Thursday 27 November 2014

Black is the Colour Book Tour


Hi everyone,
Just to let you know that Black is the Colour is on a mini book tour. I’ve listed some of the lovely bloggers who are hosting me. Thank you all so much!

Also there’s a $20 Amazon Gift Card up for grabs but hurry time is limited. So, drop by one of the stops and enter – Good Luck!!!

Other than that, for all my wonderful U.S. friends happy Thanksgiving. Hope you have a blissful, warm and heartfelt day. J

Nicóle xx

2 Bibliophiles Guide

Mythical Books

Beanie Brain Reader

Pandora’s Open Box

Love Us Some Books

Padme’s Library


Sunday 23 November 2014

Sneak Peek Sunday – Black is the Colour


Hi everyone and welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday.


Here’s a snippet from my medieval fairytale, Black is the Colour.





Ciana bit her bottom lip as she spied through the chink in the blacksmith’s wall. Oran was stripped down to his waist, with only the heavy leather apron to protect the front of his body. He raised his arm and brought down the hammer onto the red hot metal. She suppressed a sigh as she watched his muscles work along his broad shoulders. The heat of the fires made the air hot and there was a sheen of perspiration across his entire back. He all but glistened. She wondered what it would be like to run her hands over him.

 A metallic clang echoed through the workshop as Oran beat the anvil with his heavy hammer. Ciana leaned a little closer to the wall so she could get a better look, her hands resting on the rough wood. Dear Heavens, she doubted she would ever tire of watching him. He lifted his arm again, but hesitated before dropping it by his side. He turned his head and scanned the room.

“Ciana! Ciana is that you?”

Ciana jumped back and flattened herself against the wall. Holding her hand over her mouth to stop her laughter escaping, she waited.

“Ciana!”


He called her name in a soft, deep voice. It seemed to roll off his tongue as sweetly as if it were honey. Even his voice made her stomach tighten and flip. She heard the hiss of the metal as he doused it into the large barrel of water which she knew stood by the anvil. She waited one more moment before stealing another peek. The workshop was empty. Silently as she could she crept along the wall but as she rounded the corner familiar hands caught her around the waist.


Blurb
Ciana has loved Oran all her life and nothing, not even her father will prevent them from being together. But the Mayor of Stonemark has higher aspirations for his daughter than the village blacksmith. He engages the help of a witch and dark magic to bend Ciana to his will.

Oran knows that he doesn’t deserve Ciana. But their love is stronger than the metal he forges and welds. She has his heart and he will never turn from her no matter the cost.

Separated, Ciana will need all her strength to journey through the deep forest and save Oran from the witch’s curse. Alone and with only a trail of black feathers to follow, Ciana will fight against the odds and attempt to bring her lover home.

Shortened Amazon link - http://goo.gl/f3juDg

Thanks for stopping by.
Nicóle xx


Here’s a link to check out the other great snippets from Sneak Peek Sunday!


Friday 21 November 2014

Black is the Colour Giveaway – Winner


Hi everyone!
The Black is the Colour giveaway has ended. Thanks to all the lovelies that took the time to enter. I’ve brought along my two favourite party girls to announce the winner. So raise your glasses and release the doves.
The winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card is...

Hannah R
Congratulations!!!

I’ve sent you an email. J

Nicóle xx

Thursday 20 November 2014

In the Limelight – Highlander in the Mist


Hi everyone!
In the Limelight is where I showcase new and fabulous books. 

Today we have Highlander in the Mist by H.C.Brown. Highlander in the Mist is a time slip story which is set in 1425.

I can’t wait to read this one as it contains two of my favourite things – the medieval period and hot highlanders. J


Love the warning by the way, H.C!



Highlander in the Mist – Blurb

Kate must decide to escape the horrors of 1425, or fight for the love of her delicious Highland warrior.

