Sweet Saturday: Love's Refrain #6

Welcome back! I took a long break from Sweet Saturday Samples to concentrate on some projects. None of them are quite finished yet, so I'm sharing another sample from Love's Refrain, my latest release from Astraea Press. This is a regency romance, featuring Andrew Bradford, Earl of Covington, and Lady Laura Montgomery. Laura is acting as chaperone for her younger stepsister, Lady Miranda. She receives a visitor, one she remembers from her own season ten years ago. (Note: in the first sentence, "the sisters" refers to Laura and Miranda.)

The sisters, Cousin Reginald, and Cousin Augusta had just completed a rather late breakfast when Jones entered with a calling card on a silver tray. "Sir, a caller."

Reginald Montgomery took the card and glanced at it. He handed it to Laura. "Lord Covington," he explained. "I have no business with him. Do you suppose he's come to call on Juliet?"

 Both girls stared. "Lord Covington?" Laura recovered first. "Er — will you allow her to see him?"

"Mmm? I suppose. Laura, why don't you take care of it—after all, you are her chaperone. I have business to attend to. If he's come for me, you can send him to my study." Having settled the matter in his mind, he rose and left the table.

So, I am to grant permission for Andrew, Lord Covington, to call on my sister. With a sigh, she turned to Jones. "Please tell the earl I will receive him in the morning room." At the butler's nod, she made her way to the appointed place, smoothing her dress and hair as she walked. Reaching the morning room, she stepped to the center of the floor, turned, and took a deep, fortifying breath just before Jones opened the door to usher in her guest. She opened her mouth to greet the earl but paused when she realized he wasn't alone.

"Lord Covington, how delightful to see you," Laura said as she curtseyed. "And Lady Covington, what a wonderful surprise."

Lord Covington nodded, though she detected a bit of anger behind his polite mask.

"I asked my son to bring me here this morning," the countess informed her, "because I was so enchanted with your sister, and I wanted to see her again."

Laura's brows rose. "I am pleased my sister made a favorable impression, my lady."

"Indeed she did, but she is far too pale. She needs to get outdoors more. My son will be available to take her for a ride this afternoon, if you allow it."

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Love's Refrain can be purchased at Astraea Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other ebook outlets.

Sweet Saturday: Love's Refrain #4

Welcome back! I've got yet another excerpt from Love's Refrain, which is currently in edits and will hopefully be released soon!

Laura and Juliet handed their shawls to the young servant tending the door and entered the brightly lit ballroom as their names were announced. They greeted their hosts and then separated when Juliet spied a group of friends. Making her way to the group of chaperones seated in the corner, Laura took a pastry from a passing waiter’s tray. She’d eventually have to make her way to the buffet since her own dinner had been quite sparse. True to form, Juliet had at the last moment decreed her dress unfit to wear, and the entire household had been turned upside down searching for a solution to her wardrobe difficulty.

Juliet looked lovely in her pale yellow gown, and the garland of flowers the maid had fashioned set off her dark hair perfectly. Already heads turned among the young men congregating on the other side. As she settled in her seat, Laura’s thoughts went back ten years to her own season. She’d been so young and naive then, full of hopes, dreams, and romantic notions.

There was one who figured prominently in her memories. One gentleman had stood out among all the others — a tall, handsome, elegant young man. He had been stylish yet not vain. His hazel eyes shone with intelligence, but he listened politely to what others had to say, those expressive eyes indicating genuine interest. Through experience, she knew he was a graceful dancer, yet he seemed content to spend time discussing the weather with the chaperones. There had been no one else like him.

And then, as if she had magically recalled him from her memory, he was there. Andrew Bradford had considerately brought a plate of treats for his mother, the dowager Countess Covington, whose regal presence held court in a seat to Laura's right. The man was as handsome as she remembered. His voice as sonorous and soothing as it had been when he'd held her in his arms for one magical dance. Ten years ago, she'd fallen in love with Andrew, but he'd fallen in love with her friend, Lady Priscilla. And so she'd had to watch as he'd courted and then wed another.

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Sweet Saturday: Love's Refrain #3

Welcome back! I have another excerpt from my summer regency, Love's Refrain. This time we meet the Montgomery sisters, Lady Laura and her stepsister, Lady Juliet:

Lady Laura Montgomery, eldest daughter of the Earl of Norwood, hurried up the staircase to answer her stepsister's frantic calls for help. She truly loved Juliet, but she knew the young lady often found a crisis where none existed. As she hurried toward Juliet’s room, the wails became louder and more insistent.

"Laura! Where are you? I need you desperately!"

Before opening the door, Laura braced herself for what she might find. Past experience told her it was probably something trivial. But if Juliet was truly injured and she didn’t come, she’d never forgive herself. Her father and stepmother had entrusted her with Juliet’s care, and though it was often a trial, she’d vowed to do her duty. Juliet was beautiful and witty, and hopefully someone would offer for her quickly, putting an end to her responsibility. Cousin Reginald Montgomery, Lord Norwood's relative, had graciously invited them into his home and with his widowed elder sister Augusta, lent a measure of respectability for the two women.

Lady Juliet Montgomery sat at her dressing table, a vision of loveliness in her new day dress. But upon closer inspection, Laura observed the vision was somewhat marred by the messy state of her stepsister's coiffure, and the fact that her right hand lay atop her head.

"What took you so long? I called and called," the younger girl whined. Laura supposed some might construe Juliet's pouting lips as adorable, but to her they were an indication of her pettiness and incessant pampering as the youngest in the family.

"Forgive me, Juliet. I was in the study. What do you need?"

"Can’t you see? I’m stuck! I tried to fix my hair, and my bracelet caught."

Laura took Juliet’s hand and stilled it. "Juliet, please stop wiggling so I can untangle it. What happened to Francesca?" The ladies’ maid had come highly recommended and Laura was quite happy with her, but Juliet could be stubborn.

"She disappeared somewhere after making a mess of my hair. Oh, Laura, help me!" She tried again to pull her hand away, only to tighten the strands of hair around the beaded bracelet.

"Juliet, if you don’t stop struggling, I’ll never get this untangled. Your hair is wrapped around the bracelet. Now be still." She concentrated on releasing her sister’s fine tresses from the jewelry then set about finding Francesca.

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