Meeting Cordelia Hendley

I'm going to be out of town next week, probably right when Holidays at Pemberley is released, so forgive the oncoming cluster of posts in its promotion, but the pressure is on! I want to introduce you to some of my new characters: the Westovers of Glendale. Their story begins in the prologue to the book, which you can read here. David Westover, the rector at Kympton (yes, Mr. Wickham has something to say on that point), is the hero of the story, but it is his sister Mrs. Hendley, who has won my heart. I think she is my favorite female character I have yet created (Sir James Stratton, the hero of Second Glances, takes the top prize). I love this scene, in which she first meets Charlotte Lucas, whose story provides the premise for the book's plot:

One day, after having entertained a particularly full drawing room all morning, Elizabeth professed herself exhausted and returned to her quarters for some much needed rest. The Bingleys took the opportunity thus afforded, as well as the advantage of a particularly fine day, to take a private walk through the grounds, and Mr. Darcy likewise occupied himself, though in the far less felicitous company of his steward. Charlotte was, therefore, alone in the drawing room when a last card was sent in.

“I would see whoever it is myself, Mrs. Reynolds,” said Charlotte glibly, “but I fear I would be a great disappointment. Only the mother and child are of any interest to these visitors, you know.”

Mrs. Reynolds smiled in a motherly way. “If that was their errand, ma’am, I would not have bothered to bring up the card, but the lady is here to see you.”

Charlotte looked surprised, and surveyed the name before her with more than the passing glance she had previously bestowed upon it. “Mrs. Hendley of Glendale!” she exclaimed paly. “It must be Mr. Westover’s sister!”

“Shall you receive her, Miss Lucas?” Mrs. Reynolds asked, suppressing a smile.

“Yes indeed! How could I not?” Charlotte consented nervously, smoothing her hair and gown unconsciously as she waited for the visitor to appear.

She did not know what such a meeting might portent, but she could be certain that this was no casual call. Too soon yet ages later, the door opened upon a tall woman, of strong resemblance to her brother, but betraying none of the years Charlotte knew she must possess over him. The vigorous presence of Mrs. Hendley, eyeing her knowingly from the threshold, made Charlotte’s heart soar. She had such a look upon her face, as if to declare, “Now I am here, and all your problems will soon be at an end.” Charlotte knew such a notion was ridiculous, but she would feel it, all the same.

“Mrs. Hendley,” she tried to sound calm and welcoming, but feared a tremor she felt threatening to interrupt the common words. “I am Miss Lucas. I understand you wish to see me. Won’t you sit down?”

“Indeed I do, Miss Lucas, and so I shall.” She laughed. “Never had I thought to be on such an errand as I now find myself. I had thought my days of taking care of David were behind me, for I have two boys of my own, you know, and can’t often spare the time, but after receiving such a letter from him as he sent me this week, I knew there was nothing to it but speak to you myself. I borrowed my brother’s coach instantly and set off, that we might finally get to the bottom of your predicament.”

Charlotte was totally taken aback by such confidence and knew not what to say. Struggling for words, she mumbled something about being pleased to make the acquaintance, and acknowledged not having formerly known of the children. This seemed enough for Mrs. Handley, who proceeded to enumerate the charms belonging to of each her sons, before recalling that they had very important business to address and couldn’t waste time on such folderol, “for I mean to sleep in my own house this evening, Miss Lucas. You must know that I have no intention of letting David know I was here, if you will be so obliging as to not tell him.”

Charlotte was now thoroughly befuddled. “Mr. Westover knows not of your visit to the neighborhood? But surely he will wish to see you!”

“You have not been attending, Miss Lucas,” said Mrs. Hendley. “Did I not tell you that I left on the instant I received my brother’s letter? If I am for Leicestershire today, I certainly have no time for a visit, nor do I think he would thank me for meddling in his affairs in the way that I intend to.”

I will let you know as soon as the book is released. In the meantime, Goodreads members, why not add it to your to-read list: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18399315-holidays-at-pemberley-or-third-encounters. 

Twisted Austen 2013! Jane & Bingley: Something Truly Unsettling

I've decided to call my Halloween tales a la Jane "Twisted Austen" with every intention of making this an annual event (we'll see how that goes). At least for this year, Jane & Bingley: Something Slightly Unsettling is well underway, and I thought I'd better stop and announce it now, before my mind gets completely swept away with the Holidays at Pemberley release (still can't say exactly when, but very soon, my friends: that seems certain). As you see, I've already given the blog a quick facelift in preparation.

