I'm Going To Be Published... Sort of... Kinda... Okay, not really, but it's still cool!

Confused by the title? Let me explain.

If you follow me on Facebook, you know I've been a little quiet for the last week. It's because I've been getting everything ready for our anniversary celebration at Regency Reflections!

As part of the celebration we wrote a serial story. That means I will have fiction writing put out for all the world to read. Which is sort of like being published, but not really. 

The event is going to be fun. We've hidden prizes throughout the story for readers to find for a chance of winning all eight prizes. I have to say I'm having some serious thoughts about getting myself a copy of the Bible in the prize pack. (I didn't donate it, but I saw the picture and it's gorgeous!) 

I would love to have you swing over to Regency Reflections and join the party. The story is a lot of fun, and one of the best parts is that we're letting the readers decide how it ends! 

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.10

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 10

               

Air whooshed from Olivia’s lungs. She was actually thankful for the lack of air. It kept her from saying anything she might regret in response to John’s cutting comment.

I figured it would be the best way to prove to her that we wouldn’t suit at all.

She waited, expecting him to continue. He had to have more to say. Something along the lines of realizing his mother was right after all and they suited perfectly. Even that he was beginning to see her differently would work.

Silence reigned in the garden.

John strolled on down the path, not bothered a bit by his revelation to her. Given the way she reacted to him in London he probably thought she was grateful for his statement. Olivia focused on keeping her feet moving. If she allowed her hurt to freeze her in place, she would draw his attention.

“Of course,” she finally squeezed out. She winced slightly but didn’t think he noticed.

“Mother will have someone else in mind when we return to London, I’m sure, but by then the season will be approaching an end. I’ll have another year’s reprieve.”

“Do you intend to invite next year’s candidate on a tour of the country as well? You won’t be able to keep Minnie away from London again next year.” Olivia fought to keep the bitterness from her voice. She refused to allow him to strip her of her pride, even if inadvertently.

“I am aware of that, Olivia, but now have several months to think of a new plan.”

Olivia felt she had to make one stab at changing his mind. “You could get married.”

He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “I have nothing against marriage. I just don’t want my mother planning it for me. I would like to select my own wife.”

“So you would avoid someone just to spite her?”

She walked two paces past him before she realized he stopped short. Her skirts whirled as she turned to face him. His eyes were narrowed as they watched her closely.

“Miss Bedford, are you suggesting you would like me to consider you for the position of my viscountess?”

Panic filled Olivia’s stomach. What was she to do now? She couldn’t let him know that he’d hit the nail on the head. “Obviously you don’t remember our discussion while dancing in London. I believe I told you then I had no romantic leanings toward you and my own mother made me dance with you.”

Tense moments passed before a smile split his handsome features. “Perhaps our mothers should get together then, hmmm? They can form a club.”

“Mmm, yes. They can meet twice monthly and lament their disobedient children.” Tears began to burn behind Olivia’s eyes. She had to return to the house immediately if she wanted to keep the truth to herself. “I fear I am more tired from the journey than I first thought. I will leave you now and retire to the house. Enjoy your walk.”

She stalked past him and retreated the way they had come as quickly as she felt acceptable. Once she rounded a particularly large plant, she began to run.

                                                                                ~

“Garden blooms are pretty.” Mrs. Ruggiford sat next to her friend on the sofa in the drawing room that night. They were awaiting the rest of the party before walking in to dinner.

“Yes, I spent a great deal of time with the gardener the past year until we found the perfect arrangement. I like the effect.” Lady Mulligan was a sharp contrast next to her friend. Olivia would never have placed them together as close companions. Where Mrs. Ruggiford was sharp and rough, Lady Mulligan was grace personified.

“Went for a walk in them today.”

Olivia’s attention flew to the older woman. “You did?”

“Had to stretch my legs after traveling.”

Olivia waited to see if Mrs. Ruggiford was going to mention seeing her and the Viscount in the garden. It was possible she had walked in a different direction. The gardens were quite vast.

John entered and kissed his aunt’s cheek. “Aunt Lillian, I see you and Lady Mulligan haven’t lost a moment.”

“Of course not. I’m smarter than you.”

John paused in the act of pouring himself a drink. “I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me. You think I wanted to spend three days more than we had to in order to see the countryside on our way here?”

“Er, no.” John took a slow sip, watching his aunt with an odd expression, as if her were waiting for the sign he would have to haul her off to be committed.

“No. Family said it would be a good idea. Sure enough it was.”

Olivia felt her cheeks burn. It was a clear reference to her conversation with John in the garden. Mrs. Ruggiford was trying to get John to reconsider.

John, however, was made of sterner stuff. “I’m glad you feel it has worked out for you. Family can tend to be a bit blind to what you really need sometimes. Fortunately, that was not true in your case. “

The two stared at each other. The room grew more and more uncomfortable.

Lady Mulligan’s eyes suddenly lit up. She gripped her friend’s hand and smiled in a way Olivia didn’t begin to trust. “I have a wonderful idea!”

Okay, Alana, (or someone else if they want to challenge her!)what is Lady Mulligan’s idea? It’s going to be something to try to further her friend’s agenda at getting these two together. Are they going to put on a play? Have a scavenger hunt?

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.9

It’s time for Fiction Friday! Sorry I missed the last two weeks - the end of the year busyness got me all caught up and I completely missed that it was Friday. 

So, how does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 9

               

                Olivia forced a smile onto her face as she participated in the typical banal social chatter that accompanied parties such as these. She danced twice more, gaining nothing but a smile and a nod the one time she happened to pass John.  Thankfully, the dancing was quite short lived and the party broke up soon after.