During a tour of the Highlands, Kate Mackintosh goes to the aid of a drowning boy and mysteriously slips through time to 1425. A stunningly handsome Highlander, who believes she is a faerie intent on stealing his brother, immediately challenges her and offers himself as the boy’s replacement. Rather than remaining alone on an isolated mountainside, she follows the delicious, Laird Alexander Murray to his Broch Lavern home.

Alone in a strange, brutal world, the noble Alex, offers her not only his protection but a love and passion so great, her longing to return home soon fades. However, the fate of the clan rests on Alex marrying Mary Frazer, and his stepmother insists on the match.
Kate must leave the love of her life or remain and risk torture or death to fight for her handsome Highland laird.

Reader Advisory: This story contains a very sexy, auburn haired, kilted, Highland warrior in various stages of undress.


Excerpt:

Fear rippled over her. If the clan discovered her book, would they burn her as a witch? Thank God, Alex had tucked The History of the Highlands inside his saddlebag. At least, reading it to him had proved she had spoken the truth about coming from the future. She chewed her bottom lip and forced her foggy mind to concentrate. Passing four weeks in the fifteenth century unnoticed would be a difficult task, but many Scots of this time wouldn’t have met an English woman, and they may well ignore any mistakes as ignorance. Yes, she could act the part and with the Clan Murray Laird to protect her, she doubted anyone would dare challenge her origins.
As Alex and Hamish saddled the horses and made ready to depart, she sifted through what remained of her possessions. She removed a few important items and secured them in Alex’s saddlebags. With the first-aid kit, toothbrush, toiletries, and the remaining food for the trip inside the saddlebags, she reluctantly zipped up her backpack. Her stomach rolled in fear of never returning to the Faerie Tree and being lost in time forever.
Taking a deep breath to strengthen her resolve, she moved behind a thick honeysuckle bush and glanced around to ensure her privacy. Satisfied, she stripped down to her underwear and dressed in the shirt. The linen garment came down to cover her knees. She wrapped the strip of plaid around her waist and sat down to remove her shoes. Deciding to keep the long socks for warmth, she pushed everything back into her backpack and stuffed the bag deep inside a crevice between two boulders.
“That will do nicely.” Alex moved to her side and draped his cloak over her shoulders. “Ye are verra bonnie, and I am proud to call ye wife.”
Startled, Kate pressed one hand over her pounding heart. Good grief, he had returned like a phantom without one footstep or twig cracking to announce his arrival. He moved like a shadow and his life would depend on his ability to move with stealth. Her gaze traveled over him and a shimmer of excitement scuttled through her.
He was gorgeous.
Tall and muscular with the striking good looks of a naughty archangel, he smiled at her with a flash of even teeth. The tips of his ears reddened as if he had read her mind. His intent stare ran the length of her body before returning to meet her gaze with a blatant invitation. Most men found her too fat, but Alex’s expression held nothing but admiration. This just has to be a dream. Why would someone like him want someone like me?
Alex cupped her cheek in one large palm and peered at her from beneath long, silky lashes. “Has nayone told ye how bonnie ye are, Kate?”
She swallowed hard and forced down the desire to rub against him like a cat. “Not lately. In my time most men prefer their women to be tall and skinny.”
Alex laughed so loudly, birds took to the sky in panic. The expression in his hooded green eyes danced with mischief. “Well, lass, ye are perfect in ma eyes. Ye have skin like a pink rose and a lovely rounded arse. The men in your village must be blind not to appreciate how bonnie ye are. Skinny women are not to ma taste. They are a poor example of a father’s wealth, aye.”
She gaped at him in disbelief. “Thank you.”





 Thanks for stopping by.

Nicóle xx

Black is the Colour Giveaway


Hi everyone.
Okay, this is the last chance to enter my Black is the Colour giveaway. Time is ticking down, so if you want a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card you’d better be quick. J

Black is the Colour is a story about a girl that believes in true love and will do anything to save the man she loves. It’s the first instalment in my Hearthfire series and close to my heart.

