March 9, 2024
Welcome to the March 2024 Broadsheet.
I’ve actually started a new Darcy and Elizabeth story! Which you likely know about it you listened to my What’s Up Wednesday post a week or so ago.
Unfortunately, I’m still only on chapter one of the story. Life got in the way of my plans again. Why does it keep insisting on doing that? LOL But there will be no bank meetings or monthly newsletter needing a vignette written to get in my way next week.
In personal news, my husband will be heading to Newfoundland for a quick visit with his dad next week. We recently learned that his father’s health is declining and a visit now, not later, was suggested. He has terminal cancer that is affecting his memory, so we’re praying that my husband gets to make a good final memory for himself while there and that his father will still know who he is.
In milestone news, I published my first book in March 2015, so that means I’ve been publishing books for nine years? Wow. To mark the occasion, that first book, Oxford Cottage, will be free on Amazon for the next five days. :)
You can see all the other ebook deals and find a link to the promotions page on my website below. There’s also a poll, a story vignette, books moving from and to KU, and a notice about an upcoming Tearoom even. So let’s get to it.
(Head’s up: This email is long so you may need to click view in browser to read that story vignette at the end.)
IN THE TEAROOM
It was my turn to post in the The Sigh-worthy Romance Tearoom this month. If you haven’t seen the post already, I shared a bit about the books my other pen name writes and included several photos of Nova Scotia.
We will be having a subscribers only event in the Tearoom chat next Friday. It will just be a day of some fun posts/games and a chance to win a couple of prizes. One prize pack will include this bag that I had made specifically for this event and am giving you a sneak peek at.
It’s a lightweight cotton bag that can fold small enough to stick in my purse, and it’s big enough to hold 3 regular sized boxes of cereal. I know this because I got a bag for myself and took it shopping last Friday. :)
You do have to subscribe to the Tearoom to be able to participate in our party, so if you’re not a subscriber, click that link above to subscribe.
eBOOK DEALS
These are the deals you will find on my Book Promotions page HERE. « Go here to find links to stores, etc.
Oxford Cottage is FREE via the Kindle store from today until March 13.
His Beautiful Bea is still a first in series FREEBIE until March 31.
Charles: To Discover His Purpose is $0.99 USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, EUR, and GBP (with all other currencies also reduced) until March 31.
This is the month to pick up all four stories in the Darcy Family Holidays series at Smashwords because they are all 50% off this month.
Why shop at Smashwords? I mean, it’s not as easy as one clicking, so why bother?
Because when you buy a book at Smashwords, you get to keep it even if the book is removed from sale on that platform. The same cannot be said for other places like Apple, Kindle, or the like.
The author (me) receives a slightly higher royalty rate from Smashwords than from other stores.
Follow me on Ream to read this book for FREE this month. (This book is also free to read on Patreon this month.)
CHANGES COMING SOON!
The whole series - all five single titles as well as this omnibus - will be leaving the Kindle Unlimited program in April (around the 23rd) so that it can once again be available in other stores.
If you are a KU subscriber, any series books you have downloaded to your KU library will remain on your Kindle device or app until you return them. After that, you will not be able to access them via your subscription.
I’d like to refresh all the books in this omnibus like I did with the Choices series. I would share them on my website (with a password) and on Ream and Patreon as I go.
This series will be moving to Kindle Unlimited for a while. If you read elsewhere, makes sure you have a copy of all the books you want to read before April.
SOMETHING NEW TO READ
I was running behind on getting this newsletter completed and was struggling to come up with an idea for a vignette to share. So, I went to see if I had any story ideas hanging out in my folders and came across this scene that I wrote way back when I was writing Oxford Cottage and had cut from the story. So, I pulled it out, dusted it off, gave it a quick polish, and here it is.
Enjoy!
“Good mornin’, Miss Lizzy.” Sam Wallace placed a large wooden crate of food supplies on the work table in the small kitchen at Oxford Cottage. “I’ve got one more box for you.”
He limped in his usual laborious fashion from the house to the cart with his left leg dragging somewhat behind him. He was a dear old man. He had been with the Bennets all of Elizabeth’s life and for some time before that as well.
She hurried to hold the door for him as he brought in a box filled with clean laundry. “I’m mighty glad your father lets you send your laundering up to the house. It seems you girls are working hard enough as it is.” He shook his head. “Gently bred women doing the cooking, cleaning, planting and the like? I never heard of such before.”
Sam said the same thing every time he delivered some sort of provisions to Oxford Cottage from Longbourn.
“You know, Papa,” she said. “He is not the sort to do things according to standard practice.” Her father was anything but ordinary. He had his own ideas about just about everything, and it mattered very little to him if others approved or not. He would form his own mind on things, thank you very much.
Mr. Wallace laughed. “No, he definitely has his own ideas for how things should be done. Many of them are quite efficient, but at times...” His words fell away as he should his head.
“Sometimes his ideas make me question his sanity.” Elizabeth concluded.
This was met with a chuckle. “Just so. He sent a message for you and your sisters, Miss Lizzy.” Sam held out a folded piece of paper to her.
When she unfolded it, she found it contained a list of items that her father wished to be included in a picnic lunch. It was not the first time he had requested a lunch be brought to him in one of the fields. He found it less than ideal to have to stop what he was doing to return to the house to eat, but he also did not want to be bothered with carting around a basket of food while he did what needed doing.
Most of the list was nothing different from what he always requested, except for one item. Today, instead of merely requesting sweets, he had specifically requested shortbreads. “Shortbreads? That seems to be a rather specific request.” Elizabeth chuckled.
Mr. Wallace sat on a stool at the end of the table. “You know how fond he is of your shortbreads.”
Her father was fond of shortbreads. Full stop. It really did not matter who made them, though he did like to say hers were the best, and Elizbeth was unwilling to toss such praise aside. In fact, that praise was what made her see to it that there were always some shortbreads waiting for when he came to call on them at the cottage and tea was served.
“Hmmm” Elizabeth tapped her father’s note against her chin. “Is not Lydia in charge of the tea tray at home?” That was how her father’s unusual form of education for his daughters began. They would be placed in charge of various duties at home before they were expected to fend for themselves at Oxford Cottage.
Mr. Wallace shifted uneasily as he nodded. “Indeed, she is.”
“How is she getting on with her baking lessons?”
“Well...” Mr. Wallace drew out the word. “Mrs. Hill is about to quit the house altogether.”
“Ah, so now this request begins to make sense. How long has father been without tea biscuits at Longbourn?”
Sam sighed heavily. “It is not that there are not any tea biscuits; it is that there are no edible tea biscuits. Thankfully, Miss Kitty is doing well making scones, or the tea table would be quite empty.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I suppose we cannot have my father withering away from lack of his favourite treats now can we?” She reached for a tin, and opening it, offered the contents to Mr. Wallace. He smiled and took two shortbreads.
“I shall make sure that he gets his shortbreads and lemonade, Mr. Wallace, and you shall have yours, too.” She wrapped up several shortbreads in a cloth and handed them to the man. He smiled and bowed his head slightly in thanks.
“I think I will slip one of these to Mrs. Hill. It may calm her nerves to know that one of her students has been successful.”
Mary lugged a wooden box of soiled laundry into the kitchen. “Is the cart outside?” she asked as she moved toward the door.
“Let me take that for you, Miss Mary.” Mr. Wallace held out his arms.
“No, Mr. Wallace, I am quite capable of carrying it to the cart.”
Mr. Wallace grimaced but kept his council.
Mary, like Elizabeth, could be just as stubborn as their father. Once their minds were set on something, it took a great deal of convincing to change their course.
Taking the now empty food box from the table, he turned to follow Mary. “Do you girls need anything else?”
Elizabeth handed him a list. “These are the supply of which we are running short.”
“I will bring fresh laundry and eggs and all of the items on this list of which your father approves.” He chuckled and slipped the list into his pocket. Then, he climbed onto the seat of the cart and clucked to the horses.
