January 11, 2025
Happy New Year!!
I hope yours has started off well. Mine started with car repairs, so a small auto repair bill was one of the first things I acquired this year. LOL It was the battery, so it wasn’t too bad, and it’s running again.
Actually, my car didn’t start on Christmas Eve when we went to drive to church. So, we had to take my husband’s work van. He had to be there since he was running the sound for the night. And then, with all the days that the garage was closed over the holidays, we couldn’t get it in until the new year.
Other than that, our holidays were good.
Oh! And in health news… for those who know, I’ve been struggling with long covid things for about 2.5 years now. But this past month and moving into January, I’ve noticed some great improvements. I can work and read longer now. My brain fog is much, much less than it was. My nervous system seems to respond to relaxation techniques and recovers from exertion better than it was.
And that means, I’ve started VERY slowly adding some treadmill walking back into my life. I’ve tried to add it in before and had some setbacks, but this time, my body seems to be accepting it. (Except for a few sleep disturbances on days when I walk.) That’s why I’m going so slowly as I add it back in.
Currently, I’m walking 5 minutes and 5 seconds. Like I said, I’m taking it in tiny steps. Next week, maybe I’ll make that five minutes and 10 seconds and see how that goes. When I started my breathing and stretching exercises, I did the same thing – went very slowly – and my body adapted fairly easily to each new increase in time and effort.
My goal is to be able to take some walks in the woods and down various trails by summer. (Even if they are only short walks, it will still feel like I’m getting my life back.)
That’s it for my personal stuff. I’ll now shift into the writing and book related things that are normal for my monthly newsletters. Remember that there is a new installment to the Harriet and the Colonel story at the bottom of this Broadsheet, so don’t stop scrolling before you get to that. 🙂
Enjoy!
Leenie
In writing news…
I got my files for the new release turned in before the preorder window closed, and How to Marry an Accomplished Lady released without a hitch.
Thank you to all those who preordered or have purchased a copy after the launch date. And an extra thank you to all those who have read and reviewed the book, whether you were part of my review team or not.
Currently, my writing projects are my next Annilee Nelson novel and the sequel to How to Marry an Accomplished Lady. I haven’t done much planning for writing projects beyond those right now. I’ll get that planning done in the next week or two.
On YouTube
Along with the launch of the new ebook, I’ve gotten a new audiobook completed and added to both YouTube and Kobo/Kobo Plus. That book is A Very Mary Christmas. That makes three audiobooks that I’ve gotten finished and published.
On Patreon
And I’ve been working on making some changes to my Patreon page. Not all of them have been made or even decided upon, but for now here’s what I have
I’ve decided to make my Patreon membership into a pay what you want subscription. All the tiers will have all the same benefits for membership. That way, each reader can decide for themselves what they think the value of the membership is for them and how much they can fit into their budget.
Currently, membership benefits are as follows:
- Early access to all my books (as I write them and as a download before they are available on any retailers)
- Binge my backlist of published books online or in the Patreon app (This is all my non-KU books. If you watched my Wednesday video, you know that this might change some as I am considering a free downloadable book via the Bookfunnel app each month.)
- Add an ebook to your digital library: Receive a digital copy of all the stories posted during your patronage to fill your digital bookshelves (again this will change if/when I start sharing a downloadable book link each month)
- Audiobooks without ads (via the Bookfunnel app – currently, I’ve got a link to Finally Mrs. Dacy available. Waking to Mr. Darcy and A Very Mary Christmas will be available before the end of the month.)
- Community Chat (coming in 2025 – probably next week)
I will still have a novelette or series starter available for all members (paid and unpaid) to read each month. This month’s free read is…
Henry’s story can be found in the Collections tab at Patreon, and it is also free on all retailers until the end of January.
Mr. Darcy’s Comfort is only available on Amazon, but Mary: To Protect Her Heart is on sale everywhere with all currencies reduced.
SOMETHING NEW TO READ
And now for another installment of Harriet and the Colonel. (Previous installments can be found by clicking here.)
Chapter 4 (part 1)
Harriet poured a cup of tea for her sister, before filling her own cup and taking a seat at the small table in her private sitting room. The knocker had been removed from the door earlier that morning – approximately the same time that her brother had discovered her secret mission the day before. He thought he was punishing her, but truly, she was happy for it. This way, she did not have to pretend to be interested in any of the gentlemen who might come to call.
She smiled as she took a sip of her tea. “Edmund has agreed to allow the colonel to offer for me.”
“He has what?” Samantha’s features were the very personification of the word astonishment.
“He has finally seen reason.” That was how she chose to view the events of the past few days – they were merely a lesson in reasonableness for her dear brother. “And he has been restored to the position of my favourite brother.” She placed her teacup gently on its saucer. “Although, I do believe, you might be his favourite sister at present.” She chuckled softly. Edmund would eventually forgive her for her antagonism.
“Please, do tell, dear sister. In what adventures have you engaged since I last saw you?” Samantha asked eagerly. “I find that since I married, I must do all my adventuring from the safety of a sitting room through tales that the less restricted get to live.” She laughed right along with Harriet at such a melodramatic comment.
Samantha may be married, but she still found time to join Harriet in a few fun pursuits now and then. That would likely change once her child was born, but Harriet did not wish to think about that at the moment.
“Whatever you have done must be quite spectacular,” Samantha continued. “I did not expect Edmund to acquiesce so quickly. I knew it would happen, but I expected it to be closer to Christmas than Michaelmas.”
“I found Father’s watch, and I must thank you for the use of your hair comb for your ball. Please remind me to give it back to you before you leave.”
Her sister’s mouth popped open in surprise and then, closed as her brow furrowed. “Do those two things go together?”
Harriet nodded.
“And you found Father’s watch? The one that Andrew lost when he was killed?”
Again, Harriet nodded. “The design on your hair comb matches very closely the design on the watch case.” She lifted one shoulder and let it fall in a half shrug. “I used it to describe the sort of design I was looking for in a watch.”
One eyebrow arched over a pointed look. “I assume you were not shopping on Bond Street.”
Harriet shook her head. “Jimmy and I took a short tour of the area where Andrew was found. There is a small shop there that buys items from those in need and then resells them for a profit.”
“You visited a pawnbroker?”
“Shhhh. We do not need the whole house to know.”
“A pawnbroker? Harriet!” Samantha shook her head. “I am glad you at least had enough sense to take Jimmy with you.”
“It was not a pawnbroker as you might be imagining. The owner’s shop looks like any other, but I had heard whispers about special items being held in the back.”
“And so, you inquired if there was anything that matched your – my – hair comb that was not in one of the cases in the front of the store. Do I have the right of it?” Samantha asked.
“You are precisely correct. I simply could not believe my good fortune when the man presented his selection of goods and there was the very piece for which I was looking.”
“You did not look too eager to have it, did you?”
“Oh, no,” Harriet assured Samantha. “I did as mother used to do when she knew what she wanted but did not want us to know what it was that she wanted. I examined the ones I did not want before settling upon the one I truly wanted.”
Samantha sighed. “She was such a good mother. Loving. Cunning. And not without a sense of fun and adventure. I do hope I can be as good a mother as she was.”
Harriet took her sister’s hand. “You will be. I absolutely know you will be, for you were the best older sister for which a girl, such as myself, could ever ask.”
“Thank you. I admit to being quite nervous about it. It is silly I suppose to be nervous so soon. You can barely tell I am increasing, and yet, I feel so strongly that I must protect this child and do right by him or her.” Samantha waved the thought away. “But do not let my nerves keep you from telling me how finding Father’s watch led to Edmund capitulating.”
“Well, I saved it in my room until bedtime. Then, when I had heard Edmund close the door to his bedchamber, I quietly and carefully placed it on his desk for him to discover this morning, which is why the knocker was not on the door, why you had to use the servant’s entrance to see me, and why we are taking tea here and not in one of the family sitting rooms.”
“Oh, but the knocker was just being returned to the door when I arrived. It seems your punishment was not as long as supposed.” She smirked. “Or our brother has finally realized that allowing other gentlemen to call on you is greater punishment than keeping them away.”
Harriet chuckled. “Well, then, the joke is on him since no one has come to call, and things are just as they should be. But I tell you, he was as livid as I have ever seen him this morning. I actually feared he might expire from trying to rein in his temper for a few minutes when I refused to do exactly as he commanded.” She blew out a breath. “He even threatened punishment. That is why I supposed the knocker would remain off the door all day.”
Samantha’s eyes grew wide. “Edmund threatened to punish you?”
“Indeed he did, but not without proper provocation. I questioned and pushed and refused to be moved. I had to, Sam. He simply had to know that I am not the sort of lady who would compromise his best man in any fashion. You know I would not do anything to harm either Edmund’s or Richard’s business – whatever it may be.” Here she gave her sister a pointed look.
“Whatever, indeed,” Samantha said with a laugh. “What have you discovered?”
Harriet moved her chair closer to her sister and lowered her voice. “Whatever he is doing is for the crown. It is coming from somewhere high enough that he cannot be badgered or completely tricked into saying. Therefore, while it seems that it has something to do with maids and prostitution –”
“Harriet!” her sister scolded. “Such language.”
“Why dress it up when it is just the two of us?” She shook her head. “As I was saying, while it appears to be about one thing, I believe it is something far more involved.” She drew a breath. “Spying perhaps? Secrets being sold? Smuggling? As I pondered it today, I grew more and more convinced that it must be something of that nature, for why else would some high ranking official be giving directions? For a lost maid? To stop a procuress from finding new, disease-free girls to fill her brothel?”
“Really, Harry,” Samantha muttered.
“But do you not agree?”
Samantha’s head bobbed gently from side to side as she thought before slowly starting to nod. “I cannot disagree. It seems plausible.”
Harriet blew out a breath. “It is quite an exciting thought. However, I must not do anything to confirm my suspicions. I promised Edmund that I would attempt to behave since he has promised to tell Richard that he can offer for me when next he sees him.”
“Ah, see, now there is the reason the knocker was not left off the door. He knows just how hard that is going to be for you and has deemed it punishment enough.” She chuckled. “To think that giving you what you want would be a punishment. You, my dear sister, are a very strange young woman.”
“Strangely wonderful,” Harriet countered with a smile.
“Indeed, we would not have you any other way – well, Edmund might currently wish to have you be more traditional, but I know your colonel loves you just as you are.”
“Miss,” Harriet’s maid poked her head into the room. “I apologize for interrupting, but I thought you should know that we have a caller – well, not we precisely, but your brother does.”
“And I need to know who this is, do I?”
Her maid nodded but did not say a word but smiled broadly.
No, it couldn’t be. Could it?
“Colonel Fitzwilliam?” Harriet asked.
“You did not hear it from me,” she replied. “Jimmy saw him and said he looks right worn out.”
He was here. But why? That was a troubling thought that caused her to draw a deep breath as she thought it.
“He should be in Hertfordshire.” She looked at her sister. “Something must have gone wrong. I do hope another maid has not gone missing.” She rose. “Do you mind if I leave you?”
“No. Go to him. Discover what you can. I will finish my tea and see myself out the way I came in. But…” she said as Harriet turned to leave. “I want to know all tomorrow.”
“We shall have a nice discussion over tea,” Harriet assured her before slipping out of the room to go find her colonel.
