Author: Aunt Augusta Page 10 of 12

A Wary Widow Seeks Advice

On September 26, 2016

Dear Aunt Augusta,

I am alone in a foreign country where I speak not a word of the language. I recently hired an Englishman fluent in Italian to interpret for me. He claims to be a military man but I see no evidence of it. He wears a shabby coat, is in want of a hair cut, and, I am embarrassed to say, smells of drink. He does his job, but frequently oversteps and appears to think he is my bodyguard. I fear I like him too much. Can he be trusted?

Signed,

A wary widow, the heroine of DANGEROUS SECRETS by Caroline Warfield

Dearest Wary Widow,

I commend you for being alone in a foreign country and endeavoring your best to not only survive there but to thrive. Hiring an Englishman to interpret for you is smart, and it is smart, too, I feel, for you to be wary. If a man claims to be military but you see no evidence of it, that does raise suspicions.

Then again, you mention that he appears to think he is your bodyguard. He obviously cares about you, and your safety, as do I, and I am grateful that he is there for you. It cannot be easy to be alone in a foreign country and you a widow!

You fear you like him too much. I always advise to follow one’s heart, and if you feel safe with him, your interpreter and bodyguard, maybe you can trust him.

I would suggest that you talk to him. Ask him for more details. And maybe, just maybe, you can interpret each other’s hearts.

I wish you the very best,

Aunt Augusta

DANGEROUS SECRETS by Caroline Warfield

Will love—and the truth—bind them both together?

http://www.carolinewarfield.com

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Dear authors, if ever you should find that one of your characters has found him or herself in a rather trying position, whether in matters of the heart or matters of fashion or any matter at all, do be a kind soul and write to me. I will endeavor to answer your questions, if you but pen them for me.

For the Love of a Ghost

By Aunt Augusta

On September 12, 2016

In Ask Aunt Augusta, Teatime Tattler

Dear Aunt Augusta,

Is it all right to be in love with the ghost of my late wife? We were true soul mates but she is passed now and has returned as a ghost. Well, I say a ghost but she has somehow managed to time travel to 1897 from 2016. The thing is, she is as lovely as ever but I’m the only one who can see and feel her. Would it be right to –uh–you know–uh…. Well, never mind, is it all right to be in love with a ghost?

Thanks in advance for your answer,

Colby Gates, the hero of Long a Ghost, and Far Away in the anthology The Good, The Bad and The Ghostly by Andrea Downing

Dearest Colby Gates,

I am so sorry for your loss. Losing a loved one, especially a beloved spouse is no easy task to bear, and it is, unfortunately, one that I have had to bear myself. I must confess that some days are easier than others, whereas some days are quite, and that is perfectly normal.

You ask if it is all right to be in love with the ghost of your late wife, and to that I say most certainly. After all, your love does not die the moment that your wife did. The bonds of marriage lasts until death do you part, but that does not mean that the love dies then as well.

To see her ghost, to be able to feel her, that is a true and special gift. Where it be real or merely your imagination or your grief, that does not matter. Love can conquer all things, whether in this life or in the next, whether real or incorporeal. Love and cherish her ghost and her memory.

I wish you the very best,

Aunt Augusta

Long a Ghost, and Far Away in the anthology The Good, The Bad and The Ghostly by Andrea Downing

Colby Gates misses the wife he loved, yet a ghost is a poor substitute. Unhappily re-married and with outlaws searching for buried gold on his ranch, his wife’s spirit is a complication. Perhaps if the questions surrounding Lizzie’s death can be answered, the two can be together. For all time.

https://andreadowning.com

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Can Love Cross the Boundary of Time?

By Aunt Augusta

On August 20, 2016

In Nicole Zoltack, Regency (19th century Britain), Teatime Tattler

Landon entered White’s and asked for a drink. His dreams had been trying as of late, the mysterious lady who haunted his nights visiting him often and was beginning to invade his every thought. If he could only drink away her beauty, forget about it, make on with his life as if she did not exist…

With a start, he realized a man had sat beside him, his shoulders hunched, his face closed.

For whatever reason, perhaps because he felt a sudden kinship with the man whose eyes seemed to mirror the growing swell of emotions Landon himself felt, he cleared his throat. “Would you like a drink?” he asked.