                The occupants of the house moved to retire. Olivia made the walk across the great hall to the stairs take as long as she could. John was caught up in a business conversation with Lord Bromley and was apparently going to stay up for some time yet. With all the other ladies already ascending the stairs, Olivia had no choice but to follow them.

                    

The next day found the ambling along the road, continuing their drive towards Birmingham. The confines of the coach were not private enough for her to lure John into continuing last night’s conversation. They stopped at a very nice posting inn for the night which excited Minnie to the point that she eagerly took Olivia’s hand and refused to let go for most of the evening.

“You’ll have to keep me from making a total cake of myself,” she said, gripping Olivia’s hand tightly.

“Have you never stayed in an inn before?”

The younger girl shook her head. “Never. Father has friends halfway between London and Cornwall. We stayed there on our way to London.”

Olivia glanced around the inn, trying to see it through Minnie’s eyes. It was obvious the girl found the wood planking and mix of characters exotic, but Olivia was at a loss to figure out why. It was probably because she knew that despite the better than average cleanliness and order of this inn, there was likely to be a rather uncomfortable bed waiting for her upstairs.

After dinner in the private dining room, she was pleased to find that the beds were much nicer than anticipated. She sighed. That meant Minnie was going to be vastly disappointed the next time she stayed in an inn.

The lost conversation ate at Olivia for the next two days. They saw several glorious sights and spent time in the coach reading to each other and chatting. Topics flowed easily one into the other. Olivia tried to share stories that she thought would help Minnie prepare for her season. John always sent her a secret, grateful smile when she managed it.

Olivia kept her eyes open for a chance to pursue his reasons for bringing her. She was amazed at how quickly her view of him had changed. Before he mentioned accompanying his sister on this trip he had simply been another man with whom her mother forced her to socialize. She thought him a bit full of himself when she’d dealt with him before. Now, after getting to know him and seeing his care of Minnie, she was beginning to rethink her opinion of him.

She stole a glance at him as the coach rolled through Birmingham’s high street. Was it possible he had seen her as something more while they were still in London? He said he had watched her before deciding to ask her to accompany his sister. What had he seen and, more importantly, had he liked it?

They reached his aunt’s friend’s house in mid-afternoon. They were shown immediately to their rooms to rest. Olivia didn’t feel the least bit tired. She took her pen and notepad and meandered out to the back gardens. She had several story ideas while traveling through the country and had not felt comfortable writing them down in the coach.

Crossing paths with John was an unexpected surprise.

“Oh, hello.” Anticipation filled her. This was the private moment she had been praying for. Now she had only to bring up the conversation without letting him know she’d been obsessing over it for days.

“You did not feel the need to rest?”

Olivia fell in step beside him and they wandered the garden paths, admiring the beautiful blooms. “We’ve taken such an easy pace on this trip that the traveling has not made me overtired.”

“I feel the same. Normally when I travel I get to my destination as quickly as possible. I’m afraid I’ve never taken the time to see the beauty in our country before. It was quite refreshing.” He glanced at the notepad in her hands. “Did you come out here to sketch?”

“No, write. I wanted to jot down a few things, memories of the trip so far.” She took a deep breath and dove into the conversational opening. “I was thinking back to our dance that first night. I don’t believe you ever finished that confession you said you had. Personal confession, if I recall correctly.”

He smiled. “And how long has that been bothering you?”

A gasp flew from her mouth before she could stop it. “Bothering me? Why I-“

“Do not bother, Miss Bedford, I shall tell you without embarrassing you further. You’ve been such a good sport and, indeed, a great help to Minnie. I felt the need to confess to you that I had an ulterior motive in inviting you on this trip.”

“You did?”

“Yes. You see my family had decided that it’s time for me to settle down. My mother has even decided who it should be.”

“She did?” Olivia mentally shook her head. She was a writer. Surely she could construct a more interesting sentence than that.

“Yes.”

They walked in silence for a moment and finally curiosity won over pride and patience. “Who does she think you should marry?”

He looked over at her with a small smile. “You.”

“Me?”

“You. So I decided to bring you on this trip.”

She waited, breath held, to see if he was about to say that he found her as attractive as she was beginning to find him.

“I figured it would be the best way to prove to her that we wouldn’t suit at all.”

Okay, readers, is anyone going to give Alana a challenge on the story idea? Give me your ideas on how you think Olivia should respond to John’s statement. The options are endless.

Comments are now closed. Look for the next installment.

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.8

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 8

After a leisurely ride through the country, the party had stopped at the home or Lord Bromley, Baron of Gimbleshire. He and Lord Clampton had several business dealings together and the stopover would serve the dual purpose of allowing them to spend the night in comfort and letting Lord Clampton deliver some papers.

None of them expected to find the house bustling with dinner party preparations.

 Lady Bromley, it appeared, was not going to let the opportunity to entertain such a high ranking man as Lord Clampton pass her by.

“It’s just a small dinner party, I assure you. I simply couldn’t fathom asking Lord Clampton to sit down to a simple family meal.”  Lady Bromley gave a whole new meaning to the words gushing and fawning.

“Not a problem for me,” Mrs. Ruggiford said. “Give him the party and the rest of us will take the simple family meal.”

Lady Bromley blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

Minnie rushed forward to grab her aunt’s arm. “What she means is that she’s quite tired from the trip. Would it be all right if we just send a tray up to her room? The rest of us will be happy to attend your gathering.”

Olivia smiled. The girl was learning.

Trunks were brought in, dresses were readied, and hair was repaired in record time. Guests began arriving before the ladies had even made it to their rooms.

Olivia decided to peek in on Lord Clampton’s aunt before going down to the drawing room.

Mrs. Ruggiford settled onto a chaise lounge, wrapped in a green velvet dressing robe. She waved her book in the air. “Dinner party with the bard tonight. Don’t miss me.”

Olivia chuckled as she headed down the stairs. With such a successful example of irreverence as a guide, it would be a miracle if Minnie developed any social graces at all. The proof of this was staring her in the face when she joined the already mingling guests.

Minnie stood in one corner of the room, chatting merrily with a small group of three other guests. The conversation appeared to be flowing nicely and Minnie was holding herself as a proper young lady should when conversing with a group of gentlemen. There was one problem though.

She was wearing her hat.

Olivia was the last to arrive in the drawing room. Their hostess began the processional to the dining room as soon as she spotted her final guest. Olivia never made it across the room to her new friend. She was forced to watch the mismatched ribbons and plumes dance above Minnie’s head a few feet down the table.

When the ladies finally retired, Olivia wondered if it would be best to let the hat remain. Minnie appeared to be holding her own with the group. Removing her hat now could undermine her confidence enough the make her hide in the corner. Olivia decided not to risk it and prayed she wasn’t also telling the pig story.

The gentlemen joined them much sooner than Olivia expected. She was quite grateful since she assumed this meant to party would dissolve soon and she would be able to retire for the night. Even leisurely travel could be quite tiring.

She had not counted on Lady Bromley.

“I have a special treat for everyone!” The hostess clapped her hands like a delighted little schoolgirl. “Miss Elizabeth Stratford has agree to play the pianoforte for us tonight so that we might enjoy a little impromptu exercise and entertainment with a little dance or two.”

Olivia groaned. She knew ladies shouldn’t groan in public, but she just couldn’t help herself. Dancing. There was going to be dancing. Dancing could go on for hours.

“May I have this dance, Miss Bedford?”

Olivia turned to find Lord Clampton standing behind her, hand extended in invitation.

“Of course, my lord.”

“Please, call me John. The trip will be much more enjoyable if we don’t stand on formalities.”

Olivia smiled. “John, then. Please call me Olivia.”

The two took their places for the dance. It was a fairly quick moving one that would not allow for much conversation between partners. This didn’t concern Olivia overmuch since she wasn’t trying to further her relationship with any of the men on the dance floor that evening. John apparently had other ideas.

“I have something to confess,” he whispered as they passed each other.

“What?” Olivia asked when they had once again met in the middle to skip their way down the train of dancers.

“Minnie isn’t the real reason I asked you to come on this trip.”

Olivia looked up at John in surprise. The man didn’t acknowledge it, staring straight ahead, a blank look on his face. “I – I –“

Olivia’s shock and inability to articulate a sentence didn’t matter for the moment since they reached the end of the line and took their place among those forming the walls of the dancing pathway. It was a solid minute before they were once again side by side.

“I had another reason,” John said.

Olivia nearly growled in frustration as she pranced around in a circle with all the ladies.

“What was it?” she asked as she took his arm one more time.

“I’m afraid it is rather personal,” he said before he handed her off to another gentleman.

Personal? It was personal? Olivia tugged harder at her current partner’s arm, trying to hurry the dance around to the next formation.

“What was it?” she asked again, desperation settling into her belly.

“I –“

The music ended. John bowed while Olivia curtsied. She was still rising to her feet when Lady Bromley swooped by and drug John off to meet some of the ladies that were present.

Olivia stamped her foot as she watched John disappear into the small crowd of people.

Okay, readers, it’s your turn? What is John’s REAL reason for inviting Olivia on the trip? Does it have to do with his feelings? His sister? Something else? Throw you ideas in the comments below.

Comments are now closed for this segment. Please look for the next segment of the story. 

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.7

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4 5 6

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 7

                The carriage rolled along at a steady pace. The occupants were in no hurry to get anywhere in particular and enjoyed the sights flowing by outside the window. Two of them did, anyway. Mrs. Ruggiford had grunted something about it being way too early in the morning, leaned her head back against the seat, and snored. Once the carriage was rolling steadily along the newly paved roads outside of London, Lord Clampton produced a small satchel of papers and had not looked up since.

                “Look!” Minnie pointed at a roadside peddler as they passed through a small village. “I haven’t seen one of those since coming to London! Oh, Olivia, he has feathers!”

                Olivia smiled at Minnie’s exuberance. Minnie’s life must have been sheltered indeed for her to maintain such a childlike demeanor at times. She was completely unprepared for Minnie’s next move, however.

                Minnie lurched across the carriage to bang on the wall. She stayed pressed against the window, watching the peddler and presumably keeping an eye on the tempting feathers. Olivia found herself knocked off balance and landed hard against Lord Clampton’s shoulder. His head jerked upright. His eyes met hers, growing slightly wider as their gazes connected.

                “I beg your pardon,” Olivia whispered. She attempted to right herself, but Minnie was still in the way. Olivia was effectively pinned against the man’s side. She had never touched him except for when they danced, and she found it very disconcerting.

                “And how are you enjoying the trip, Miss Bedford?”

                Olivia could hear the smile in his deep baritone and found herself smiling in return, even as she looked in the other direction.

                “Quite well, thank you.”

                Minnie half sat on the seat, waiting for the carriage to come to a complete stop. “They look perfect from here! What town are we in?”

                Olivia tried to shift once more, but found herself having to lean sideways because of Minnie’s new position. She was practically resting her head on Lord Clampton’s shoulder. She could feel him craning his neck to look out the window without dislodging her precarious balance.

                “I must confess, I am not sure. I haven’t been paying attention. Why are we stopping?”

                “Feathers,” Olivia said.

                “For my hat,” Minnie added.

                The footman opened the door and Minnie all but jumped from the carriage, giving Olivia some desperately needed space. She straightened her skirts and then followed her new friend out of the conveyance and over to the peddler’s cart.

