Music Monday: You Are (Aaron Goodvin)

Lucy’s hand flew to her heart and her eyes grew wide. “So much? Surely, that was not necessary.”

Philip took the items from her and placed them on the desk before taking her hands and drawing her to her feet and into his embrace. “For you, Mrs. Dobney, there is no price too high.”

“But…”

He placed a finger on her lips to stop her protest. “I have already had this argument with Darcy, and I assure you that neither he nor you will convince me that the money was spent in vain, for it has bought back your things and, I hope, something far more valuable, your peace. From this day forward, there is nothing left of what your uncle did which can harm you.”

She squeezed him tightly. “How can I ever thank you for such a thoughtful gift?”

He looked down into her eyes, which were peering up at him. “Love me, always, just as you do now.”

She shook her head and smiled at him. “I cannot promise not to love you more with every passing day, but I will always, always love you.”

[from And Then Love, book 1 in the Willow Hall Romance Series]

Published to YouTube by Aaron Goodvin on October 4, 2018.

This song was an earworm for me last week, and so I decided to share it with you. So thoughtful of me, I know. LOL It’s a sweet song with a catchy tune that I heard played a couple of times on the radio as I was making supper last week, and it stuck.

Above the video is an excerpt from one of my already published books, And Then Love. The excerpt is from the ending but had the right feel to go with the song today. If you have read that story, you might remember that Lucy approaches Phillip to ask him to marry her so she will not have to go live with a horrible uncle. He decides to help her, and over the course of the book comes to realize that marrying her is the best decision he has ever made.

[A little side note: When I say horrible uncle here, I mean nearly as bad as they come. I tapped into my dark side for a couple of characters in the Willow Hall Romance series, and Lucy’s uncle was one of them. As bad as they come is reserved for another despicable character in this series.]

Along with humming or singing the above song throughout last week, I also managed to get a good bit of writing done.

Tom: To Secure His Legacy is not quite finished, but it is so close to being done. I’m hopeful that three more chapters will complete it. Therefore, it should be done by the end of Friday. I hope to get three chapters of this story posted at Patreon this week instead of the two chapters I have been doing.

(Oh! You might be interested in the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, as well as Mrs. Darcy’s sister Kitty, showed up in one chapter of what I wrote for Tom’s story this week. The Mr. and Mrs. Darcy here are the ones from Two Days Before Christmas. I figured I should clarify that since I have several stories which end with a Mr. and Mrs. Darcy.)

Roger’s story now has three chapters, and if I get one more written this week (which is the plan), then that story will begin posting on Tuesdays here on my blog. If you look at the menu options, you will see that Sweet Tuesdays has been added as a choice. However, there are no posts there yet. I just needed to set up the link so I could tag it at the beginning of each chapter for those who might need to go back and read previous chapters.

I have a title for the story, and if you are on my mailing list, you will receive a January update from me that will share that title with you. Everyone else will have to wait until next Monday when I share it here. 🙂 [hint but not a very good one: The title is three words long and is a reference to something that is said in Emma.]

Those are the stories in progress with the most news. The other writing I did was…

I wrote another chapter of Loving Lydia, and a few hundred words of Apple Blossoms got dictated this week. Nothing very interesting or new is happening with those stories right now. (Well, news-wise. Story-wise there is interesting stuff happening with both. But I can’t tell you about that just yet. 😉 )

On quick reminder that the Kobo 40% off boxset sale ends on February 3 at 11:59 PM EST. The promo code to enter at check out is 40JAN. The two box sets which I have in this promotion are

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

And now for…

AN EXCERPT FROM Tom: To Secure His Legacy:

(This is from near the end of the story, so read at your own risk as it could contain some spoilers.) 

“Bertram,” Durward called to Tom just as he and Faith had entered the hall.

“I will be just a moment. You may explore while you wait, Miss Eldridge.”

“I will wander toward the front of the store,” Faith told him before he ducked back into the office.

“You would do well to keep your financial advisor even after your accounts are in order.”

That was what his friend had called him back to tell him?

“She is charming,” Waller agreed.

“And smart. What other lady would make a list of all the same things I did when first considering what must be done to get this establishment underway. I’ve no doubt Mansfield would tick along in a well-managed fashion with her by your side,” Gabe added.

Tom shook his head. Of course, Gabe would see the practical side.

“And,” Gabe smirked, “you seem rather smitten.”

“Excessively,” Tom agreed. “Therefore, you fellows had best get this place making money soon so that I can keep her forever.”

Gabe settled back into his chair, looking very pleased. “And then we can see to Waller here.”

“Waller will not refuse the assistance,” Waller said, causing both Tom and Gabe to chuckle.

Tom said farewell to the gentlemen and hurried through the corridor to the front of the building to find Faith. She was standing near one of the cases, talking to a carpenter who was studying his handiwork.

“The cornice makes it look quite elegant, does it not?” she asked as Tom approached.

“Indeed, it does.”

“There is a grove for the plates to stand in, and then a small ledge standing up here to keep the cups from being knocked off,” the carpenter explained, running his finger along the edge of the shelf.”

“I would not have noticed the ledge if you had not shown it to me! It is very clever.” She took Tom’s arm and thanked the carpenter for allowing her to ask questions.

“That man was telling me that Mr. Durward will have tea sets displayed next to the tea caddies.”

“And you approve of this?” He could tell by the excitement in her voice that she did, but he asked anyway.

“Of all of it,” she answered. “The tea caddies, the glassware, the storerooms, the whole thing. That is why you brought me here, is it not?”

Tom opened the door for her and allowed her to exit before him. “Yes,” was all he said in answer to her question.

“Why?”

Of course, a lady like Miss Eldridge would not be satisfied with a simple answer. She was curious. Tom was uncertain if he could give her a satisfactory answer, but he determined to try as he helped her into the carriage before taking his seat.

She tucked his cane between her leg and his.

“I still desire your approval.” He shrugged. “And I thought it might ease your mind. I know you have said that you approve of the venture, but it was only a concept. Seeing the objects makes it more real.”

“And more exciting?” Her eyes were filled with amusement.

“To me, yes.” There was something about seeing a plan such as this take shape that was exhilarating.

“To me as well,” she replied. She moved his cane to her other side and scooted just that much closer to him.

If he shifted, which he did, his leg could touch hers. The excitement of the store that now stood behind them was nothing to the sensation of being so close to her. This venture needed to succeed and soon, for he was uncertain how long he was willing to wait to have her as his wife.

~*~*~

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