#not just any romance or jealousy for Charles but also feelings around his family and dad and his wants and fears and all that

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

See, I think Charles’ annoyance and frustration with the Cat King really was just pure protectiveness and not any kind of jealousy - it’s understandable, because Edwin is not telling him what happened even though something clearly did, which is not typical for them. Edwin doesn’t usually hide things like this! Of course he’s worried!

Charles’ reaction to Monty, on the other hand, is difficult to explain in a way that isn’t jealousy. You could say he’s being protective again, but Charles shows no sign of distrust in Monty, and had no idea of who Monty was or that he might betray them - he was actually very chill with him, except in a select few specific scenes. You could say he just doesn’t like him because he got brushed off during their first meeting, but not only does that not seem like Charles at all, it also doesn’t make sense, since, again, in most instances, Charles is genuinely friendly and is happy when Monty compliments him and seems to have come around to liking him (it completely flies over his head that this is a petty jab at Edwin on Monty’s part but oh well hahaha). You could say it changes up their status quo a bit and that bothers Charles. I do think this bothers him a bit, but I think, unlike Edwin, Charles’ fear and frustration here is directed more at situations (the Cat King whisking him away for several hours, as an example) than others. He’s sociable and likes being able to talk to new people. There’s absolutely no way he’d begrudge Edwin doing the same - and he doesn’t… with Niko. Edwin and Niko hit it off and become very close and that never bothers Charles at all. He’s incredibly endeared to her, just like the rest, and for the most part, he’s chill with Monty too, and smiles pretty knowingly when Edwin confesses to him having awakened some feelings. The only exceptions, where he shows definite annoyance, are when Monty first shows up and gets really in Edwin’s personal space to show him the astrology chart he made, and when Edwin is so sucked into the book Monty gave him that he doesn’t hear that Charles is talking to him, to which he annoyedly says that they seem to have been “spending a lot of time together”.

You could say he’s unused to having anyone get in Edwin’s personal space like that, but, again, Niko. She’s very tactile with him and he doesn’t seem to mind all that much; they spend time together watching things. If it was just someone getting close with Edwin in general, not only would that be weirdly possessive for the character, but it would also mean he would show discomfort with anyone getting close, I think. Does Charles see Monty as more of a potential threat than Niko, seeing as he knows her and her personality and doesn’t know Monty? Well, maybe, but again, Charles shows no sign of distrusting Monty at all.

Monty is a boy. Okay. So something about seeing Edwin so close to a boy that is not him, getting lost in thought over something this boy gave him, really rubs Charles the wrong way. Charles appears to catch on just as quickly as anyone else that there is something (or it looks like something) between Edwin and Monty. He is not surprised when Edwin comes out to him in episode 6, and in fact, seems to have just been waiting for him to verbalize it. He smiles and is not bothered at all by Edwin showing (what he thinks is) a romantic interest in Monty - he just doesn’t like it when Monty clearly shows a romantic interest in Edwin. Um. Well. Well.

Charles is jealous. I really don’t know what else to say.

Look, when I first watched this show, I actually didn’t want them to end up together romantically - I love the idea of one having fallen in love with another who does not reciprocate and the two of them still loving each other just as much. That Edwin’s confession made them closer instead of making things awkward is such a beautiful outcome to this build up and I absolutely love it. However. On my two rewatches, I caught a lot more little details, and I think it would be very strange if the show did not follow up on this. That, plus the deliberate quality of these “jealousy” moments where the camera focuses on him, Charles’ Orpheus coding throughout the show, the fact that Edwin’s arc was far more about realizing his feelings for Charles specifically than just coming to terms with his sexuality, and that even the actors admit that Charles’ response to the confession kind of left things open, it really seems to me like the path leads to a romantic endgame for them, or at the very least, that this possibility will be explored in more depth.

**This is just my reading of it. Please do not use this post as a gotcha for anyone who loves them as a platonic duo or people who really love Crystal and Charles together (because let’s face it, they’re super cute too). I’m just doing my rambles. As per usual.

[jo-com]

Charles jealous and possessive please 🔥 Smut. Thank you so much ❤️

₊˚⊹♡ ➛ le mien

Charles Leclerc x Fem!reader

Summary: Part 2 of Mine

Genre: DARK fic.

