Tag: Regency romance Page 45 of 47

The Duke of Danby is at it again!

On May 25, 2016

If our readers don’t know about the Duke of Danby, the Teatime Tattler is happy to enlighten you.

It all started during the Christmas of 1812, when he decided to be more proactive (read: interfering) in the lives of his grandchildren. In his opinion, the lot of them were not doing their duty and his patience had grown thin. Thus, His Grace summoned each of his grandchildren from near and far, to attend him at Christmas in Yorkshire. His gift that year? A Special License for each one of them, though some did avoid the parson’s noose during the holiday. Still, Danby managed to marry off ten of his grandchildren within a fortnight, which is rather impressive, if you ask me.

After that, the duke quieted a bit, interfering only on occasion until last Christmas, when he turned his attention to his great-nephews and nieces with a whole new set of Special Licenses and matchmaking schemes. Once again, His Grace was quite successful in seeing a number of them settled.

Those who survived without being leg-shackled breathed a sigh of relief as Twelfth Night came to a close and began making plans to enjoy the coming season, assuming Danby would leave them in peace until the following holiday.

One should never assume anything where the Duke of Danby is concerned.

As luck would have it, Danby is NOT saving his matchmaking for Christmas and fully intends to see several of his great-nieces and nephews married before the season is done.

You can find these new stories in the Regency Romance Collection – the four books of When the Duke Comes to Town with twelve brand new novellas with the scheming and matchmaking of the Duke of Danby.

About EVADING THE DUKE

Jane Charles – Ruined By a Lady

There is nothing Samuel Storm wants more than to leave London behind him and return to his plantation in Barbados, until he sees a portrait come to life. At least he’s fairly certain the girl across St. Paul’s is the same one depicted in the scandalous painting he owns back in the Caribbean. But how can he be sure? And why would a lady pose for such a painting?

Lady Jillian Simpson has made many mistakes in her life, but the worst was falling for an artist who took advantage of her trust. She is fairly certain her father has found and destroyed all of the paintings, all but one, at least until she encounters the dashing Mr. Storm and learns another exists. But after everything she’s experienced, how can she ever trust him with her secret or her heart?

Rose Gordon – The Wooing Game

The first meeting for James, Earl of Wynn and Miss Charlotte Cavanaugh was not so spectacular. Come to think of it, neither was the second which led to a hasty marriage followed by three years of speculation as to why the two were never seen in the same room. But that’s all about to change…

When an anonymous letter of admiration—and scandalous invitation—arrives for Charlotte, James realizes this might be his chance to start over, and thus begins The Wooing Game.

Samantha Grace – One Less Lonely Earl

Colin MacBride, Earl of Blackwood, is well aware that only a fool would answer the Duke of Danby’s summons. But with many mouths to feed, poor fields, and a failing flock that might not survive winter, he sets aside a decades’ old feud with his neighbor and calls on him to make a proposition. If Blackwood sheep are allowed to winter on the duke’s land, Colin will share the profits when they are sheared in the spring. Naturally, the duke has a better idea, and it involves a lovely young lady who is dear to his heart. Colin can use the land if he agrees to hire Meredith Halliday to be his niece’s governess, then convince her to quit before the man the duke has chosen to marry her arrives in Yorkshire. Oh, and if Colin would flirt with her a bit to build her confidence, that would be splendid, indeed. Appalled to be labeled a Lothario for hire, Colin storms from the study and straight into the old curmudgeon’s trap—and she is every bit as beautiful and charming as promised.

About THWARTING THE DUKE

Ava Stone – Lady Hope’s Dashing Devil

Lady Hope Post has suffered the most rotten luck over the last year. She’s lost the love of her life. Her great-uncle and Machiavellian matchmaker the Duke of Danby has a special license just waiting for her somewhere. And after one tiny little phaeton accident in the park, the most devilish earl attempts to blackmail her over the incident.

Thaddeus Baxter, the Earl of Kilworth has every intention of restoring luster to the earldom he’s inherited from his ne’er-do-well cousin, but when an adventurous lady upends his phaeton in the park, all of Thad’s perfectly respectable plans are tossed out the window. What are the odds he’d cross paths with the same girl who’d nearly brought down his cousin’s earldom in the first place? And what are the odds he’d lose his heart to her as well?

