Music Monday – Page 9

Music Monday: One of a Kind (Ronan Keating, Emeli Sande)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY RONANKEATINGOFFICIAL ON FEB 26, 2020.

It is the chorus of this song that made me think of the story from which I am sharing today. This story is a short novella that starts with an accepted offer of marriage that has been years waiting to be given. The reason for those five long years of separation for our dear couple…well, read the first chapter and you’ll find out. 😉

Finally Mrs. Darcy, Ch. 1

Elizabeth took in the splendor of the ballroom. It was far grander than she had ever experienced. The walls were decorated with portraits and landscapes, one standing alongside the next with others over and below them. Four large chandeliers twinkled, their brilliance reflected in several mirrors that hung amongst the paintings. Down the length of the room to her left, doors opened into the house, while on her right were grand doors framed by pillars and heavy drapes leading into the garden. At the far end of the room, a small group of musicians was pausing between dances, and on the floor, only a few chalk flowers remained distinguishable. She no longer felt overdressed, though, she did still feel strange wearing colour after so long in mourning clothes.

“Come, my dear.” Her uncle, Gareth Amberly, took her elbow. “There are people to meet.”

Elizabeth put a smile on her face and nodded. At one time, she had enjoyed meeting people. It had been amusing to watch their interactions and make judgments about their character, but that was before she had discovered how very little she knew about judging character.

They had stopped about halfway down the length of the left side of the ballroom. Her uncle lifted onto his toes, stretching his neck this way and that as if searching for someone in particular. Inwardly, Elizabeth sighed and turned to admire a painting of a young woman with a small child on her lap and another standing just behind her shoulder.

Uncle Gareth had been eagerly talking about this ball for a fortnight. He was worse than Lydia for excitement and equaled her mother for chatter about this or that gentleman. She tilted her head and wistfully examined the face of the young child. No matter how she might long for a family of her own, Uncle Gareth was far more eager to see her remarried than she was.

Although her time in town had helped her spirits to lift enough to allow a small glimmer of hope that happiness might be possible, she truly had no desire to marry again…unless… She shook her head. That was hopeless. She had had her chance and squandered it. She was certain that Mr. Darcy had married long ago and to someone more acceptable than she.

Music Monday: How to Impress a Woman (MozART group)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY MOZART GROUP ON MARCH 1, 2018.

My older sister shared this humorous video with me a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it would be a fun one to share on the Monday after Valentine’s Day. 🙂 I also thought it would be fun to pair it with a story with a very different Darcy who, having had his proposal refused and been granted a second chance, is working very diligently to unravel his pride and impress a woman. And today, I am giving you a full chapter just so you can properly meet Darcy’s grandmother and be just as delighted with his change in demeanor as she is. : )

Chapter 6 of Unravelling Mr. Darcy:

Perhaps you might. Remembering Elizabeth’s words from yesterday made Darcy smile as he accepted a cup of tea from his aunt, Lady Matlock. He shrugged in response to the questioning look Richard shot him and turned his attention to his tea.

“I hear Mrs. Anderson’s daughter has refused another suitor,” said Lady Matlock, peering over the teapot and looking at Darcy with a raised brow. “She is a pretty thing. Her taste in gowns is exquisite, and she dances very well.”

Richard guffawed. “That is the fatal shot, Mother dear. Darcy does not care if a lady can dance well, for he intends not to dance more than absolutely required. “

His mother turned to him with a smile. “But you adore dancing, and she is generously dowered.”

Darcy chuckled at the widening of Richard’s eyes and slackening of his mouth.

“I do not adore dancing,” he said stiffly. “I just tolerate it better than Darcy, and so it appears I adore it.”

Music Monday: Remembering You (Robin Spielberg)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY MEOWMEOWBB ON JUNE 25, 2011.

This is one of the songs on my Music to Write By playlist. It’s really pretty and has a wistful romantic air to it. It’s definitely just the right sort of music to get the writing mind working. I have decided to pair it today with this scene from His Darling Friend because Roger shares a sweet little remembrance about Victoria and a frog. Do you remember it from when it was the Sweet Tuesday story last year?

AN EXCERPT FROM His Darling Friend (Chapter 7):

“We will start from the top of the table, of course, with Amelia.” Mrs. Abernathy waited for her daughter to join her where she stood near the door to the drawing room in which all the houseguests were gathered to wait for dinner.

