Music Monday: Something Just Like This, Instrumental Cover

Welcome to a new week. It’s time for a bit of music, some writing news, and an excerpt. Shall we get started?

Click play and read on. 🙂

Solís Music. “‘Something Just Like This’ The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – Piano Orchestral Pop Cover by David Solis.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 June 2017, youtu.be/4S5pqnv4EcE.

You can find the original version of this song by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay at this link if you wish to hear the words sung. In my mind, the lyrics really fit with the story I just finished writing and am sharing an excerpt at the end of this post, which is why I chose this song to share today.

Now, that I have told you there is a story connection to the music, let’s get to the writing news:

First of all, this happened last week…

Confounding Caroline is now available for pre-order! 🙂

And Delighting Mrs. Bennet, the sequel to this story started posting on Thursday.

It was truly a week of excitement because late Friday night, I finished writing Master of Longbourn, and I know I am the author, but it is such a good story. You’re going to have to read it. 🙂 Mr. Collins is just so surprisingly likable — truly. I have had early readers who have surprised themselves by saying things like “I really like Collins.” The final chapter and epilogue of the story will be posting this week on Patreon after I have had a chance to reread and polish them a little.

Before I get to the excerpt from Master of Longbourn, I want to remind you of what I said last week. This will be the last excerpt from this story, and I will likely not have an excerpt for the next two or three weeks or so. I am going to take some time to work on Delighting Mrs. Bennet, and then some other story will get started, although, at this very moment, I have not decided which one. 🙂 Maybe I will know by next Monday…maybe. 🙂

Now for…

AN EXCERPT (a longish excerpt) FROM Master of Longbourn: 

Kitty peeked at Mr. Collins for the fourth time during dinner. He had spoken to her father for nearly the entire meal about some wall that needed repair and Mr. Doney, who was to be hired for the job, and what the expected expense would be as well as when it would be best to begin such a project in the spring. He had passed her several dishes of food and had replied in one or two words to any question she asked, but beyond that, he had completely ignored her. 

She scowled at the last remaining piece of baked apple on her plate. Baked apples were a particular favorite of her on most occasions, except when a gentleman was being so vexing! It really was beyond enough!

Elizabeth leaned close to Kitty.  “Are you well?”

Kitty forced her lips into a smile and nodded.

“You were getting a headache earlier. Has it returned?” Elizabeth was studying her face very carefully and not looking at all convinced that Kitty was indeed well.

“I fear it never left,” Kitty admitted, blinking at the unwelcome tears which gathered in her eyes. How could she be rid of a headache which was caused by a gentleman who wished to make an offer but from whom she had no desire to receive an offer when the one gentleman who could save her from having to consider the first gentleman would not pay her a bit of attention? Oh, even thinking about it made her head spin and ache nearly as much as her heart.

“I am not Jane,” Elizabeth said softly, “but I do know how to listen.”

Kitty pulled her lip between her teeth and glanced at Lydia.

“I understand,” Elizabeth whispered. “After dinner is finished, we can read in the small drawing room next to Papa’s study.”

Kitty nodded her agreement. She would go collect her book of sermons as soon as dinner was over and join Elizabeth and most likely Jane in the small drawing room. If any of her sisters could help her with her problem, they could. Mary had no beau, nor did she seem interested in having one. Lydia was far too nonsensical about beaus to be of any use, and when you added to that her dislike of Mr. Collins, she would be quite the opposite of useful. But Elizabeth and Jane? They were both happily attached. They would surely have some good advice for her.

It was not two minutes after Kitty had swallowed that last morsel of apple when Elizabeth caught her father’s eye, tipped her head toward the door, and her father dismissed them from the room.

“How do you do that?” Kitty asked Elizabeth as they climbed the stairs.

“Do what?”

“Talk to Papa without words?”

Elizabeth put an arm around Kitty’s shoulders. “We know each other well, I suppose. That and Papa is very observant and had been watching you with concern for at least ten minutes before I asked to be allowed to leave.”

