Music Monday: Unsafe Haven (Simply Three)

Georgiana clung to Elizabeth.  “You were so brave.  I could not even look at them.”

“I was not brave, Georgiana.  I was angry.  I am angry.   Come, we should try to get some rest.”  She pulled the young girl onto the bed with her, wrapping her in her arms.  “Your brother will find us.”  Elizabeth ran her hand gently over Georgiana’s hair smoothing it away from her face with a soothing caress.  Soon, she could hear the steady breathing of a sleeping child.  It was only then that Elizabeth allowed her body to tremble and a tear to escape her eye before drifting off to sleep.

[from Oxford Cottage]

Note: For those who might be sensitive to flashes of light, the video is very "flashy."

Published to YouTube by Simply Three on September 22, 2017

From the title of the video and the excerpt from Oxford Cottage, can you tell what sort of tone the excerpt from Mary: To Protect Her Heart might have? 😉

This will be the last excerpt from Mary’s story that will be shared on my Monday posts, and I am leaving you with a bit of a spoiler from the portion of the story when trouble starts to brew and bubble over. But before I get to that, I have some exciting…

WRITING NEWS:

First, I want to tell you that there will not be a Wednesday post this week. I just did not have enough time to get everything done over the weekend, and so that is the item that got cut off the to-do list.

Second, I have an Austen Author’s post tomorrow. There will be an excerpt from and a chance to win a copy of Mary: To Protect Her Heart included in that post.

Third, I am not sure if all the stores will reflect this price at the time when this blog post goes live or not, but both Henry’s and Charles’s stories are on sale for $2.99 USD with other currencies adjusted accordingly. These will be on sale until Mary’s story publishes. And that info brings me to…

Fourth, Mary: To Protect Her Heart will be on pre-order by the end of the week. I have finished first round edits, and it has been sent to my first editor. I believe the publication date will be December 10, 2018.

Fifth, I have also finished first round edits on Nature’s Fury and Delights: Thunder, Mist, and Frost! They will be sold in a bundle of three novelettes instead of individually. I do not have the publication date set at this point. Mary has to be attended to first, so by next week, I should have a date for you. (Should being the important word there 😉 )

I did no new story writing this past week as I spent all my time editing, so there will not be a story excerpt with next Monday’s post, and at this point, I am not sure when I will be ready to start sharing from a new story as I haven’t gotten anything started. I have Loving Lydia on the to-write list as one of my next projects so that can be ready to start posting on Thursday’s in January, but I haven’t even thought about which other project will be started at the same time. It could be Tom Bertram’s story or something completely different. I’ll be giving that some thought this week.

In addition to the editing I was doing this week, I was also finalizing ebook covers for the two upcoming releases. And here is the first look at those covers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now for that last…

STORY EXCERPT FROM Mary: To Protect Her Heart:

“It is always best to deal with the nefarious before they can spin their web too wide. Unless, of course, you cannot find the nefarious creature.” He pushed his books forward.

“Are you still missing money?”

Gabe nodded. He had explained to Tom last night how he had noticed about a month ago that the accounts were not adding up as they should – as they always had in the past.

“And your partners? Have you spoken to them?”

Again, Gabe nodded. “They are going to scour the books starting tomorrow. I have one last day to discover my error, or it is going to look very much like I have made the money go missing.”

“But you are the one who reported it! A thief does not point out his pilfering.”

If only that was what all of his partners believed, but from the whispers he had heard since telling them of the discrepancy this morning, they did not. He blew out a breath. “Well, if that report had kept my name out of it as the person who found and returned the brooch, perhaps everyone would believe as you do.”

“You cannot be serious!” Tom cried.

“But I am. I have heard a few snatches of conversations that tell me there are those who think I am only reporting the missing funds because I am afraid I will get caught – just as I returned that brooch once I knew that Lady St. James had noticed it was missing.”

“But you had no way of knowing that Lady St. James was going to report the brooch as stolen! You did not even know it was hers, and you turned it in at Bow Street before she even made her report.”

“I know that, but you know how things can be twisted by those who are not fond of you.”

Tom reluctantly agreed. Both he and Gabe knew that there were many in society who twisted and turned information for their purpose.

“My position in the business is tenuous at present,” Gabe admitted. “I planned to make my break from my partners soon, but I had hoped to claim one more prize before doing so. I can sustain the blow if I am asked to depart, but it will not be as easily done as if I left on my own terms and without having to repay the money that is missing.” He sucked in another breath. Being dismissed and having to repay funds was the best option. “Of course, if they decide to pull me into Old Bailey’s, the outcome would be even worse, which is why I have asked you to join me today.”

He rose and closed the door. He did not need to have anyone who happened to pass by hearing what he had to say, and he could hear distant footsteps in the corridor.

“I have created a list of items that will need someone to look after them if I cannot.  There is information here and instructions regarding my finances, but the most important are the last two items.” He handed the list to Tom. “I know it is a lot to ask, but if you could in some way see that Mother is settled into a comfortable place.” He swallowed against the emotions that saying such a thing necessarily roused in him. “And then, there is the matter of that ring I showed you last night. I wish for Miss Crawford to have it no matter what becomes of me. I want her to know that I truly did care for her.” He shook his head. “You will have to convince her that I did not steal anything, or she will likely not take the ring as she has no desire to be reminded of yet another untrustworthy gentleman.”

He scrubbed his face. In all of this, he worried the most about Mary. She had just come to trust him. If these lies were to be spread widely and reach her, that fledgling trust would be destroyed and most likely irreparably. He shook his head, unwilling to contemplate it further.

Tom looked over the list before folding it and putting it in his pocket while assuring Gabe that he would see everything was done that was necessary. “But I cannot see it being a necessity. A repayment of funds, I can see, but you have worked with these men for three years now! They must know how concerned you are about seeing things done correctly.”

“They are also put out with me after our difference of opinion on the number of crew members to send on the next voyage.”

“But to the point of consigning your life away?” Tom gave him a look of utter disbelief.

“I just want to be prepared for all eventualities, and we have taken on three new partners in the last year. None of them have put up as much money as I have, but they seem eager to challenge me for the position.”

~*~*~

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