Sorry for the late reminder, but the bonus story I provided with last month’s newsletter is a prequel to Uncommon Lords and Ladies, Book Three, An Innocent Secret. Because I was too busy getting the newsletter out and doing my month end tasks to share this information a second time, I’ll do a second send of the newsletter and send one of my romance release announcements next week. All of which means you still have the chance to see just how wild little farm girl Georgiana Ferrier and cloistered heir Frederick Hathwell met, and why they believed it such an innocent secret when no one else would.
Uncommon Lords and Ladies is a sweet Regency romance series meaning it is family-friendly with no explicit sex and so can be read by any age who might be interested in the trials and tribulations of finding love and happiness in the Regency Era. It stars a mix of nobility and landed gentlemen and gentlewomen who have a tendency to think for themselves. This sometimes (okay, almost always) leads them astray, but getting beyond their preconceptions and beliefs is necessary before they are ready to embrace the reality of love.
As readers of A Country Masquerade already know, Georgie loses her mother to scarlet fever at a young age. This event is included in the circumstances she and Freddie face as they’re friendship blossoms along with Freddie’s education in the ways of the forest.
Come check it out by subscribing to my general newsletter or the romance announcement list. You do not have to have read any of the previous novels to enjoy the short story.
Here’s a glimpse into the story for your enjoyment:
A Chance MeetingBy Margaret McGaffey FiskFrederick Hathwell, heir to Lord Brookway and the Brookway Barony, stared down at the paper in front of him. The lines of poetry his tutor had set him to copying teased Freddie with their descriptions.The poem spoke of a river and the man who came to fish as a metaphor for the passage of time. The currents always flowed in the same direction and ever away from the man just as Freddie’s first ten years had done.A giggle from the housemaid brought his head up. His tutor was once again distracted by the lovely Jenny.Freddie sighed and shifted his gaze to the window.Shouts rose from below as the farm lads took a break from their labors to play some sort of game. His mother refused to let him join them even on days his tutor spent elsewhere. She said he needed to set his sights on higher company, not pick up the habits of commoners even out here in the country.She’d never quite forgiven his father for taking her from London where, as the fourth daughter of a viscount, invitations to all manner of high society events poured in. Freddie didn’t share her longing for the city. He’d have given anything to be out there in the sunshine.The discarded crusts of bread from their lunch lay close enough for him to reach from his desk. He picked up one and went to take a bite when the tutor’s whisper brought heat to his cheeks.The man had been secretly courting Jenny for many months now. Or not so secretly since Freddie knew about it. But Freddie had no need to tell anyone just how his tutor occupied the time while he did his assignments.The hard edge of the loaf cracked in his grip, his frustration taking control when he’d thought it well in hand.His tutor didn’t even glance up.Freddie looked from the two adults to the bread and back, a plan forming.He’d kept the tutor’s secret. Surely the man would not betray him should he sneak out. To do so, his tutor would have to explain his own inattention.Careful not to scrape the floor with his chair, Freddie rose and crossed the room. He glanced back once to make sure he hadn’t been noticed, but his tutor’s attention remained on the fair Jenny.The sun shone brighter than ever before as he slipped out of the servant entrance and attained the yard. A laughing shout made Freddie pause before he continued on.If he were to join the boys in their game, word would get back even with the tutor’s silence. He had to think bigger than that.
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