Julie Johnstone – It’s in the Duke’s Kiss

Lady Emmaline Radcliffe always knew she never wanted to marry a man who embraced the rules of Society. But when her mother threatens to secure a suitable match for Emma if she cannot make one on her own, Emma sets out to determine if her girlhood infatuation is the love she’s been looking for. Nathaniel did save her life once, after all. But when she finds herself in the arms of the gentleman’s brother—the serious and proper Duke of Blackbourne—she begins to question all she ever thought she desired.

Lucian, the Duke of Blackbourne, is tired of playing keeper to his irresponsible brother. He vows to quit, but when his brother resolves to seduce the impetuous Lady Emmaline, Lucian knows he must save his foolish brother and the innocent debutante from themselves. Yet his plan to intercede goes awry when he finds himself drawn to the woman who is everything he was positive he didn’t want in a wife.

But his brother won’t give up so easily, and soon Lucian’s well-intentioned plans are revealed. Now to keep Lady Emmaline’s heart he must prove that he’s truly not the stuffy, sneaky duke he seems to be.

Sue London – Her Reluctant Lord

Miss Agatha Chase has more than enough problems simply keeping her household together, with three younger brothers and one aged servant. Now a great-uncle she’s never heard from before has offered to sponsor her for a Season in London. She is far too old for such frivolity, but everyone tells her that you don’t say no to a duke!

Laurence Garner has unexpectedly inherited his brother’s title, Viscount of Rothering. He’s a man of honor, but the tiresome duties of nobility chafe for a man used to the open sea. And now he’s squiring an insipid miss around London as a favor for a friend! If only something exciting would happen.

About OUTWITTING THE DUKE

Deb Marlowe – The Earl’s Hired Bride

Because an unmarried Earl must be in want of a bride . . . Every debutante in the ton wants to be the Countess of Hartford—and mistress of Hartsworth Castle. Never mind that Hart has no interest in marrying just yet, the young ladies hunt him as ruthlessly as a pack of hounds after the elusive fox. What he needs is a hired bride—one who will give him some room to breathe, but is guaranteed to call it off at the end of the Season.

Because a girl with no prospects will do what she must to help her family . . . Miss Emily Spencer must do something. Her mother’s health is failing and the notorious Duke of Danby is growing dangerously close. Why not hide in plain sight and pretend to be the Earl of Hartford’s betrothed? And getting paid for her troubles? It’s just what she needs to make her family comfortable again.

Because love comes when you least expect it . . . Sparks fly when the two put their plan in motion—and deeper emotions grow. But how can they be together when the path they’ve forged only leads to their inevitable break up?

Aileen Fish – His Unsuspecting Heart

Lord Giles Graves would rather spend his evenings in the House of Commons than circulating amongst the ton. Then his grandmother sends him on a fool’s errand requiring him to gain entry into her former home. Now he needs an invitation to call on the new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Minnet.

Miss Tabitha Minnet isn’t particular about titles and income, as long as her future husband is kind, honest and an excellent kisser. The one she’s particularly interested in happens to be the brother-in-law of her dearest friend. Lord Giles is quite the catch!

While pretending to be enamored with Miss Minnet, Giles avoid the poor, innocent young lady his great-uncle Danby has chosen as Giles’ bride. At least that part is going as planned—until Miss Minnet appears to be falling in love.

Giles cannot wait until the Season is over and his life will return to normal.

Lily George – The Captain Takes a Bride

Lord Richard Carew has just returned from his last ocean voyage with more cargo than expected – a fortune to call his own and a child entrusted to his care. Unsure if he should settle down or heed the call of the sea once more, he enlists the help of governess Laura Stephens to raise his young ward. As Laura quietly turns his house into a home and his ward into family, Richard wonders if perhaps his existence as a wandering rake is as appealing as it used to be.

Miss Laura Stephens has nothing to call her own – raised a penniless orphan, she must make her way in the world. Thanks to Captain Carew, she has a roof over her head and some measure of independence – as long as she doesn’t do anything so foolish as to fall in love.

