Series Read: Pink Carnation, #4.2: The Mischief of the Mistletoe, by Lauren Willig (Start Date: June 15, 2012)

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

@ Susan

#9 – LOL! Okay.

#10 – Oh! Excellent question, Susan! What does Catherine look like?

#12 – Yes! For four nights! That’s dedication.

#13 – LOL! The whole recital was cute and funny, with little jewels like that tucked in here and there.

[Ann]

question ch 16-22

. Do you think the chevalier mean something else when he was asking Arabella about the Christmas pudding?
I’m not sure about this guy but he could be a spy.

15. Book Quote: “That depends on what’s at the top of the trellis.” Love that reply! Turnip doesn’t see so dense at times, does he? Still, when telling him to leave her alone, Arabella has to spell it out. And he still left perplexed. Was it as painful for you as it was for me? How did the author get me to care for this character?
I felt so sorry for Turnip, he just could not understand way she was acting that way. They
Were both confused!

16. Who accosted Arabella in the music room? He didn’t come prepared, as he had to grab her paper scimitar as a weapon of choice. So let me get this straight. There is a list (of Royalist agents in France) and a notebook? Or was it what was wrapped around the Christmas pudding found by Arabella and Fitzhugh at Farley Castle.?
I don’t know who accosted her, I thought they were after the notebook but now it looks
Like they are after a list. Now I’m confused.

17. Did you sit up and take notice when Pinchingdale was familiar with Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies? Yes now you know there is something
Going on.

18. Book Quote: Turnip was very good at knocking people over and making it look natural. Most of the time, it was. Blethering on was also a particular talent, and if he could employ it in the service of England, he was more than happy to do so. Were you surprised that Pinchingdale had involved Turnip Fitzhugh in the mystery and subterfuge surrounding the Pink Carnation? Is Turnip’s I.Q. rising slowing, the more you read about him? No I was not surprised, I think there is much more to
Turnip then must people think.

19. Impressions of Aunt Osborne? Captain Hayworth Musgrave? Are they happy? Would you call him “uncle”? Ick. Not me. Too incestuous. But maybe it is her way of pounding it into her psyche. He tells her they would welcome her back; would you go? Well I think Aunt Osborne is happy but not the Captain.

20. Is Penelope Deveraux using Turnip to make Lord Frederick Staines jealous?
Yes I think she is.
21. **gasp** Catherine Carruthers is the daughter of the man who lost the list! Oh, it is not looking good for her, is it? It is not looking good for her at all, she is up to
no good.

22. What awful young men who invited Arabella to play blind man’s buff. This time he’s prepared and has a knife. Yikes. Was that a set up for the ‘music room guy’ to accost her again about the list? At first I just thought they were being jerks but then the
guy with the knife shows up, I was a little surprised.

23. Then they’re asking Turnip if he wants to join in the bet? Thank goodness for Turnip. For all of that, did you laugh when Turnip used “eyeteeth” again, as Pinchingdale had? Neat that Turnip told Arabella when he had been doing for the Pink Carnation; that he trusts her; and that he’s modest, too. They both pretty much came to the realization they were in love with the other within minutes/hours of one another. I liked that, too. Comments. I was so happy when Arabella finely decided she could trust Turnip and that she was in love with him. The two of them make
me smile!

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

@ Ann

#15 – Good point, Ann. They were BOTH confused.

#16 – LOL! Me too.

#22 – Yes, makes me suspicious!

#23 – Yes, they are perfect together.

[Susan (susayq ~), Moderator]

14. Do you think the chevalier mean something else when he was asking Arabella about the Christmas pudding?I just don't know. There are always double meanings in what the people say in these books.

15. Book Quote: “That depends on what’s at the top of the trellis.” Love that reply! Turnip doesn’t see so dense at times, does he? Still, when telling him to leave her alone, Arabella has to spell it out. And he still left perplexed. Was it as painful for you as it was for me? How did the author get me to care for this character?Yes, it was painful! My heart went out to Turnip. I think he was truly confused because like he realized while he was talking to Jane, he doesn't think of things cause he's a man with money and means.

16. Who accosted Arabella in the music room? He didn’t come prepared, as he had to grab her paper scimitar as a weapon of choice. So let me get this straight. There is a list (of Royalist agents in France) and a notebook? Or was it what was wrapped around the Christmas pudding found by Arabella and Fitzhugh at Farley Castle.?Could it be that whoever found the list is the one who sent the pudding? I think the music room abductor was looking for the list, not the other.

17. Did you sit up and take notice when Pinchingdale was familiar with Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies?Yes! Big flag waving there!

18. Book Quote: Turnip was very good at knocking people over and making it look natural. Most of the time, it was. Blethering on was also a particular talent, and if he could employ it in the service of England, he was more than happy to do so. Were you surprised that Pinchingdale had involved Turnip Fitzhugh in the mystery and subterfuge surrounding the Pink Carnation? Is Turnip’s I.Q. rising slowing, the more you read about him?Turnip's IQ is rising. I am glad to know some of it is an act.

