Tag: Lady Jane’s Tryst

Bad ton, leaving corpses in the road

On August 8, 2018

Jake looked up from the Society pages of the paper he had been painstakingly reading, his lips moving as he negotiated his way through the type. “Their Graces the Duke and Duchess Leaver are attending a Masquerade Ball,” he announced.

From his position at the kitchen table, where he was cleaning and reloading a fearsome array of pistols, Jonah gave a snort of derision. “What’s that to you and me? Think we’ll get an invitation?”

“Lots of rich people at a Masquerade Ball,” Jake said. “Arriving in carriages, jewelry and everything.”

For a moment, Jonah looked intrigued, then he shook his head. “Nope. Not worth it. Robbing anyone under the protection of Duke Leaver? And now I’ve heard Her Grace has learned how to shoot too!”

A writer’s life

“Children, sit down for dinner. No, your mother won’t be joining us tonight. Why? She’s off on another one of her little adventures. Yes, she still loves you and will, no doubt, see you later for bed time stories.”

“It is lucky she is in her office. I believe you are correct. Some people leave on a trip in their cars. Your mother stays home and pretends to be working. She’ll join us directly.”

“Lady Jane’s Tryst” grew out of my desire to investigate the seaside town of Brighton in the United Kingdom. In the story, “Lady Jane’s Tryst,” our heroine has been confined to a boarding school for girls for five long years. Her nocturnal explorations of the small town of Brighton reached a climax when she encountered an intriguing pirate, a spy, ultimately a duke. Her spirit meshed with that of the handsome young man who worked behind the scenes for his government. Their exciting adventures led them to an ultimate happily-ever-after ending. And beyond…and then…

“You jist keep your clapper shut! Pay attention to the little master!”

Sobbing—“Master shot him dead! Is he jist to stay there in the middle of the road?”

“Master shoot you iffin you keep up that caterwauling. What do he care about a man bent on shooting us all dead. Crows gots to eat somme’in.”

“John? Are we to leave his body in the middle of the road? What will folks say?” “Bad ton, my love? I’d shoot him all over again if I could. Threatening my family like that.”

In the sequel, “Valentine Masquerade,” Lady Jane and the duke have a family. Fast forward eight years. Is marriage dull, mundane, or stupefying? Curiosity compels a peek into the lives of the popular couple and their young married friends as they prepare for a Valentine Masquerade Ball. We follow the Duchess as she visits her friends, encountering first one domestic situation and then another. Slowly the power of her position dawns on her. She is the wife of a Duke; people listen when she speaks and sticky problems are solved. A loving, albeit arrogant, husband and a scamp of a son lend more than enough excitement to Jane’s life, but an old enemy causes consternation. The Duke and Duchess Leaver are up for it, and demonstrate complete accord. Jane has learned to shoot a gun. Enemies beware!

Valentine Masquerade

“You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you.”

————-Pride and Prejudice

Romance shimmers with suspicious matchmaking in progress, while a whimsical young viscount creates a hilarious solution to end a perplexing mystery. Into the blissful partnership between Lady Jane and her faux pirate, the Duke of Leaver, an old enemy reappears causing consternation.

A Valentine Masquerade

Two of Ms. Lane’s most interesting characters return in a vignette of mature family romance and affection as Lady Jane discovers the authority of the title, Duchess of Leaver.

A Valentine Surprise

A Valentine house party on a country estate creates entertainment for the entire family while cupid works his magic. Romance simmers between the eldest daughter and her handsome suitor.

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Lady Jane’s Tryst

Valentine Masquerade

Meet Emma Lane

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery.

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Click here for a previous Teatime Tattler post on Lady Jane’s Tryst.

GIRL KISSED BY PIRATE?

By Guest author

On February 28, 2018

In Guest author, Teatime Tattler

Miss Agatha Nighting sat nodding in her most comfortable chair over a scandalous penny papers from the city. Brighton was tame compared to this, she thought. Alerted to a board creaking on the stairs, she relaxed. Lady Jane was home again finally.

“She thinks I am ignorant of her night time forays,” she whispered to the kitchen cat who sat curled at her feet. “As if I am unaware of every move my girls make,” she snickered. She stood and peeked out the window.

“That was only the first one, I think. Probably Marianne. Lady Jane is still out there somewhere. I pray she is safe. That is all I can do. She will roam in the night, but who could blame her, kitty? She has been here at my finishing school for five years without a single day’s vacation. That father of hers.” She succumbed to sleep after saying a brief prayer for her favorite student’s safety.

