Sexist Attitudes and a New Name by Heather Redmond #historical #mystery

Please welcome Heather Redmond...or is it Heather Hiestrand? You tell us, Heather. OH! And don't forget to comment for the chance at a free book!

A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond Releases Today

Hello from my new writer identity, Heather Redmond. I’ve been romance novelist Heather Hiestand for a long time, but my publisher gave me the opportunity to take my Victorian research into the historical mystery realm and I’m having so much fun twisting my fiction into a new genre.

Of course, I have to include a romance in my novel A Tale of Two Murders, which features the young reporter Charles Dickens before he was the famous novelist. I start my novel the day he met his future wife, Kate Hogarth. But unlike in his real life, they hear a scream across the fields next to the Hogarth home outside of London, and are soon on the track of a dastardly murderer…

I set the story in January 1835 and the first three books in the “A Dickens of a Crime” series are all set in this year, before Charles and Kate married in the spring of 1836. My romance subplot is a slow burn, since in those days people were careful not to marry until they could afford to do so. At the start of the series, Charles, as was true in real life, was newly employed by the Chronicle newspapers and couldn’t even afford new shoes. His fortunes changed quickly, with his first book coming out in February 1836, and all of his success enabled him to rent a bigger suite of rooms, buy furniture, and marry Kate.

I’ve had fun taking the details of the Dickens and Hogarth households as they were historically and building them into a rich fictional world. One of the biggest hurdles I’ve had to overcome was the character of Kate Hogarth herself, and her relationship with Charles.

Those of you who love historical romance know that traditionally, the relationship between the sexes was rarely equal. That was absolutely true with Charles and Kate in real life. However, I see signs of spunk in Kate in her extant letters before her marriage and have built up a picture of her that was far different from what Charles said about her much later in life when their marriage broke down.

It is fascinating to read my advanced reviews. My publisher wants me to keep the main characters likeable, which means removing some of the natural sexism of the era. But there are those readers who are “scholars” of Dickens who expect something else from the story…

What do you think? When you are reading Victorian romance and mystery, are you comfortable with the sexist attitudes of men at the time? Or do you want to see a more equal partnership?

Comment below for a chance to win my e-exclusive Victorian novella, The Kidnapped Bride by Heather Hiestand!

Blurb

On the eve of the Victorian era, London has a new sleuth . . .

In the winter of 1835, young Charles Dickens is a journalist at the Evening Chronicle. Invited to dinner at his editor’s estate, Charles is smitten with his boss's daughter, vivacious Kate Hogarth. They are having the best of times when a scream shatters the evening. Charles and Kate rush to the neighbors' home, where Christiana Lugoson lies dying on the floor. With a twist or two in this most peculiar case, he and Kate may be in for the worst of times . . .

Excerpt

Charles’s lips twisted. “I have rivals for your affection?”

Miss Hogarth tilted her head. “I am saying that you will not be my only choice. If you let me down, there will be others.”

“How could I let you down?” he asked.

“By talking only of lovemaking, and never of anything else,” she said. “I want to know what happened to Miss Lugoson and Miss Rueff. Give me a mystery, Mr. Dickens, and a solution, and I will follow you into places I should not.” She gestured around the room, with a significant nod at the door.

The hair on the backs of Charles’s forearms had risen during her speech. Here was not just a girl who could make a sweet home, and who would enjoy it, but an inquiring mind. Utterly fascinated, he managed to hold back everything he wanted to say, everything that smacked of romantical banter, and only said, “I hear you, Miss Hogarth. I hear and obey.” 

Buy links:  http://heatherredmond.com/books/a-tale-of-two-murders/

England Fiction, #Scotland for Real by Alanna Lucas #travel

Roses and Readers, please welcome our guest blogger, Allana Lucas Love to travel! And leave a comment for have a chance at winning an eBook from her backlist.

Earlier this month I chaperoned my daughter (who just turned 18!) and two of her friends to Scotland. Traveling with three teens was an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable adventure. We rented a flat in Edinburgh, but took several day trips, exploring various parts of the country. While waiting for our return flight home, we came up with our top ten for Edinburgh and beyond. Here’s our list- in no particular order, since we all agreed everything was awesome!

1) Listening to The Spinning Blowfish on The Mound -a busking band with bagpipes, guitar, and drums.

2) Hiking up to Arthur’s Seat

3) Going inside the J.K. Rowling suite at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh (if no one is staying in the suite, the

concierge will allow you in the room to take pictures)

4) Spending the day at Edinburgh Castle- highlight of the visit: seeing the Crown Jewels

5) Exploring the numerous Closes along the Royal Mile- we also did the Mary King’s Close tour.

6) Learning about the ha-ha wall at the Holyrood Palace Garden- Prince Albert had the wall constructed for Queen Victoria

7) Seeing The Unicorn Tapestries at Stirling Castle (the original tapestries are at The Met Cloisters in New York City) – Only an hour train trip out of Edinburgh, plus an invigorating walk up to the castle.

8) Greyfriars Kirk and statue of the Greyfriars Bobby- the Skye Terrier spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he passed away in 1872.

9) Climbing 287 steps to the top of the Sir Walter Scott Monument- it was a clear day and the views were incredible!

10) Walking a section of Hadrian’s Wall. We took a day trip to Roslyn Chapel, Melrose Abbey, and Hadrian’s Wall. Okay, so this wasn’t in Scotland, but it was on my life’s to-do list!

Blurb for Only a Hero Will Do:

Defender of the realm…and his wary heart…

Captain Grant Alexander is an enigma in London society. Dashing and handsome, he coldly eschews marriage. But the ton knows nothing of his role in the Legion: to bring Typhon, the traitor who seeks to destroy the British monarchy, to justice.

When Grant is thrown together with fellow Legion member Elizabeth Atwell, he’s instantly beguiled yet exasperated by this beautiful viscount’s daughter. She has little interest in combing the marriage mart for a well-bred, well-heeled husband, but is adept at code-breaking and handling a bow and arrow. She also refuses to do as she is told, insisting she accompany Grant on his mission.

As Typhon continues to evade capture and dark forces are at work, Grant realizes he must act, not only to protect the realm but Elizabeth too…not to mention his heart, which is in danger of thawing every time she comes close…

Excerpt for Only a Hero Will Do:

Early evening shadows danced across the white walls and cold white marble floors. Soon the austere ballroom would come to life with hundreds of guests, fresh flowers, and music.

Servants scurried around completing various tasks. Most were too busy to even take notice of Elizabeth’s presence. Tonight’s gathering of some of the finest and most well connected families in England would certainly bring out some of Typhon’s agents. Sooner or later, one was bound to make a mistake, bringing the Legion one step closer to discovering Typhon’s true identity and extinguishing the threat once and for all.

Elizabeth needed to be on guard tonight and was not going to leave anything to chance. Surveying the ballroom once more, she took her time covering every inch, contemplating every angle an attack might come from. She could not fail in this assignment. She would prove she was as capable as any man, and also prove to Grant that she belonged in his world.

With the layout of the room fully ingrained in her mind, she strolled to the pair of doors leading out onto the terrace. Pushing them wide open, she was rewarded with the sounds of chirping birds and leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. It all seemed so peaceful, but the gnawing in her stomach indicated it was anything but serene.

She dreaded her role tonight—to distract Mr. Ward with light flirtation in the hope that his tongue would loosen. Although a little sketchy, the rhyme he’d sung and recited during their ride in the park was a goldmine of information. Elizabeth suspected he was key to their investigation. Even still, the flirtation would be no more than that. There would be no moonlight stroll or stolen kisses under the wisteria. Absolutely not. A shudder rippled through her. There were certain things she was definitely not willing to do, not even for the greater good of her country.

She rested her hands on the cool balustrade, gazing across the lush green landscape. From this vantage point, in the twilight, one could still see across the vast sloping landscape. Once the sun set, therein lay the danger. The trees in the distance were a nest for Typhon’s men. One of them could be lurking in them there right now, watching her every move.

