Jillian Chantal

Welcome back to Tuesday Tales. This week we are working with a picture prompt. The tales are limited to 300 words and I am at 299- 🙂  We find our heroine has been kidnapped in this segment. She made a foolish mistake in leaving the estate where she was a guest and fell into the hands of a villain.

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She wasn’t sure if they were headed back in the direction of Misrule. She wanted to kick herself for not really noticing her surroundings when she was astride Aloysius. After I kick Charles Lockwood, I’ll kick myself.

Despairing of her chance of survival against this madman, Honora prayed. Not as much for her own safety, but for her family. Memories of when her grandmother passed away flooded her. The lady had been wicked and unkind most of their lives, but when she died, Honora’s mother was full of anger at herself for not trying harder to be a good daughter to the woman she despised. Honora was sure the same feelings of regret would consume her mother upon hearing of Honora’s demise.

She let out a snort. Why am I lying to myself? Mama will be more upset at me if I return. The scandal would send her to her bed with the smelling salts.

“First you’re fighting me as if you’re possessed by demons and now you’re snickering?” Charles tugged on her hair. “Perhaps you are as mad as I think you are. You with those eyes of no color. Is that the mark of the devil on you, Miss Honora?” He emphasized the Miss in such a way that told her with no doubt that he had less than any respect for her.

She didn’t respond.

He went on, “I wish it had been your sister I caught out by herself close to dark. Now that would’ve been a real treat. I wouldn’t be making haste to hide her. I’d first have made love to her under the sky. The moon hanging over the trees would provide just the right mood. Then we’d go to my lair and love each other all night.”

Welcome to Tuesday Tales. I missed last week due to the birth of my first grandchild. He was a Tuesday Tale for sure!!  So blessed to have him here safely.  This week’s TT word prompt is frozen. We are still in my Regency tale and here we have the two sisters and their mother off to a house party they’ve been invited to for a week. The heroine’s sister has it in her head that the host is going to ask her to marry him. I mean, why else invite them to his house, right?  🙂

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“Stop being a ninny and get in the carriage. You’re keeping us.” Charlotte leaned out the door. “I want to hurry and arrive. It’s a long journey and I’m so tired of always being late everywhere because you don’t want to go.”

“Will you promise me to at least try to be nice to your sister this week?” their father asked.

“If she stays out of my way, I will.”

“You don’t mean that,” he said with a smile. “You’re merely nervous about whether Cavanaugh will ask for your hand. Chances are, he won’t as he hasn’t approached me to ask permission.”

“He hasn’t?” Charlotte’s face reddened and she frowned.

“Maybe your father wants you to be surprised, so he’s not telling you,” their mother said.

“Is that right, Father?” Charlotte’s expression turned sly.

“Now, Cassandra, don’t say things like that. The young man hasn’t approached me and it’s unfair to get Charlotte’s hopes up that way. As we discussed, we hope this house party is a chance for him to offer to court her. That’s all.”

“I want it to be more and if Honora would come on, it might be.” Cassandra’s head and upper torso disappeared into the carriage.

Realizing she had no hope of a reprieve, Honora’s shoulders slumped and she allowed herself to be handed in. She sat on the opposite side of her sister and looked out the side window. Perhaps she could ignore her.

When their mother was settled, the driver urged the horses on and they were underway. Charlotte prattled on about Lord Cavanaugh, debating with their mother whether or not the man had been to see her father to ask for her hand.

Honora tuned them out as the question had already been answered by their father. He didn’t lie or prevaricate, so Honora believed him when he said the lord hadn’t called on him. Why debate a question that was already answered?

She thought back over that first night she’d seen Cavanaugh and Lockwood. After she made her escape, she’d hidden in the garden to the left of the veranda. It was cold out there but honestly, with the way she’d been ignored and then talked about as if she were one of the sideshows at Vauxhall, she decided she’d be better off outside under the stars. It was crisp and cool and since her face was so hot with embarrassment and humiliation as well as the exertion of running in her tight gown, she took the chance and found a small bench and sat in peace. She’d hoped they’d find her in the morning frozen to that bench. Alas, it didn’t happen.

Time for Tuesday Tales again.  This week, we have a picture prompt. These posts are limited to 300 words so make for quick reading. I’m still working in my Regency set story for NaNoWriMo. Our heroine is in a spot of trouble here.

Be sure to check out the other tales here.

She walked toward the front door, intending to take a walk around the house and perhaps to the duck pond she’d noticed the day before from one of the windows.

Ducks and swans always made her happy. They reminded her of herself—not the meanness of swans—but the way they acted serene on the surface as they floated along. The reality was they were working very hard under the surface to appear calm. The same for her. She had to show the world she didn’t mind not being considered worthy while all the time minding very much.

As she rounded the corner of the building, she heard a sound behind her.

Glancing over her shoulder, her stomach dropped as she realized Charles Lockwood seemed to be following her.

Maybe she was mistaken. Honora stopped where she was to allow him to pass.

Surprised—but not—when he stood beside her, she made an involuntary sound, but didn’t say anything.

“Do you ever say anything?” He peered down at her. “I realized I’ve never heard your voice. Is the real reason you’re so quiet is you actually can’t talk?”

Not wanting to be alone with him even though it was daylight and people were right around the nearest corner, Honora glanced from right to left, looking for a way to get away from him.

“Don’t be afraid.” He took hold of her upper arm. “Ask your sister. I’m completely harmless.”

Honora wasn’t going to discuss this man with Charlotte. Not that she would trust her sister’s answer if she did ask for it.

“Leave me alone.”

Charles tightened his grip on her. “So she does speak. Will wonders never cease?”

“Unhand me, sir.” Honora tried to pull away from him, but his grip tightened, trapping her. His strength was too much.