Below are two videos that highlight an instrument that was just being developed and becoming quite the “hot new” thing during the early 1800s. It is called a harp-lute.
This first video is of a lady singing “The Last Rose of Summer” while playing the harp-lute. I thought the video was such a good one to inspire the imagination of what music in the drawing room might have looked and sounded like.
And the second video is an informational video telling a bit about the history of the instrument and showing how it is played.
The story I have chosen to pair with today’s musical selection is Protecting Miss Darcy. The excerpt below is from a conversation Alfred Langley has with his aunt (Lorcan Langley’s mother, hero of Cherishing Kitty) about the prettiest flower in the garden. 🙂
That’s right, Alfred, you just keep telling yourself that Georgiana is only your friend. No one is believing that besides you and Georgiana. 😉
I thought today, we would take a look at another instrument that might have been in Georgiana’s music room (the oboe) and some music from a composer who not only wrote music for oboes, but also for piano. I’m sure Georgiana might have had some sheets of his music in her music folder.
The first video (above) introduces you to the oboe that was in use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The second video (below) is a short piece that was composed by Haydn for the oboe. Can you imagine the delight and enjoyment that Georgiana and her brother would have gotten from going to a concert and listening to something like this?
This excerpt is from a book (Cherishing Kitty) that stars Kitty Bennet, but her dearest friend in this series is Georgiana. Therefore, Georgiana plays a role in Kitty’s journey to happily ever after.
Here they are talking about Georgiana’s upcoming season. Georgiana’s story (Protecting Miss Darcy) follows Kitty’s story and leads up to her season.
Georgiana does begin her study of character with Mr. Alfred Langley… and spoiler alert… she also ends it with him. The path from here to there, however, is not a pain-free one. 🙂
I know it is Halloween tomorrow, but at my house during writing hours, it’s Christmas — or just about Christmas. My story timeline is currently in early December, but Georgiana’s plans to give her brother a wonderful Christmas gift are well underway. So, as I have been transitioning from editing Becoming Entangled (which I just sent off to my first editor yay) to writing time, I have been indulging in a few Christmas songs, such as the one below, to help me shift mental gears.
While the music that plays while I write must be only instrumental, I find songs that have great lyrics — especially ones that tell a love story — to be very useful in getting my imagination working. This song is one of those sorts of songs. It tells a sweet story, and, though it is a song by a Canadian country artist, it has a 1950s feel to it that, in my opinion, adds both to the enjoyment of listening and to the story itself. Without looking at the video, the words and music style create for me a great mental image of a couple in love and dancing in a darkened coffee shop with the chairs put up and the tables pushed back.
As I mentioned above Becoming Entangled is one step further down the publication trail. I have a sticky note marking November 21 as a tentative release day. It’s a fun story, and I am eager to share it with you all.
Of course, the fact that I have finished my first round of edits means my editing timeslot will be open for a few days. I haven’t decided yet if I will use that time to double up on my Christmas story, add to Confounding Caroline, begin another story starring Georgiana that will follow Becoming Entangled as a second sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy, or pick out one of my other many projects that are just waiting for attention. So many choices! 🙂 I’m thinking that I will likely put in extra time on Two Days before Christmas, but I am not making any promises. 🙂 I’ll have to let you know next week. For now, I will leave you with a sample from this week’s writing.
AN EXCERPT FROM Two Days before Christmas:
“Georgiana,” Darcy called as his sister passed the door to his study later that day.
Georgiana took four more steps before stopping and abandoning her plan to ignore his summons. There was no need to stir his ire any further; he was likely angry enough with her for her recent behaviour. She had not seen him scowl as much as he had during Caroline and Louisa’s call in a very long time.
“You wished to see me?” she asked from the doorway.
“Come in and sit down.” He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to comply. “Your behavior today was quite disturbing.”
Georgiana bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze to her hands.
“It is completely unacceptable for you to speak as you did — and in front of guests!” He rose and came to stand before her. “It was disrespectful. I expect so much more from you. Where have I erred?”