“Ale,” the man said after a moment. “The stronger the better.”

Landon ordered one, and it wasn’t until they had shared several rounds without a word that the man felt moved to speak further.

“This be a strange place,” he remarked, glancing around.

Landon frowned. “Have you never been before?” White’s was a staple, where a man could enjoy drink and dice and cards and more.

“Never been to anywhere here,” the man muttered. He glanced around some more and then leaned in close. “Can you be… Who are you?”

“Landon Philamore.”

“A lord, I take it.”

Landon nodded. “And yourself?”

“Sir Gerald of Hanover.”

The man seemed to want to say more, and Landon waited, giving the man time to reason through his thoughts.

“Do you think,” Gerald said slowly, but then he halted.

“I think I great many things.” Landon would have smiled, but the man’s countenance bore too heavy a burden. “Tell me what ails you.”

“I do not think…” Gerald took a deep breath and then said in a rush, “I am not from this time.”

At once, Landon’s heart began to race. The lady from his dreams, the things she sometimes said, her mannerisms, her jokes… On more than one occasion, he suspected the same thing of her.

“I know I must sound daft,” Gerald continued.

“I think you need another drink,” Landon said.

At Gerald’s nod, Landon motioned for two more drinks.

“What is it that you miss most from your time?” Landon asked.

“You believe me?”

He shrugged. “It matters not what I believe. Your beliefs take priority.”

“I do not know what I belief, what I think, who I love.” Gerald stared glumly at his mug.

“Well, I believe that love can transcend anything. Even those from other lands… or other times.”

“Do you?” Gerald asked, the light of hope shining in his eyes for the first time since they began their conversation.

“Yes,” Landon said firmly, but whether he said it for Gerald’s sake or his own, he could not be certain…

Landon is the hero in The Test of Time, whereas Gerald is the hero in Love Before Honor.

Thetestoftimesmall Katia jumps at the chance to go to England with her best friend after Rose ditches her deadbeat boyfriend. While walking through the market, she spies a large mansion and recognizes the guy out front as her high school friend Tony. Just as they start to reconnect, Katia passes through times and lands in the arms of Lord Landon, who looks like Tony but certainly doesn’t act like him.

Soon, Katia learns that this 1815 is different from the one in history books. Trapped in a parallel world, Katia struggles to not fall for Landon but his charm proves too much for her. Just when she is about to confess her love for him, Katia travels through time yet again.

The course of love never did run smooth and if Katia can’t figure out and master the test of time, she’ll never see her friends again, or worse, never be reunited with Landon.

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo ~ iBooks

Nicole is one of the Belles. You can learn more about her here.

From Paris, With Love: Boots for Achilles

By Aunt Augusta

On August 11, 2016

In Bluestocking Belles, Jessica Cale, Teatime Tattler

De_bestorming_van_Coevorden,_30_december_1672_Rijksmuseum_SK-A-486.jpeg

De bestorming van Coevorden, 30 December 1672. Pieter Wouwerman, 1672-82.

After years studying a cache of the Marquis de Saint Croix’s personal correspondence, one of his many ciphers has at last been cracked and a portion of his letters can now be read. The first of these letters appears to be a copy of one sent to the infamous spy Jack Sharpe at the end of the Franco-Dutch War in 1678:

September 18th, 1678

Monsieur Sharpe,

It took me a great deal of wine to digest the contents of your last letter. You write so beautifully of the horrors of war and childbirth alike, I cannot help but feel I lived them beside you. I am most relieved to read Madame Sharpe is well. She is a most remarkable woman and very dear to my heart. Best wishes to you both on the birth of your son! I cannot believe you named him for me — this is one of your peculiar English jests? As he was born in the midst of battle, perhaps Achilles is appropriate. I have enclosed a pair of small boots with silver heels for his protection. One can never be too careful, you understand.

Word has reached us in Paris that the Peace of Nijmegan has brought an end to this war, though the thousands dead at St-Denis may beg to differ. Will another peace be issued after this last, late battle? I will rest easier when you and your small family are out of harm’s way. You are most welcome to stay at any of my properties for as long as you wish.

