his chest.  “I cannot marry her because she does not like me.”

“Napoleonic Ball – Regency Dances: Cotillion and Reel.” YouTube. Created for and uploaded to YouTube by Hedocurean’s Channel, 06 Dec. 2011.

I have been listening to and watching many regency dances this week as I wrote. This cotillion is the dance I was thinking of as I wrote the following scene:

From No Other Choice:

He tipped his head to the side.  “I see what you are at.”

She fluttered her eyes and smiled sweetly at him.  “I assure you I am at nothing.”

“You are angry, and so you refuse to speak to me.”

“I am sure I have not refused to speak. I believe I have answered all your questions.”  The music began, and she took his hand and curtseyed as he bowed before taking Georgiana’s hand and beginning to circle.

When she had crossed over and back toward him, he said, “But your answers have been abrupt, and you seem adverse to conversation.”

She crossed over and back to him.  “My answers were concise for I am intent upon my lesson.  Now, if you would be so kind as to allow me to concentrate on my steps and the music.”  She gave a small nod of her head as if thanking him for his compliance as they parted and came back together again.

He continued progressing through the steps in silence, his stiff muscles relaxing and the activity bringing alertness to his mind.   As he danced, he watched Mary.  Her steps were precise and soft.  Her movements graceful, and if he was not mistaken, he heard her softly humming the tune.  The joy on her face gave further evidence that she did indeed enjoy dancing while her skills told him that she had danced often. It was a delightful picture, one that brought a smile to his lips.  Soon the music slowed and came to an end.

“Much improved Miss Darcy,” said the dancing master.

“You can return in two days, can you not?” asked Lady Sophia.  “Miss Mary’s time to prepare for the season is limited.”

The gentleman inclined his head, a smile crinkled the skin around his eyes.  “I would return everyday to dance with Miss Bennet, but I have other students, so I shall have to be content to wait two days before I return.”  He gave Lord Rycroft an appraising look.  “It would do well if the ladies had an opportunity to practice once between now and our next lesson.”  He cocked his head to the side and both brows rose as he waited for Lord Rycroft to respond.

“I have business─” he began but a small cough from his mother stopped him.  “but, I am certain I can find a few moments to be of assistance.”  The instructor turned to Miss Darcy.  “Do you have the music for the dances we did today?”

“I do.”

“Then perhaps you could play for Miss Bennet and Lord Rycroft, and then Miss Bennet ─ you do play, Miss Bennet, do you not?”  He waited for her assurance that she did play before continuing.  “Then you must play for Miss Darcy and Lord Rycroft.”  He gave a sharp nod of his head indicating that the plan was good and the discussion at an end.  Then, with a quick scold to the musician to be quick, he donned his hat and coat and took up his walking stick.

“You dance so very well,” said Georgiana.  “I wish I could do as well.”

Mary put an arm around Georgiana’s shoulders.  “You will.  I have had more practice is all.”

Georgiana shook her head.  “My feet do not always follow my head.”

“That is the problem,” said Lord Rycroft.  “You must not dance in your head.”  He smiled as Mary rolled her eyes.  Finally, he had gotten a response that was not prim or proper as all her others had been today. “You do not believe me, Miss Mary?”

His tone was teasing which caused Mary to both bristle and become wary.  It would be very easy to scold and reprimand if he were allowed to tease.  So, instead of responding with an I most definitely do not, she said, “I await your explanation, sir.”  And then she gave him as sweet a smile as she could.

One of his brows rose slightly and his mouth became a displeased line instead of the tempting smile it had been.  She was definitely playing at something.  He had given her the chance to instruct  him on the need to know the dance in one’s head before it could become a learned pattern for the body, but she had not taken it.  And now, he need to explain something he was not sure he could explain.   “Well,” he began.  “The steps must first be known by the head, of course, but,” he glanced at the pianoforte and remembered how Georgiana seemed to flow along the keys with the music, “but it is the heart which must be engaged with the music, as it is when you play.  Do you count the notes and timing?”

She shook her head.  “I did at first but no longer.”

“Ah.”  He smiled as he saw Mary’s eyes narrow.  He was certain she had hoped he would not have an explanation.  “If you do not count, how is it that you can play as it is written?”

A smile spread across Georgiana’s face.  “My heart and body feel it.”

“Just so.”  He tapped her on the nose.  “Would you agree, Miss Mary?”  Her eyes narrowed just a bit more, and he smiled just a bit more broadly.

“I would.”  She moved toward the instrument.  “However, sometimes, fingers and feet do not learn at the same rate.  One may require more practice than the other.”  She took up a piece of music which lay on a bench near the pianoforte.  “If you will excuse me,”  she looked at him and then toward the door, “my fingers do not learn as readily as my feet.”

Instead of leaving as she had clearly signaled she wanted him to do, he pulled a chair close to where she took her seat at the instrument.  “You may require assistance with the pages, ” he explained when she looked up at him with brows drawn close  in question.

Her shoulders drooped a bit as she sighed.  Avoiding Lord Rycroft was becoming a challenge. “I would not wish to keep you from your business.”

He waved the idea way.  “My business can wait.  I have worked at it all morning and desire some time away from it.”