Word: 2.03k words

TW: baby trapping, p and c penetration, possessiveness, jealousy, branding, manipulation, obsessive behavior, bit angsty, corruption, brainwashing, wrap it before you tap it folks and overall messed up shit. This is not proofread and there are some grammatical error also google translated french. if uncomfortable minors do not interact!!

─────── ─ ♡₊˚ 🦢��₊✧ ─ ───────

Y/username just posted!

Liked by Charles_Lecler, Francisca.cgomes, Carlossainz55 and 1,290,456 others

Y/username Happy 4th Anniversary Mon amour!

Charles_Leclerc i love you so much darling!

Y/username i love you more💋💋💋

Carlossainz55 Stay strong guys!

User1 Cutest Couple ever🙈

User2 JUST GET MARRIED ALREADY

User3 Agreed😍

Y/bff The cutest fr

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Arthur_Leclerc Congrats bro!

❤️ liked by charles_leclerc and author

…

Despite all the love you share on social media, nothing can compare to the real truth that exists beyond the internet.

People don't see the things he does behind closed doors—all those emotional abuse, obsessive behavior, and possessiveness. Never, even once, do people know that it's happening between the two of you.

All they know is the sweet words you guys share in each other's posts and the way you act whenever there are people around you two—all sweet and loving like one of those fairy tale romances you read. But behind all that, they don't see how hurt you are mentally. It was happening constantly, and you were so used to it that you became numb and just succumbed to the growing pain you feel inside. 

To the point where you act like his puppet—doing everything that pleases him, and acting the way he wants you to.

You never once complained, thinking that it was just how love goes.

You were a fool. A fool blinded by "love".

...

"Hey y/n/n, are you alright? Me and mom have been worried about you; you haven't been going to our usual family gathering." your sister asked over the phone.

It was true; you haven't been going to those gatherings for a while now, only because Charles said, "It's not safe to go outside," and of course, like the sweet girlfriend doll you were, you followed his words.

You stared blankly, your mind wandering off. You tend to get lost in thoughts nowadays, and you're not sure why. Maybe it's from the stress you've been feeling, but you just brushed it off like it was nothing.

"Yeah, I am good. I've just been busy lately, you know? Keeping the house safe and everything," you chuckled dryly. 

"You know I can tell when there's something wrong, right? So just tell me."

Before you could answer, Charles walked into the room. With one hand holding Leo, he was snuggled up nice and cozy in his embrace. His eyes roamed around the room searching for you; his gaze then fell prey on your meek figure—you sat there holding the phone in one hand while the other rested on the softly fabricated couch. You looked angelic, as if untouched by any form of evil. 

Then again, Charles wasn't just any form of evil; he was the reincarnation of the devil himself, and he wanted nothing more than to corrupt your innocence.

With a soft smile, Charles walked to where you sat, sitting beside you and settling leo down on his lap. 

"Who are you talking to poupée (doll)?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, just my sister; we were just catching up on things." You muttered, your voice quivering slightly; you don't know whether you were scared or just have some sore throat that made your voice crack.

Charles looked at you in disbelief, his eyes narrowing with skepticism, and simply turned his attention back at Leo. "Hang up the phone," he said bluntly, not even sparing you a glance.

"But baby, we were just talking." You tried to argue with him, telling him that you just wanted to chat with your sister, but as usual, he blocked your words of plea and glared at you—he always does that, looking at you as if he were judging your whole soul.

His eyes have always been your weakness; they both scare and pleasure you at the same time. Charles knows that, and he uses it to his advantage every time.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy; you could feel it weighing down and crushing your spirit.

Sighing defeatedly, you had no choice but to end the call with your sister and not further complicate things.

"Hey, uhm, sis, I'll just call you back, okay? Something just came up."

You didn't even let your sister respond before hanging up the call. Charles hummed contentedly and patted the seat next to him. At that very moment, you felt angry with him, but you knew that you couldn't do anything about it, so you sucked it up and sat beside him. Leaning close to his embrace.

"Bonne fille, ma chérie (good girl, my darling)," he mumbbled softly, kissing the roof of your head.

...

Charles gripped your waist tightly, his jaws clenched, and hands balled up to a fist. He half-ass smiled at the man, trying to compose himself—fighting back the urges to beat the shit out of the guy in front of them.

