Elizabeth Keysian's Blog, page 16

A teasing, tempting taster- and more to come…

I thought visitors might be interested in a sneak preview of the first few chapters of my somewhat Gothic Historical Romance, BEGUILING THE BARON, due out April 17th with Soul Mate Publishing.

So here you go. I shall put the rest up over the next week. If you can’t wait (LOL), you can pre-order the book on Amazon.

Prologue

Selbury Poorhouse, Wiltshire, England

Maundy Thursday, 1822

The room was silent but for the breaths of childish concentration as Miss Galatea Wyndham’s pupils bent over their mending. It was a struggle to see in the poor light admitted by the small, high window, and Tia feared the sorry creatures would all have headaches by the end of the morning.

What the poorhouse child needed was sunlight, exercise, fresh air—

“Letter for you, Wyndham.” The beadle’s harsh voice broke the stillness as he thrust open the iron door and pushed the folded piece of paper at her. A letter? Her young pupils were forgotten as Tia turned it over in trembling fingers and saw the seal of the Duke of Finchingfield on the back.

It had been broken, of course. The governor of the poorhouse had a great suspicion of letters. They made the inmates feel important, singling them out from the rest of the throng and giving them ideas above their station.

There was another reason, even less justifiable: that Tia and her mama were gentlewomen, far more likely to receive money by post than anyone else. The beadle and governor didn’t approve of inmates being sent money either.

It was usually confiscated.

As she unfolded the missive, Tia prayed her friend Lucy Cranborne, now Duchess of Finchingfield, wouldn’t have been foolish enough to enclose any banknotes or drafts. Besides, even if she sent enough for the Wyndhams to buy themselves out of the poorhouse, where would they go? The sinking of Papa’s one remaining ship, with him on board, had left his family with so many bills, they were equally as likely to find themselves in debtors’ prison, once their creditors caught up with them.

At least for now, their creditors knew there was no point in hounding them while they were in the poorhouse.

My dearest Tia, Lucy had written, I will send you no coin, for fear of it getting lost.

Tia let out a sigh of relief. Clever Lucy knew better than to trust the authorities. Or, indeed, the post.

I know better than to offer you and your mama charity directly.

True enough. Mrs. Sarah Wyndham, though failing in health since her beloved husband’s death, was too proud to accept handouts. She clung to the hope that a wealthy, distant relative to whom she had written would, at any moment, descend upon Selbury Poorhouse and whisk herself and Tia away to a palatial establishment in the country.

Tia wrinkled her nose. The odor of overcooked cabbage had invaded the sewing room—or cell, as she preferred to call it. A watery stew was being prepared to accompany the paupers’ lunchtime dole of bread, and she heard the children’s stomachs rumbling in anticipation.

Oh, for the smell of freshly cooked, butter-basted chicken, the comforting scent of a raised pie, the mouth-watering perfume of biscuits flavored with rosewater . . .

She shook away the memories. It was too distressing to ponder what she used to have. She needed to think about the present.

I have discovered a distant relative of yours, the letter went on, and have appealed to him to assist you. I can see no reason he should not. He is a widower, though yet young, keeps very much to himself, and has a vast former religious estate in dire need of a woman’s touch. You and your mama would be the perfect companions for him and for his daughter, Miss Mary (Polly) Pelham, who, by my reckoning is aged about nine. I know how you love children.

Tia laid the letter in her lap, her eyes too blurred with tears to continue reading. It had come at last. They were to be freed from this institution, more like a prison than a home. Though she could do much good here, particularly amongst the largely illiterate children, it would be infinitely preferable not to be an inmate herself. She scarcely dared hope, after so many miserable, cold, dark and comfortless months, that escape was truly at hand.

Dashing the tears from her eyes, she checked the children were still absorbed in their tunic-mending and the darning of stockings. It wasn’t unknown for frustration to get the better of them from time to time and if she was not watching, a little girl might pull off another’s cap for a joke and be stabbed with a needle in reprisal.