“He was watching me?” Did he watch her often? She had never noticed.

Elizabeth nodded. “Now, do you wish to read in that drawing room or would you rather join Jane and me in our room?”

It was not an easy question to answer. If they were in Elizabeth’s room, there was very little chance any other sister might stumble upon their conversation. However, if they went to the drawing room, she would be able to pass the study and perhaps see Mr. Collins.

“Pardon me.” That very gentleman brushed by them.

“How will you be spending your evening?” Elizabeth asked him.

He stopped, turned toward her, and with brows furrowed replied that he intended to spend it in his room. “I have some ledgers to look over, and I am thinking of retiring early.” He turned partially away from them and then back. “I also need to decide if I shall return to Hunsford for a short time to see to my things or not. The Earl and your father both wish to know.”

“You are thinking of leaving?” Kitty asked.

He nodded. “Only for a short time. Not even long enough to be missed.” He gave a small bow and scurried toward his room as if being chased by the devil.

If he were gone even one day, she would miss him. How could he say he would not be gone long enough to be missed?

“He has been acting very oddly today,” Kitty muttered as she followed Elizabeth to her room.

“Do you not need your book?” Elizabeth asked with a teasing smile.

“Oh, yes, I do, though I truly doubt I shall be able to read a word.”

Elizabeth’s brows flicked up quickly, and she leaned toward her sister. “I do not plan to read, but if you have a book, Lydia will ask far fewer questions.”

Kitty’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, yes, yes, I understand.”  She hurried to her room, snatched up her book of sermons, and dashed to Elizabeth’s room. 

“Sit wherever you would like.”  Elizabeth was unpinning her hair. “I intend to make myself excessively comfortable on the bed. You are welcome to join me. I am certain Jane will.”

“What will I do?” Jane asked as she entered the room.

“Join me on the bed for some conversation.”

“With pleasure! And what shall we discuss tonight?” Jane asked eagerly.

“Gentlemen, I suspect,” Elizabeth said with a small knowing smile for Kitty that caused Kitty’s cheeks to flush.

“I do like discussing gentlemen,” Jane said with a laugh.

“You are far too much like Mama at times, dear sister,” Elizabeth teased.

“Jane is nothing like Mama,” Kitty said.

Elizabeth climbed onto the bed next to Jane and patted the spot next to her in invitation to Kitty. “Jane is very interested in seeing all her sisters well-matched just as Mama is.”

“You are?” Kitty’s brows furrowed.

“Yes, indeed, I am. I am afraid I was in danger of pushing Elizabeth at Mr. Darcy if Lizzy had not come to her sense when she did.”

“No!” Kitty gasped. Jane pushing anyone in the path of a gentleman seemed very unlike the Jane she knew.

Jane nodded. “I wanted her to be as happy as I was with Mr. Bingley, even if he had not yet offered for me. I knew he would.”

“How did you know that?” Kitty relinquished her book to Elizabeth.

Jane shrugged. “He was so solicitous to me that I just knew.”

“I did not know you read sermons,” Elizabeth interrupted. “I thought it was only Mary who read these.” She flipped open the cover. “William Collins?”

Kitty nodded. “He is reading Evelina because I suggested it, so I thought it only right that I read one of his books.” Her lips puckered, and she sighed. “I do hope he is enjoying Evelina more than I am enjoying those.” She shook her head. “They are dreadfully dull.”

Elizabeth chuckled.

“They are so much better when they are spoken in church rather than read at one’s leisure.”

“Oh, I can imagine they are!” said Jane. “Why do you not ask Mr. Collins to read them to you? That might make them more bearable. He has, after all, taken orders, so he would know how best to deliver them.”

Kitty rolled her eyes upward and shook her head willing her frustration to not spill down her cheeks, but it would not listen. She swiped at her cheek.

“What is the matter?” Jane had her arms wrapped around Kitty in an instant.

“He has ignored me all evening, and if I cannot get him to like me, then I shall have to give him up and marry Captain Saunders.” She covered her face with her hands.

~*~*~

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