A cottager leaned whispering by her hives, Telling the bees some news, as they lit down, And entered one by one their waxen town. — Illustration from The monitions of the unseen, and poems of love and childhood; 1871; author, Jean Ingelow. Internet Archive Book Images / No restrictions via Wikimedia
~*~*~
“For me?” Georgiana cried. “I should think it would be very bad manners for me to come looking for assistance from a gentleman who was injured fetching me a flower to sketch.”
“Do not apologize again.”
“But if you had not tried to shoo that bee away from me…”
“I knew the risk.”
[from Protecting Miss Darcy, Marrying Elizabeth book 6]
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY RYANN DARLING ON JANUARY 6, 2018.
This is a video I “stumbled” upon by accident on YouTube while looking for Music Monday video options. What a sweet discovery! I think that this song pairs well with the relationship between Lydia and Richard in my Marrying Elizabeth series — especially with the scene they share at the end of the chapter I am sharing below — and if you’ve read the wedding breakfast scene at the end of Loving Lydia and remember the song Lydia sings for Darcy and Elizabeth, as well as her colonel, I think you’ll agree that this is another song she might sing to him. 🙂
Mary huffed as she stood beside Elizabeth, waiting to be allowed entrance to Netherfield the next day. There had been a long and lengthy discussion between Mary and her father after Lydia had told him what Mary had said on their walk.
“You are to be polite,” Lydia said.
“I know,” Mary grumbled.
“And apologize.”
Again, Mary huffed. “I know. Stop speaking.”
“Good day, Mr. Harvey,” Jane said as the door opened. “We are here to see…” She looked at her sisters. “Well, everyone it seems.”
“Very good, ma’am. If you will follow me.”
“That lace Mama selected looked very nice on Elizabeth’s wedding dress, did it not?” Jane asked Lydia. She was attempting as always to direct the conversation so that the argument from a few moments ago would be lost.
“It was lovely,” Lydia agreed.
“Only two more weeks,” Kitty whispered, “and we shall have to call on you here, Jane.”
Jane smiled broadly. “It seems so far away and yet so close.”
When he had asked, their mother had assured Darcy yesterday that she thought all the necessary preparations for a wedding would be completed by the end of the week. There was nothing to be concerned about except whether Colonel Fitzwilliam would be able to attend and if standing for a full service would be too much for Mr. Bennet’s leg. Therefore, a date had finally been decided upon, and Elizabeth knew that Jane was eagerly anticipating becoming the mistress of Netherfield.
I hope you are staying safe and well. Below you will find information about what I accomplished in my writing life this week and a link to a book (which is actually three books in one) that is on sale from now until next Wednesday (April 22).
Writing News
Here’s an update on my writing I have with a short excerpt from two of them. Her Convenient Forever: I scheduled the first chapter of this story to post on May 12, 2020, and then I wrote the second chapter this week. I admit to feeling trepidation about writing a story for Felicity as she’s been horrid in the other stories, but I’m actually liking it so far. Here is a snippet from that chapter:
“Papa!” Matthias, who was in the garden with his nursemaid, ran towards him.
Papa was one of the few words that Matthias ever uttered. Boyd smiled at him and squatting down, held out his arms so that his son could run into them, but the smile was only an expression to let his son know how happy he was to see him. Inside, the weight on Boyd’s heart grew heavier as he remembered the sweet babbling boy Matthias used to be when he was three, before Anna had died.
He squeezed Matthias tight. “Did you have a good morning?”
Matthias nodded.
“And did you have any biscuits yet?”
Matthias shook his head.
“Then, I think we should find some because my stomach is beginning to rumble.”
Matthias wiggled out of his father’s embrace. Gone were the days of him wishing to be carried everywhere. Boyd knew it happened eventually with all children, but he had hoped that it might last a bit longer. He would just have to content himself with the fact that Matthias still greeted him with a hug and allowed him to hold his hand.
American; Dress; circa 1810 (cotton, wool). Bequest of Maria P. James, 1910. This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0
Don’t these “ladies” look as if they are ready for a picnic or afternoon of strolling and having tea in the garden?
~*~*~
“You look perfectly content.” Alfred sat down beside her under the tree.
“I am. It was a lovely picnic.”
Chairs and tables were being loaded onto a waiting cart, while blankets which were not being used, were being folded and placed in a trunk that would be transported back to Ravincot in one of the Langley’s carriages when they all had had their fill of wandering the meadow and reclining under trees as they conversed.
“Are you planning to sit here and read until we leave?” Alfred asked.
“That was indeed my plan unless some other activity of greater interest caught my attention.”
“Would you like to walk with me?”
[from Protecting Miss Darcy, Marrying Elizabeth book 6]
PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY RONANKEATINGOFFICIAL ON JULY 29, 2018.
Today’s music video is not a video at all but just an audio version of this song. However, please listen to the lyrics, and if you have read So Very Unexpected, imagine Marcus singing this to Lydia. Is it not the most perfect song for them?
I think the chapter below highlights how Marcus feels about Lydia even though he has just met her and literally brought her “home” to her family. He’s not going to let her fall into a desperate situation. He will be there to help her. Of course, he (and Lydia) just think he’s being a friend, but hey, this is a romance story, so you know it’s going to develop into something more. However, that willingness to see that Lydia is well is not going to change, in fact, he will add to it a determination to see her become all that she can be, and along the way, he will become not just her friend but also her safe place and her champion.
“Lydia, do be serious,” Elizabeth chided before anyone else could say a word.
“I can replace it.” Ignoring her sister, Lydia continued with her explanation. Of course, Elizabeth would not understand. Elizabeth never did anything foolish enough to be punished by their father. In fact, he had never once called Elizabeth dull or silly. No, to their father, Elizabeth was quick and clever. “I will go without most of my pin money, and I am not without skills. I could take in some sewing.”
Lydia saw the look of disbelief on Elizabeth’s face and could not ignore the stinging of her sister’s words any longer. “Mr. Wickham is not what you think, Lizzy. If you knew what he was like, you would not wish him upon me. I was not taken in by him as you were.” She smiled inwardly at the stricken look on Elizabeth’s face. “I may look like I am not paying attention at times, but I assure you, I am listening. I have heard plenty of tales about Mr. Wickham.”
“Then why did you choose him to accompany you?” demanded Elizabeth.
Lydia sighed. “Because he knows where Derbyshire is, and he is weak enough to be led. I should think you would be able to piece that together.” She knew there was a cutting edge to her voice, but she did not care. Lizzy was Papa’s favourite. “I am not so stupid as you think.” A hand took hers.
“I do not think Lydia’s plan is completely without merit,” said Marcus, squeezing Lydia’s hand tightly. “Wickham has been bought off before. I am sure he could be once again.” He returned the small smile Lydia gave him.