All seemed calm, so Tia returned to the letter that fluttered in her unsteady hands. A nine-year-old girl for company. The same age her sister Phoebe had been when the putrid sore throat had cut short her life.

If all of this were to come to fruition, if Polly Pelham’s father were to take them, Tia vowed she’d love Polly like a sister, or even a daughter. At one-and-twenty, she was more than old enough to have begun a family of her own.

But who exactly was Polly Pelham’s father? She’d heard the surname somewhere before, but could not recollect where, or when. She scanned the letter, and her eyes snagged on a name.

Her blood ran cold. Henry Pelham, eighth Baron Ansford.

The man some believed to have murdered his wife.

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Published on April 10, 2019 04:42

Celebratory giveaway!

I’m delighted to announce this fantastic giveaway to celebrate the imminent arrival of the latest Elizabeth Keysian historical romance, BEGUILING THE BARON. Think Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, but hotter

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Published on April 05, 2019 10:22

The Allure of Lace – a guest blog post on Myths, Legends, Books and Coffee Pots

[image error]Educational but entertaining as well, I hope. At least, that was my intention…find out about the value and importance of lace historically HERE, and my struggles to get to grips with the stuff!

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Published on March 04, 2019 05:36

You’re invited to a party in a fabulous Facebook group!

The address is below. Come as you are. I certainly will be, as I’m currently bedridden!http://bit.ly/2Ecf4Hp

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Published on February 09, 2019 02:20

Good news everyone! (apologies to”Futurama”)

All Elizabeth Keysian books are currently on sale – just a snip at 99 cents each. Here’s a lovely link, if you fancy buying any- http://bit.ly/2D0rgYA

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Published on February 07, 2019 08:53

London streets not safe for gently-bred young ladies!

While perambulating through an antique newspaper, I came upon this very poignant letter.

“To the printer. Sir, Monday, July 19th 5 o’clock in the evening. Yesterday evening a young lady, who is under my care, returning from a friend’s house, at the other end of the town, “disappointed of the coach” was accosted, in Fleet-Street, near Temple-Bar, by a brute in human form, well dressed in light-coloured cloathes and bag wig, to appearance about thirty years of age, with great familiarity.

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She gave him to understand he was mistaken in the person, and civilly desired him to leave her, which he refused to do with several oaths and after much obscene language and indecent behaviour, which continued to she came to the top of Ludgate-Street, where then he seized her in his arms and swore he would carry her where all her coy airs would be of no use, naming a bagnio, d—–g her for a little obstrupulous b—h; with that she gave a sudden spring from him, and a coach that had just set down his fare luckily standing by she jumped into it and shut the door, which he endeavoured to open swearing she belonged to him. The humane coachman, however, moved with her tears, prevented him after much struggling, and brought her home, where she had not been five minutes before the violence of the fatigue and fright through her into the most excessive fits imaginable, in which she continued until 4 o’clock in the morning, when she slept a little; at nine they returned again with as much force as ever, and so continues to this moment.

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At intervals she is sensible, though that seldom lasts more than six or eight minutes, during which I collected the circumstances as above, which, by inserting in your paper, it is probable, may come to his knowledge, and strike the fellow with remorse and horror at the consequences of his brutality, and deter him from such behaviour for the future.

P.S. The convulsion is so violent as to require five people to hold her down in the bed. I am, Sir, et cetera A.B.”

From the London Chronicle for 1762 from Tuesday, July 20 to Thursday, July 22

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I sincerely hope the victim recovered from her shock- convulsions were a major cause of mortality in London at this period.

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Published on February 01, 2019 12:29

Christmas Cookie Exchange Hop

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Welcome to the Cookie Exchange Hop and the chance to win a totally AWESOME prize- 32 e-books AND a $160 Gift Card from your favourite romance authors!!!

Before you read on, I’d love you to sign up to my Sales and Special Offers newsletter. It only comes out when I have a real bargain for lovers of historical romance, exactly like the 5 new novella Regency Xmas anthology, LOVE REKINDLED AT CHRISTMAS, which you can get currently for only 99 cents.