“Shall we see who it is who will dine with you?”

Miss Abernathy said an eager yes as her mother shook a bowl containing several small pieces of paper. She swirled her hand inside the bowl and pulled out a name. “Oh! How delightful! Mr. Carlyle.”

The gentleman straightened his jacket, crossed the room, and offered his arm to Miss Abernathy, whose waited only until her daughter and Mr. Carlyle had left the room before looking around and calling Victoria forward.

Of all the inane ideas! Roger crossed his arms and leaned against the wall near the window. The woman was obviously assigning gentleman dinner partners at random, but she was proceeding through the ladies based on status. Victoria was well-dowered. It was not something she published nor was it a fact she kept secret. He glowered at two gentlemen who had started whispering when Victoria’s name was called. He did not like it. His friend did not need any fortune hunters scampering after her.

“Mr. Clayton,” Mrs. Abernathy said.

Roger blew out a breath. It could be worse. She could have been stuck with Carlyle or one of those whispering gents.

Lady after lady was summoned forward and gentleman after gentleman was assigned as a partner.

“Is this not the best?” Grace said as she took Roger’s arm. “It is such a surprise! I do like surprises.”

“I do not,” Roger replied.

Grace giggled. “I will admit I had hoped I would be assigned someone different.”

“I hear Ainsley has a chit waiting for him at home,” Roger whispered.

Grace’s smile slid into a frown. “Does he indeed?”

“I have not asked him, of course, but that is what I have heard. We should proceed with caution.”

She tipped her head. “What do you mean we?”

Music Monday: Winter Wonderland (Bing Crosby)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY CHRISTMASTIMETV ON OCTOBER 27, 2010

Songs like this make me nostalgic as they were always playing on the record player around Christmas time when I was young. 🙂 I hope you enjoy this Christmas classic.

As I mentioned in the last Monday post (which I wrote yesterday since I am scheduling this ahead of time and taking some work time off over the next two weeks), I have no writing news to share this week — other than to remind you that the Darcy Family Series is only on sale for a couple more days.

Click the image to find out more about the books and to find links for purchasing.

Since I have no writing news this week, I wanted to share something of interest with you.

I like watching videos on YouTube — especially educational sorts of videos like the one below. Not all that long ago I discovered these short 18th-century cooking videos. I love how they bring to life how things were done hundreds of years ago, and it helps me visualize the lives of my characters a bit better to see the work that went into eating and the variety of foods that might have been eaten.

The recipe in this video is an English recipe, and the cookbook in which it can be found is mentioned in the video and is also listed in this blog post on the website mentioned in this video. (The recipe book is a free ebook on Google Play.)

I thought a Christmas pie recipe would be appropriate to share considering the time of year it is. 🙂 (And his little girl in this video is just adorable.)

And not only am I going to share the above video with you today, but I am also going to share a portion from chapter 12 of For Peace of Mind — which my second published book and the book which first led me to start collecting old cookbooks in my Google Books Library. 🙂

At the beginning of this scene in which Darcy and Elizabeth exchange gifts, it mentions that the Bennets are expecting guests for a Christmas Eve dinner. I suppose it is entirely possible that they might have served a Christmas Pie on such an occasion, don’t you?

AN EXCERPT FROM For Peace of Mind:

Music Monday: Angels from the Realms of Glory – The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens and David Archuleta

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY PETER HOLLENS ON DECEMBER 14, 2014.

Christmas is almost here at the Brown residence. It won’t be an elaborate day of festivities. We tend to take a low key approach to the holiday. There will be presents — just a few, but not many — which we will unwrap once we ease our way into the day at a rather late hour. This will be followed by a Christmas breakfast with far too many indulgent items, and then later in the day, we will have a turkey dinner. It’s a lovely, relaxing day of rest for us — unless, of course, my husband has a job which must be completed when businesses are closed.

(He owns a cleaning business, and I have sat reading a book in the car as I waited for him to put a coat of wax on a floor before taking a drive to look at the Christmas lights while that coat of wax dries. Then, he’ll slip in another coat before we head home.)

For the next couple of weeks, I am intending to take it a bit easier than I normally do. I will still be writing and editing and such but at a more relaxed pace.