19. Impressions of Aunt Osborne? Captain Hayworth Musgrave? Are they happy? Would you call him “uncle”? Ick. Not me. Too incestuous. But maybe it is her way of pounding it into her psyche. He tells her they would welcome her back; would you go?As for Aunt Osborne and Capt Hayworth...he's trouble. And scum. I think he wants Arabella to go back with them so he can pick up his flirtations with her. I'm a little concerned about the aunt though. How could she not know of Arabella's feelings? And yes, I'd call him uncle so he'd know I was drawing a line that he had better not cross.

20. Is Penelope Deveraux using Turnip to make Lord Frederick Staines jealous?yes

21. **gasp** Catherine Carruthers is the daughter of the man who lost the list! Oh, it is not looking good for her, is it?I wonder if she is working with her father for the French. Maybe the dalliance she got caught in at the school was part of the spy stuff she's doing.

22. What awful young men who invited Arabella to play blind man’s buff. This time he’s prepared and has a knife. Yikes. Was that a set up for the ‘music room guy’ to accost her again about the list? YUCK! Those men and Miss Ponsonby make me sick! How could they be so cruel to someone?

23. Then they’re asking Turnip if he wants to join in the bet? Thank goodness for Turnip. For all of that, did you laugh when Turnip used “eyeteeth” again, as Pinchingdale had? Neat that Turnip told Arabella when he had been doing for the Pink Carnation; that he trusts her; and that he’s modest, too. They both pretty much came to the realization they were in love with the other within minutes/hours of one another. I liked that, too. Comments.I do like that they both realized they're in love with each other. I hope they sort it out though. I think she's going to keep that to herself and Turnip is too much of a gentleman to make a move when he thinks it won't be welcome.

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

@ Susan

#14 – Ain’t that the truth!

#15 – I thought the author wrote a confused Turnip very well. Such a nice change of pace from angry and aggressive alpha-male responses. Not that I don’t like alphas!

#16 – Ah! Could be.

#18 – Yes. Neat that he is so congenial about using his bumbling and the perception people have of him.

#19 – Yes, there is just a hint of that, isn’t there? I think her aunt is more self-centered than even she realizes. LOL! Excellent point. Especially if you put the emphasis on it.

#21 – No b/c he’s the one who brought it to their attention tht he lost it. Unless, he wants to put the blame elsewhere? That could be.

#22 – I don’t understand some people.

#23 – Excellent point about Turnip!

[Moira]

Arriving very late to the game, but it doesn't look like the read-along has concluded yet so I am jumping on the wagon! Started the book this morning, my first Lauren Willig ever, and am already 1/3 of the way through and loving it. You piqued my interest when I read the questions in my weekly email from this group and I HAD to know if everyone was serious about a hero named Turnip in a book featuring Jane Austen. Too bizarre. Anyway, sorry to be lurking your series read but I found the teasers in your chapter Qs too tempting to resist. I like Turnip and think he's like Bertie Wooster of P.G. Wodehouse fame but with muscles and a cute sister. Really fun idea for a match-up with the jilted schoolmarm.

[Susan (susayq ~), Moderator]

I loved Turnip! He was very swoon worthy :)

I got my mom reading these! She's on the first book in the series and had to call me today to tell me who she thinks the Pink carnation is. I didn't have the heart to tell her that he guess was wrong LOL

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Welcome, Moira! Yes, this has been a great series. So much fun. We really should do the last set of questions. Unfortunately I had workmen in today and they'll be back tomorrow and Monday. Company will be here over the week-end. Usually my life isn't so busy.

My feet are killing me! ♥Turnip♥

[Lina]

Glad to have you on board Moira! LOL, I can't imagine what you must have thought when you saw Turnip and Jane Austen :-) I hadn't thought of the Bertie comparison before, true!

[Moira]

Finished! Like the recipes for Plum Pudding in the appendix. Now I want to boil one but it's only June.

I loved this exchange...
“For a shadow,” said Arabella, “you are surprisingly corporeal.”
“Shouldn’t do you much good if I weren’t,” he said, flexing one arm. If anyone attacked her, he would show them just how corporeal he could be.

Ha! :)

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Yeah, that was funny and sweet.

[Lina]

He was sucha sweetie, I really liked his character, he was so different than what I'd beleived from readig the previous books.

Moira - will you be joining us for the next in the series?

[Moira]

Oops, missed this message alert! Sure, I've been planning on starting with #1 and reading forward. Thought this was the last of the Pink Carnations, no? Or did you mean the next Series group read? Anyway, yes. :)

[Lisa Kay, Moderator]

Moira,

We are only half way there. We are on The Temptation of the Night Jasmine now, which can be found here! Reading order of the Pink Carnation series: