Music Monday: Northanger Abbey – Crush (David Archuleta) +Cover Reveals

A quarter of an hour and two days was a long enough wait to find out who the mysterious Grace Love was. Her secret smile had taunted and tantalized him since he first saw it in the park. He would be put off no longer. And so, he urged his horse to traverse the short distance between orchard and house as swiftly as possible.

“Why are you here?” Mr. Norman whispered to Walter when Walter took a seat next to him in the sitting room at Erondale.

“You were late.”

“It could not be helped,” Norman returned.

“So could not my arrival here.” He turned a smile on his hosts who were looking at the two gentlemen curiously. “I beg your indulgence of my poor manners. My friend is somewhat startled to see me as I was supposed to have been engaged elsewhere. However, plans change.”

“I hope it was not anything unpleasant which caused your change in plans.” Grace was looking at him with concern.

“A prodigious lack of patience,” Mr. Norman muttered.

Walter chuckled. “My friend is correct. I seem to be incapable of waiting very long for anything.” He looked pointedly at Grace. “Especially if the longed-for item is of great intrigue.”

[from Her Secret Beau, Touches of Austen Book 3]

Published to YouTube by Austenita30 on January 9, 2009

Can you see the connection between the song title and the excerpt? Someone has a crush on Miss Grace. He finds her fascinating and tantalizing, which I believe is a bit like how Henry Tilney starts out with Catherine Morland. And that is why I chose this video to share with you today.

Last week, I mentioned that I have started a project to update the Willow Hall series. This will include freshening up their covers, the back matter, and the book blurbs. I have also decided to give each book a read-through to catch more typos, missing commas, and the like — things which might have been missed in the several rounds of edits the books have already gone through.

Therefore, I printed out a copy of And Then Love this past week, and I am almost done rereading it. I might be completely done rereading by the time you read this on Monday. Then, I will be able to create all the files needed and will get the book updated on all my vendors and create a new print copy.

I had thought to just stockpile the books and re-release them all at once, but on second thought, I think I would rather just be able to cross one book off at a time, thereby, shrinking the to-do list. That means you can look forward to seeing the new look of these books showing up on sales pages starting this week and progressing until the full series is completed by mid-August.

As you can see below, I decided to replace the flower images on the covers with images of pretty ladies (except for on the series bundle where I have selected an image of a couple). I tried to get images which would sort of depict the heroine in each book. While stock images are never exactly as I imagined a character, I am pleased with the results as the ladies and the background images do evoke, for me, a particular feeling and/or symbolize a particular scene from that book without being overly detailed and busy.

Other than working on And Then Love, I also wrote two chapters of Her Secret Beau and one chapter of Persuading Miss Mary. I did not write anything on Addie: To Wager on Her Future because I spent that story’s block of time researching.

Since I am currently working on proofreading And Then Love, I thought I would share an excerpt from that story — which was the second Thursday’s 300 story ever posted here on my blog four years ago! This is the scene from chapter 6 where Philip realizes that he doesn’t just care for Lucy as a friend and wishes to see her safe for that reason (which is why he agreed to marry her), but he actually loves her.

AN EXCERPT FROM And Then Love:

An hour and a half later, Darcy swirled his tea in his cup, watching it rise around the sides and dip in the center. The motion resembled what his mind was doing. He and Philip had questioned every servant; the only one to have seen Tolson was one maid. It was the same maid who had delivered the letter to Lucy, but she had only seen him at the door. She had not seen him enter the house.

It made little sense how a man could enter a house full of people without being seen. But then, the cook had mentioned how her mother had told her about a secret door near in the pantry. According to Cook, the door had been boarded up after a particular incident when the younger Mr. Tolson, Lucy’s uncle, had been caught hosting a card game in the cellar. He was supposed to have been too ill to accompany his father on business that day and had taken to his room. No one had seen him leave the house, but when his father had gone to look in on him after returning from his business, the room was empty. A search was conducted, and the game was discovered.

And after an examination of the pantry, the door was once again securely nailed closed.

Darcy swirled his tea once more and then drank it. “Do you know what arrangements have been made for the leasing of this place?” Darcy had a very good idea of what the estate would be able to produce if well-tended.

“There is a gentleman named Abbot, who has leased it from Tolson. He has a family ─ wife, two boys, one is just an infant, I understand. Lucy is to have the house ready to receive him in three weeks time. She said that he seems a respectable sort of fellow, but I have no knowledge of what the financial arrangements are.” Philip placed his cup on the table and leaned back in his chair. Darcy’s brows were furrowed and his lips pursed slightly. “What are you planning?”

“If I knew what Tolson was to gain from the arrangement, I might be able to make him an offer that would be more advantageous, and his ties to the area would be lessened.”

Philip’s brows rose. “Purchase Willow Hall?”

Darcy tipped his head to the side as he shrugged one shoulder. “It would be a valuable investment if managed properly, and it would be a good inheritance for a second son.” He sighed. “While such an arrangement might satisfy the financial needs of Tolson, I am at a loss as to how to deal with Wickham. I have already given him money in lieu of the living. If I give him more, it will start a never-ending cycle of his coming to me with his hand out.”

“Of course, if you do not appease him, he will continue his attacks on your character.”

Darcy nodded. “Of that, I am fully aware, but I believe the reprobate nature of his living shall soon deplete his credibility. Attacks on me, I can tolerate to some extent. Attacks on my friends, I cannot.” He stood. “Would you care to ride? I would like to take a look at a bit of the land before I plan my offer.”

Philip followed Darcy toward the door. “So you are going to do it? Buy Willow Hall?”

“If possible, yes.” He turned to Philip. “It would be an excellent wedding gift for Miss Tolson to be free of her uncle, and for you, to see the woman you love more at ease.”

Philip’s brows drew together. “Lucy would be grateful to be rid of her uncle. It is, after all, the reason we are marrying. It is a matter of convenience, nothing more. She needed an escape, and I needed a capable wife.”

Darcy chuckled. “So, you would allow me to marry her instead? I could just as easily keep her from her uncle. She is a gentleman’s daughter, and I, like you, am a gentleman’s son, so there is no inequality of rank. Her portion is adequate, and she has proven herself very capable of managing an estate. And, I do need a wife.”

“Do not be absurd, Darcy,” Philip said with some force. An uncomfortable panic began fluttering about in his chest. The thought of losing Lucy to anyone, even a friend as good as Darcy, was surprisingly unsettling. “She and I are already betrothed,” he reasoned, “To break a betrothal now would create a stir.”

“I could take her to town until the gossip settled.” Darcy folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the door, watching the expression of his friend, which confirmed what he already suspected.

Philip pulled in a deep breath through his nose. An unusual desire to hit Darcy caused his hand to clench as tightly as his jaw was.

“Put yourself at ease, Dobney. I have no intention of offering for Miss Tolson. I dare say I would not succeed anyway. She seems rather fond of you.” He pushed himself off the door and opened it, motioning for his friend to exit before him.

Philip pondered his response to Darcy’s jesting about offering for Lucy. What had taken hold of his heart? He was not given to violence or even aggression unless absolutely necessary, such as when his sister had been taunted. He may be of a peaceful bent but not when those he loved were in harm’s way. He stopped abruptly in the hall causing Darcy to nearly run into him. “I…” he began, shock suffusing his face, “I love her.”

Darcy clapped him on the shoulder. “I know. Now, shall we ride?”

~*~*~

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