About DISMISSING THE DUKE

Jerrica Knight-Catania – Flirting With Scandal

Esther Whitton has gladly spent the last few months enjoying the quiet calmness of a Yorkshire winter, devouring books and attempting to keep herself from falling for a man she knows she can never have. But when her Great-uncle Danby announces they’re all going to London for the Season, she decides it’s time to step out of her comfort zone and follow her heart before it’s given away to another.

Timothy Hargood knows his place is in servitude, and therefore pining after a woman destined to be the wife of a peer is completely pointless. But when she makes the first advances, how can he resist?

Star-crossed from the start, this unlikely pair must try to find a way to be together, even if it means thwarting the all-powerful Duke of Danby to do so.

Claudia Dain – The Husband Hunt

Miss Julia Whitton is in London to find a husband, but only the proper sort of husband, one who has a stellar house with the funds to see to life’s luxurious essentials without strain. She meets a moderately attractive man with a truly superb house on her first day in London. Unfortunately for Julia, Mr. Peter Grant must rent his house on Portman Square to pay off his brother’s gaming debts. Julia and her family move into Peter’s house and to her shock and fascination, Julia finds little notes secreted all over the Portman Square property. Each note reveals a bit more about Peter and Julia, sensible in the extreme, finds herself falling in love with Pete re the Pauper of Portman Square. Should any London Season possibly begin on worse footing?

Olivia Kelly – Look to the Stars

Leonato Blakeley, heir to the earldom of Pennyworth, has no intention of marrying any time soon. He’s got against marriage, unless the term is being paired with his name. His great-uncle, the matchmaking Duke of Danby, has arrived in town, and Leo needs A Plan.

American heiress Miriam Rosenbaum has crossed an ocean to study the stars with the best scientists in the field. Well, perhaps her mother thinks they’re in London to find husbands for the scandalous Madcap Rosenbaum sisters. But Miriam is determined not only to visit the Royal Observatory, but participate in their groundbreaking research.

Together, they might have a chance at accomplishing their goals. But when the Season is over, walling away from each other might be their greatest challenge yet.

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1nFDZWT
B&N – http://bit.ly/1nGKite
Kobo – http://bit.ly/1R4j0c9
iBooks: Evading – http://apple.co/1ZbgPoS
Thwarting – http://apple.co/1UHoUkB
Outwitting – http://apple.co/1ZbgWkt
Dismissing – http://apple.co/1pzxXZQ

Duke’s sister-in-law runs off with dashing rake, pursued by betrothed

By Guest author

On May 18, 2016

In Guest author, Teatime Tattler

Dear Mr. Clemens,

Greetings to you good sir! It is I, Miss Fanny Aberthnot, one of your most admiring readers, writing you yet again to report on a scandal most disturbing. While, like your kind self, I have a true fascination with all things involving the gentry, it is with much distress that I bring this deplorable situation to light.

Sadly, my letter yet again involves his most gracious Duke of Summerton, or rather not him, but his sister-in-law, Miss Beatrice Hawkins. As I hear it, while she was residing with the duke and his wife, her older sister, the Duchess of Summerton, she became engaged to a merchant gentleman from the north, a Mr. Bainbridge. It is my understanding that the betrothal was arranged by her distant cousin and former guardian, Sir Alfred Hawkins.

The scandal ensued when she, reportedly under the guidance of the Duke himself, fled the city in a most perilous and suspicious manner with none other than one of London’s most scandalous rogues, Lord Michael Carver, Earl of Bladen.

While news of their where-a-bouts is strictly guarded, it is feared that misfortune has befallen them and that, out of concern for his future bride’s safety, Mr. Bainbridge has set upon their trail to rescue her. Since he departed London, however, news of Miss Hawkins and the earl has been sparse and there were even reports that their carriage was set upon by thieves. As a result, it is now believed that Miss Hawkins is traveling with the earl and without a proper chaperone.

As you know, this is most unacceptable for a proper lady. More than that, a woman who would do so would be considered severely damaged and certainly not welcome in any proper parlors throughout the realm. The potential for her complete ruination is unfathomable!

As for the earl, Lord Bladen, a widower and no stranger to scandal himself, it is unsure what part he is playing in this drama. In some parlors, it has been suggested that Miss Hawkins and the earl have long been concealing an “affair de couer” for some time.

It has long been hoped that Lord Bladen would one day cease his rakish behavior and return to proper society. Among most of the bon ton, he is known for his penchant for dueling and had in fact been doing so under the guise of defending a gentle woman’s honor on several occasions. This does seem to cut him as a romantic figure. During his last bout he suffered the loss of his right eye and now sports a devilish black eye patch. You can imagine how such a dashing figure as he could cause many a young lady to swoon! (Especially if she were given to such frivolous ideas—of which I assure you, I am not!)

Oh, but if he were but to reform and return to the arms of gentle society, it is certain that he would be welcomed by all. He is an earl, after all, and many gently bred mothers would welcome the former rake into their families should he choose to cast his hat once again into the marriage mart.

Sadly, this is the extent of my knowledge of this scandalous affair at this time. No one is certain how it will end—will it be with Miss Hawkins married to the man to whom she is betrothed? Will His Grace, the Duke intervene yet again to prevent the nuptials? And, what’s to become of Lord Bladen? Will he somehow intervene in Miss Hawkin’s betrothal? I assure you, as soon as I hear the slightest of hints as to the outcome, I promise, I will be diligent informing you and your readers.

Once again, with kind regards,
Fanny Aberthnot

About A Most Delicate Pursuit

A notorious earl and a brokenhearted young lady are running from love . . . until their foolproof scheme backfires in the most decadent way.

Though he’s fiercely loyal to his friends, Michael Carver has managed to avoid romantic entanglements by cultivating a reputation as a rake and a gambler. Believing himself incapable of intimacy, the Earl of Blandon avoids anything more than lighthearted flirtations or trysts with married women—which leaves more than enough time to slip out into the wilderness for a little fishing. All is well until Michael agrees, as a favor, to keep his best friend’s stubborn yet alluring sister-in-law company.

After one failed engagement, Beatrice Hawkins would rather become a spinster than risk her heart again. Her family, however, is relentless when it comes to finding her a suitable match. So when the roguish earl suggests they join forces to feign courtship and throw everyone off their scent, Beatrice only hopes the ton will take the bait. But at the hunting lodge where Michael takes her to escape prying eyes, Beatrice finds herself lured in by the unexpected charms of a man who has so much love to give—even if he doesn’t know it yet.

Buy on Amazon

About Pamela Labud

Pamela Labud, author of historical, paranormal and fantasy romance fiction, also writes sexy historical western romance stories as Leigh Curtis. She’s been published in book length fiction since 2003. Her first print book, Spirited Away, was published in Kensington’s Zebra line, earned a Double RITA nomination. Since then she has published in both print and electronic formats. You can read more about Pam at: http://www.pamlabud.net, and Leigh at http://www.leighcurtiss.wordpress.com.

The disappointed rival

By Guest author

On May 11, 2016

In Guest author, Teatime Tattler

“MATRIMONY – A lady of good birth and breeding, and without a stain on her character wishes, for reasons which will be revealed to any successful candidate to MARRY a young man of sufficient fortune and gentility to keep her in the state to which she is accustomed. His age should not exceed thirty years, and he should be of pleasant and amiable disposition. His income not to be less than two hundred guineas per annum. Reply post-paid only, to DC, care of the Landlord, ‘The Bell’, Saxmundham.”

“I ask you, what sort of woman of good birth and breeding writes a letter to the newspaper like that? Of course, once it came out that it was one of those shameless Brandon women, it became quite clear. Did you know the Brandons haven’t been free of scandal since the first Baron ran off with a nun in the fourteenth century? And recently there was that Crim. Con. case brought by the current baron, and his niece went off with one of the most notorious rakes in the land.

But I was telling you about how this shameless hussy somehow managed to entrap the most eligible bachelor of all, the Honourable Mr. Percival Braidwood, whose blond locks gleam like gold and who has the profile of a Greek god. Add that to his fortune, reputed to be a cool ten thousand a year, and that before he inherits the baronetcy, and you can see why it’s just not fair that this nobody second cousin or whatever she is should win him. It was a trick, of that I’m sure. How she got him to answer such an advertisement is beyond me, or maybe she just took advantage of him staying in an inn where she was perusing likely candidates. I am certain she must have managed to arrange for him to compromise her in some way, and he such a gentlemen he had no choice but to offer marriage!

Am I jealous? Of course I’m jealous! I spent the entire season trying to catch Mr. Braidwood’s attention, and I am beautiful and accomplished, and an excellent conversationalist, as well as being fashionably dark. We were a perfect foil, my raven locks and his golden ones. It goes to prove, doesn’t it, that he must have been trapped, because why else would he end up married to a blonde whose hair isn’t even dark enough in colour to call a proper blonde?

Oh, no, I don’t want to give my name; well, if you must, write it down as Lady L. Listen, if you breathe a word to the Honourable Mrs. Eldridge that I spoke about her brother’s bride, I shall find ways to make it very uncomfortable for you. What does she say? Oh, Isolde is putting a brave face on it and declaring it a love match. A love match? Why, she obviously doesn’t know that this chit Diana, or whatever her name is, placed an advertisement in two provincial newspapers, and I found out about it which is why I came to you with the full story. I even found one of her disappointed suitors, whose hand and heart she spurned for greater wealth, despite the poor man being a widower with young children. No of course I wouldn’t marry an impoverished rector with brats, what do you take me for?

There was no call to say that, fellow.”

Excerpt:

“Dinah, such a long face! Surely you do not long for a husband to argue comparisons over?”

“No, and that’s the problem!” cried Dinah. “I am to be married after Christmas, and to a horrid old man who leered at me, and he has sweaty hands, and skin like mahogany, all wrinkled like a walnut, and Papa is not to be argued with over it. Indeed, I am afraid he will take me away, for Uncle Adam put him in a passion, criticising Marjorie’s husband.”

“Oh dear,” said Imogen. “Well, there is nothing else for it; you will have to get married before the end of the holidays. Have you any beaux?”

“No, I have never even been to a dance. I’m only sixteen and Mama said I should come out when I was seventeen. I shan’t be seventeen until April and that will be too late, and besides, Papa will say that coming out is unnecessary as he has found me a husband.”

“I can only see one course open to you, then, as I do not think you could manage to run away as I did without help,” said Imogen.

“You must think me very poor spirited,” said Dinah.

“No, my dear, I think you very much downtrodden, like a governess to horrible children, only your father is more childish than the most horrible child I have ever heard of,” said Imogen. “Fancy not being able to control his temper at his age!”

“I don’t think he ever had to,” said Dinah. “What idea did you have?”

“Why, insert an advertisement in the Ipswich Journal and the Norfolk Chronicle that you are looking for a husband, and then marry the one you like the most,” said Imogen. “I will help you to interview those who take your interest from their letters.”

“But Imogen, Papa might see the advertisement!” cried Dinah.

“Silly, you do not put it in your name,” said Imogen. “You write something like ‘Young lady seeks matrimony with a man of sufficient means and gentility to support a wife of breeding, no older than thirty. Send post-paid envelope to … oh, to some inn.”

About Sarah Waldock

Sarah Waldock grew up in Suffolk and still resides there, in charge of a husband, and under the ownership of sundry cats. All Sarah’s cats are rescue cats and many of them have special needs. They like to help her write and may be found engaging in such helpful pastimes as turning the screen display upside-down, or typing random messages in kittycode into her computer.

Sarah claims to be an artist who writes. Her degree is in art, and she got her best marks writing essays for it. She writes largely historical novels, in order to retain some hold on sanity in an increasingly insane world. There are some writers who claim to write because they have some control over their fictional worlds, but Sarah admits to being thoroughly bullied by her characters who do their own thing and often refuse to comply with her ideas. It makes life more interesting, and she enjoys the surprises they spring on her. Her characters’ surprises are usually less messy [and much less noisy] than the surprises her cats spring.

Sarah has tried most of the crafts and avocations which she mentions in her books, on the principle that it is easier to write about what you know. She does not ride horses, since the Good Lord in his mercy saw fit to invent Gottleib Daimler to save her from that experience; and she has not tried blacksmithing. She would like to wave cheerily at anyone in any security services who wonder about middle aged women who read up about making gunpowder and poisonous plants.