So come on Ciana’s journey as she tries to save her blacksmith from the witch’s curse.


Blurb
Ciana has loved Oran all her life and nothing, not even her father will prevent them from being together. But the Mayor of Stonemark has higher aspirations for his daughter than the village blacksmith. He engages the help of a witch and dark magic to bend Ciana to his will.
Oran knows that he doesn’t deserve Ciana. But their love is stronger than the metal he forges and welds. She has his heart and he will never turn from her no matter the cost.
Separated, Ciana will need all her strength to journey through the deep forest and save Oran from the witch’s curse. Alone and with only a trail of black feathers to follow, Ciana will fight against the odds and attempt to bring her lover home.



 Snippet
The sense of freedom and weightless surged through Oran as he flew through the sky. He could fly forever, nothing could stop him – nothing would tether him to the ground. He soared upwards and then he let the wind currents carry him over the great forest below.
Kraaah! He called out in joy as the wind ruffled across his feathers and gently buffeted his body. The world stretched out before him. Past the forest sat the grey marsh and beyond that the purple haze of the mountains. The world was his and he could see forever. Why had he ever limited himself to one small plot of earth – when this had been waiting for him?
But something had stopped him from leaving when he had been a man. Oran tried to recall what it was – something had hold of him and would not let him go. Oran turned slowly and circled over the forest – something or someone wanted him to stay; but why?
His gaze fell back to the distant mountains; they beckoned him with their stillness. He couldn’t stay here; he needed the cold wind and wild. His heart soared as he turned his back on the old forest and flew towards the desolate marsh.
Oran swooped down and flew over the boggy mud, water and reeds. There was a sense of desolation and sorrow which seemed to permeate the marsh. It seeped over him like a fine, misty drizzle of rain on a winter’s day. It pulled him down as if it wanted him to stay but Oran could see the mountains and he pushed on.
Ahead, in the middle of the marsh was a half toppled ring of standing stones. Oran’s interest was snagged; they looked as if they were covered in something black.
As he neared he saw the stones were covered by a multitude of ravens. They called to him – Come brother join us – you are home.
My brethren! My brothers!  Oran thought as the ravens took to the sky. The air was filled with a dark blanket of black feathers as the ravens spiralled upwards.
Join us brother. Join us and be free!
Oran hesitated for an instant as he watched as the ravens flew above him. His heart bubbled with belonging as he flapped his wings and took his place with his brethren.

Shortened Amazon link - http://goo.gl/f3juDg

Thanks so much to everyone that entered and good luck!

Nicóle xx


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Meet My Character Blog Hop


Hi everyone!
Thanks so much to Sandy Curtis for inviting me to participate in the Meet My Character Blog Hop.

Sandy Curtis lives on Queensland’s Central Coast, not far from the beach where she loves to walk and mull over the intricate plots in her novels. Her husband says he doesn’t know how she keeps it all in her head, and her friends think she must be far more devious than she appears.

Actually, after having dealt with the chaos involved in rearing three children, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and a kookaburra (teaching it to fly was murder), creating complex characters, fast-paced action and edge-of-your-seat suspense is a breeze for Sandy.

Her first five novels were published by Pan Macmillan Australia, were nominees in the Ned Kelly Crime Awards, and two were finalists in the mainstream section of the Romantic Book of the Year Award. They were also published in Germany by Bastei Luebbe, and are now available as e-books from Clan Destine Press. Her sixth thriller, Fatal Flaw, and seventh, the recently released Grievous Harm, are published by Clan Destine Press in print and as ebooks.

Sandy was a magazine feature article writer for two years, a newspaper columnist, and has had short stories and serials published in leading Australian women’s magazines.

She was a member of the Management Committee of the Queensland Writers Centre for four years and has presented many writing workshops, including the 10-day USQ McGregor Summer School Creative Writing course. She has organised WriteFest, the Bundaberg writers festival, since its inception in 2005. In December 2012 she was presented with the Johnno Award by the Queensland Writers Centre for her “outstanding contribution to writing in Queensland”.

Interviewers often ask Sandy to describe her normal writing day. “Normal is when the chaos in my life subsides to frantic rather than frenzied. I once told a friend that I must have a chaos  attractor glued on my forehead and she said that creativity hovers on the edge of chaos, to which I replied that I’d long ago fallen off the edge into the middle.”

Her various occupations, from private secretary to assistant to a Bore Licensing Inspector, as well as hitch-hiking around New Zealand and learning to parachute, have given Sandy lots of people and research skills. It’s the paperwork going feral in her office she has trouble with.





Now, I’d like to introduce my heroine, Ciana Ruebana from my latest book, Black is the Colour.



1.)    What is the name of your character?
       Ciana Ruebana, she is the youngest of the three Ruebana sisters.

2.)    Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Fictional.

3.)    When and where is the story set?
Black is the Colour is a fairytale which is set in a fantasy world with a medieval European backdrop.

1.)    What should we know about him/her?
Ciana very determined and she will do anything to protect the ones she loves.

2.)    What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
The love of her life, Oran the blacksmith is cursed into a raven by an evil witch.

3.)    What is the personal goal of the character?
To save her beloved so they can have a life together.

      7.) Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it?
             Black is the Colour. It’s the first book in the Tales from the Hearthfire series.

             Come on over to my websitewww.nicolehurley-moore.com

Blurb
Ciana has loved Oran all her life and nothing, not even her father will prevent them from being together. But the Mayor of Stonemark has higher aspirations for his daughter than the village blacksmith. He engages the help of a witch and dark magic to bend Ciana to his will.
Oran knows that he doesn’t deserve Ciana. But their love is stronger than the metal he forges and welds. She has his heart and he will never turn from her no matter the cost.
Separated, Ciana will need all her strength to journey through the deep forest and save Oran from the witch’s curse. Alone and with only a trail of black feathers to follow, Ciana will fight against the odds and attempt to bring her lover home.

       8.) When can we expect the book to be published or when was it published?
            Black is the Colour is available now from Amazon.






Next I'd like to introduce Elizabeth Ellen Carter who will be sharing with us one of her fabulous characters from her new release, Warrior’s Surrender next week.

A future with words was always on the book for Elizabeth Ellen Carter who started writing her own stories when she ran out of Nancy Drew mysteries to read when she was 10.

Using her mother's Olivetti type writer with the italic keyboard, she spent endless school holidays making up her own stories and then using the Dewey Decimal System to arrange and categories her bookshelf.

Somewhere around the age of 13 she determined to become a journalist and at 17 was awarded a cadetship to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

She covered news, council, education, health but had the most fun as the paper's entertainment and features reporter covering film, TV and music.

Best of all she met her husband there and together they started a small award-winning media, marketing and advertising agency and now she works as marketing manager for an international organic skin care company.

In 2012, Elizabeth also returned to the keyboard to write stories (and laptops are so much better than manual typewriters).

Her debut, Moonstone Obsession was shortlisted for the 2013 Romance Writers Of  
Australia's Emerald Awards for unpublished manuscripts.

It was published by Etopia Press on October 18, 2013.

Her second historical romance is Warrior's Surrender, set in England in the years after the Conquest of England by William in 1066.

Link –

Website –



Thanks for stopping by.

Nicóle xx

Monday 17 November 2014

Spotlight - Elizabeth Ellen Carter


Hi everyone! 
Today, I’d like to welcome the lovely Elizabeth Ellen Carter. Elizabeth is answering a few questions about her writing process and giving us a peek at her latest novel, Warrior’s Surrender.

Thanks so much for joining us today. J

What type of romance do you write?
Broadly speaking it is historical romance, but I like to jump eras quite a bit, so it is hard to pin me down to a specific genre - Moonstone Obsession was late-Georgian/Regency and Warrior's Surrender is Medieval and I'm currently doing research for a new novel set in 3rd Century Rome.

I also like to write romance which an element of intrigue and mystery. To me the way the hero and heroine work together to deal with an external threat to their relationship is just an important part of the romance as the falling in love. They say love conquers everything and indeed that is certainly true, but love is forged and proven in the furnace of life's trials. I want people to be confident that Alfreya and Sebastian have a long and happy life ahead of them.


What inspired you to write this story?
Funnily enough, Moonstone Obsession inspired me. I was researching Enlightenment philosophy as part of the research for the period and discovered that the myth that people of medieval times was taught the world was flat had been something that had been made up as anti-Catholic propaganda by academic Antoine-Jean Letronne and it spread like wildfire through France.

In the early part of the 19th century, an American writer by the name of Washington Irving (the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle) was living in Paris and no doubt heard the story and incorporated it into his fictionalised biography of Christopher Columbus. By the beginning of the 20th century, the flat earth myth had been incorporated into school text books and it's been there ever since!


Well, learning this made me wonder what other beliefs I had about Medieval times was incorrect and the more I researched, the more I fell in love with that era. Did you know that there was no witch burning or witch trials in medieval times? That came out of the Renaissance!

So I set out to write a romance with brave, intelligent characters who solve a set of murders as part of the subplot. I'm indebted to Ellis Peters Cadfael series of books for the inspiration of medieval policiers! (I also have an idea for a series of medieval detective stories with a former Crusader knight, turned coroner working with a nun with medical training to solve crimes. I don't think I've ever mentioned that to anyone before...)
Hey, that’s a great idea – I can’t wait to read those. J

What comes first, the plot or characters?

In this case is was the characters. I love Alfreya, she is strong and brave but at the very end of her emotional strength, she's exhausted but she will do everything it takes to fulfill her duty to her brother and her father's men. As she learns to trust Sebastian she realises that her strength is added to by her love for him.

Sebastian is a wonderful alpha male - strong, brave, headstrong, but with a real sense of honour.

I really enjoy fleshing out the story with secondary characters who have their own distinct personalities. Larcwide and Orlege - Alfreya's two men-at-arms are wonderful blokes. One is a very open, fatherly character, not beyond stepping across social boundaries for his mistress's protection. Orlege is a strong, silent type, not comfortable in sharing his feelings but without question loyal.




Are you working on anything at present?
My next full length novel Moonstone Conspiracy - a sequel to Moonstone Obsession is being edited right now. In this story, one of the villains from Moonstone Obsession, Lady Abigail Houghall becomes the heroine, a very difficult and emotional journey for our Regency 'mean girl'.

Speaking of the Moonstone universe, I'm currently writing a short story for Etopia Press's Valentine's Day anthology. The hero is Toby Jackson who is the best friend to Moonstone Obsession's hero, Sir James Mitchell. The heroine is shaping up to be an amazing woman, a young widow who becomes a successful business woman in her own right.

What has influenced your writing?
Film and television structure. I tend to run the scene through my head as though I'm watching it on screen and then I write what I see. Every book I read inspires me in some way - and not necessarily big name authors either, every voice is different, every story is a fresh take. I love it!

What made you want to be a writer?
I always wanted to be a writer. I loved writing my own stories as a child and I loved English exams that ended with a creative writing section. Then I discovered as a journalist I could get paid for writing. And now I've swapped writing one form of fiction for another!

What advice would you give an aspiring author?
Write, write, write, read, read, read and then write some more.





Blurb
A shared secret from their past could destroy their future…

Northumbria, 1077. In the years following William the Conqueror’s harrying of the North, Lady Alfreya of Tyrswick returns to her family home after seven years in exile. But instead of returning victorious as her dead father had promised, she returns defeated by Baron Sebastian de la Croix, the Norman who rules her lands.

To save her gravely ill brother's life, Alfreya offers herself hostage to her enemy. As Alfreya gets to know her new husband, she finds he’s not the monster she feared, and their marriage of convenience soon becomes a bond of passion. But Sebastian is a man with a secret—one that could destroy him.