Should you happen to venture to Paris, you will find me engaged in a battle of my own. My niece has wholeheartedly embraced life as a gentlewoman, and between shopping and visiting her own divineress (God help me), she has begun a flirtation with none other than the Duc de Languedoc! Although I have ever so slightly more patience for him after what he did for us last autumn, the fact remains that he is a wolf (and a married one) and poor Laure is a naive little lamb.

I regret that I have not yet completed the task Madame Sharpe entrusted to me, but I shall leave for London as soon as I am satisfied Laure will be safe from Languedoc’s advances. I look forward to seeing your homeland for myself and meeting Madame Sharpe’s fabled blonde sisters. If they are half as lovely as she is, I will sleep with my heart under lock and key.

Faithfully,

Achille

The Long Way Home

(The Southwark Saga, Book 3)

By Jessica Cale

A paranoid king, a poison plot, and hideous shoes…it’s not easy being Cinderella.

After saving the life of the glamorous Marquise de Harfleur, painfully shy barmaid Alice Henshawe is employed as the lady’s companion and whisked away to Versailles. There, she catches King Louis’ eye and quickly becomes a court favorite as the muse for Charles Perrault’s Cinderella. The palace appears to be heaven itself, but there is danger hidden beneath the façade and Alice soon finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue, murder, and Satanism at the heart of the French court.

Having left his apprenticeship to serve King Charles as a spy, Jack Sharpe is given a mission that may just kill him. In the midst of the Franco-Dutch war, he is to investigate rumors of a poison plot by posing as a courtier, but he has a mission of his own. His childhood friend Alice Henshawe is missing and he will stop at nothing to see her safe. When he finds her in the company of the very people he is meant to be investigating, Jack begins to wonder if the sweet girl he grew up with has a dark side.

When a careless lie finds them accidentally married, Alice and Jack must rely on one another to survive the intrigues of the court. As old affection gives way to new passion, suspicion lingers. Can they trust each other, or is the real danger closer than they suspect?

“Really brilliant writing that’s so engaging with such endearing characters! I especially love the way Jack and Alice are both so devoted to each other! I was totally absorbed in this exciting and fascinating world Jessica Cale created from the very first paragraph to the last! I read this all in one sitting, staying awake late to finish, just had to!” – Romazing Reader

Jessica Cale is the award-winning author of the historical romance series,The Southwark Saga. Originally from Minnesota, she lived in Wales for several years where she earned a BA in History and an MFA in Creative Writing while climbing castles and photographing mines for history magazines. She kidnapped (“married”) her very own British prince (close enough) and is enjoying her happily ever after with him in North Carolina.

Jessica is also a Bluestocking Belle. You can visit her page here.

A Tradesman’s Daughter…A Wife of a Peer?

By Aunt Augusta

On August 1, 2016

In Ask Aunt Augusta, Teatime Tattler

Ask Aunt Augusta

Dear Aunt Augusta,

Can a tradesman’s daughter, even one educated above her station, find happiness as the wife of a peer? He says that love will conquer all, but I fear it will not survive the scorn of his neighbours and friends.

Yet I truly love him, and I do not think I will ever be happy unless it is with him.

Signed,

Hopeful from Bath, the heroine of Candle’s Christmas Chair by Jude Knight

Dearest Hopeful from Bath,

Love and happiness can be two sides of the same coin, but it might not always start out that way. If love were but simple and easy, there would be no need for songs or courtship or anything of the like! If love were as simple as meeting the right person’s gaze, it would almost not be worth the effort.

Is it possible for a tradesman’s daughter to find happiness as the wife of a peer? I must say that I do have to agree with him. Yes, indeed, love can conquer all, and if he feels for you as much as you feel for him, I do suggest you go and try to see if matters might work in your favor. Will it be trying? Yes. Will there be talk and gossip? Most likely. Will it be worth it? If you two truly love each other, then yes, it will be, and it will be the single best decision you might ever make for yourself, for the two of you.

I wish you the very best,

Aunt Augusta

Candle’s Christmas Chair by Jude Knight

Minerva Avery has a second chance at love when the young viscount she once lost comes into her father’s carriage making establishment.

http://judeknightauthor.com/books/candles-christmas-chair

http://judeknightauthor.com/

@JudeKnightAuthor

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