“Surveying the landscape?” Grant’s deep voice drifted onto the terrace and straight into her body, warming her insides.

She turned to greet him but was tongue-tied the moment she laid eyes on him. He cut an impressive figure in his blue coat and buff pantaloons. Swallowing hard, she stuttered, “Uh…y—yes.” Her response made her sound like a simpleton, not the able-bodied agent she wanted to be viewed as. She took in a deep breath, but soon realized that whenever Grant was near no amount of deep breathing could possible steady her nerves and racing heart. “You’re early.”

“It’s best I get the lay of the land before the light goes. Simon is stationed at the south end of the property, and Philson to the east.”

“And will you be stationed inside the ballroom this evening?” Her heart leaped at the possibility of spending more time with him.

“I’ll be near, just in case, but I won’t be partaking in any of the merriment tonight.” His words were formal, final.

“I’m sure you can spare one dance.” She thought to change his mind, but as soon as the words came out, she regretted them. His stern look cooled whatever warmth had entered her body.

He sucked in his breath and shifted his gaze, looking in the direction of the large pond. “I don’t dance.”

“You don’t dance? Why ever not?”

“It is not something I wish to discuss.”

The warning in his voice only made her want to challenge him more. “That’s not an acceptable excuse. Why won’t you open up to me? And don’t you dare say it’s because I’m the daughter of a viscount.”

“Damn it Elizabeth, that’s exactly why. Why must you push?”

“Because I care.”

BUY LINKS:
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Our Nation's First Sex Scandal by Diana Rubino

Please welcome our guest, Diana Rubino! And read all the way to possibly be a winner.

On New Year’s Day 2008, I sat on the couch trying to figure out who to write about next, and decided on Hamilton (this was WAY pre-Hamilton, the musical). The story centers on Hamilton, his wife and mistress—the love triangle that became the nation's first sex scandal, The Reynolds Affair, in 1791. 

My agent said the story needed a bit more ‘oomph’ and I thought: how about a Jack the Ripper-type serial killer stalking the dark streets? That genre isn’t my forte, so I asked my friend, best selling thriller writer Brian Porter, to help out. I’ve known Brian for many years; he was my editor on A NECESSARY END, my Civil War romance centering on John Wilkes Booth’s insane plot to assassinate President Lincoln, and I knew about his success with his Jack the Ripper novels and Mersey Mystery series. So he was my very first choice as a collaborator. He graciously obliged and wrote a chilling subplot about a serial killer on the dark Philadelphia streets, Severus Black. Severus seems to have gathered a following already! 

While researching this book, I became fascinated with Aaron Burr, who makes a cameo appearance in the story as Maria Reynolds's divorce lawyer. I found the Aaron Burr Association on the internet, and have been a member ever since. 

Visit their website at http://www.aaronburrassociation.org/

And on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AaronBurrAssociation/

My fascination with Aaron led to my next bio novel, about his last wife Eliza Jumel, which was released on November 24. 

An excerpt from SHARING HAMILTON 

“You love me, Alex? You truly love me? Are you sure?” My breath caught in my throat. My heart danced. His admission rendered me breathless. I melted into a puddle in his lap.

“Maria, I’ve been awaiting you all my life.” He stroked my cheek. “You’re everything I’ve wanted in a woman—allure, intelligence, talent, fun—I’ve never met a woman who was all those things wrapped in one beautiful package.”

I gazed into his eyes, knowing our souls had entwined before this, ages before.

“I wanted you so badly from the moment we first met, at Aaron’s soirée,” I divulged the risky admission. “Though I knew you were already taken, and your course already laid out for you, I craved your attention, not to simply revere you from afar. I wanted to know you personally, even if only to spend one visit together. Just to be close to you. But I knew it was a fantasy. I was distraught when you left New York to live here. Then, when James made us move here, I knew our paths were destined to meet. It could not have happened any other way.”

