Sweet Regency Romance – Page 33

Music Monday: Dulce Mirada (Michael Ortega)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY MICHAEL ORTEGA ON NOVEMBER 3, 2019

When I heard this song on a day when I was working on finding music to pair with stories, I knew I wanted to share it, and when I turned my mind to what story might pair well with this song, His Beautiful Bea came to mind first. I just think that the song has the same sort of feel that His Beautiful Bea has. It’s soft and lovely with a touch of sadness that is lifted up and turned into something far better than what was lost by true love. Hopefully, that explanation makes sense to more people than just me. LOL

Just a note before you read: His Beautiful Bea is a novella of 8 chapters. I am sharing chapter 6. Those facts should let you know that there may be some spoilers in here for those who have not read this story already. 😉

His Beautiful Bea, Chapter 6

For two long and tiresome days, Beatrice was confined to either a sofa in the sitting room at Heathcote or a bench in the garden. Her mother was not known to coddle her children, but she was not the sort who foolishly flouted precautions, especially when it came to Beatrice. Having nearly lost her daughter to a fever when Bea was just eleven, Mrs. Tierney stuck firmly to all prescribed restrictions, and a turned ankle that showed signs of bruising required, according to Bea’s mother, a full two days of rest with little walking. Mrs. Tierney would not confine Bea to her bed, but she would not have her hobbling about ─ not even with a cane. Bea was to rest with her foot on a pillow.

It was, therefore, a happy morning on the third day when Bea could rise from bed and take a walk around the garden — a short walk around the garden, one that would not aggravate her injury. Her mother’s words and expression when giving her directives had been stern, and Bea knew better than to disobey.

So it was that Bea was in the garden near the hedge when her brother, Graeme, and Shelton returned from their ride.

“Miss Tierney!” Shelton doffed his hat and greeted her from where he sat on his horse. “I missed our rematch. I am confident I could have been victorious today.”

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.

Riding Stables of Royal Pavilion, 1826

There is no Thursday’s 300 chapter tomorrow, so today’s visual inspiration goes along with Her Heart’s Choice, Choices (book 4). The hero, Madoch, is keeping a secret from the heroine, Anne, and this is from the scene where she discovers that secret.

“In case you were wondering, I will not marry a man with a mistress, nor will I become one.”

Blackmoore laughed. “I would not attempt to suggest such. I felt the way Madoch protected you the last time we met, and I have endured his glares all evening.” He shook his head as he continued to chuckle. “No, no, he is not someone with whom I wish to tangle. I fear I would not win.”

The comment surprised Anne. “I beg your pardon, but I do not understand your meaning. What exactly makes a man who cares for horses someone who must be feared?” Alex was not a small or retiring man, but he was not a brute either. How he could inspire such a reaction in a gentleman who was his superior in rank was beyond her comprehension.

Blackmoore laughed once again. “His connections, my dear, his connections. It is not that he cares for horses but for whose horses he cares.”

Find the Choices Series at your favourite retailer.

Music Monday: Single Man (High Valley)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY HIGH VALLEY ON APRIL 29, 2019

I love this song, and I love this group’s music. Before you press play, you might want to know that the video, in my opinion, tells a lovely, but sad, story.

Now on to the reason I am sharing this song today. Every time I hear this play on the radio or my Spotify playlist, it always brings to mind the stories I have written where the “bad boy” finds his life of chasing a good time is just not as fulling as it once was.

And do you know which bad boy pops to mind first? Charles Edwards, the hero of Charles: To Discover His Purpose. That’s probably because he’s the most unapologetic about his roguish behaviour when the story starts. In fact, his whole purpose of hanging around the heroine, Evelyn, when the story begins is so that he can steal a kiss from her. Of course, this being a romance, you know he’s going to figure out that he wants a whole lot more than a kiss.

In the chapter I am sharing from that story today, Charles is still just that single man looking for a good time.

Charles: To Discover His Purpose, Ch. 3

Charles breathed a sigh of relief as he entered the saloon on his way to the Lintons’ box. It had been a challenge to squeeze past people without being noticed too much.

“Edwards.” His long-time friend, Trefor Linton, drew up beside him. “You are not invisible no matter how you turn your collar or duck your head.” There was a hint of a laugh in his friend’s voice. “I have heard three young ladies tittering as you passed them.”

“I imagine I look a fright to them.”

“No,” said Constance, making her presence behind Charles known. “They seem to be in awe of your noble deed.”

Charles stopped and turned. “Are you certain?”

The Saturday Broadsheet: Just one more chapter…

Those four words are soooo dangerous! I have a dreadful time stopping anywhere before the end of a book — I always have. These four words played a part in what I did and did not get done this week. 🙂

Writing Life

Due, in part, to some poor choices on my part 😉 — see the info about reading past my bedtime at the bottom of this newsletter — I got less written this week than I had wanted.

The other part of the not getting as much done as wanted is that with all the things I am doing this year and things I have been learning about and experimenting with, I am finding my writing process is shifting somewhat. I used to reread what was written the day before and then jump right into the new chapter.