Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors !
So sorry I was absent last Sunday, but I had to take my husband to the ER at 2:00 am on Sunday morning, with complications from the surgery he had the previous Wednesday. We got home around 7:30 am, and I went straight to bed and didn’t wake up until it was too late to sign up. My husband ended up going back to the ER twice on Monday as well, until they finally figured out what was happening. He’s on the mend now, so fingers crossed he’ll continue doing well.
Today’s post is changing to snippets from one of my WIPs. It’s an historical romance I completed almost 10 years ago, queried and got rejected numerous times, and put away when I started writing the Widows’ Club series. I’m now dusting it off and revising it and thought I’d give you all first peek at it. If some of you have been around since the days of 6 Sentence Sunday, you might remember it: As Long As You’re Mine. It’s set in the late Victorian era, which was fun to research. Enjoy!
EXCERPT:
The clock on the mantel chimed two. Lady Amanda Easton started up from her seat in the frilly pink and cream bedroom at Monk’s Copse. If she was going through with this desperate plan, it was time to put it into action. She closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath and slipped to the door. Pressing her ear against it, she hoped to catch the sound of Sara returning. The stillness of the corridor concerned her and she opened it a crack.
Gaslights flickered down the hallway at intervals, but no one stirred. Good. But where was Sara? Her plan couldn’t work without the maid. She didn’t want to ring the bell again. It might draw unwanted attention to her. Should she go in search of her instead?
Just as she was about to slip out of the door, Sara appeared around the corner, her cap askew, her cheeks a hectic pink.
With a sigh of relief, Amanda eased out of her room, closed the door with a soft click and beckoned the maid to follow her down the passageway.
“Where are you going, my lady?” Puzzlement fought with exhaustion in Sara’s face.
“I need you to come with me, please Sara. I need you to help me with something.” She started down the corridor, gaze darting hither and yon to detect any other movement.
“Help you with what, my lady?” The maid’s tone was suspicious, but the well-trained girl followed Amanda nonetheless.
“Just come with me.” Amanda’s heart beat a wild tattoo at every imagined sound as she wound her way through the corridors, but no actual danger materialized. At last, she turned into the hall she sought—the gentlemen’s wing—and headed for the last chamber on the right where her soon-to-be lover awaited her. The flutter in her stomach escalated at the thought.
And a little more for good measure…
With her hand on the handle, a creak behind Amanda made her whirl around, certain she’d been discovered, but the hallway remained empty save for the maid and the weak yellow light of the oil sconces. “Sara, I need you to find my father and Lord Armstrong, and fetch them to this room.”
“This room, Lady Amanda?” The frown on Sara’s face showed only her incomprehension of the task given her. “Whatever for?”
“I believe there is someone desperately ill inside.” It was the only excuse she could think of that would bring her father and Lord Armstrong at this time of night. “It’s one of my cousins, Lord Abercrombie, who I dined with tonight. He said he wasn’t feeling well and I should come check on him before I retired.”
“But you shouldn’t be here, my lady. This is the gentlemen’s wing.” According to the scandalized tone of her voice, Sara’s fatigue had given way to ingrained propriety.
“Yes, I know. And I’ll leave as soon as my father arrives. Lord Armstrong should be summoned as well, in case he thinks the doctor should be summoned.” That should satisfy Sara. “You wouldn’t want anything to happen to Lord Abercrombie, would you?”
“Oh, no, my lady.” Sara squared her shoulders. “I’ll go straight away.”
“They were both in the library when I last left them.”
“Very good, my lady. I’ll be back in three ticks.” The young maid spun around and took off at a brisk pace.
Amanda stayed completely still until Sara turned the corner, then she let out the breath she’d been holding. Leaning gently against the door, she paused as the enormity of what she was about to do sank in. It was the only way. If she wanted Raiford Tolbert, wanted this struggle to be over, she had to seize her chance. She straightened her shoulders, shook back her hair and, with a determined nod, turned the handle.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There are some fantastic snippets to be read.
I think I know what her plan is, and it sounds like it might work. Great intro to the book.
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Thank you, Elaine! Definitely plotting something! 🙂
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Lots of intrigue there. What is she up to? Plotting something.
Tweeted.
Didn’t really expect you here today. Hoping your husbands health issues are settling down. And that your nerves have a moment to relax.
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Thank you, Daryl! He’s getting along pretty well, but his appointment tomorrow will tell the tale. Fingers crossed!
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Oh my–she’s going to give the impression that he has compromised her? She’s a conniving soul, but she must have good reason…
I’m glad they figured out what’s going on with your husband. Post-surgery incidents are always scary, but I think even more so when our husbands aren’t young men anymore. Hugs…
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Thank you, Teresa! 🙂 Yes, Amanda is a schemer and she does have her reasons–you’ll get those in a bit. I’ve very happy my husband’s been doing well since Monday. It was very scary not knowing. And yes, age makes cowards of us all! So much scarier now than 20 years ago.
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Oh myyyy, she’s quite a plotter! I don’t remember this one, alrthough I did do the old six Sentence Sunday…well, I’m sure we’re all in for a good romp and read ahead! (Glad your husband is doing better – best wishes for his quick and full recovery.)
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Thank you so much, Veronica! We’ll know about my husband tomorrow when he goes in to be checked out post-surgery. Fingers crossed for a good report! And yes, I believe you are in for a good time with this one! 🙂
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Aaaaaand I’m hooked! I have so many thoughts running through my mind as to what might happen, and I can’t wait to actually find out! Fantastic work!
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Thank you, Julie! This was such a fun book to write, and now revising it I’m having fun with these characters all over again!
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Ah, I remember this one! She is definitely looking for trouble!
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Glad you remember it, Jessica! And yes, I’ve toned Amanda down a bit, but she’s still got a mind of her own. LOL
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Oooooh! I’m intrigued by our heroine’s motives. I don’t think I remember this one.
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Thank you, Nancy. It’s been a while since I’ve shared it. But I really liked it and hope it gets to see the light of day soon.
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