“Then your initial letter to me had subtext I missed?” His lips curved with mirth.

“Oh, no, not at all,” I murmured between kisses on his face, his ears, his lips. “We—I was destitute. James had—” About to blurt it out, I stopped myself. I couldn’t bring myself to admit I’d lied to him; I’d been a pawn in James’s plot. “All I wanted was to meet you, to be alone with you, for a few stolen moments. That was all I deserved. After all, you are—who you are! I’m—no one.”

“Ah, you’re far from no one. A pity James doesn’t realize that. But I do. I will come clean with you, Maria. I love my wife, but I am not in love with her. As I am with you.”

I wanted to climb to the roof and sing to the entire world, “The great Alexander Hamilton, my new love, is in love with me!” How could I ever keep this a secret? The best part of being in love was sharing it with others. Oh, how I wanted to tell someone! But who could I trust? 

SHARING HAMILTON Contest 

The first three readers to answer this question will receive the Kindle version of SHARING HAMILTON. 

Which historical figure have you always wanted to meet, and why? 

Purchase SHARING HAMILTON : http://getbook.at/hamilton 

Let’s Connect 

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You can connect with Brian L. Porter here:
https://www.facebook.com/harry.porter.12139862
Blog is at https://sashaandharry.blogspot.co.uk/
 Website is www.brianlporter.co.uk

Each New Day Starts With Forgiveness with Guest Blogger, M.J. Schiller

I'm happy to turn over my spot today to a good friend and great author, M.J. Schiller. M.J. is using our monthly theme for her post, and I think you'll find it quite interesting...take it away, M.J. (Aren't her covers magnificent?)

Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet? ~ L.M. Montgomery

What a hopeful thought! One we need to make a mantra, at times. Especially me. I’m one of those annoying people pleasers, rule followers, I want to do everything well and the right way. My mom used to tell me, “A job worth doing is worth doing right,” and it appears that I have taken that to heart.

When I was in junior high I was a synchronized swimmer. I had an unusual talent that was useful to the team. I was a really loud underwater screamer. I know. Jealous, aren’t you? It was my job to scream and signal the others when it was time to do certain moves. At the end of the season we had one of those awards celebrations where we got goofy little certificates. Mine had something to do with “the only person she’s harder on than her teammates is herself.” Hmm. Kind of a backhanded compliment, huh? I was an uptight, straight-A student. There was no room for mistakes, from me, or anyone.

Luckily the years have mellowed me some. But I still tend to go over my actions and conversations at the end of the day and think, “I could have said that better,” or “I never should have done that,” or, “If I had only done this…” That’s a hard way to live.

This idea that each new day is a fresh start is a lifesaver for people like me who tend to be self-critical. Okay, so maybe I was a little rude tonight by texting my daughter while out with the neighbors. But my daughter needed help and I was trying to be a good mother. My friends will forgive me. And even if they don’t, I need to forgive myself, and then learn from my mistakes. I need to forge on in my brand new day, do the best I can, and forgive myself at the end of this day so that I can start over each day anew.

Does anyone else have this problem? Do you tend to beat yourself up over mistakes you make? Or have you learned to forgive yourself and move forward?

Maggie, from my new sci-fi romance, LADY OF THE KNIGHT, has a hard time forgiving herself for a decision she makes while under enormous pressure. Should she betray the man she loves in order to save him? LADY OF THE KNIGHT is the second in my ROMANTIC KNIGHTS TRILOGY. 

You can preorder Book Two for 99 cents at:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S0GEZNO

The first, LEAP INTO THE KNIGHT, is also on sale for 99 cents!

http://amzn.com/B00O170I6O

Thanks for joining us! And thank you, Roses of Prose, for hosting me!

How The Martini Club 4 Was Born by Alicia Dean

I am posting off topic this month, because absolutely nothing about the theme occured to me that hadn't already been done, and because, I want to share something really fun!

