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Music Monday: Beauty of Grace, Thad Fiscella + a Free Book Day

He would have to present himself empty-handed to Grace, and that fact did not sit well with him. He had promised to discover what he could, and he had done exactly that. Yet, the fact that all he could discover was nothing did not seem a fitting way to keep such a promise. Grace would want to know more. She was a curious, caring sort. In his opinion, she owed her sister little, but Grace’s heart would not see it that way. No matter how much she disagreed or disapproved of her sister, Grace would do what she could to protect her sister from harm.

He chuckled, causing his horse’s ears to twitch in his direction.

“I was just thinking about your new mistress,” he said to his horse. “She is a unique lady.”

The horse blew a breath through its lips.

“I tell you she is. You will understand once you meet her.”

[from Her Secret Beau, Touches of Austen book 3]
Published to YouTube by Thad Fiscella – Topic on October 19, 2015.

The song selection this week is a bit of a play on words as I have read the story behind the writing of this song by the composer, and he was thinking of the beauty of God’s grace when he wrote it. Obviously, in the excerpt from tomorrow’s story above, Mr. Blakesley is thinking about the things which make Grace beautiful to him — not as it refers to her outer physical beauty but as it refers to her unique character — those things which make her, her. In that reflection, there is a hint of unmerited favour (aka grace) that makes up who Walter’s Grace is. So, being a teacher and a pastor’s daughter, I could likely draw that out into some sort of lesson, but I won’t. I’ll just let you ponder it and listen to this beautiful piece of music which has played nearly every day during my writing time this week.

During my writing time this week, my writing was focused on finishing Grace’s story. I’m almost there. I think one more chapter will do it (but then I thought that when I sat down to write the last chapter, so… LOL) It looks like both Mary’s and Grace’s stories will conclude during the first week of November. Continue reading Music Monday: Beauty of Grace, Thad Fiscella + a Free Book Day


Still Life with Silver Pot and Pie (Willem Heda)

Willem Claesz. Heda [CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)] via Wikimedia Commons.
I'm not sure what kind of pie that is in the painting above, but it looks like a lovely meat pie to me. Perfect as part of an evening meal. :) I wonder if they were serving meat pie at the dinner mentioned in the excerpt below? Of course, the real question is what has Lady Matlock said to Mary?

~*~*~

Lord Westonbury was not at dinner.

The fact should have put Mary’s mind at ease since she would not have to look at him while unsettling thoughts from what his mother had said scurried around her mind, bumping into this memory and that.

It was a very quiet dinner for Mary. She said barely a word and attended to only a few more than she spoke. No one seemed to do much more than cast a questioning look her way. Not one person pressed her to join a conversation. They gave her time and space to ponder.

[from Persuading Miss Mary, Marrying Elizabeth book 4]

~*~*~

Confounding Caroline  ~  Delighting Mrs. Bennet ~ Loving Lydia

Leenie B Books
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 MAILING LIST    PATREON


Music Monday: Arwen’s Vigil, Original Tune (The Piano Guys)

…Grace sat up. Her heart was racing. “Why? What has happened? Tell me what has happened.”

Mrs. Love wrung her hands together – which Grace noticed were not gloved. Her mother never left her house without a pair of gloves on her hands. Something was most certainly wrong…

[from Her Secret Beau, Touches of Austen book 3]
Published to YouTube by ThePianoGuys on November 12, 2013.

I’m going to leave these here just in case anyone needs one or two of them this week when reading story updates. We’ve come to that part of each story. The good news is that it’s always darkest before the dawn — so the happy ending is coming… soon… ish. 😉

That is also why I picked a song with a melancholy tone for this week. It seems to fit the feel of the stories.

Now, for my writing news, which isn’t all that much this week. That does not mean I did not write A LOT this past week. I did. It just all happened to be for the same story.  Continue reading Music Monday: Arwen’s Vigil, Original Tune (The Piano Guys)


The Serpentine, Hyde Park (George Sidney Shepherd)

The Serpentine, Hyde Park. George Sidney Shepherd (1784 – 1862). Yale Center for British Art [Public domain via Wikimedia Commons]
The bit of conversation below takes place while Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lydia, Lord Westonbury, and Mary are out for a drive in the park.

~*~*~

“I am certain my sister and your brother did not agree to come on this drive so that you could spend the whole time flattering me for who knows what purpose.”

“I do not mind,” Lydia interrupted. “I would find it delightful to hear what Lord Westonbury finds pleasing about you.”

“No, you would not.” Mary gave her sister a pointed look. Lydia was wearing that secret smile of hers which never led to anything good. She might be maturing, but her desire to poke her nose in where it did not belong seemed to be unchanged.

[from Persuading Miss Mary, Marrying Elizabeth book 4]

~*~*~

Confounding Caroline  ~  Delighting Mrs. Bennet ~ Loving Lydia

Leenie B Books
Click to find all of Leenie’s books at your favourite retailer.

 MAILING LIST    PATREON


Music Monday: So Happy Together (Northanger Abbey) + a Free Book Day

Mrs. King tilted her head and smiled at him as a proud mother might gaze upon a child who had done something of merit. “Now, see, Miss Grace, this is why I thought you should set your cap at him instead of Mr. Norman.” She shrugged. “But, it seems you were correct, and he is not free.”

No, he was not free. His heart was irrevocably gone both now and forever.

[from Her Secret Beau, Touches of Austen book 3]
Published to YouTube by AnneDarcy on January 8, 2008.

We’re stepping back a few decades for today’s song. I remember hearing this when I was young, but even then, it was not a new song. 🙂 However, it is a fun and uplifting song, perfect for a Monday morning.

I’m just going to jump right into my writing news as there is a good bit of it.  Continue reading Music Monday: So Happy Together (Northanger Abbey) + a Free Book Day