Music Monday: Period Drama Couples, Breathe Again (Sara Bareilles)

One horse cleared the hedge, followed closely by the second just as Nicholas, who as attempting to turn his horse, reached that very spot.

“Let me out. Please, let me out.” Tears streamed down Mary’s face as she helped push open the door and jumped down. “Oh, please, do not let him be dead,” she cried as she gathered her skirts and raced across the field, the sounds of men shouting and horses screaming were drowned out by the hammering of her heart. He had to be alive. He just had to be, or her heart was going to die with him.

Gasping for breath, she pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered around the injured men and beasts. “Fred,” she said, clutching the shoulder of the man bent over the still form of Nicholas. “Fred, is he alive? Please, tell me he is alive.”

Published to YouTube by pinkperel on October 10, 2012

ETA: Apparently,  the above video only plays on YouTube. Sorry about that. I think it is worth a watch, but if you’d rather just stay on this Web page, there is also this video by KatSw3 from December 12, 2010. Let’s see if this one will play here, shall we? ☺ Thank you for alerting me to the viewing issue J.W.Garrett. 

I thought that little scene from A Very Mary Christmas went well with today’s song, and since it is just one of the stories included in the two book bundles of mine that have been included in a Kobo sale, which is part of my writing news, it seemed like a good day to share it.

I have two sales going on today.

One is just ending. That one I told you about in last week’s Friday Feature. The price has been marked down worldwide and across various vendors. The price will be going up at some point later today depending on the timezone of the vendor. So, if you want to grab this book at this price, don’t wait.

The second sale does not end until February 3 and is only on Kobo. Of the three box sets I submitted to the January 40% off Box Set Sale, two were accepted. 🙂

The Choices Series which includes all four novellas in that series: Her Father’s Choice, No Other Choice, His Inconvenient Choice, and Her Heart’s Choice

A Dash of Darcy and Companions Cottage Collection (1) which includes five novellas: Finally Mrs. Darcy, Waking to Mr. Darcy, A Very Mary Christmas, Discovering Mr. Darcy, and Not an Heiress

Write one more chapter of Loving Lydia. I now have seven chapters written. Chapter 4 will post this Thursday

I have dictated the first chapter of Apple Blossoms, the Nature’s Fury and Delights story I am working on. I know that this week’s dictation time will also get interrupted by appointments and such, but the story is progressing at a snails pace. 🙂

I have tentatively scheduled the first chapter of Roger’s story to post here on the blog on February 5. I also wrote chapter two of that story this week. If I can write chapters 3 and 4 this week and next, that tentatively scheduled post will become definitely scheduled. I like to stay at least 4 weeks ahead of what I am posting as works in progress here.

OH! I also have a title for Roger’s story. But… I’m not telling what it is just yet. When we get closer to the first post day here, I will tell you the title to be watching for.

And lastly, which is actually the bulk of what I wrote last week, I wrote three chapters of Tom: To Secure His Legacy and discovered that my planning and plotting had to be adjusted as the story just did not want to follow my path. But honestly, this path is better. I think it was the path the story needed all along and when I look back at the first chapter I can see the hints of it there. I just had not gotten far enough into the foggy trail to see that this is where it was going. I love it when a story says, “Great idea. That’s part of it, but here’s what you really want to do” and then drags me along for the ride. [Yes, I talk to and listen to my imaginary friends 🙂 ]

That’s it. That’s all I wrote. My writing news is over for the week, which means it is time to read a little of the writing I did. Here’s an…

EXCERPT FROM Tom: To Secure His Legacy: 

The carriage slowed to a stop. She was home and nearly in one piece. No that was not true. She was not close to being in one piece, it was just that all her broken, confused bits were still inside one body.

She allowed Mr. Bertram to help her from the carriage and see her to her door. Then, with a sigh, she unpinned her hat and removed her gloves and pelisse, leaving them with her maid as she made her way to Robert’s study.

“Did Mr. Durward meet with your approval?” Robert said, looking up from the book he was reading near the hearth.

Faith nodded as she sat down in the chair across from him.

Robert snapped his book closed and sat up straighter. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?” She knew what he meant.

“You are quiet, and if I am not mistaken, it looks as if you have been crying.” He pointed to his eye. “Your eyes are not as clear as they should be.”

Faith blew out a breath and flopped backward in her chair. “He knows it was me.”

“Bertram knows you were the one who cared for him?”

Faith nodded. “He was grateful, of course.” Grateful enough to almost kiss her until he thought better of it.

“Does he know that you saw him undressed?”

Faith shook her head. “Although I would venture, he will eventually figure that out as well. I mentioned his gash.” She shook her head again, this time in reproach of her careless mistake.

Robert groaned.

“I know,” Faith commiserated with her brother.

The gash was located above Mr. Bertram’s knee. There was no way for her to have seen it unless he was not wearing breeches. And sooner or later he would deduce that the poultices which had warmed his chest were likely placed there by her as well.

“He will not tell anyone.”

“Well,” said Robert, “I should hope not, but if he does, then I shall have to insist he saves your reputation just as you saved his life.”

“I will not be forced on any man, Robert.”

“You may have no choice, and there are far less agreeable men upon whom you could be foisted, you know.”

Despite the heaviness which lay on her heart, Faith chuckled at the way her brother folded his hands across his middle and looked every inch like her father when he was preparing to lecture one of his offspring. Most often it had been Robert.

“I know,” she said.

The room fell silent until, finally, Faith admitted what was pressing so heavily on her. “I am not opposed to being tied to Mr. Bertram.” She cared for him and not just as a friend. She had not known it until he had almost kissed her, and from the way her heart hurt, there was no denying it now.

Her brother’s eyebrows sprang toward his hairline.

“I am opposed to him being tied to me.” She bit her quivering lower lip and shrugged. “I think I shall take a rest before dinner.” She rose and crossed to the door. “Actually, I think I shall have a bath and then eat my dinner in my room before going to bed early.”

“Faith,” her brother called to her.

She turned and smiled quickly at him. “I know. You think any gentleman would be fortunate to have me, but you are my brother. Your judgement is skewed.”

“It is not skewed. You are annoying, but you are also quite wonderful,” he called after her, causing her to smile once again.

If only Mr. Bertram thought she was as wonderful as her brother did. She would know soon, she supposed. If he did indeed call on her as he claimed he wished to do, then and only then, would she allow herself to hope.

~*~*~

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