He saw the way he looked at you; his eyes scanned each and every part of your body like you were some kind of art on display. fucking disgusting. 

You, on the other hand, held on to him, almost ripping the fabric of his clothes with your tight grip. You paid no mind to the guy he was talking to and just stared at the bustling room; in there, people were having fun, dancing, and drinking with others. 

At that moment, you didn't care about Charles or who he was conversing with; all you wanted was to spring free from his embrace and just party wild with others. Was that too much to ask for?

For him, it was. If it was legal, he wanted nothing more than to lock you up and live the rest of your lives together. So, having that idea was just wishful thinking—it never hurts to dream, though. 

"I'll see you around, yeah?" The man asked, earning a subtle nod from Charles as an acknowledgment.

"Quel putain de cinglé (what a fucking weirdo)," he mumbled under his breath, his accent making the words sound more spiteful and venomous.

You didn't hear him say that. You were too busy to admire people's enjoyment and bask in the laughter and smiles that surround you. How could people be as care free like that? The ache on your heart only grows fonder. Oh, how you wish you could do the same. 

With your head up in the clouds, you didn't seem to notice the angry monegasque that stood beside you, cursing you in any language he knew. The next thing you felt was a harsh sting that rested on your jaw.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I've been trying to talk to you! What are you even looking at? Are you cheating on me, Chienne (Bitch)?" he yelled, not even caring anymore if people heard him.

Your breath hitches, eyes widening, and heart racing fast.

His hands were now on your jaws, gripping them with sheer strength. You didn't know what was going on or why this was  happening to you. You were always so nice and never did anything to cause harm, so why?

All those questions in your mind made your vision go blurry and your head spin, causing you to black out on the spot.

...

You woke up the next day with a pounding headache and only bits of memories of what happened that night. "Ouch," you winced, massaging your head to try and ease the pain. 

As if on cue, Charles walked in with medicine on his left hand and a glass of water on the right. 

His face lit up, seeing that you were now awake. He softly smiled and walked towards your shared bed. The matress dipped down as he sat next to your sitting body.

"Are you feeling better, mon amour?" he asked. His hand was about to stroke your cheeks, but out of reflex, your body flinched at his sudden movement. 

That made Charles frown. You know how bipolar his mood has been; that's why you've been extra careful not to ruin it. You were expecting him to be mad, but what happened was the opposite. He only sighed deeply and lowered his head. 

"I am sorry, Mon cœur." Your being shocked was an understatement; in fact, you were flabergasted at his words. You never knew that hearing him say that would make you want to tear up.

"Hey, baby, it's okay. I know you didn't mean for it to happen," you assured him, and rubbed circles around his arm. 

And just like that, Charles once again got you wrapped around his finger. You were way too easy to convince and so naive that you'd fall for anything he said.

He slowly lift up his head and gave you a light smile.

You then melted at his expression, it was silly of you to think that a face like that could ever harm you. he would never do that.

...

"Fuck, Charlie, put it in already, please," you begged, your eyes watering from the overstimulation. His hands gripped your waist tighter—muscles flexing in the process. 

"You're so needy for my cock, mon amour," he breathes out. 

The two of you have been at it for half an hour now, both out of breath and with marks made by one another. Your bodies were sticky with each other's bodily fluids, but you guys paid no mind to that. Only focusing on reaching the pleasure you both wanted so badly.

Without wasting a second, Charles huridly inserted his dick into your aching core. Your eyes widened from the sudden sensation between your thighs; you could feel how he was stretching you, and the need for him to satisfy you only increased. 

"Move, please" you said, your voice quivering and hands scratching his back to let out some of the pain.

Your legs instantly rested on his lower hip, wanting to keep him as close to you as possible. You don't know why you're acting like that, but you suddenly got the urge to mount him and fuck him till dawn. 

"Shit baby, you're always so tight," he chuckled, his left hand settled in the headboard while his right hand played with the nub of your tits.

His hips clashed with yours, making the two of you a moaning mess. Charles then dove down to your breast and licked it, biting and teasing them. He made sure to leave plenty of marks. 

"Oh god, i..i am about to come," you gasped, your toes curling from the rush of adrenaline coursing through you. 