As a series of brutal murders haunt their nights, the man who betrayed Alfreya’s father returns claiming to be her betrothed. He has learned Sebastian’s secret and will use it to further his own ambition—using Sebastian’s own family—which will destroy Sebastian and mark him a traitor, and plunge an unprepared England into war with the Scots…

Snippet
“Is the baron waiting for us?” Frey called some distance out.
“Aye, my lady, he waits at the edge of the meadow as you requested,” answered Orlege.
The rest of Alfred’s band gathered near to listen.
“Then let’s go through this as we agreed.
“Grimbold and Sar, you attend to Lord Brice. Orlege and Larcwide will accompany me. The rest of you wait at the edge of the woods.
“Do not act except in my death or incapacitation, and then do everything necessary to protect Lord Brice.”
The men nodded readily though Larcwide was slower to respond. His reticence was not missed by Frey, who arched an eyebrow.
“Is aught amiss, Larcwide?” she asked
In the absence of her brother’s taking his rightful role, she was leader. She would not let her men-at-arms forget. They would just have to overlook her sex.
“It’s not right, my lady. One of us should be going instead.” He crossed his arms as he spoke, and Frey recognized the sign of resistance from living in such close quarters with him for half a year.
Larcwide was as dear to her as an uncle; she had known him since infancy and knew he had only her family’s welfare at heart. And she knew his objections. He had voiced them three days earlier in front of the men.
Her response had been to brandish her knife and threaten to slit his throat from ear-to-ear for his rebellion.
Frey had hated to do it, but if she did not stand firm on her resolve, she would lose the respect of those who remained. How would it serve Brice if she gave in?
She looked at him sternly.
“It is not your position to question the decision of the clan leader, Larcwide.”
             
           The man's lips drew to a tight, colorless line.


Amazon Buy Link –




To find out more about Elizabeth you can visit her website.




Thanks for stopping by.
Nicóle xx

Thursday 13 November 2014

Spotlight - Cassandra Samuels


Hi everyone!

Today I’d like to welcome the lovely Cassandra Samuels, who has brought along her début novel, A Scandalous Wager.

Thanks so much for coming for a visit. J

Thank you for having me today on your Blog Nicole.

What type of romance do you write?
At present I write Regency Historical Romance, but I do have plans to also write in the Georgian period and Colonial Australia.

What inspired you to write this story?
A Scandalous Wager was inspired by folklore surrounding the raven. The heroine, Lisbeth, has been nicknamed The Black Raven (bringer of bad luck and death) because the ton of London believe she killed her husband (even though she was acquitted). There are many folklore tales that also say that Ravens are good luck, but for the purposes of the story the darker one fit better.

What comes first, the plot or characters?
Most often it is the characters. Usually, either the hero of the heroine come quite clearly to me and I build the story around them.

Are you working on anything at present?
The story I am currently working on is tentatively titled The Collector of Hearts and is a rake reformed story that I have had a lot of fun writing. Next I will be working on the sequel to A Scandalous Wager.

What has influenced your writing?
I would have to say Jane Austen as I had to read Pride and Prejudice in year ten at school and fell in love with it. I think watching the BBC miniseries (you know the one) cemented my love for the story and the period. I also read a lot of Johanna Lindsey books before moving on to Stephanie Laurens and Loretta Chase.


What made you want to be a writer?
I have always wanted to write my own book since was fifteen. I still have my first attempt which is partly handwritten, partly typed, tucked away in my filing cabinet. I remember researching how long it took to travel by ship from England to Australia. I was interested in history even then. When I was thirty I had a bit of a mid-life crisis where I asked myself where has Cassandra gone? I was a wife and an employee and a mother but I hadn’t really anything for myself. Writing was something I could do that didn’t cost much, I could do when I wanted to, and I could use my creative mind productively. My mother encouraged me to do it and I started working on my first full length novel that week. It wasn’t until I joined Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) and the Breathless in the Bush group that I realised how much I didn’t know about the craft of writing a novel. I had no idea about goal, motivation and conflict, character arc or the three act structure. I’ve been learning ever since.