                “Oooo, look at them, Livvy. You don’t mind if I call you Livvy do you? How did they manage to get this particular shade of green, do you think?” Minnie fingered the long, green feather.

Olivia opened her mouth to answer but she never got a chance.

“I like the green, but I already have two different shades of green on the hat. Of course, they aren’t feathers. I have a ribbon and a flower. Maybe the blue one would be better? I think this shade would go well with red and purple. ”

Olivia looked back over her shoulder at the carriage. Somewhere in there was apparently a monstrously colorful hat. She was starting to think that preparing Minnie for a successful season was going to be harder than she originally thought.

Eventually Minnie settled on selecting the green one that originally caught her eye. She trotted back to the carriage holding the feather like a trophy.

She stepped gracefully up into the carriage, showing a glimmer of the potential lady she could turn into. Olivia shook her head as she followed more slowly.

She reached the carriage and found Lord Clampton’s eyes watching her closely from behind his papers. Her palms began to sweat under the scrutiny. She focused all of her attention on making it into her seat without stumbling. She situated her skirts and looked up intending to say something about the green feather.

She froze, mouth gaping open, eyes widening to a size she would have thought impossible.

                In the seat across from her, Olivia was busy securing her new feather treasure to the most atrocious, ridiculous, and appalling hat ever created.

                The wide brimmed bonnet was trimmed in white lace. The light green ribbons trailed to the floor of the carriage. A cluster of mismatched flowers, including the infamous green one, clustered along the crown. Minnie was industriously working the end of the feather into the trimming so that it would dance in the air behind the wearer’s head.

                “Guh…” Olivia darted a glance at Lord Clampton, only to find him staring at her from behind his raised papers. One eyebrow slowly climbed towards his hairline.

                Olivia jerked back towards Minnie. “That’s an interesting hat.”

                Minnie turned the bonnet this way and that, admiring her handiwork. “I know. It’s my travel hat. I started it when I left Cornwall. I picked up this ribbon on my first real London shopping trip.”

                Carefully Minnie sat the hat back in the black box at her feet. She closed the lid with an affectionate pat. “I think it’s beautiful.”

                Olivia wasn’t sure what to do. The idea of Minnie actually wearing that ridiculous headpiece anywhere was appalling, but how to tell her that without demeaning her special keepsake? She cleared her throat to stall having to say something.

                “It is so important to remember the journeys in our life,” Olivia began. “Just think how much fun it would be to display it on a statue in your bedroom when this trip is over. You could see it every morning and smile.”

                “Oh, what a fabulous idea. Thank you so much, Olivia.”

                Olivia looked at Lord Clampton out of the corner of her eye. It was amazing how important his opinion had become to her in just a matter of days. He smiled and looked back at his papers.

                Minnie turned back to the window, exclaiming over a grazing herd of sheep.

                Olivia’s gaze kept returning to Lord Clampton. It was obvious that his family, particularly his sister, was extremely important to him. She was beginning to believe that his asking her to accompany Minnie on this trip was about much more than companionship. The responsibility felt heavy indeed.

                Mrs. Ruggiford snorted, drawing Olivia’s attention. The older woman’s eyes were only half open, but it was still enough for Olivia to distinguish the wink that came in her direction. Apparently the others saw the hat as some sort of test and Olivia had passed. It made her feel like she had done something truly worthwhile.

                With a feeling of purpose that had been missing in her life for a long while, she joined Minnie in her perusal of the countryside.

               

Next week our traveling party will be stopping at the house of Lord and Lady Bromley to spend the night. They are going to be surprised by the fact that they are holding a large dinner party. What’s going to happen to out soon-to-be happy couple? Will some other man ask Olivia to dance and make John wildly jealous? Will they all get food poisoning? Toss out your ideas in the comments below.

Comments are now closed. Please check for the next section of the story.

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.6

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

A note of consistency – I made a mistake in last week’s segment and referred to Olivia as Lady Olivia. This is inaccurate as her father is a Viscount. She would be Miss Bedford. Sorry about that!

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4 5

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 6

                Olivia raised her hand, attempting in vain to hide a yawn that was anything but delicate. The sun was just starting to peak into the front drawing room as she waited for Lord Clampton and his sister and aunt to arrive. It was an unspeakably early hour by city standards. On a normal day she would still be ensconced within her covers, either deep in slumber or lazily stretching in preparation to rise for the day.

                Today, however, was not a normal day. She had no idea how punctual Lord Clampton expected her to be, but until she got to know him better she figured she should err on the side of caution. His note the day before said they would be leaving his house at half past seven. Olivia figured this meant they would be arriving at her house to pick her up around eight o’clock at the earliest.

                Even her father had shaken his head at the ridiculousness of the hour. Olivia smiled as she remembered him kissing her on the cheek and telling her to have a nice trip. He intended to sleep until a more civilized hour.

                The morning chill dampened her cheek as she rested her head against the window pane and allowed her eyes to drift close. She probably had time to take a short nap. There was little chance he had actually left his house at half past seven, given there were two women in his party that would not be as hesitant to make him upset or tell him to wait. A strong knock on the door startled her into complete wakefulness.

                Lord Clampton was standing in the doorway as she rushed into the front hall.

                “Ah, good. I was worried you would be one of those women who did not value time and punctuality.”

                “You’re here.”

                Lord Clampton’s eyebrows climbed. “Of course. We are heading out of London today.”

                “But it’s just now eight o’clock.” Olivia gestured at the elaborate clock hanging on the wall.

                Lord Clampton turned to the butler, obviously seeking sanity from the only other person in the room. The loyal servant simply turned away and called for a footman to come carry her trunk out to the carriage.