N.B. I’m a Brit, so if I use the word “biscuit” rather than “cookie”, bear with me. I think the terms are interchangeable.

My recipe is for JUMBLES, a medieval sweet biscuit I used to make in my re-enactment days.

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Be warned- don’t leave them in the oven too long, or people will be wearing them as jewellery. Believe me, the sight of us Elizabethan kitchen wenches with rock-hard biscuits around our necks was the cause of much hilarity.

You can get really creative with these biscuits, also known as KNOT BISCUITS, and make any number of different “knots”. The examples below are from Peter Brears’ book, FOOD AND COOKING IN 17th CENTURY BRITAIN, as is the recipe.

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The original recipe has been adapted to suit modern cooks.

Ingredients-

2 eggs

100g sugar

15 ml (1 tbs) ground aniseed

175g plain flour

A dash of rosewater (optional)

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Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Then beat in the spice, followed by the flour, until you have a stiff dough.

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The dough must be kneaded on a lightly floured board. It should be malleable enough for you to roll out 10cm lengths, each about 1cm in diameter. Form these rolls into simple knot shapes (unless you’re feeling adventurous and want to try some complex ones) and drop them, several at a time, into a pan of boiling water on the stove. They’ll sink to the bottom. Let them stay there a moment or two before gently dislodging them with a wooden spoon so they float to the surface. They should swell up a little.

You will need to remove the knots with a slotted spoon and dry them on a clean cloth on top of a wire rack. When they are reasonably dry, grease a baking sheet and bake the jumbles for about 15 minutes at 180℃/350℉. Remove them from the oven, flip them over and bake for a further 10 minutes or so until they are golden in colour.

Delicious!

Now, how do you get a chance to win that STUNNING prize? Here are the instructions-

After you have visited each site to collect the cookie recipes, e-mail the list of authors and their cookies to Heather@HeatherMcCollum.com with the subject line “Romance Authors Sure Can Bake” to be entered into the grand prize drawing. A winner will be selected randomly and announced Monday, 17 December by noon ET. Happy Holidays!

If you’re doing the cookie hop in order, your next stop is the Facebook page of the delightful and thoroughly lovely Tara Kingston.

GOOD LUCK!

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Published on December 13, 2018 00:46

When passion meets propriety…

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The handsome rogue who steals her heart couldn’t possibly be in league with murderers…

Could he?

When an accident with hair tonic leads Miss Flora Hartington into the lurid world of gipsies, charlatans and fortune tellers, she has no intention of losing her virtue to one of them.

But the charismatic Dr. Lawrence Campaign disguises her as his assistant, offering her a brief escape from the shackles of propriety.

This traveling physician has plans of his own, which don’t involve falling in love with the courageous Flora, particularly after she betrays his secret to the authorities, and throws him under the shadow of the gallows.

Then he saves the life of a stranger whose revelations could either make him worthy of Flora, or tear him away from her forever.

“A Potion for Passion is an absolute must read for Regency Romance enthusiasts who want a new and fascinating view into the larger world beyond the ballroom. This is a fun story in the hands of a skilled author and passionate historian whose love for the era shines through in every sentence. What a delight!” Ingrid Hahn, author of LADY OF THE CRESCENT MOON

Fancy reading it? Here are some sales points.

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Published on December 12, 2018 07:42

Quiz answers! From the Entangled Historical Romance Fans takeover on 27th September 2018

The hero of A POTION FOR PASSION, Lawrence, is in league with some low-life characters, including smugglers. Which one of these ran a huge smuggling organisation in southern England in the Georgian era?

a) Claude Duval

b) Moll Cutpurse

c) Isaac Gulliver

C) Isaac Gulliver. He operated throughout Dorset and along the south coast. Born in Wiltshire near where I live!

