Leenie Brown fell in love with Jane Austen's works when she first read Sense and Sensibility followed immediately by Pride and Prejudice in her early teens. As the second of five daughters and an avid reader, she has always loved to see where her imagination takes her and to play with and write about the characters she meets along the way. In 2013, these two loves collided when she stumbled upon the world of Jane Austen Fan Fiction. A year later, in 2014, she began writing her own Austen-inspired stories and began publishing them in 2015. Leenie lives in Nova Scotia, Canada with her two teenage boys and her very own Mr. Brown (a wonderful mix of all the best of Darcy, Bingley and Edmund with healthy dose of the teasing Mr. Tillney and just a dash of the scolding Mr. Knightley).
Rudolph Ackermann. August 1812. Los Angeles County Museum of Art [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons
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“My arm is not taken,” Westonbury offered.
Mary looked at the arm he offered, raised a brow while giving him a look of perturbed displeasure, and then very cautiously placed her hand on it.
“Why?” Bingley whispered to Darcy as the group began walking once again. “She obviously does not like him. Why would he subject himself to what could very likely be a lecture?”
[from Loving Lydia, book 3 in the Marrying Elizabeth Series]
“And poor Mr. Clayton.” She sighed. “I quite like him. I did from the time we arrived at Heathcote. However, as Felicity pointed out, she is older, and so it is she who should marry first.”
Roger stopped walking. “And you gave him up for her?”
Grace shrugged. “I had not lost my heart to him.” She glanced back at the library door. “And I thought my sister had.” She shook her head. “But apparently, she has not, for she is at the rotunda with Mr. Ramsey likely letting him kiss her.”
“But I thought you thought Mr. Ramsey was of interest.”
Again, Grace shrugged. “I did, but…”
“Your sister is older?”
Grace nodded.
“She deserves to be an old maid,” Roger muttered. “Is she at the rotunda alone with Mr. Ramsey?”
“No. Miss Hamilton and Mr. Carlyle are with them.”
Roger pulled Grace across the drawing room in his hurry to reach the window. “I do not see them.”
“That is because Felicity wished to see the far side of the rotunda.” She blew out a breath. “So, she can kiss him,” she whispered.
[from His Darling Friend, A Touches of Austen Novella, and the current Sweet Tuesdays story]
Published to YouTube by Denise Young – Topic on August 22, 2015.
There are no pictures with this ‘video’ today, but the song title and tone seemed a very good fit with the small excerpt from tomorrow’s story. The song, “Desire,” is one that is on my ever-growing list of Music to Write By, and I am actually listening to this album on Spotify as I write this.
I have learned how to listen to share the music on my Spotify phone app with the Spotify app on my tv. It wasn’t hard, but I didn’t know you could do that. So I have been listening through the tv in the room where I write. I would call it an office, but it isn’t just an office. It is more of a multipurpose room which was traditionally designed to be a living room. My house is not huge. Continue reading Music Monday: Desire (Denise Young)
Fashion Plate (Afternoon Dress for Novr. 1800); Los Angeles County Museum of Art [Public domain]; via Wikimedia Commons.
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“She did not tell me directly,” Westonbury replied, rising to cross to the window. “I overheard her talking to a friend at Almack’s. It seems her daughter was on the point of being happily betrothed until the fellow found someone else – with deeper pockets and a more willing charm – that is how she said it. Just like that, with a suggestive lilt to her tone. She then added that Miss –” He waved his hand in a circle in front of him as if attempting to draw a scent towards him.
The action was familiar to Darcy. His cousin had always made that same motion when attempting to recall something.
“Oh, I cannot remember! But it matters not who she is to me. However, according to Mrs. Salter…”
[from Loving Lydia, book 3 in the Marrying Elizabeth Series]
“If you are not able to dance, there is always the chance of a stroll in the garden,” Mr. Carlyle said.
Felicity ducked her head and blushed but not before Victoria saw her cast an uneasy glance at Mr. Clayton. “I do enjoy gardens.”
“Indeed,” Mr. Clayton muttered. He turned and looked back towards the house. “They will likely start playing games soon. We should head back.”
“But I had hoped to see the far side of the rotunda,” Felicity said with a small pout.
“You do not need me for that,” Mr. Clayton said. “I find I have had my fill of gardens.”
Victoria’s eyebrows rose. It appeared Mr. Clayton had reached his limit for endurance. She could not help but feel somewhat happy for him.
[from His Darling Friend, A Touches of Austen Novella, and the current Sweet Tuesdays story]
Published to YouTube by Daniel Jang on November 22, 2014.
That Felicity! She’s a piece of work! In His Beautiful Bea, she was the character who was supposed to have touches of Maria Bertram in her, and she has not left those unsavoury details behind just because we are in a different book now. Oh, no! As you will see in tomorrow’s story, her unpleasant personality is flourishing.
Half-Crown of George IV, 1821. The inscription reads GEORGIUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX D G (George IV, by the Grace of God King of the Britons, Defender of the Faith). George IV was the last British King to be shown on coins wearing a Roman-style laurel wreath [attribution: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=446259]
Bottom Row (left to right):
Shilling of George IV [attribution: Rasiel Suarez [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]]
Crown, George I, England, 1716 [attribution: Daderot [Public domain]]
Gold Guinea of George III, dated 1789. The inscription reads in Latin, “Georgius III Dei Gratia,” or in English “George III, By the Grace of God” [attribution: Coinman62 at English Wikipedia [Public domain]]
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And now for some lines from the story to go with the picture:
“Do you still wish to see your brother?” Bingley asked as Richard was settling himself in bed.
“Yes,” Richard said before sighing with relief as he lay back against his pillows. “Tell him to bring his half-crown,” Richard called after Bingley. “The scoundrel,” he muttered. “He best not be trying to buy any more kisses from Lydia.”
“Does that mean you are not giving her up?” Darcy pulled a chair near the bed.
“No. It means she does not need to be put upon by him.”
[from Loving Lydia, book 3 in the Marrying Elizabeth Series]