                Lord Clampton cleared his throat. “I believe the note said we would be leaving my house at half past seven.  I had thought we would have been here a quarter of an hour ago.”

Olivia paled. “Of course,” was the only thing she could think of to say.

The footman came and carried her trunk out to be added to the pile of luggage already secured to the back of the vehicle. Lord Clampton stepped aside and offered Olivia his arm. Bemused, she placed her hand on his elbow. As they made their way to the carriage, she couldn’t help but think that this trip was going to be far more important than just an escape from London.

Minnie was all but bouncing in her seat as Olivia climbed into the carriage. “Good morning!”

Mrs. Ruggiford, sitting in the seat next to her, grunted and rolled her head back against the plush squabs. “Not morning. Middle of the night.”

Olivia bit her lip. She was awkwardly poised halfway into the carriage, unsure what to do. Minnie and her aunt were seated in the forward facing seat. Riding backward never bothered Olivia, but sitting in the other seat would mean sitting next to Lord Clampton, which really wasn’t a proper thing to do.

“Is there a problem, Miss Bedford?”

Olivia winced at the testy voice behind her. “No problem,” she called loudly. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Minnie, I’m afraid you’re going to need to switch seats.”

“Oh!” The young girl’s eyes grew wide and she began to gather her skirts.

Mrs. Ruggiford’s hand shot out and grabbed her niece, her head still relaxed against the back of the seat. “Gets sick on the road. Can’t sit backward.”

Minnie looked sharply at her aunt before relaxing back into the seat with a chagrined shrug. “I’m afraid that is true.”

“Oh.” Olivia turned to the aunt. It went totally against the grain to ask an older woman to inconvenience herself at all, but in this case, she didn’t see the alternative. “Mrs. Ruggiford, I’m afraid I have to request –“

“I’m comfortable. And I’m old. I promise not to tell anyone where you sat.”

“Oh. Well…” Olivia supposed there wasn’t anything for it. She moved on into the carriage and began arranging her skirts in the backward seat.

Lord Clampton climbed in behind her. The seating arrangement gave him a moment of pause as well. Without a word, he sat next to Olivia, angling to lean against the side of the carriage to leave as much empty seat as possible between them.

The carriage rolled through the quiet streets of London. The occupants of the carriage were just as quiet until all they could see through the large windows was a constant line of trees.

Minnie was, of course, the one to finally break the silence. “This is so exciting. I’ve never even left Cornwall before.”

Olivia smiled at the girl’s exuberance. It was hard to remember sometimes that they were very close in age. “I suppose you’ll have to get used to it. After this trip you’ll be preparing for your London season.”

“That’s true. Mother was originally going to bring me this year but she said I need to practice talking more first and suggested this trip through the countryside. What do you suppose she meant by that? She’s always told me that I talk to much.”

Olivia took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I suppose she wants you to learn to converse on polite society topics. Have you been to any of the local society?”

“Yes, I’ve been to the assembly rooms and several card parties in Cornwall. My story of the pigs getting into the garden gathered everyone’s attention at Mrs. Coleson’s dinner party.”

Olivia’s heart went out to Minnie. “I think, perhaps, your mother is telling you that stories about pigs aren’t the best thing for London ballrooms.”

“I didn’t think of that.” Minnie’s eyes were wide enough to see white clear around the blue centers.

“Don’t you worry. Next year, we shall take London by storm. We’ll have lots of time on this trip to go over the proper things to talk about.”

Minnie clapped with glee.

Olivia turned her head to look out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lord Clampton staring at her. His lips were turned in a small smile and his eyes were kinder than she ever remembered.  With a blush she turned back towards Minnie. Her attention was caught by a black box on the floor, half hidden by the girl’s skirts.

Well, readers, we have a small friendship growing between our soon-to-be lovebirds. Both want to see Minnie have a successful season in London next year. That will continue to progress. In the meantime, what do you think is going to be in the box? Is it exciting? Boring? Edible? 

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.5

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3 4

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 5

                Awkward silence reigned as everyone entered the dining room. Servants were still hastily rearranging table settings to accommodate the larger than expected party.  Olivia winced in sympathy for her mother. When the numbers were only one off - three ladies and two gentlemen - they would have been able to situate themselves without being too obvious of the disparity. Now there were two extra ladies. No one could help but notice.

                "Bit of a bungle," Mrs. Ruggiford said with a sniff.

                Lady Bedford opened her mouth to defend herself. She gave a small sigh and let it close without saying anything. There really wasn't anything to say. Lord Clampton's aunt had said it all.

                Everyone stood in a huddle just inside the doorway, ready to eat but unsure of where to sit. Finally Lord Bedford stepped forward and offered his arm to Mrs. Ruggiford. "Madam, I would be honored if you would sit next to me."

                "Be glad to. Minnie, you talk well enough. You can sit on my other side." Mrs. Ruggiford took Lord Bedford's arm and made her way to the table, towing a willing Minnie in her wake.

                Lady Bedford scooted past Lord Clampton and settled in at the head of the table. Lord Clampton sat across from his sister with Olivia to his right. Another awkward pause filled the room as they discovered that with this seating arrangement, even if the gentlemen were to offer the food to the ladies on either side of them, Minnie would be left without.

                "She's got two hands that work perfectly well," Mrs. Ruggiford stated. To emphasize her  point she grabbed up a platter of turkey and offered it to her niece. As Minnie helped herself and giggled uncontrollably, Mrs. Ruggiford passed a sweeping glance around the table at her other companions. "One day we'll all laugh about this."

