She shook her head. Mr. Marsh truly was the complete opposite of Mr. Edwards. She stood and looked around her room – the room in which she had been wallowing in self-pity for two days now. She had been wallowing! She did not wallow. She shook herself and pulled herself upright. Two days was enough.
“Did you need something, miss?” her maid asked as she entered.
“Yes, Sally, I need several things. First…”
[From Charles: To Discover His Purpose]
Published to YouTube by Liz Rockfiles on April 1, 2016.
Every romance has a new day at least once in the telling of the tale and often more than once. These new days might include the moment when two young lovers meet for the first time, or, as in the excerpt above, one or the other of the pair has that epiphany moment when he or she realizes what (or should I say who) will truly make them happy. In the snippet from Charles, Evelyn has dried her eyes and put away her hurt feelings and is ready to begin her new day.
In the excerpt from one of my works in progress that I will share below, we have the dawning of a new day just about to happen. The excerpt shows Bingley and Darcy just before they will meet the lovely ladies that reside at Longbourn.
But first, before I get to that, here’s just a little update on what I have been working on:
I have three projects in various stages.
First, I have a short story that is helping me practice my dictation skills and has reached about the 5,000-word mark where trouble has just literally walked through the door.
Second, I have written the first 1423 words of Mary’s story for Episode 3 of the Other Pens, Mansfield Park series. I still need to finalize her title. I had originally thought to call it Mary: To Discover Her Heart, but I used the word discover in Charles’s title. So I need a verb to go into this blank –>
Mary: To _________ Her Heart
She had really been guarding and hardening her heart for a good portion of her life, so I have considered using Unlocking, but I’m not sure if it is best or not. If you have suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments.
Third, I think I am about halfway through the first draft of Assessing Mr. Darcy. I had some great writing days this past week! I would be thrilled if this week was as good. However, there is that pesky thing called school that is starting.
This is not terribly writing related, but…
I did rearrange my office/school room/living room/dining area. 🙂 (Our house is not large and this room has many purposes.) I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
And I have all my school stuff ready to go except for the TV which needs mounting on the wall. (There will be many video lessons this year, so I wanted a good screen for watching.)
Oh, and the house has been painted! It is now a pretty blue/grey colour instead of the olive-y brown/green it was before! There are a few little details that my husband has to work on, but the big part is all done. He worked hard on it in some very warm weather. But, he wanted to get it done before his work schedule shifts with the beginning of school. And he did it!
I think that’s all the “news” from me for today, so now, how about an excerpt from chapter 4 of Assessing Mr. Darcy? (Patrons, you will have this full chapter before the end of the week. 🙂 )
AN EXCERPT FROM Assessing Mr. Darcy:
The tea had been refreshing, but not as refreshing as the feel of the wind against one’s person as he rode. At least, that is how Darcy saw it. He and Bingley had discussed the basics about which books were most important to look over first and what Bingley’s hopes were in securing an estate like Netherfield. It was for Bingley as it was for many gentlemen. He wished to gain the prominence that such an estate would bring him as well as a place into which he could put some of his inheritance in such a fashion that it would continue to reap benefits well past when he departed this earth. Bingley was no fool. He was happy and amiable as well as obliging to a fault at times, but he was no fool once he put his mind to a matter. It would take some doing, but Darcy did not expect it would be overly long before Bingley understood the workings of an estate as well as any gentleman did. He smiled wryly. Bingley had the added advantage that he was likely to gain the approval of all his neighbours with very little effort. That was how Bingley was. He liked people, and they liked him. It was an enviable quality.
“I see the knoll,” Bingley circled back to where Darcy was riding at a slower pace. “There.” He pointed to his left. “And that fence there must be the one of which the groom spoke. We are nearly at an end of Netherfield’s lands in this direction. I shall have to ask him tomorrow for a marker of where it ends in the opposite direction.”
“Do you truly care to know?” Darcy teased. “Are there pretty ladies at an estate in all four directions?”
Bingley laughed. “I wish there were, but I think the only pretty ladies that are near my estate are in this direction. Mr. Philips did not mention any others.”
“Mr. Philips, their uncle, did not tell you about any other pretty ladies? How odd.” Darcy’s tone was sardonic.
Again, Bingley laughed. “You should be so lighthearted more often, for you are very good at it.”