A few years back, my writer friends/critique partners began meeting every Friday at the Boulevard Martini Lounge in Edmond, Oklahoma, for cocktails and de-stressing. We came to call it The Martini Club, and we eventually had the idea to write a series of novellas with a Martini Lounge type establishment as a recurring theme. Our first venture, set in 1924 New York, is in the works. We are having a blast with the project and have held a few weekend getaways to plot and write. (Not only are these sojourns productive, they are FUN! Being good friends certainly helps make the process more enjoyable. However, I do have a confession. Oftentimes, rather than martinis, these weekends involve wine. Lots of wine…) Our final retreat is scheduled in mid-September, and we plan to have the books released this fall. The four stories feature a group of young women who meet on a ship sailing from England to America.

This is us at The Martini Club: Left to right, Krysta Scott, Amanda McCabe, Kathy L. Wheeler, and me (Alicia Dean)

 

Keep reading to learn more about the Martini Club 4 series…

(A few of these are ‘working titles’ and we only have two of the four covers thus far)

 

Wayward: Martini Club 4 – The Twenties by Alicia Dean

Eliza Gilbert flees England after her employer attempts to force himself upon her. She vowed to her dying mum she would be no man’s doxy, and she intends to keep that vow. But life in New York isn’t as promising as she’d hoped, and now she finds herself in a situation more dire than the one she fled.

Former boxer Vincent Taggart wants a quiet life where he can settle down with a nice girl and run his boxing gym. But when his childhood sweetheart disappears, he travels to New York in search of her. He meets Eliza, a woman with a less than honorable reputation, and he is drawn to her like no other female he’s ever known. He can’t stay away from her, especially when he learns she may be the key to unlocking the sordid mystery surrounding the missing girl.

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Rebellious: : Martini Club 4 – The Twenties by Kathy L. Wheeler

Lady Margaret Montley, needs money, and lots of it. While her singing career is on the brink of catapulting her into stardom it’s not soon enough. And bootlegging is just the answer. With the aid of a make-up artist friend she dons the persona of a young man and jumps in feet first.

Harry Dempsey, undercover investigator, is out to stop the bastard rumrunners--illegal moonshine has cost him everything he loves. When Lady Margaret shows up on the night of a dangerous sting operation, he not only has to save her from the crime lord that killed his father and brother, but from her own reckless behavior.

Bio:

Kathy L Wheeler (aka Kae Elle Wheeler) writes contemporary and historical romance. She has a BA in Management Information Systems from the University of Central Oklahoma that includes over forty credit hours of vocal music. As a computer programmer the past fifteen years, she utilizes karaoke for her vocal music talents. Other passions include fantasy football, NBA, travel and musical theatre.

She is a member of several RWA Chapters, including DARA, The Beau Monde and OKRWA chapters. Her main sources of inspiration come from mostly an over-active imagination. She currently resides in Edmond, Oklahoma with her musically talented husband, Al, and their bossy cat, Carly. Visit her at http://kathylwheeler.com

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Adrift: Martini Club 4 – The Twenties by Krysta Scott

After escaping an arranged marriage, Charli Daniels lands on a new shore. But things go from bad to worse when her fiancé follows her to New York. Now, instead of realizing her dream of opening her own bakery, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom.

Haunted by a string of failures, Detective Felix Noble is determined to solve his latest case. But his effort to find a murderer is jeopardized by a forbidden attraction to his number one suspect.

When a new threat surfaces, Felix wonders if he is once again on the wrong track. Can Charli convince him of her innocence before more than her dreams are destroyed?

Bio:

Krysta Scott is a family law attorney in her false life. After years of writing and winning contests, she is now taking the plunge into publishing. A fan of sci-fi and dark stories about people in crisis, she also enjoys the television shows Vampire Diaries, Breaking Bad, and Sherlock. As a result of much coaxing by her friends, she decided to write a 20’s romantic suspense as her breakout story.