I feel a bit like a broken record here, but I can't actually say when Jane & Bingley will start posting. Not until I've finished writing it, and I've got a few thousand words to go. However, I can say with certainty that the conclusion will post on October 31st, at which time ebook versions will become available for free on Goodreads (here's the link to the book's listing: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18517279-jane-bingley), and for as cheap as they will allow me to sell it for Kindle and Nook, currently $0.99, just as I did last year for Emma & Elton: Something Truly Horrid.

As you might gather from the differing subtitles, this year's offering is not quite as shocking a last's, but that does not mean the tenderhearted should proceed without caution. After all, there is some leniency allowed by fans in what befalls Miss Woodhouse. Miss Bennet, on the other hand, is rather more sacred ground.What did dear, sweet Jane do to deserve such treatment at my hands? You'll have to read the book to find out. I'll share more, including the start date and an excerpt, in early October.

Can't wait for the mayhem? Why not relish the horror of Emma & Elton in the meantime?

Holidays at Pemberley - Available next week?

So I really tried to do a more formal book release this time, but the good people at Outskirts seem determine to thwart my best intentions. The long and short of the situation is that the new book, Holidays at Pemberley, or Third Encounters: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice Concludes, might be available as soon as this week's end. I'm not prepared for this, but you, my dear readers and followers, might do me an enormous favor right now by adding the book on Goodreads, the only venue where the book is currently listed. The beginning of the book is available on this blog (check the tabs at the top). Your support is why I keep writing, so please except this advance thank you. Stay tuned for more information soon, and please make use of this handy "add Book" widget, courtesy of the lovely people at Goodreads:

Here's the blurb from the back cover:

"Charlotte smiled from across the room at the man’s obvious devotion to her friend. Such attachment was very charming, undoubtedly, and when it came to an end, as it was most certain to do, they would have abundant good fortune to keep the inevitable aggravations with each other to a minimum."

Both a Christmas celebration and conclusion to Tales of Less Pride & Prejudice, Holidays at Pemberley begins where First Impressions ends, with the marriage Fitzwilliam Darcy to Elizabeth Bennet, and spans the course of Second Glances to conclude their story. As the Darcys enjoy their first years of marriage, Charlotte Lucas is often invited to join them. Watching as the Bennet sisters, one by one, marry to both outrageous advantage and with great affection, her only ambition remains independence and respectability, stubbornly blind to the virtues of a love match. Miss Lucas thinks she has found an acceptable husband in David Westover, rector of Kympton and determined bachelor, but he remains oblivious to the implications of befriending a Miss Lucas. It may mean some heartbreak, but if Mrs. Darcy's pragmatic friend will only surrender to Cupid, she may find wild fantasies do come true, even for ladies dangerously close to thirty. 

His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian

I was so excited to read a new Lory Lilian novel (you can read my reviews of her first two books, Rainy Days and Remembrance of the Past, by clicking on their titles), and His Uncle's Favorite did not disappoint. The book was exactly what I expected: well-written and compelling, but with a bit more sex than I can really tolerate. I have had this reaction to Ms. Lilian's books from the first, and she and I even debated sex in Austenesque early in my blogging career (read "Sexy JAFF: A Conversation with Lory Lilian" here), after I bungled my review of Remembrance of the Past by ranting and raving about Darcy and Elizabeth's need for privacy (it was one of my first reviews, written when I was still working on my own first book, First Impressions, the entire concept for which was founded in a desire to avoid the sex and drama that so often defines this genre, and so the subject was prominent in my thoughts - I have no other excuses for my behavior). Despite my ongoing discomfort with the sexual content in these stories, that does not detract from their being completely captivating Pride and Prejudice variations that draw you in instantly and are terrible difficult to put down.

"I think I have heard you say, that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton.""Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.""That is capital," added her sister, and they both laughed heartily. - Pride & Prejudice

I admit to having figured out the broad plot of His Uncle's Favorite during the first chapter (the title is no small hint), but quite frankly, isn't knowing what's going to happen part of the fun of Austenesque? There are still plenty of twists to keep the pages turning, even when I should have been asleep hours before. The premise is that Mr. Gardiner died a few years prior to Pride & Prejudice, leaving Mrs. Gardiner very wealthy and well-connected. In fact, she has friends amongst those whom Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst would very much like to insinuate themselves, particularly Darcy's uncle, the Earl of Matlock. When Mrs. Gardiner returns to London following Christmas at Longbourn, she brings not just Jane, but also Elizabeth back home with her for an extended visit. Imagine Mr. Darcy's shock, chagrin, and pleasure in finding Elizabeth an intimate of his inner circle, and his relations daily visitors to Cheapside! You needn't bother; enjoy this marvelous excerpt instead:

Darcy felt the urge for a glass of brandy as he remembered the conversation with his uncle the previous day. The earl allowed him to make a fool of himself when he related his disapproval of the Bennet family. He had not felt so dreadful in a long time. He was tempted to take Georgiana and return home that instant. But did he have the right to ruin everyone's evening by behaving in such a savage manner? And what explanation could he find for an impromptu leaving? Besides, Georgiana seemed to be enjoying herself. She seemed to feel at ease with the Miss Bennets, which was surprising - or was it? Was it surprising that anyone, even a person as shy as his sister, felt at ease with Elizabeth and Jane Bennet? His uncle had met them the day before and liked them instantly, and the earl generally liked few people on such a short acquaintance. On the other hand, it was not a surprise that the colonel was charmed by both of them as he himself declared. But he was not to be taken seriously; he was even worse than Bingley when it came to beautiful, young ladies. Darcy was more cautious in judging people; he did not approve of either sister at first meeting. Miss Bennet used to smile too much. And Miss Elizabeth was not handsome enough to tempt me to dance with her. 

Suddenly, his thoughts sounded ridiculous. Surely, those were not the reasons he disapproved of them in the beginning! There must have been other thing to form his poor opinion of them, and the most important was their family's behavior and situation, which could not be forgotten or dismissed. But Miss Bennet does not seem to smile any longer - not at all! And Miss Elizabeth ... He could not think of any lady more handsome - or more tempting. 

"Darcy, what on earth are you ding here? Let us return to the ladies; dinner is ready." The earl's voice startled him, and he could not reply before his gleeful uncle continued.
"And I absolutely need your opinion; Which of my sons should marry Miss Elizabeth Bennet, do you think? We could not reach an agreement, and you seem to be the expert on difficult problems of the heart. I shall put her near you during dinner so you can observe her behavior towards both of them and inform me whether you sense any partiality to one or the other. Oh - and do not worry about her family's faults; I dare say her charms are adequate compensation."

His uncle and cousins passed nearby, and he heard their laughter from the dining room; Darcy remained motionless in the hall, staring after them and forgetting to breathe.
All hope for a peaceful evening had vanished. He could only pray that his uncle continued to mock him and that none of his words was taken seriously - except for the fact that he would put Elizabeth near him at the table. Could it be true? Would he spend the entire evening only a few inches from Elizabeth? Miss Elizabeth, of course, he corrected himself; he had been a fool since the first moment he met her, and neither time nor distance had changed that.

I love this concept! Perhaps even better is Caroline Bingley's reaction, but for that you will have to read the book.

The story kept me entirely enrapt for the first 300 pages. About that time, Elizabeth and Darcy are finally married, and afterwards the predominate action takes place in the bedroom. That's when my attention began to waver. There were a few loose ends still needing to be wrapped up, so I persevered, but I admit to being tempted to skip over the most explicit moments, even though Ms. Lilian's depictions are really rather tactfully done, as far as sex scenes go. I'm sure many of Ms. Lilian's fans think these are the very best parts of the book, but I don't like to get that intimate with Austen's characters. To each his own! No matter what your preference, His Uncle's Favorite is a highly compelling romance, even if you do feel the need to skip the most graphic moments. I highly recommend it.

This is my eighth review for The Pride & Prejudice Bicentennial Celebration 2013, hosted by Austenprose. Check out my others below:

Bluebells in the Mourning by KaraLynne Mackrory 

Pride and Platypus by Vera Nazarian

Mr. Darcy's Little Sister vs. And This Our Life by C. Allyn Pierson

An Unlikely Missionary by Skylar Hamilton Burris

The Disappearance of Georgiana Darcy by Regina Jeffers

The Three Colonels by Jack Caldwell

Pride & Prejudice (1995): Influence and Merits

Mansfield Park Read Along Part Three: Becoming Mrs. Norris

You can read the beginning of Becoming Mrs. Norris: A Prequel here, and the second part here. Future posts will be disassociated from the Austen in August Read Along, which is sadly behind us, so keep an eye out for the continuing story.

"You wished to speak to me, Uncle?" Miss Ward nervously questioned from the entrance, trying to control her unease.

"Yes. Come in and close the door," commanded the blinding cloud of smoke.

Usually her conferences with Mr. Ward were brief and impersonal, requiring no semblance of privacy, much to her preference. As soon as the knob clicked shut, the smoke began to concentrate. She struggled to suppress the urge to cough and looked in the direction where she knew her uncle sat, camouflaged by smoggy light, there to await her fate.

"Sir Thomas Bertram will propose to Maria," his voice boomed ponderously. "She will say yes!" 

It was more an order than a question, but still she replied, "Yes. She has not a thought otherwise." It was far more information than she needed to supply, and instantly she regretted having said anything at all, but the prospect of his own added consequence upon the acquisition of a baronet for son-in-law had rendered her uncle unusually high-spirited.

"I had not thought you girls would turn off so well. Your father was a numbskull, from birth to death, and your mother precisely the kind of lady to which one always expected Edmund to saddle himself: cherubic on the surface with the instincts of a trollop in her heart." He smiled at his niece's grimace. "I dare say Maria takes after her, though being as empty headed as my brother, it's impossible to impute the slightest intelligence to her maneuvers. She must act entirely by instinct, like any animal. I applaud her breeding!"

Her uncle laughed, and Miss Ward willed herself not to faint. He saw her struggle, like a worm on a hook, and savored the moment. "It struck me with force as I considered the matter last night that I have sadly undervalued my brother's children. If Maria, with not a brain in her head, can catch a baronet, than you, my dear, might marry a deal higher than poor Richards."

She coughed, and he knew triumph. "Sir?" she managed to sputter, reaching out for knowledge of what awaited her at the bottom of the hole through which she was falling.

"I know you have an agreement with him, but as it was never formalized, it matters little. Much more challenging is finding someone to replace him."

It was like being buried. "Sir?" she gasped, incautiously displaying her alarm.

"After all this time, I can't very well keep him around and expect the two of you to behave properly, can I?" He waited for a moment before barking, "Well?"

She jumped and a startled "No!" broke from her throat.

"Indeed, not! I let him go this morning. You will not see him again."

"But ..."

"There is nothing more to be said. You may go," and with the wave of his hand, he sent her from the room.

Miss Ward knew not how her legs conveyed her without fail through the door and down hall to the parlor where her sisters sat, but somehow she made it there before succumbing to the overwhelming sensation to swoon.

"Sister! Sister!" she heard them cry, as four arms lifted her into a chair and smelling salts assaulted her senses.

"I am fine," she said weakly, instinctively attending their needs, even when her's were the most pressing.

"You are not!" Frances asserted with unaccustomed firmness. "Do not try to stand. I'll summon Abby."

"No!" she insisted, sitting up straighter. "I want to talk to you both freely. Mr. Ward has shared information with me of the greatest importance."

Maria's face turned pale. Making use of the smelling salts for herself, she asked nervously, "Sir Thomas isn't going to propose?" 

Miss Ward, still weak, could not help but smile fondly at her. "No, my dear. That's not it at all. You are assured your baronet. Had he not been engaged with Mr. Norris today, I'm sure he would have been here to secure your hand. We will surely see him tomorrow."

"Thank goodness," she sighed. Miss Ward observed the slight agitation of her features fade into the accustomed serenity. It must me marvelous to be Maria, she thought.

"If all goes well with Sir Thomas," Frances pursued, "then what is it that so upset you, Sister?"

She looked at her hands and fiddled the handkerchief they clutched with unwarranted attention. "My Uncle has dismissed Mr. Richards."

"What?" both sisters replied in simultaneous astonishment.

"It's true," she muttered, as her tears began to fall. "Since Maria is to marry so high, it is Mr. Ward's opinion that I could do much better myself."

"But you have loved him for years!" Frances cried in shock, while Maria silently struggled to imagine how her sister must feel. Though only just assured her of her own heart's security, it was hard to imagine the blackness of doubt and disappointment.  

"Ever since he first came to dinner and was so kind to me!" Words being impossible and unnecessary, the elder sister wept while the younger provided comfort, a most perverse inverse, Miss Ward thought bitterly, of the tableau frozen in her memory of their second night in Mr. Ward's guardianship, when she returned for the very first time, disconsolate but determined to persevere, from her uncle's office.

Mansfield Park Read Along Part Two: Becoming Mrs. Norris

Becoming Mrs. Norris: A Prequel begins in my response to Part One of the Austen in August Mansfield Park Read Along. It will soon continue in my response to Part Three, but after that I will have to put it on hiatus. I've always wanted to write this story, and now that I've actually begun I really want to finish, but prior obligations must have priority. Thanks for your patience.

Sir Thomas was happy to dine with Mr. Ward, such an invitation being just what he most desired, and he arrived promptly at 4:00, determined to make a good impression on Miss Maria's guardian.

He had never yet seen Mr. Ward. When his nieces appeared in public, they were invariable chaperoned by a kindly lady from the neighborhood, and not belonging to it, Sir Thomas had never any business occasion on which to make his acquaintance. Report had it the gentleman never socialized except regarding business matters, and Sir Thomas was grateful to Miss Ward for procuring him this rare invitation. He had no doubt it was she who cleared the way. The prospect of having such a capable sister only bolstered his increasing determination to marry Miss Maria.

Sir Thomas had no illusions regarding his fair lady's accomplishments. It was with bemused indulgence he surveyed her very poor carpet work - no lover's haze caused him to mistake diligence for aptitude - and it only increased his ardor. At twenty-five, he knew his own taste for quiet domesticity too well to seek an active mate (a lady like Miss Ward would be intolerable as a wife), and Miss Maria, with her quiet elegance and pretty manners, might have been plucked from the Vermeer paintings he so admired during his tour of the continent. Sir Thomas hoped to find her uncle very accepting of his wishes, knowing full his value as a husband, but rumor of his gruff and eccentric manners kept the young baronet from feeling confident, an uncertainty that did nothing to diminish his heart's yearning.

Miss Ward was at the door to greet him, ready to usher him into the usual parlor. There he found only the sisters. Upon inquiry, he learned Mr. Ward was expected at any moment. Soon the clatter of homecoming became distinct, sounds that were listened to with a degree of nervous attention that Sir Thomas might have perceived had he not been so agitated himself. Two gentlemen presented themselves: one older than the other, with deep lines around his mouth, and the other young and ruddy. Introductions were made according to form, and Sir Thomas began to relax.

Not so Miss Ward. Maria and Frances might have heard their uncle's unusually amiable greeting with relief. but she could not, schooled as she was to know better. She cast a questioning glance towards Mr. Richards, but he refused to meet her eye. In public, her uncle's behavior was impeccable, but a constant hint of surliness kept others from mistaking his manners for warmth. Suddenly tonight he was inviting and warm, and while Miss Ward understood that his interest in Sir Thomas was just as intense as her own, she mistrusted such an unnatural degree of amiability, especially when mere politeness would suffice. That he was even occupying the parlor, which she could only recall him appearing in twice before, for all the world as if it were his usually chair upon which he sat, was little less than miraculous, and Miss Ward experienced all the skeptic's suspicion of the incredible.

Throughout the meal, Miss Ward's fevered brain meditated on each word her uncle uttered, dissecting it for hidden meaning. Having lived through much sorrow, she had come to depend on it and felt a foreboding certainty that something would occur, while the gentlemen remained cloistered with their wine, to spoil the first glimmer of good-fortune to smile upon the Ward sisters in more than a decade. She felt some relief when a smiling Sir Thomas rejoined them, making excuses for the other two, who had some matter of business to attend and would follow shortly. His high spirits bore all the aspect of a man assured of his happiness, but some lingering unease she could not expel. Never had she longed for her dreaded guardian's presence more.

Sir Thomas had every reason to celebrate, and it was his delight to entertain the two younger ladies with anecdotes from his travels. The eldest, he mentally noted, seemed not as engrossed as he was used to find her, but dismissing her inattention as anomalous and outside his concerns, he ignored it most successfully. The glowering uncle had smiled upon his suit, and though Sir Thomas was somewhat taken aback by the abrupt manner with which Mr. Ward demanded to know his intentions, he was happy to have his blessing, however it was attained. If the Uncle's company was not what he preferred, he derived great comfort in the location of Mansfield Park, just far enough from Huntington to make casual visits forbidding. He looked forward to removing Maria to that happy sanctuary as soon as he secured her agreement, of which he had little doubt, and the bans were read.

Holidays at Pemberley Plus Giveaway at The Book Rat

 Austen in August rages on, and yesterday featured a sneak peak at one of the climaxes from my next novel, Holidays at Pemberley, or Third Encounters: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice Concludes (you can read the beginning of the novel at the page above). I don't usually share scenes that give so much away, but as everything from this book seems to be a spoiler to the previous two, I threw caution to the wind this time. Please check it out here and enter to win a copies of First Impressions and Second Glances while you're at it!