“I cannot be,” Darcy’s reply was quick. He found it incredibly difficult to relax with anyone he had not known for any length of time. And even then, there were those such as his aunt Catherine and Caroline around whom he could only marginally relax though he had known them for years. Lady Catherine was just too demanding and always looking for things to reprove for him to be anything more than mostly at ease in her presence, and Caroline? Well, he was never truly at ease around any lady who was attempting to convince him to marry her.
“I think you could be if you tried,” Bingley retorted.
Darcy shook his head. “To this point in my life it has been impossible, and I do not see that changing any time soon.”
“Very well,” Bingley conceded. “I shall attempt to work on you, but I will not be utterly discouraged if I am not immediately successful. It shall be an offering of thanks for the help you are giving me with the estate.”
“I think I would rather not receive your gratitude if it is to be given in such a fashion.” Darcy drew his horse to a stop. In the field just beyond the fence, there were three riders – one gentleman and two ladies. “It seems we are in luck,” he called to Bingley.
“What do you – Oh! Yes, indeed, we are!” Bingley replied as he finally noticed the riders.
“Do they have a brother?”
Bingley’s face pinched. “I am not entirely certain. I believe I remember something about a cousin or brother or some such thing, but…”
“You were far too focused on the ladies to commit that bit of information to memory.”
Bingley smiled sheepishly. “I was.”
Darcy shook his head. It was just like his friend to put all other thoughts out of his head when discussion of a pretty lady was broached. It would be good for the man to marry if only so he could focus on what needed to be done instead of where a wife might be found. Maybe they would be fortunate, and they would find a steady and calm lady amongst the beauties of Longbourn. Then, Darcy could encourage a courtship while still retaining enough of Bingley’s attention to guide him in setting himself up as master of his own domain.
“Shall we approach them?” Darcy asked.
Bingley drew to a halt and looked at his friend with concern. “You wish to meet strangers?”
“For you, I do.”
“Not for yourself?” Bingley teased.
Darcy shook his head. “No, I am not eager to marry, but I know you are.” He clucked to his horse as he turned him in the direction the fence ran. They would approach it slowly and at an angle so as not to look too eager. “You do realize that choosing one lady as your wife will mean not choosing every other lady, no matter how beautiful.”
“Yes,” Bingley answered tersely. “If you think so meanly of me, I am surprised you would think to offer me your sister.”
“I do not think meanly of you. I merely wished to judge your enthusiasm for marriage. You truly wish to marry? You are only four and twenty.”
“And you are eight and twenty. I see no reason why my age should be a detriment to marrying if yours is not one to remaining single. Yes, I know there are not many in our circles who wish to be married so young, but I have my inheritance, and I wish to settle into it as my father desired. Therefore, it would be best for me to take a wife so that I can send Caroline to live with Hurst and my wife can be hostess for you and my other guests.”
“So you wish to marry to be rid of Caroline?” Darcy asked with a laugh.
“I do. You should consider it. If you were married, she could not fawn over you as she does now.”
Darcy continued to laugh. “That is a worthy argument. I shall have to consider it if I ever find a lady that is to my liking.”
~*~*~
KOBO AMAZON NOOK IBOOKS MAILING LIST PATREON SOCIETY6
I like this interlude between Darcy and Charles. As for Mary, perhaps she needs to mend her heart. How can she move forward if she never learns to trust anyone.
I’m glad you like it, and that’s a very good idea — writing that one down as an option. 🙂
What about ‘Releasing Her Heart” ??? If she has been guarding and hardening her heart… it is time to release it.
Loved the music video and I loved the excerpt. I really want to see who Darcy and Bingley were about to meet. You have been very busy. Now that the house is in order… you will feel much better. Enjoy…
Yes, getting the house stuff done has been helpful. I particularly enjoy this new workspace arrangement 🙂
Releasing Her Heart is a good idea. I’ll add that to the list to choose from as I get more into the story. Thanks!
I loved this music Monday! The excerpt form “Assessing Mr. Darcy” sounds like another book I will have to read! I don’t see how you continue to write all that you do while getting your home ready for school. You must be so dedicated!
So far, Assessing Mr. Darcy has been enjoyable to write. I hope it turns out as well as I want it to. LOL I always worry about that. I am rather dedicated to writing. 🙂 I love doing it, and if I have to go too many days without writing, I miss it a lot! So, it doesn’t feel too much like work for me. (Some days it does but not most days)