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Fearless: Martini Club 4 – The Twenties by Amanda McCabe

Lady Jessica Hatton fled her high-society London life for one of investigative journalism in New York--only to be relegated to the fashion pages.  Searching for a juicy story leads her to The Bungalow, the city's most glamorous speakeasy--and its handsome, mysterious owner, Frank Markov.  But his past puts their hearts--and their lives--in danger...

Bio:

Amanda McCabe is the RITA-nominated author of almost 100 historical romances.  She's loved the 1920s since learning a version of the Charleston for a 5th grade dance recital, and watching 'Downton Abbey' too many times has only made the addiction worse!  Visit her at http://ammandamccabe.com

Getting Historical!

We’re getting a little historical on The Roses of Prose this month, so I thought I’d share the first pages of my YA historical, SAIL WITH ME, (writing as Christy Major) coming out soon as part of my Discovery Series. It takes place in the 1500s during the Age of Exploration and the Sunal Empire is based on the Aztec civilization.
 
Here’s the back cover text for SAIL WITH ME:

 

What would you do for an adventure?
 
Left back home in Southampton, England while her father and brothers explore the high seas, Charlotte Denham works as a maid and spends most of her days dreaming of sailing. She wants to explore the New World. She wants to be noticed. Tired of her family’s absence and being denied work on a ship because she’s a girl, Charlotte takes matters into her own hands.    

Charlotte expects to make her dreams come true. What she isn't expecting is Daniel Connor, fellow crew member aboard the Rose or Tizoc Metztli, exotic warrior of the Sunal Empire. Both have her feeling things she’s never felt before. Both notice her. Both need her.

When a gold-thirsty conquistador invades Tizoc’s empire, Charlotte must defend herself and the people she has come to love. Is she strong enough to shed blood? Is she strong enough to finish this adventure?

And here’s a little taste. Enjoy!

The sea kisses the sky

and stretches

to the ends of the Earth

like a waiting embrace.

I stand on one shore

wondering what secrets

the horizon holds.

She whispers my name,

pulls me from my daydreams,

and promises adventure.

 Dreams

 

“One of these times, we’re going to get caught out here, Charlotte.” Benjamin huddled in the darkness beside me.

“We’re not going to get caught.” I scanned the docks. Empty of people, but full of beautiful boats. “And so what if we do.”

“Easy for you to say,” Benjamin said. “By the time your father gets back, too much time will have gone by for him to punish you. Me? I have to go home where my father will enjoy giving me a good whipping.”

“You’ve been afraid of a good whipping since you were seven,” I said. “You’re sixteen now. Have you gotten whipped yet?”

“Well… no.” He fiddled with the buckle on his boot. “But it’s coming. I can feel it.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re taller and healthier than your father. He can’t whip you. Besides, Lady Elizabeth would punish me if we got caught. Which we won’t.”

I motioned for him to step up onto the dock behind me. He did so because he always did what I wanted. That was why he was my best friend.

“Lady Elizabeth won’t whip you,” he said.

“No, she’ll sit me down and remind me how a proper young lady is supposed to behave.”

I scurried to the end of the dock, and Benjamin followed behind me like a silent shadow.

“How many times has she done that now?” He poked my shoulder.

I had to smile at the playful smirk on his face.

“I can’t seem to get the hang of proper young lady etiquette.” I shrugged. “She probably wouldn’t let me see you anymore either, if we got caught.”

“How come?” Benjamin’s mouth turned down at the corners.

“Well, I’d undoubtedly blame you for dragging me out here.”

His mouth dropped open now. “Me dragging you? I don’t think so, missy.” He nudged my shoulder then grew serious. “You don’t think she’d stop us from being friends, do you?”

“She couldn’t stop us, Benjamin. Don’t worry.” He was always worried about something. “Come on. This is the one.”   

I led him to the smallest sloop tethered to the end of the dock. The vessels around us bobbed up and down against their lines like prisoners eager to break free of their bonds. Wanderers longing to drift wherever the sea might carry them.

Cloaked by the night, we climbed up the rickety ladder at the stern and boarded the boat. We crept to the bow, a faint sea breeze awakening my senses.

