Mary: To Protect Her Heart

Meet the Characters: Mary Crawford and a Privateer

What is a privateer?

That’s an important thing to know when reading book three in my Other Pens series, Mary: To Protect Her Heart.

This is the definition of privateer from the Online Etymology Dictionary:

1660s, “private man of war, armed vessel owned and officered by private persons, usually acting under commission from the state,” from private (adj.), probably on model of volunteer (n.), buccaneer. From 1670s as “one commanding or serving on a privateer.” As a verb, 1660s (implied in privateering) “to cruise on a privateer, to seize or annoy an enemy’s ships and commerce.”

Why would you need to know what a privateer is before reading Mary Crawford’s rather bumpy road to happily ever after?

Because the hero of her story owns and has sailed on privateers, which makes both him and the ships he owns privateers. 😉 Yes, it is a word that refers both to people and things.

And if you read that definition thinking that privateering sounds a lot like piracy, you wouldn’t be alone in that opinion. Even at the time when privateering was being practiced, there were those who did not see privateers as defenders of the country but rather no more than legalized pirates.

How is privateering different from piracy?

To state it simply, a privateer sailed under a letter of marque from the government which allowed them to legally attack and capture vessels from a nation with whom the government was at war. When a vessel and its cargo were captured, they were brought back to a port and the prize was evaluated as to whether or not it was legitimate and then, if it was a clean capture, it was listed and sold. The privateer owners and crew shared in the amount of money brought in by such sales.

If you look up the history of privateering you will see that there were rules the privateers were supposed to follow and that there was also often confusion over whether things were done legally or illegally. It was definitely not always all neat and tidy.

And that describes the hero of Mary: To Protect Her Heart pretty well. He was a man of stalwart integrity, don’t get me wrong. However, he was also someone with whom few, who were wise, would wish to tangle.

But before we meet him, let’s look at story connection.

The February 2022 Saturday Broadsheet

The Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link at the bottom of this short post.

In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

Info about what is posting on my blog. (Did you see there’s a new story posting?)
Info about my writing and publishing news. (Did you see the new edition of No Other Choice is published?)
Info about any book promotions: there are three of them! (Want to get Waking to Mr. Darcy for $0.99? You can do that this week.)
And a story and art connection

CLICK HERE TO READ THE February 2022 SATURDAY BROADSHEET

Have a great weekend!

I hope you have time to read a book.

I’ll be back on Thursday with a new chapter of The Beginning of Prudence.

The August 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

The Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link at the bottom of this short post. In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

Info about what is and is not posting on my blog — which you probably already know. 🙂
My progress on my writing and publishing projects.
Information about my new pen name.
Three books that I have on sale for all or part of the month of August, plus a link to a multi-author promotion that two of the books are in.
Links to the new releases of two dear friends.
A video that I made with some photos I took on a recent day trip to a historic home.

Click here to read the August 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

Have a great weekend!

I’ll be back on Tuesday with the first two chapters of Tom: To Secure His Legacy.

A Trip to the Islands (Keltische Harfe), Nadia Birkenstock

Here’s something a little different for today’s musical selection — a harp solo. 🙂 I have a couple of books where the harp is mentioned, but today, I’m going with a line from a book where the heroine actually plays the harp — because that’s how Jane Austen wrote her. 🙂 I’m talking, of course, about Mary Crawford.

The lines below are from the first time Mr. Durward calls on Mary at her sister’s home.

Mary: To Protect Her Heart is book 3 in my Other Pens series, and, as the title suggests, is where Mary Crawford finally finds her own happily ever after.

Not a fan of Mary Crawford in Mansfield Park? Neither am I. However, this Mary — well, she’s gotten the Leenie treatment and you might just find yourself rooting for her.

MAILING LIST PATREON

Music Monday: Fall into Me (Emerson Drive)

PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE BY KATIE DOUGLAS ON DECEMBER 6, 2011.

I thought it might be time to delve once again into my Spotify “My Kinda Country” playlist. I mean, it has been at least a month since I last shared a country song with you. Emerson Drive is a Canadian group, and I like a lot of their music. A. Lot. (I know I have shared some of their music before, and I will probably share some in the future, too. 😉 )

When I was scrolling and listening in search of a song to pair with Mary: To Protect Her Heart, it was the title of this song that first grabbed my attention because Mary needs to learn to trust Gabe. (And then, the first few lyrics of this song… perfection.)

Growing up with the admiral was not pretty and has coloured Mary’s view of men. And, to be honest, her choice of friends up until now has not helped her with that view of men. However, Gabe it the complete opposite of the admiral and her friends, which Mary has come to know and appreciate.

The chapter below is the one where Mary finally realizes that she trusts Gabe, and it contains Gabe’s promise to her at the end that he’ll never let her “take on water.” (He was a privateer so taking on water is a significant thing to him.)

One more thing before you jump into this chapter, Mary: To Protect Her Heart is free until 11:59 PM PST today, Monday, March 30, 2020. So, if you don’t have this book yet, now is the time to get it. I’ve also got the first two books in this series (Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy and Charles: To Discover His Purpose) marked down to $0.99 until today as well.

Mary: To Protect Her Heart, Chapter 8

“You look lovely,” Gabe whispered as he and Mary approached the theatre’s entrance. “All will be well.”

He had been telling her that for the past two days – ever since Henry’s invitation to join him at the theatre had arrived during one of Gabe’s daily calls on Mary. The calls were not all made during regular calling hours. Gabe’s schedule did not always afford such luxuries, but Mary was happy to see him at any time of the day. Today, she had not seen him until now, and she had missed having him sit in the chair near the hearth, telling her about his day and inquiring after hers.

“Did you get the lace you needed?” he asked as they entered the building.

“No, Margaret and I were otherwise occupied today with a bit of knitting that the cat unravelled. We will get it tomorrow.”

“I will be unable to call tomorrow. There is still a matter to argue about concerning the new letter of marque, and then I am engaged with another matter after that.” He pulled her closer to his side as they reached the top of the stairs leading to the saloon where the private boxes were. “I will miss you.”