Georgiana peeked up at him. He was propped against his desk with his arms folded across his chest, looking down at her with such a sad expression that it nearly destroyed her determination to press her point. However, if she truly wished to see that heartbroken look in his eyes removed forever, she must not waiver. Therefore, looking down once again at her hands, which were nervously twisting in her lap, she answered. “Our parents, as well as you yourself, have taught me that a Darcy’s word is to be steadfast. I am to consider promises carefully before I make them because a promise should not be broken save for the noblest of reasons.”
“This is true,” Darcy muttered.
Georgiana lifted her eyes to his. “That is where you have erred. You promised Mr. Bingley that if he leased Netherfield, you would spend the autumn and most of the winter seeing that he had things well-in-hand before Easter, yet you have come home and refuse to return to Netherfield for who knows what reason.” She lifted a brow. “I truly do not believe it is to save him from a lady who is beneath him.”
“None of that explains your behaviour.”
“No, it does not,” Georgiana agreed. “But it is my answer to your question. You have not erred with me. I know my behavior was wanting and drastically so. However, it seemed the best way to capture your attention and get you to listen to me.” She stood and placed her hands on his folded arms. “You are my brother, and I love you with all my heart and hold you in the highest regard. You have cared well for me. You have even saved me from certain ruin. I wish to repay your kindness if only I knew how.”
He pulled his arms out from under her grasp and opened them wide to her in invitation. Gladly she stepped into his embrace.
“Let me love you,” she whispered. “Allow me to care for you and to point out your errors when I see them. I am not the foolish girl I once was.” She lay her head against his broad chest and listened to him pull in a deep breath and expel it in a whoosh.
“We are all fools at times,” he murmured as he squeezed her tight. “If there was a way for you to assist me with my current dilemma, I would gladly seek your help, but I fear there is not.”
“You will not keep your promise to Bingley?” she asked quietly.
He sighed. “Your point was valid. I shall consider it.”
“Are you still leaving?”
His grip on her tightened. “I do not know. I long to leave, to be far away from…” his voice trailed off and the room was silent for half a minute. “I will consider staying, but I cannot promise beyond that.”
“I am sorry,” she said.
“You are forgiven,” he replied.
She shook her head as he released her. “Not just for my behaviour.”
“Then what?” he asked as she moved toward the door.
“That I could not save your heart from breaking.” She smiled a sad, knowing smile at him as she said the words that he had repeated to her over and over again after her ordeal with Wickham. He stood quietly, looking at her as if he was uncertain if he should acknowledge that what she had said was true or false. “It is in your eyes, Fitzwilliam. Your heartache is in your eyes,” she whispered and took her leave.
Below is a piece of music that Georgiana might have had in her music room since Ludwig van Beethoven completed Moonlight Sonata in 1801. This version of that sonata happened to be included on a CD that I picked up recently at a thrift store and has been playing in the background during part of my writing time this past week.
While my blog might have sat idle this past week, my fingers have not. I had a great week of writing, even after taking time off for Thanksgiving. There are perhaps a few projects that are not as far along as I would like them to be, but the short pause was refreshing. As of today, the blog is returning to its regular posting schedule, and, as promised, a new story, Confounding Caroline, will begin posting this Thursday.
If you look in the Thursday’s Three Hundred section, you will see that it is currently empty. That is because I have removed With the Colonel’s Help as I move down my publication checklist and get the book ready for release in just a couple of weeks. I had hoped to get a short preorder set up, but it’s not looking promising. However, the publication date of October 26 for the ebook version looks to be on schedule with the print version to follow shortly thereafter.
I was also able to complete the first draft of Becoming Entangled, the sequel to Unravelling Mr. Darcy. I will share an excerpt from that below. I expect this story to be published by the end of November — maybe in time for American Thanksgiving. We shall see.
I have started a brand new story called Two Days before Christmas, which features a spunky Georgiana whose Christmas wish is to see her brother happy even if it means doing some meddling. I am just a few thousand words into that one and would like one more week with it before sharing any excerpts. Of course, that means you will get a peek at that next Monday.