When we reached the front of the ship, I clasped the railing, its splintered wood rough but welcome against my palms. I was aware of Benjamin standing beside me. He was a good sport about all this sneaking around.

“There it is.” I traced the moonlit horizon that kissed the ocean’s silvery surface. The scent of sea salt and sun-baked wood danced around me. The gentle sway of the ship soothed my restlessness.

“I don’t know why you like coming out here so much, Charlotte. It’s just water. A great deal of it.” Benjamin turned around, his back to the sea, and leaned against the railing on his elbows. He didn’t hear the call. Didn’t feel the pull. Didn’t wonder what was at that distant and mysterious line between sky and sea.

Not like I did.

“It’s getting to the other side of the water, Benjamin, and seeing what’s there that’s important.”

“What do you think is on the other side that you don’t have here?”

“Something… everything.”

I closed my eyes and breathed in the sea’s fragrance until all that water whispered inside me.

“You don’t know how to be happy with what you’ve got,” Benjamin said. The moonlight illuminated his face as he looked at me.  

“What have I got, Benjamin? Tell me. My father and brothers are off sailing while I’m left here serving Lady Elizabeth. What have I got?”

He was about to answer, but other voices stirred below decks as footsteps knocked on the ladder amidships. A faint lantern glow built in intensity as the footsteps grew louder.

“Don’t move.” Benjamin slipped in front of me, shielding me from whatever was headed up the ladder. I pushed him out of the way, but he stood more solidly than usual. “Charlotte, please. You can get mad at me for trying to protect you later.”

In all our times coming out to the docks at night—and there had been many—we had never gotten caught. I had stolen a couple of precious moments, dreaming on the bows of various ships, imagining the day I’d actually set sail aboard one of these marvelous, canvas-winged seabirds. Benjamin had accompanied me most of the time, allowing me to chase my dreams, but trying to tether me to the land at the same time.

Now we were steps away from being found by the rousing crew of this particular vessel. The lantern light swept across us, and I caught a flicker in the eyes of our discoverers.

“You there.” The gruff voice was enough to tell me we didn’t want to tangle with its owner.

“A pretty treasure, Arthur, eh?” another voice rasped as the lantern light grew closer. “We’ll have to do something with the boy.”

I grabbed Benjamin’s wrist and hopped up onto the bow rail. He climbed up behind me.

“What are we doing?” His grip tightened on my hand.

“Hold your breath!”

“No!” the voices bellowed together behind us.

“Charlotte… I can’t—”

“Jump!”

I leaped off the rail, pulling Benjamin with me. We swooped down to the water, the men cursing from the deck above me and Benjamin howling beside me. When I hit the water and slipped below its surface, all sound was replaced with the rippling melody of the ocean.

With powerful strokes, I towed Benjamin to the shoreline and pulled him up onto the sand. He coughed and sputtered for some time before raking his shaky fingers through his tangled, brown hair. He rose to his feet, wrung out his soaked tunic, and glared at me with fiery green eyes.

“Charlotte Denham, if you ever do that again, we’re through. You know I can’t swim.” Water ran down his face in rivulets. He spun on his heel and stomped away.

“Cripes, Benjamin, I saved us,” I called to his retreating back.

“Saved us? You could have killed us!” He marched over the sand. His hands flapped out to either side of him as he ranted to himself.

I sat and drew wavy lines in the sand with my finger. As far as I was concerned that jump into the water had rescued us from an inevitably unpleasant situation. Who knows what those men would have done to us if they’d caught us?

           The night breeze coming off the water raised goosebumps on my wet skin, and my heart was still pounding from the moment of fear, the glorious swim, the excitement of being this close to the ocean. This close to my dreams.

 

I don’t know about anyone else, but I want to go for a sail now! If you haven’t already gotten your hands on RUN WITH ME, the first Discovery Series book, grab a copy today. Explore my characters that have a little something…extra.
 

Toodles,

Chris
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com Adult Romance
www.christymajor.weebly.com YA Romance