"Just come for me, baby," he said, continuously pounding into you, your flesh crashing at each other and making a loud, smacking sound.

His hand then snaked up to hold onto your ankles, lifting it up. Shifting his dick into a deeper position.

With the new found position, your vision started to go blur; now only seeing nothing but stars. Your mind then turns hazy, and hands gripping tightly on the duvet sheet that scattered on the bed.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck" was the only thing you said before collapsing on the matress, your body convulsing with pleasure as your juices slowly fall down your flush tighs.

"Damn, all that for me, ma chérie?" Charles laughed, licking his lower lip at how ravishing you look; fucked out and cockdumb for him.

He continued to rut his hips to your overstimulated cunt. "Fuck, Je veux mettre un bébé en toi (i want to put a baby inside you)" he mumbled, not minding your state and carried on fucking you into an oblivion.

"I'ma fill you with my cum, make you a mama and the fill you up again....fuck" he rambled, his hips never stoping, not until he reach his high.

And after a few more thrust, he finally came inside of you— his eyes rolling in the back of his head with satisfaction. He continued to rut into you; not wanting to spill his cum and then coating your walls with his white seed.

You were sure to get pregnant by that and after that, you two are going to be tied forever, just like he planned.

...

yeah that was pure filth, hope you guys like it though! My requests are always open.

[qbdatabase]

I’m not sure if im allowed to ask for book rec so please ignore this if im not! But either way I was wondering if you could recommend a book with maybe two gay characters? It doesn’t have to be the main plot point or specifically romance (think; The lives of puppets) but I’d love to see it I don’t mind really any genre or if there any spicy stuff

Thanks!

I'm just going to give you my personal favorites bc the number of books in the database with gay (male) characters is 1368

Devil's Dance by Leigh Garrett: duology, MMM triad between an assassin, a biker gang leader, and his right-hand man / pining best friend, very hot / dark / angsty but with a happy ending!

The Last Sun by K. D. Edwards: trilogy, tarot cards are real mythological figures (like royalty), MC is the embodiment of the Sun court but he's broke af and a major underdog, romances a Russian bisexual man from a rival court

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco: FMM bi4bi polycule with a nonbinary MC who presents as male, he's also a vampire hunter and the other two are vampire royalty, he's big mad about being so horny for them

Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans: MM, another underdog gay MC who's an illegal alchemist / fencing scoundrel, enemies-to-lovers romance with a spoiled princeling, super fun magical system and worldbuilding with the feel of magical Venice

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender: MM(FM) (that means bigender female/male), another underdog illegal alchemist alkjdsk but he's trans this time! and it's enemies-to-lovers all around for this idiot polycule

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody: magic is real but it's a scarce resource controlled by a handful of families who make their children kill each other in a generational tournament to determine the magic-controlling hierarchy; everyone is queer and mean and hot

A Taste of Iron and Gold by Alexandra Rowland: anxious prince x stoic long-suffering bodyguard who falls in love against his better judgement and then simps so so hard

Sword Dance by A. J. Demas: retired disabled soldier x "retired" courtesan, cozy murder mystery, set in fantasy-greece/rome; soft tender romance that makes me seethe with jealousy

White Trash Warlock by David Slayton: LOVED the concept of a gay white trash warlock, decent book in the end, mad it was essentially a bait-and-switch that immediately left the trailer park for Colorado :/ must recc it regardless for being set in Oklahoma

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons: epic high fantasy, 5 books of 500+ pages each, but incredibly good! if you think you'd like Wheel of Time but don't want to commit to a twenty billion page count, read this instead. MM-genderqueer polycule

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by K. J. Charles: gay con artist wants to scam a young widow out of her fortune, but he gets scruffed like a naughty kitten by her hot older brother. talks his way out of trouble by offering to be his personal boy toy, but then they both fall in love for real!

OK I should stop there, but if you want to scroll through over a thousand other gay books, check out qbdatabase.com!

[imgoodloveenjoy]

Hey yall! I have no excuse for my tardiness LOL so lets just move past that & into my favorite thing: MESS!

