The Colonel and a Cup of Cider

Warm spices. Autumnal flavours.

Those are the sorts of scents and special foods that come to my mind whenever I write about Colonel Fitzwilliam.

He is my character who has a sweet tooth when it comes to biscuits and will drop whatever he is doing in pretty much any story for a gingerbread… and in this story, he’ll also drop what he’s doing (even hiding from Caroline Bingley) for a cup of cider.

I think he’d enjoy the mulled cider from the recipe in the short video above since it is a cup of mulled cider that Darcy uses to entice him to enter Netherfield instead of staying out in the cold.

Here’s how his journey to happily ever after (with Caroline — yep, Caroline) begins in One Winter’s Eve:

Continue reading The Colonel and a Cup of Cider

The Mistletoe Bough (Francis Wheatley)

The Mistletoe Bough, Francis Wheatley, circa 1790. Yale Center for British Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

That was a step too far, and Caroline could not contain her anger any longer.

“How dare you,” she spat. “Who placed you in a position to reprimand me on anything?” She stepped closer to him, her eyes narrowing.

“No one,” he replied. “Just me.” He left his place of repose against the door and matched her advance with a step of his own. Did she always smell of oranges and spice? The scent fit her.

She lifted a brow. “Why?”

He blew out a breath. “I’ll be hanged if I know.” He had attempted to keep his thoughts to himself, but for some reason he felt compelled to see her improve, to reach her potential. It was likely that glimpse of her thoughtful, quiet nature at breakfast which had done it.

She shook her head in bewilderment. He was making little sense. How could he not know why he thought it his place to admonish her?

He stepped to the side so that the door was free, but he once again caught her arm as she moved past him. Pulling her close, he whispered, “You are a beautiful, accomplished young woman who does not need to belittle others to make herself look better.”

Then, before he could do something foolish like make use of the kissing bough which hung just in front of the door, he released her.

[from One Winter’s Eve]


One Winter’s Eve can be found either as a single title or as part of Darcy Family Holiday, Volume 1, which is currently on sale (until the end of July).

Music Monday: Maybe Christmas (Yiruma)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY YIRUMA ON DECEMBER 11, 2020

Happy Holidays to you all!

I hope your Christmas is merry and the new year is happy.

Thank you for following my blog this past year. I look forward to spending 2021 with you as well.

Love,

Leenie


P.S. In case you haven’t heard, One Winter’s Eve is on sale for only $0.99 until Tuesday.


A Book Sale and A New Release

I have two things to let you know about today — One Winter’s Eve is on sale for the next five days and Christmas in Gracechurch Street is now available.

Price reduced to $0.99* from December 18 until December 22, 2020.

He’s an annoyance. She’s a puzzle. Together, they make sparks fly.

Is love’s enchantment powerful enough for a gentleman bent on remaining single and a lady equally as determined to marry only a man with an estate to come to an understanding? Or will love find itself rejected and shivering under the stars of a winter’s night?

Click here to see all of the stores where this book is available.

or go directly to one of the stores below

*$0.99 USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, with all other currencies also reduced.


Feeling himself drawn to the enchanting Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy plans an escape from Netherfield. It isn’t until his arrangements are all in place that he discovers Elizabeth has made an escape of her own and is now right where he doesn’t want her to be. In town. And he’s about to spend a good amount of time with her and her relations.

Find this book at your favourite retailer here.


Music Monday: Angels from the Realms of Glory – The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens and David Archuleta

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY PETER HOLLENS ON DECEMBER 14, 2014.

Christmas is almost here at the Brown residence. It won’t be an elaborate day of festivities. We tend to take a low key approach to the holiday. There will be presents — just a few, but not many — which we will unwrap once we ease our way into the day at a rather late hour. This will be followed by a Christmas breakfast with far too many indulgent items, and then later in the day, we will have a turkey dinner. It’s a lovely, relaxing day of rest for us — unless, of course, my husband has a job which must be completed when businesses are closed.

(He owns a cleaning business, and I have sat reading a book in the car as I waited for him to put a coat of wax on a floor before taking a drive to look at the Christmas lights while that coat of wax dries. Then, he’ll slip in another coat before we head home.)

For the next couple of weeks, I am intending to take it a bit easier than I normally do. I will still be writing and editing and such but at a more relaxed pace.

Continue reading Music Monday: Angels from the Realms of Glory – The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens and David Archuleta