I’ve been working hard on house and home as well as taking on yet another Camp Nanowrimo challenge. To maintain the balance I’ve been seeking in the last few months, I’ve been a bit absent in the Blogosphere. But I’ve been rushing forward on the edit of Miss Liv Adventures Book II: The Unwitting Journeys of the Witty Miss Livingstone- Memory Key. Here’s a snippet of the Beta version – Chapter 6 In Which Miss Livingstone Doesn’t See What’s Coming to Her…

“That was a sudden departure, Caprice,” Mr. Scott called as he offered his arm and glanced after the girl and her brother.

“Mr. Scott, please!” I looked up and down to see if anyone had observed his over-familiarity — most especially Abigale. But she was busy marching off. Master Henry turned his head and shot me one more crooked grin.

“Oh yes, Miss Caprice.” He laughed. It seems you require a ride home. Perhaps Jaimeson was waylaid with preparation for your father’s birthday party this aft —”

“Father! Oh, and Camille will have my hide! Yes…yes please. I —”

“Come darling,” he insisted with a Puckish grin.

I gave a slight huff but didn’t chide him further since he’d spoken at a level only I would hear. We swept down the block together at a remarkable pace given my still sore knee, and he helped me up into his brother’s buggy and took the reins.

“Our next journey will have to wait,” I told him. “We must ride like the wind! I need to be home as quickly as possible.”

“Yah!” Scott whipped the horses into action.

“Oh!” I grabbed on to my hat, and indeed to the side of the buggy, to keep it and myself from pitching off onto the roadside. “Please, must we go at such furious speed?” I hollered over the roar of the wind.

“I thought you asked to get home as quickly as possible,” he called out and laughed with a renewed crack of the whip.

I was exhilarated by a combination of fear and admiration. His fiery intensity and the peril of flying along the rutted road set me on the edge of terror, but his skill in steering the perfectly matched black pair was undeniable. We came careening onto the edge of Father’s land in no time at all.

“Whoa!” I called. “No, please, it’s not about the pace. We need to stop. Now!”

Scott glanced sidelong and responded to my serious demand, pulling up the horses abruptly. He cocked his head at me and waited as I straightened my hat and my rather tossed demeanor. “Well?” he asked.

“I’m not sure I was to have left, so I need to sneak the rest of the way,” I admitted. Though details were unclear, I couldn’t imagine that’d I’d been given permission to leave this morning.

“How did you get to town if no one knows you left?” Scott looked concerned.

“Honestly, I’m not sure at this point. The morning is a little foggy to me.”

“The dawn was indeed foggy, but it shouldn’t be in your keen mind, my dear. Are you certain our recent adventure and the stones aren’t too much for you? We can — ”

“No. No, I can handle it, I assure you. I’m just concerned how I’ll get in without being scolded. I’d like to appear as though I was there all along. But the household staff will be poring over every detail of the property.”

“If anyone can sneak into a house abuzz with party preparations, it’s you, Caprice.” Scott set a small kiss upon my cheek, and then hopped deftly from the buggy and took my hand to aid my dismount.

“I shall be in town again soon, I’m sure. But today belongs to Father.”

“I suppose I will have to share,” he said with a devilish light in his green eyes, “but I’ll be back. Adieu, lass.” He climbed back upon the buggy and flew off behind the thundering steeds.

by Kennedy J. Quinn (aka Sheri J. Kennedy) 2017. All Rights Reserved
photo credit Wikipedia