Elizabeth and Mary waved to him as he drove the cart around to the path at the front of the house. Mary placed an arm around her sister’s shoulder.
“So what challenge has our dear father given us today, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth pulled the note out of her pocket and handed it to her sister. Mary chuckled. “I take it Lydia is not meeting with success in the kitchen?”
“That appears to be the case. Mr. Wallace said the Mrs. Hill is ready to quit Longbourn altogether.”
“Poor Mrs. Hill. I could send her a note saying she is welcome to stay at Oxford Cottage.” Mary grinned widely at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth laughed. “I would gladly welcome her help. I do not believe I have ever appreciated her as much as I do now.”
“Indeed,” Mary agreed. “Jane is just adding a few ribbons to Chloe’s dress and then, it will be done. I had hoped to pack a hamper of food to take to the Finches along with the clothes. Do you think with Papa’s request for a large picnic that we will still have enough food for me to do so?” She leaned down and pulled out two baskets from under the work table.
“We should have plenty.” Elizabeth began slicing rolls and slathering them with butter. “What is it to us if we have to give up a roll or a biscuit to help others?”
~*~
Half an hour later, the three Bennet daughters and two baskets were settled into their cart. They bounced along the road as it wound its way from the cottage to the south field where Mr. Bennet stood at one end of the field discussing something with two men. Elizabeth squinted her eyes to see who they were. It looked to be Mr. Henry, Netherfield’s steward and Mr. Jamison, Longbourn’s steward. Her father’s arms were flailing about in the air illustrating some point that he was striving to make.
Mary pulled up on the reigns and drew the cart to a stop. “Jane and I shall return for you in less than an hour unless you are determined to walk home.”
Elizabeth smiled at her sister. Mary knew her well. “I would love to walk home, Mary. I have missed my rambles since we have taken up residence at the cottage. However, Father will wish to have me stay and eat with him, so you might as well stop for me on your return trip. I have packed enough for both you and Jane.” Elizabeth climbed down from the cart and pulled the picnic hamper from under her seat. “Please give my regards to the Finches.”
Mary clucked to the horse and slapped her haunches gently with the reigns. Elizabeth watched for a moment as the cart rolled down the road before drawing a refreshing breath and beginning her trek across the field towards her father.
“Turnips here and clover in field four,” her father pointed beyond where the gentlemen were standing. “I believe we will increase our profits if we turn our grass under in favour of turnips and clover. The cattle will be fed both now and in the winter, and the production of milk and the availability of meat will be greater. Everyone, master and tenant alike will prosper.”
“Lord Townsend would be proud, Papa.” Elizabeth stood beside her father and nodded to the two stewards in greeting. “I thought you already used the four field method?”
“I do. I was just explaining to Jamison how we could take this grazing land and make it into more productive fields.” Mr. Bennet eyed the basket. “Did you receive my message?”
“Indeed I did. However, you said you needed provisions for six; I only see three.”
“I suppose you cannot see yourself, and Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley have just gone down to the creek. They should be back shortly. That makes six, my dear.”
Elizabeth smiled at her father and motioned towards a large ash tree that stood in the middle of the field. “I will spread the blanket in the shade.” She placed the basket near the trunk of the tree and pulled out a blanket. Giving it a flick, she set it unfurling in the breeze. She coaxed it unto the ground and then weighed each corner down with a small rock. Next she set out the cheese, meat, and bread along with six small jars of lemonade. Finally, she placed the tin of shortbreads on the blanket.
“You still have food in the basket, Lizzy,” her father commented as he surveyed the picnic.
“That is for Mary and Jane,” she replied. “They will stop back here on their return from the Finch’s house.”
“What a treat!” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “A picnic with my girls and...” He eyed the biscuit tin and then looked at Elizabeth with a brow raised and a twinkle in his eye. “Are those your shortbreads?”
“They are indeed. Just as requested.”
He picked up the tin of biscuits and popped it open.
“Papa, sweets are for after our sandwiches.”
“Not when you have been waiting as many days for a proper treat,” he said with a chuckle before sighing with satisfaction as he took a bite of his shortbread.