 Ethan:

Sir is either a workaholic or is succumbing to the pressures he has Chief of ED and a management figure in the hospital. To come into work literally hours after having gallbladder surgery, or any surgery, is insane. I legit thought maybe they were giving Ethan COVID or an ulcer as he was bumbling around checking his temperature but IMO, this is worse. He’s under so much pressure to perform that he can’t leave his post to heal from surgery, it’s literally insane but a lot of people do it. I think the patient who felt he had to compete against a dead adversary mirrored Ethan competing with himself and the perception of what the hospital Board may want from him. Again, it would be good to see and hear what he’s being told from the higher ups to put things into perspective because how the writers have it now framing Ethan to be some kind of power hungry asshole but it’s really him trying to conform to what the expectations are of him as Chief of ED.

It’s becoming evident to me that Choi has zero support system: the nurses are snarking behind his back, Will and April openly defy and complain about his decisions to enforce hospital policy on top of the pressure from the hospital Board. Doris even cleared this when she said that Ethan doesn’t have a private life, his life is the hospital, and he has no one in his corner to rest and reset with; he is completely alone. I think that taking into consideration what Charles was implying, that Ethan is fighting against an enemy that he made up because he feels possibly inadequate and that he is more than competent to succeed in the Chief position because he’s more than qualified. Ethan just has to find his groove and balance and stand up to Will and everyone else who shirks his managerial decisions.

Also, I kinda like how he dismissed April LOL. I don’t think he’s over realizing that she emotionally blackmailed him and is emotionally distancing himself from her; she doesn’t help him, if anything, she increases his stress. However, that little moment with Dr. Varani, shelve it, I don’t like and don’t want it. I would prefer for Ethan to be single for a while and focus on totally owning this Chief of ED role without stressing himself out and getting a stroke; I would like to see him command more respect from his peers and subordinates by leading the pack instead of being overbearing on them. I want to see him with his sister and nephew, Vincent, cause he’s an amazing uncle and that would be fun to see how he interacts with his sister’s babydaddy’s eldest daughter, is he like an uncle or a family friend to her and her mother? Inquiring minds want to know. Romance can wait.

 Marcel:

They want to break Marcel. Two cancer patients in two episodes plus his ex-wife showing up to give him mementos of his child? They wanna break him down into nothing and I’m kinda here for it. It really strips away that cocky demeanor he has and shows that it’s really a facade to keep him from really feeling emotions for himself or anyone else. Him seeing his patient, who had only a year or so to live, get married to his husband really showed him that life goes on.

I also like how open he is with Natalie; telling her about the box of things that were his daughter’s, going through the box with her and watching the video of his child, just so emotionally open. I think that this will be a point of contention and jealousy with his ex-wife and Natalie; that the ex will be really upset that Marcel emotionally abandoned her when their child passed and now he’s so available to Natalie – I think she’ll take it out on Nat and try to ruin their relationship with her jealousy. It’ll be interesting to see how Marcel reacts to that potential scenario: will he stay by Natalie’s side and defend her while continuing their relationship or will he leave because the mess is too much.

 Will:

Sir, you insist on being an issue…

I think that April’s moral compass, that she has for everyone except herself and her brother, will kick in once she realizes that Will is playing dirty. He’s not confessing to Dr. Varani that he unblinded a patient and I still think he’s providing kickbacks to that one surgeon for access to his patients for the trail. Once April figures all this out, she’s going to be pissed lol. I wonder what Will’s gameplan is now? I could tell from jump that he was interested in Dr. Varani but it seems he asked her out to ingratiate himself in her good graces and hide from his mistakes: I see this backfiring on him by him being kicked out of the trail, his only place to be in a higher position, and ending whatever romantic thing could’ve been between he and Varani. Also, I think she’s kinda interested in Ethan and that might be another point of contention between Will and Ethan. ALSO also, what did he and Ethan talk about when he went to check on him? I hope he apologized for being such a dick lately but I doubt it; Will is super self-righteous and has an excuse for every crazy thing he’s pulled.

 Maggie:

Was it me or was Maggie not happy to have found Auggie’s brother? She seemed very guarded and unhappy that they reached out. Could it be that she fears they will want to contest her and Ben’s adoption of Auggie? It would be really messed up if they did, but I think that Maggie should just take it slow and open herself up to Auggie having a relationship with his brother. I really like Ben, he’s so warm and welcoming that even if he had concerns regarding this foster family reaching out, he didn’t show it, he didn’t come off kinda rude like Maggie.