What advice would you give an aspiring author?
If you are serious about writing, do it. Find your voice and trust it. Join RWA.


As the Black Raven, she’s cold, distant, and alone, untouched by the gossip and scorn of her aristocratic peers. Until he enters her house – and her life – and suddenly her icy shell is no match for the heat of attraction…

Blurb

Notorious Widow Lisbeth Carslake, Countess of Blackhurst was acquitted of her husband's murder, but no one believes in her innocence. Known as the Black Raven, bringer of bad luck and death, she is eviscerated by the gossips and mocked in the clubs. She’s also the subject of London’s most scandalous wager.

Oliver Whitely, Earl of Bellamy, needs money, but it takes more than a few drinks to take on The Black Raven Wager. He finds himself drunk, at her house, and – more surprisingly – inside, and agreeing to a business proposal at the end of a fire poker. She will let him win the wager, and he will help find her husband’s killer before the killer finds her. But business agreements don’t mean trust, and Lisbeth certainly doesn’t trust Oliver, her body’s reaction to him, or her heart.

Love may be the biggest gamble of their lives, but is it a wager their hearts can afford to lose?




Snippet:

Set up. The hero, Lord Bellamy, has drunkenly taken on The Black Raven Wager and to his surprise she has let him in, but she has other plans for him that he is about to find out.

She spun to face him, fire poker drawn level with his heart. ‘Do sit down, Bellamy.’
This time he did laugh. He was in no doubt he could overpower her before she did much harm with that mere stick in her hand — as pointy and well-crafted as it seemed.
‘I believe you owe me an answer, Lord Bellamy.’ She moved towards him brandishing the poker like a rapier. He couldn’t believe his bloodshot eyes. He laughed louder. He nearly told her to keep the tip up, until he saw where her target was and it was no longer his heart. He stopped laughing.
‘Fifty pounds,’ he confessed with a slow smile, for there was no longer any reason to conceal his true mission here. Confounded woman had him at a disadvantage though. If only Henry had not been such a blasted fool, leaving him with more debt than he knew how to handle, a doddery old aunt and two entailed estates full of dependents. Oh, and no money.
He saw her glance at the mantel and realised his time was up. Should he start praying now or…? He wanted to laugh again. If only the Frenchies could see him now. Undone by a handsome widow and a fire poker.
Her gaze left the clock and seemed to focus on his cravat. ‘I fail to see what is so amusing to you, Lord Bellamy. I can only assume you know of my reputation. Why else would you be here? Ah, yes, the money. Fifty pounds, was it? How would you like to earn a  lot more?’
This was a twist he had not expected. ‘Excuse me?’
She glided over to him and pointed the poker at his vitals. ‘Let me explain it for you. These little wagers have been happening for quite some time, Lord Bellamy. You see, you are not the first man to sit on my steps and demand entrance. Some have even tried to break in. I find this whole business very childish and most annoying. Can you understand my frustration, Lord Bellamy?’ The poker came very close to his pride.
‘Yes, most annoying,’ he replied, his eyes riveted on the poker. She had no idea how easily he could turn this scenario on its, or in this case, her derrière. He was too intrigued, however, by her suggestion to bother demonstrating just now.
‘However, if you will assist me, I think you will be more than happy with the arrangement I am proposing.’ She stared at him coolly.
‘Arrangement?’ The fire poker remained hovering above his most important asset.
‘Yes. I find I require an escort. You see, I presume there are a number of…outstanding wagers concerning my reputation as the Black Raven, and I will allow you to collect them on the condition you but play the gentlemanly escort.’ She took the poker away from his crotch. ‘Are we in agreement?’

Links:


Thanks for stopping by.
Nicóle xx