Here is the link to ‘The Advertised Bride’ to be found on Amazon.

Scandal at the Masquerade Ball

By Aunt Augusta

On April 23, 2016

In Bluestocking Belles, Nicole Zoltack, Teatime Tattler

Gentle readers, I do hope you will not be in too great of an uproar when I tell you this, but I am most certain that there was a great deal of scandalous behavior that occurred at the most recent masquerade ball.

Now, when one wears a mask, the propensity to engage in shocking and outrageous behavior might be tempting, but that does not mean one should give in, and give in I feel certain did happen. Why, I saw several ladies, including one in particular, who spent the entire night talking to a man. Talking and laughing and looking positively too comfortable. This lady had no chaperone with her that I could tell. If her mother only realized the kind of behavior her daughter was engaging in…

But there was another lady too, who, honestly, did not quite seem to fit in. She kept to herself, likewise without a chaperone, but then I spied her dancing with a strapping tall man. They seemed to have eyes for no other, and at one point, I even saw her lift her mask to reveal her face to him!

Now I know just about everyone who is anyone, and I can assuredly tell you, my dear readers, that I did not recognize this lady. My mind continually only goes in one direction—that the lady was no lady at all. But who could she have been?

The man she spent time with seemed beside himself after the lady-who-might-not-be-a-lady left and shortly thereafter departed from the masquerade ball himself. Whether the two will ever cross paths again, I do not know, but I must confess to being disappointed he did not lift his mask as well. I would very much be interested to know who he was, as well as the first lady and her gentleman… friend.

I will be certain to keep an eye open to see if I cannot spy the lady somewhere. I do think it is possible to find love at such a ball—I, myself, in my youth had done the same—but love is not always enough nowadays, it is sad to say.

When, not if, I learn more, I will be sure to share it with you, good readers, do not fret.

Your humble servant,

A concerned masquerade attendee

The masked man and the lady who reveals her face are the main characters in Masked Love.

MASKED LOVE

Isabelle will do anything for her lady, even accompany her to a masquerade ball. Lady Theodosia needs extra support for tomorrow she will meet the man her par-ents have pledged her to.

Meeting an enchanting young man during the course of the evening makes Isabelle wish for a life she can never have. Imagine her shock when he shows up the next morning, announcing his claim on Lady Thedosia.

Torn between duty and desire, Isabelle hopes for something more this Christmas.

Heat: PG

Regency Christmas novella

Series: Beyond Boundaries #1

Price: 0.99

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo ~ iBooks

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

The Housekeeper’s Fears

By Guest author

On March 23, 2016

In Guest author, Teatime Tattler

From the diary of Beatrice Mellor, housekeeper at Blackheath Manor:

I worry about him, my boy.

He’s changed and I’m afraid I know the reason why.

lady Thomas James Worsley is the son of my late employer. So he’s not really my son — my husband and I were never so blessed, but nonetheless I nursed him.

I nursed him when he was as helpless as a babe returned to Blackheath after the war with Napoleon.

He was near death; the pneumonia had a strong hold on him. Each breath rattled through his lungs and I feared it would be his last.

I nursed him. I fed him when he was too weak to feed himself. I stayed with him night after night even when the doctor all but pronounced him dead.

I encouraged him when it seemed there was no hope. But I knew him. He was a fighter. Even when he got into scraps with his brothers, he would always been the last to yield. That fighting spirit helped him to live to another Christmas and then another.

I hadn’t realised he was blind at first, not when he was so ill and he spend more time in fever than not. And his leg! So many breaks in those bones and so many scars that he cannot straighten it for any length of time without pain…

My dear boy…

The way his brother treated him was shameful, but it’s not my place to question the Earl’s decision, mine is to do my duty and care for the people under my charge. And that is what brings me to this dilemma.

There’s a new addition to the household, a governess for the little misses.

Her name is Ella Montgomery and she knows.

She has seen Thomas and he seemed enraptured by her. I haven’t seen him this happy since the spring of 1815 – six years ago.

This can only end badly. I fear for him. His body has been broken, but what of his heart?

About the Book

In her first posting as governess, Ella Montgomery discovers beautiful Blackheath Manor hides family secrets and suppressed passions. Mysterious piano music in the darkness of night draws Ella to the talented Thomas Worsley, the brother of her employer, the Earl of Renthorpe. Grievously wounded in the Napoleonic Wars, Thomas is held prisoner at Blackheath by more than his blindness and scars. Driven by bitter jealousy, the Earl has ensured Thomas is only a memory, his name etched on a marble memorial in the Bedfordshire village graveyard. Drawn together by their love of music, Ella and Thomas begin a clandestine affair, but how far will the Earl go to keep his family’s secret?

~Excerpt~

Ella crossed to the small window and looked out over the dales where she caught a glimpse of the village through the grove of trees and farmlands beyond, all wearing a blanket of snow.

Turning back to the room, Ella unpacked her precious few belongings. Before hanging them in the wardrobe, she laid her dresses on the bed to smooth them out – a winter Sunday dress of felt, the color of ripe raspberries, a forest green walking dress, and a Sunday dress for summer in soft buttery yellow linen, along with her slate grey day dress. The first three were all gifts from the Bishop’s wife. They were hand-me-downs, but still of the finest quality and not too out of fashion.

As she hung the dresses up, she reflected that Mrs. Stanton’s generosity had more than doubled her wardrobe. Before that she had owned only the grey day dress in addition to the black one she wore now.

Ella placed her most valued possession on the bed – her father’s Bible. She stroked the black leather cover, rubbed soft with age, and opened it. Inside were her father’s commentaries. Seeing his handwriting made her feel as though he were alive once more. Ella closed her eyes. The sharpness of his loss had barely lessened over the year.

She had never felt more miserable in her life.

The chimes from the grandfather clock echoed up the stairwell, registering the fourth hour of the afternoon. No one had yet brought the promised meal to her room – not that she was hungry, anyway.

She straightened her back, suddenly struck with the resolve to at least do something.

Although Mrs. Mellor had set a timetable, Ella was the girls’ governess, and therefore they were her responsibility. She would see them now and introduce herself before they were to be presented to their parents at bedtime.

Ella took a tentative step or two toward the staircase and looked up to the top floor. She could hear no sounds there. If she listened hard, she could hear maids downstairs preparing the dining table. Then she looked to the left and the right. If the school room was on this floor, perhaps the nursery was as well.

She knocked on several closed doors and received no response. The house was a jumble of passages and Ella soon found herself at the last door before a narrow stone spiral staircase. The sounds of kitchen activity below confirmed her belief these were the servants’ stairs.

She heard movement from behind the door – the scrape of a chair and a softly grunted curse. A moment’s indecision, then her hand was raised to knock on the door when Mrs. Mellor startled her for the second time today.

“Are you looking for something, Miss Montgomery?” she asked sharply.

Ella turned and found the woman’s expression as cold as the day outside.

“I’m seeking the nursery, Mrs. Mellor.”

“You won’t find it here.”

“Then if you would kindly direct me–”

“On the second floor. It is the room above yours. Use the main staircase, not the servants’. You do not want to give the wrong impression when you are new here.”

Mrs. Mellor extended her arms, drawing attention to a tray of food which Ella, so focused on Mrs. Mellor’s stern expression, had not noticed. The tray bore an elaborate silver savory dish warmed underneath by two small votive candles. Beside it was a platter of fresh fruit, a wedge of cheese and a sweetmeat dish filled with nuts.

“Oh,” said Ella, “I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble on my account.”

The woman frowned a moment, then saw Ella’s gaze upon the tray and her look became glacial.

“This is not for you. I have more important duties than to be scullery maid to a governess. Get out of my way.”

Mrs. Mellor set the tray on a side table opposite the door on which Ella had been about to knock. With cheeks flushed red, Ella turned and hurried back down the passageway. Behind her as she fled, she heard a male voice answer Mrs. Mellor’s authoritative knock on the door.

Ella found the main stairs and started climbing, mentally berating herself. She had been here a scant two hours and gotten off on the wrong foot with one of the most important people in the house.

Her first post had not started well – and she had a horrible feeling it was not going to get any better.

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Nocturne is a novella from Elizabeth Ellen Carter whose full-length titles include Warrior’s Surrender, Moonstone Obsession, and Moonstone Conspiracy.