                Her forthright attitude seemed to put everyone at ease, and Olivia realized what made her such a popular person, despite her uncommon behavior. She had an ease about her that made you comfortable, even with her blunt, shortened phrases. She realized she had seen Mrs. Ruggiford around town before, but never realized her connection to Lord Clampton. Mrs. Ruggiford was one of the matrons that everyone liked but nobody talked about.

                "I'm so excited about our trip." Minnie giggled some more as she speared a potato with her fork. "John says we're going to meander our way up to Birmingham. After a nice long visit with Lady Mulligan, we can either take the long way back to London or come straight back. Aunt Lillian says there is the most amazing jeweler there who can make absolutely anything. I'm going to dream up the most intricate piece I can think of and commission it. Then I can wear it around town next year and amaze everyone."

                Lady Beford smiled, then covered it with a cough. "I did not realize this trip was going to be so long. You'll miss most of the season, Olivia. I'm not sure how I feel about you missing that many opportunities. Are you sure you want to take this trip without having your future settled?"

                Olivia felt her face heat. This dinner was such a farce already, would anyone notice if she crawled under the table? Her mother's very pointed look in Lord Clampton's direction told everyone what she was thinking, if they didn't catch her veiled meaning in the first place.

                "Speak up, lad." Mrs. Ruggiford grinned at her nephew. "Are you going to save her daughter's reputation?"

                "Her reputation is not in danger, aunt. You are going to be in attendance the entire time." Lord Clampton's neck began to redden.Perhaps he wanted to join her under the table, Olivia thought. Immediately she decided that was a bad idea. Her mother would take that as an excuse to instantly send an announcement to the Times.

                "She can keep him in line, Lady Bedford. You have nothing to worry about." Minnie reached a reassuring hand over to her hostess. "When we were younger, Aunt Lillian always found out when John was getting into mischief. Once he and his friend William were playing Rounders out behind the stable."

                "Minnie," Lord Clampton growled.

                Minnie ignored him. "They wouldn't let me play, because I was a girl and so much smaller than they were. Looking back it's understandable, really. Aunt Lillian wouldn't have said anything if they had just refused to let me play -"

                "Don't bet on it. Girl can play rounders. Hit it far enough and you can walk the diamond." Mrs. Ruggiford stuffed a carrot in her mouth with a decisive nod.

                "They threatened to play with my doll's head instead of the ball."

                "Miniford." Lord Clampton sounded like he was in actual pain.

                "Aunt Lillian said if he wanted to play with a doll he could have just said so, instead of making me cry in order to do it. She made him carry a doll around everywhere for an entire week."

                Lord Clampton sighed. Olivia muffled a laugh with her napkin. He looked so miserable that Olivia leaned slightly to the side to whisper encouragement. "That isn't so bad, really."

                "It gets worse," he mumbled.

                Minnie's grin got even wider. "He tried to hide it by carrying it in a bag or under his cloak, but it was summer so he looked rather odd in his cloak, too."

                "Just skip to the end, Minnie. Food's getting cold." Mrs. Ruggiford pointed at her niece's untouched plate.

                "Oh, very well. He had this elaborate plan to walk with me into church so the doll could be between us and everyone would think it was mine, but then I got sick and couldn't go. When he got caught with the doll he told everyone that since I had to miss church, I sent the doll to listen to the sermon for me."

                Laughter flittered around the table.

                Lady Bedford eyed her guest again. "That was a very sweet idea, Lord Clampton. Thinking like that will make you a wonderful father some day."

                Olivia groaned.

                "You want to invite another chaperon, John?" Mrs. Ruggiford asked. "Might take more than just me to satisfy Lady Bedford.

                Olivia grinned. Now it was her mother's turn to blush.

                                                                                               

                Next week, our little band of travelers will head out of London. Obviously this will be no ordinary little road trip -we have a couple to get together! What do you think should happen to start that little spark of romance between John and Olivia? Is something going to happen that makes him see her differently? Is she going to realize how kind her really is and get a crush on him? Leave a comment below to move the story along.

Comments are now closed. Please look for the next installment in the story.

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.4

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. If one suggestion gets overwhelming support, the story will go that direction. If they’re all equally supported, I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2 3

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 4

                Olivia picked imaginary specks of dirt from her skirts as she sat in the drawing room later that evening. Her parents chatted quietly in the corner, displaying none of the anxiety that swallowed Olivia as she awaited the arrival of their dinner guests.

                At the moment, the house was peaceful and calm. A servant quietly slipped past the drawing room door on her way to who knew what chore. A mere hour ago, the house had been in total uproar. Olivia grimaced as she remembered her mother had not let her get past the name of their expected guests before she began scurrying around, adjusting the menu, demanding the drawing rooms and dining rooms be cleaned once more.

                Olivia decided that she really should let them know why the viscount and his sister were coming to dinner.

                Olivia shifted in her seat and cleared her throat. “Mama? Papa?”

                Her parents turned toward her. Lady Bedford raised both her eyebrows in inquiry at her daughter. “Yes, dear?”

                “Lord Clampton is coming for dinner tonight.”

                Her parents exchanged confused glances. Her father cleared his throat. “We are aware of that. I do believe it’s why your mother has been scrambling about all afternoon.”

                “Yes, well, you see, he’s coming for a reason. He wants to discuss details and things with you-“

                “Thank heavens!” her mother cried, clasping her hands to her chest. “I thought you would go all season without even a serious suitor the way you despise all the social events we have attended. And now you’re going to get married!”

                “What?” Olivia paled. “No, Mama, I’m not-“

                “My dear, did you hear? Olivia’s engaged!”

                Lord Bedford scratched his head as he looked back and forth between his wife and daughter. “I think she’s trying to tell you –“

                “Do you think it’s too late to add chicken to the menu tonight? We really should make it a celebratory –“

                “Mother!”

                Lady Bedford blinked. “What, dear?”

                “Lord Clampton, Miss Clampton, and Mrs. Ruggiford.”

                Everyone froze as the butler announced the arrival of their dinner guests. Olivia winced as her mother gasped next to her. Mrs. Ruggiford must be the aunt. Olivia hadn’t known the aunt was coming and therefore her mother didn’t know the aunt was coming which meant the housekeeper didn’t know either and by extension the staff who prepped the dining room would be clueless as well. This was not good.

                Lord Clampton entered, a young woman with wide green eyes and an even wider smile on his arm. Behind him, seeming a big preoccupied with the fit of her glove, was an older woman Olivia guessed to be the aunt.

                “Good evening,” Lord Clampton said.

                The words broke the odd spell holding Olivia’s little family captive in the middle of the drawing room rug. Lady Bedford sprang forward, a huge smile on her face.

                “Welcome, Lord Clampton, we are so excited to see you. May I be the first to offer you felicitations?”

“Felicitations?”

“Well, yes. For your upcoming marriage?”

Lord Clampton’s eyebrows rose. “Whom am I marrying?”

Lady Bedford seemed instantly flustered. “Well, Olivia said – I thought –“

“Oh, they’re not getting married.”

The Bedfords all turned to the girl on Lord Clampton’s arm. She giggled.

“Unless, of course, they fall in love on the trip. Wouldn’t that be fun? I’m so excited about the trip. We were going to be traveling anyway, and I love my aunt – really, I do – but it would be so tiresome with only her and my big brother for company. Now that Lady Olivia is coming with us, it’s sure to be all sorts of fun, don’t you agree? You do bring up a very intriguing idea, though, Lady Bedford. If Lady Olivia’s company is half as good as John says it will be, I shall make it my life’s work to see that they fall madly in love so that I can keep her with the family forever. “

Olivia’s mother blinked very slowly. Her father’s mouth fell slightly open.

Olivia felt her eyes get wider and wider as the speech progressed. Did this young lady possess any social skills whatsoever?

Finally, Lord Bedford turned to his daughter. “You’re going on a trip?”

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but Lord Clampton’s sister’s voice filled the room first.

“Oh, yes! We’re taking Aunt Lillian up to visit her particular friend, Lady Mulligan. We call her Aunt Bertha, even though she’s of no real relation to us. We plan on taking our time and seeing some of the country as we go. I’ve never been outside of Cornwall until coming to London this year. John says it would benefit me to travel a bit and meet people in the country before my coming out next year.”

“I, uh, think that might be wise,” Olivia murmured. What had she gotten herself into?

Lord Clampton, whose given name evidently was John, visibly squeezed his sister’s hand, a pained look on his face. Oblivious, the young girl simply smiled up at him and patted his hand reassuringly.

Lord Clampton sighed. “Sister dear, this is Lady Olivia and her parents, Lord and Lady Bedford. Lady Olivia, may I present my sister, Lady Miniford and my aunt –“

“Please, call me Minnie. That’s what my family calls me and we shall be such good friends on this trip that I know we’ll be just like family.”

Olivia couldn’t help but smile. Once one got past the shock of the verbal onslaught, the girl was really quite sweet. With a little guidance on thinking before she spoke, Lord Clampton’s sister would be able to take London by storm during her debut Season. Olivia decided she was just the person to make that happen.

“Minnie, I insist you call me Olivia.” When Minnie took a deep breath, preparing to launch into yet another surely inappropriate monologue, Olivia broke her mother’s rules of decorum and held a hand up in front of the girl’s face. “Now, now, let’s not try to get to know everything about each other right now. We’ve many miles of road ahead of us to share all those wonderful little tidbits. For now, we should let my parents discuss the details of the trip with your brother. The sooner everything is settled, the sooner we can be off.”

Minnie nodded enthusiastically, light brown curls dancing around her head.

Lord Clampton sighed in relief. His eyes met Olivia’s and she thought there might be a hint of gratitude in their depths.

Mrs. Ruggiford picked that moment to enter the conversation. “Thin enough as it is. No need to waste away while you people yap. When do we eat?”

Silence once more reigned in the drawing room.

Finally Lord Clampton laughed and offered Mrs. Ruggiford his arm. “May I escort you to dinner?”

                The older woman nodded. “More like it.”

                Olivia trailed the group down the hall, a small smile on her lips. Her trip would surely be anything but boring. It turned out dinner was going to be fairly exciting as well.

               

                Now that you’ve met the aunt and the sister, you know there’s going to be some hilarious social faux pas in their future, starting with dinner. What crazy thing do you think is going to happen? It can be the aunt or Minnie. Or maybe you’d rather see Olivia step up and do something crazy so that Minnie won’t be embarrassed?

               

Jacob and Elizabeth, I really love your suggestions even though they didn’t get selected this week. I think both of those ideas would make great books. Keep an eye out… one day your suggestions might just be on the bookshelf!

Comments are now closed. Check for the next installment. 

Free Fiction Friday - Installment 1.3

It’s time for Fiction Friday! How does Fiction Friday work? Well, kind of like those old Choose Your Own Adventure stories, but with a lot more room. Read the installment of the story below. At the end, you’ll find a question. You the reader will get to determine what happens next. Leave a comment. If one suggestion gets overwhelming support, the story will go that direction. If they’re all equally supported, I’ll pick one at random.  You get to determine where the plot goes. So read, enjoy, and tell me what you want to happen next.  

Past Segments:  1 2

FICTION FRIDAY – Segment 3

                Olivia entered the drawing room only moments before the butler appeared at the door to announce the arrival of Lord Clampton, Viscount of Chesterfield. Her heartbeat sped up a bit in anticipation. The anticipation had nothing to do with the man itself and everything to do with the potential adventure that awaited her. At least, that was what she kept repeating to herself as she waited for him to enter the drawing room.