Okay, next question in my not-too-serious historical quiz. What do you think was the ultimate penalty for smuggling in 1805, the year in which A POTION FOR PASSION is set?

a) Hanging

b) The ducking stool

c) Beheading

A) hanging. Beheading tended to be for crimes against the state and peers. The ducking stool was used as a punishment for scolds.

Moving away from crime now and into the colourful world of folk medicine…

In A POTION FOR PASSION, Lawrence claims to be able to cure many ailments. What do you think is his (genuinely used) remedy for a bee sting?

a) Get another bee to sting the same spot

b) Thrash the spot with a handful of nettles

c) Apply vinegar to the affected area

C) I learned that when I was being a Tudor stillroom wench!

Next quiz question- how might a quack doctor (not at all like Lawrence in A POTION FOR PASSION!) advise you to deal with a snakebite?

a) Chew alkanet, then spit it into the snake’s open mouth

b) Lie on the ground screaming

c) Get a friend to suck out the poison and hope they don’t die

A) I know it sounds weird, but it’s in a genuine 17th century herbal!

Another quiz question for you. How might a Regency “alternative” physician (which is how I like to think of Lawrence, since mountebank, quack doctor and charlatan are not very kind terms) deal with a burn?

a) Cover it with cobwebs

b) Apply bruised hemlock to the burn

c) Wash the burn in rainwater gathered by moonlight

B) But don’t lick your fingers after you’ve picked it as hemlock is deadly poisonous. In fact, just don’t go near the stuff. Okay?

Penultimate question! In A POTION FOR PASSION, Flora and Lawrence become partners in his travelling medicine show for a while. How would they deal with a man who’d fallen and broken his head?

a) Wrap a silk hair ribbon around the head

b) Give him a decoction of roses in red wine to drink

c) Heat up a cupful of honey and apply gently over the scalp

B) Another charming remedy from Nicholas Culpeper!

Final quiz question- If the healer Lawrence in A POTION FOR PASSION had to tend to a child who had broken their arm when falling out of a tree, what would he suggest?

a) Give the miscreant a taste of the birch switch and tell him not to do it again

b) Wrap a bendy sheet of lead around the arm

c) Mash up some comfrey root and apply it to the arm

C) The folk name for comfrey was “Knitbone”. It is a plant with many healing properties. And flipping difficult to get rid of once you let it get a hold in your garden!

Do you enjoy fun historical quizzes? Should I do more?

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Published on September 28, 2018 03:16

Whatever happened to Aunt Flora?

If you’ve read A PERILOUS PASSION, you will have encountered the heroine’s young maiden aunt, who dispatched a hefty burglar with a warming pan.

Yes, there’s a lot more to Flora than meets the eye, and in the next book in this series, we discover what happens when she runs into the handsome Dr. Campaign again.

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Well, you can find out right now, in A POTION FOR PASSION.

Here’s a wee snippet-

“Oh!” She flipped his notebook shut. “You’re awake. How do you feel?”

“All the better for seeing you,” he replied, in a voice that washed over her like liquid silk. Then he yawned, stretched, winced and gave her a rueful grin which made her heart thump rapidly against her ribs. My goodness, but this man was compelling beyond words! She struggled against the urge to just throw herself at him, and run her hands all over his perfectly proportioned and muscled body.

Then she thought of the notches on the wheel and hauled herself back to sanity.

“I’m sore,” Lawrence said, “but there won’t be any lasting damage, I’m certain. I’m very grateful for your help, Madame Julietta.”

“Hush! You can’t call me by that name here. It’s a part of my past no one must ever know about.”

“Just as no one must ever know you’re sitting unchaperoned in an enclosed wagon with a naked man only feet away? An aroused naked man?”

Flora shot to her feet and uttered several incoherent sounds, blushing furiously. Eventually, she managed to splutter, “You’re just too shocking. Please don’t tease me.”

To which he replied, with a sinfully wicked grin, “You call me shocking? I’m quite justified in being here. You, on the other hand, are not.”

Fancy reading a bit more? Here are some sales points.

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Published on September 25, 2018 09:49