Excerpt from Lady Jane’s Tryst:

“Do you promise not to scream?” he asked still whispering. “I think I mistook you for a house maid in that outfit. I am fairly certain the fragrance I detect is from a particular brand of French soap. Did your mistress share with you? No, I think not. You are in disguise, are you not?” Jane nodded her head up and down vigorously and heard him chuckle into her hair. His hand slid slowly away from her mouth, but caressed her cheek as it pulled away. He rested it on the back of her neck with his arm still firmly around her waist.

“A delectable armful, young Miss Mysterious. What are you doing out here in the dark all alone? Looking for trouble, no doubt.” Jane released a pent up breath and gasped a deep inhale. She pulled with both her hands against his grip on her middle section. He released her suddenly, turned her around, and placed a strong hold on both her shoulders.

“Let me have a look at you, Masquerade Molly. Oh, ho, a beauty. Let’s have a taste of that delicious mouth of yours.” He reached behind her head and pulled her close. His lips covered hers firmly at first and then softly moved around as if he, indeed, would taste her. His arm slid down until he cupped her bottom pulling her solidly against him.

Jane felt as if a fire had been lit in her stomach, as the stranger continued to hold her and torture her lips with his kisses. She could not decide if she hated or loved what he was doing, but thought in a small recess of her mind that she should not enjoy this at all. Surely this is a sin. As she pushed against his chest, he obediently pulled away, gazed into her eyes, and murmured, “What’s your name, young nubile sprite? Tell me.”

“Jane,” she whispered back. “You should free me, sir.” She feebly pulled to free her shoulders wondering when her strength had disappeared. He released her abruptly and she almost fell backwards. As he caught and steadied her, she heard that low pitched chuckle once more. She raised her eyes and stared directly at her kidnapper.

Dressed roughly, his accent had revealed to her a man in a class above his appearance. He was inches taller with a scarf tied around his head, black hair flowing to his shoulders. His grin was wide with white teeth flashing in the semi-darkness. Tales of pirates terrorizing the king’s ships at sea flashed through her mind. Was this one of them come to murder them all in their beds? Her heart beat was loud in her ears. What would happen next?

“Forgive my crude manners, Jane. I deeply apologize for upsetting you. However I cannot in good conscience take back the kisses. Remember this the next time you think to disguise yourself as a kitchen maid.” He flashed his wide grin once more and turned away. “I promise I will visit you in a year or two. Farewell, sweet Janie,” he murmured as he disappeared into the gloom after the direction of the three dark shadows.

All thoughts of continuing her adventure had fled with the encounter. Jane stood rigidly with her back leaning against the stone pillar for a moment or two attempting to steady her breathing. She turned away from her original destination and, cautiously through the semi-darkness, found her way to the street that followed the cliffs. With her shawl draped over her head, she passed the lending library, the hotel known as The Old Ship and eventually followed the Marine Parade until she passed out of the town proper.

The walls of her school soon loomed in the darkness, and she quickly scaled them on the secret loose board. A few minutes later she was tucked in bed with Marianne snoring nearby. Her rapid pulse denied instant sleep. She rested her head on her pillow reliving a handsome pirate with his lips roving commandingly over hers. Had she responded? Of course not! Surely not. How embarrassing to think she might have. What did that make her? One of the muslin company? A trollop?

As far as she knew, there had been no report of insanity in her family. That branch from near the Scottish border had always been a bit odd, but she hadn’t heard the word exactly as insane. Her father was certainly eccentric, but she didn’t think insane. Perhaps simply acutely unpleasant would best describe him.

With the back of her hand, she rubbed her lips slowly back and forth. Who would have thought a kiss would feel like that? How odd he opened his mouth over mine and I could feel his tongue. Really! He did, indeed, taste me. She gave a quiet laugh which turned into a hiccup. I should be grateful he didn’t take a bite out of me.

The oddest thing of all was that the whole episode, even though frightening, was pleasurable as well. It was obvious now why chaperones were so strict. If all kisses were like that one, no female was safe. Sleep slowly came to her and dreams of wild pirates with long silky hair haunted her until the morning light.

Lady Jane’s Tryst

Buy Link: Amazon

Ripe for adventure, Lady Jane welcomes the charming pirate who offers her the excitement she craves.

Five years at Miss Agatha’s Finishing School for Young Ladies in Brighton, without a single day away, leaves Lady Jane longing for any respite to liven her deadened senses. An accidental meeting with a handsome stranger initiates a journey of danger, excitement, affection, and eventually love, even as Lady Jane wonders if a person could be considered an orphan while still possessing a parent.

Meet Emma Lane

Enjoying cold winters and velvet summers, Ms. Lane resides in Western NY. As Emma Lane, she writes Regency historicals. Under the pen name Janis Lane, she enjoys plotting Cozy Mysteries. Every once in awhile, she leaves the greenhouse where she plays with flowers to send out another novel or two.

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