                She dressed carefully today, selecting a muslin gown in the palest of lavenders. Her mother claimed that it made her eyes look more lavender than gray. Her father said it was lovely, which really didn’t mean much since he said everything on her was lovely. Most importantly though, was that she felt lovely in it. Pale purple ribbons formed geometric patterns along the sleeves and neckline while a vine of embroidered violets graced the hem.

                Lord Clampton strode into the room. He stopped abruptly and looked around the drawing room, eyebrows arched high over dark brown eyes. “Where is your mother?”

                “I believe she is discussing the week’s menus.”

                “Why isn’t she here?”

                “Because I didn’t tell her you were coming. This is not our normal ‘at home’ day. She was not expecting visitors.”

                Lord Clampton’s eyebrows lowered abruptly into a frown. “Why didn’t you tell her?”

                “I have demands.”

                He cleared his throat. “Demands?”

                “Yes.” Olivia perched on the edge of a light blue chair. Her mother had purchased the chair with its gracefully bowed legs and powder blue color specifically for Olivia to receive callers in. Choosing the fabric and style for the chair had been as tiresome as a trip to the modiste for wardrobe fittings.

                Lord Clampton settled into the sofa that angled off to her right.

She cleared her throat before continuing. “First, I would like to know what type of conveyance we shall be traveling in.”

“My coach.”

“I need more details, please.”

"What do you want to know? It's black on the outside, green on the inside. It has four wheels and plenty of room."

Olivia sprang to her feet, causing Lord Clampton to hastily rise from the sofa. She crossed the room to peer out the window. "Did you drive it here?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Is that it? The coach we'll be taking?"

"Does this mean you've agreed to come?"

"No. I told you. I have demands." Olivia's face fell in disappointment as she inspected the vehicle pulled up in front of her house. "Please tell me that's not it."

A slight grin formed on Lord Clampton's face. "That's not it."

Olivia sat back down with a distracted nod. "Good. I would hate to have misjudged you. I expect you to have a much keener eye for quality than the town coach outside would indicate. I do hope you intend to replace it soon."

Lord Clampton froze in an awkward bent position, poised to sit back down upon the sofa. After a moment he cleared his throat and sat with a look of curiosity on his face. "Really?"

"Yes. In fact, I insist on it at least being a crane neck carriage if we are to travel long distances in it."

"Are those your demands?"

"Of course not. We are discussing practicalities at the moment. I understand that I will be going along to save you the trouble of conversing with your sister - "

Lord Clampton choked on air.

"- but who will be accompanying us to protect my reputation?"

"My aunt." Lord Clampton coughed discreetly into his handkerchief. "She tends to sleep in carriages and is not what one would consider good company on most days. She speaks in half sentences and mostly to herself, but she is respectable and in fact quite popular."

"Very good. And the coach? You still haven't answered me about the coach."

Again, the small self-satisfied smile graced Lord Clampton's face. "We shall be riding in a crane neck carriage. It even has elliptical springs and full glass windows. I trust that is of a high enough quality to satisfy your sensibilities?"

"Indeed."

"Is that all, then?"

"No. We have addressed the necessary details. Now we shall discuss my conditions for acceptance."

"Your demands."

Olivia tilted her head in a small nod. "As you like."

"What is it you require above and beyond the removal from London? Dresses? Introductions? Prized invitations? I assure you my aunt can see to them all."

Olivia shook her head so hard the tight ringlets framing her face bounced back and forth in front of her eyes. "No, I'm afraid this will have to come from you."

"I'm not marrying you."

"I didn't ask you to. I have a book. I want you to pay to have it published."

Lord Clampton stared at her for a good ten seconds before taking a deep breath and opening his mouth. Nothing came out. Another ten seconds passed before he tried again. "A book."

"Yes."

"That you want to publish."

"Yes."

"Anonymously, I assume."

"Of course. I intend to use the name Mrs. Rochelle."

"And you want me to pay for it."

"That is my condition." Olivia held her breath and willed herself to remain calm. She wanted this desperately. Even if she managed to save half of her pin money every quarter it would take her years to save up the amount the publisher required. If Lord Clamption said no -   

"Yes."

                "Yes?"

                "Yes." Lord Clampton stood and made his way to the door. "We'll leave next week."

                "Come to dinner." Olivia restrained herself from clamping her hands over her mouth. Where had that come from? The invitation had blurted itself out before she even completed the thought.

                "Tonight?" Lord Clampton looked back over his shoulder, surprise evident on his face.

                "Bring your sister. I will have had a chance to talk to my parents by then. They will want to discuss details, I'm sure. This is a highly unusual situation, you know."

                "I know. Very well. My sister and I shall come for dinner." With a nod, he headed for the door once more.

                "Oh, and Lord Clampton?"

                He turned around again, eyebrows raised.

                "This bit about the book..."

                "We'll just keep that between ourselves, shall we?"

                "That would be nice."

                "Tonight, then." Lord Clampton nodded his head once more and left the drawing room.

                Olivia clapped her hands in glee. She was leaving London, escaping the hordes of dandies, and publishing her book. Life could not get any better.

                And then she met the sister.

                This week's question has to do with Lord Clampton's sister. What's she like? Is she a perfect lady, a total pill, a chatterbox, or something else entirely. Leave a description and, if you can think of one, the first sentence she'll say when she meets Olivia.

                Jacob and Elizabeth I hope you enjoyed seeing your plot elements in the story. I had to alter Elizabeth's a bit to fit the time period a bit more accurately, so I drew a second one as well.

This installment is now closed for suggestions.