 Sharon:

Sharon’s son is giving me all the reasons why I knew I couldn’t trust him, I just can’t really put my finger on it. He’s very shifty to me. The way he reacted when Sharon pulled him aside to speak to him about upsetting Abrams was very telling; he knew he was doing something wrong that’s why he’s so defensive but there’s something else there. Also, who the hell tries to upsell during a surgery?? What did he expect Abrams to do, stop the surgery, put in an order and begin again when the device came in the mail? Very goofy behavior and he should know better. Then to storm out of the hospital like a teenager with an attitude was ridiculous; he’s hiding something and I’m anxious to know what it is.

 Abrams:

Make him a main character ASAP.

[aratilightwood]

I think Thomas might not have yet realized his sexuality, judging by the way he narrated the Paris chapter and that bit at the laboratory. Cassie has said something similar too. I think by the end of chog he sort of understands what was going on between Alastair and Charles but still doesn’t get why he’s so affected by it. Do you think Thomas is gay? I kind of think he might be demisexual!! What do you think? I’m asking you cause the post you did about lgbt+ shadowhunters was really good❣️❣️

Hi there!

I know you’re not accusing me of this, but I want to clarify something before I begin. I’m fully aware of how problematic things can get when you presume someone’s sexuality (fictional or otherwise), without it being explicitly confessed or shown. But with Thomas, I think it was more of me ‘reading between the lines,’ as most people have done in this fandom.

I’m going to provide snippets from CHOG of his thought process or body language that have, in some ways, insinuated his attraction or feelings for Alastair and vice versa:

(The eighth and ninth snippets I’ve shared are to answer the CharlesxAlastair part of your question. Thomas might’ve guessed what was going on between them, and the general reactions he has are jealousy and hurt).

Therefore, while Cassie hasn’t shown Thomas freely exploring his sexuality, it has been implied and hinted. So I do believe he’s aware of his attraction to men, it’s just that he hasn’t acted on it.

He certainly doesn’t label himself. And this isn’t purely based on the fact that the terms we use today, weren’t used in the early 20th century. This is also based on the idea that even though he comes from a foreword thinking and understanding family, he’s afraid of how the rest of society would react if they find out. It’s very early in the series, so who knows what will happen as his character develops?

Now, on the topic of demisexuality:

For those of you who aren’t aware, by definition, a demisexual is someone who develops sexual attraction only after establishing a great emotional bond with the other person. An example I can give is, Julian Blackthorn, because I think Cassie’s confirmed this.

There’s a common misconception where some people think you can only be one or the other. But, in theory, you can identify as both gay and demisexual because they don’t cancel each other out.

I have to admit that while I was writing about him, I also thought that Thomas might be demisexual. As of now, we haven’t seen him enter any physical relationships with other men, especially those he hasn’t felt a meaningful connection to. He’s also mentioned that he would rather have one romantic partner instead of several brief flings, which could be another indication. After all, romance only truly develops through strong feelings.

There is proof of him trying to build a foundation with Alastair, before getting physical. But there are factors other than his supposed ‘demisexuality’ that are hindering this e.g. Alastair’s relationship with Charles and strained awkwardness around Thomas’ friends. But I think the most significant reason why he isn’t able to pursue it is because of the heteronormativity of society.

Could he be a demisexual? Maybe. But I would like to see more evidence of it. It would be great to have more demisexuality representation in Cassie’s books, because becoming familiar with Julian’s character in TDA was great.

...

Also, thank you for your kind words!

If anyone’s wondering which post anon is talking about, it’s this one.

[laurinebruder]

Countdown: Top 3 Fairy Tales Used in Retellings

Fairy tales are my bread and butter as a writer. When I was young, I was introduced to them via the Disney Renaissance movies: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, most notably. As soon as I saw them in theatres, I had to read about them. As I grew older and the internet became a thing, I read more about fairy tales from other parts of the world and gained access to some of the older versions of my old favorites. These tales are my foundation as a fantasy writer.

My favorite tales were always full of magic and wonder. I even liked some of the pure morality tales, like “The Girl Without Hands” or “The Red Shoes.” My imagination flew as a child and the very first story I wrote was about a girl who lived in a magical volcano. I didn't even know who Pele was at the time, otherwise I would have given her credit. I devoured any book that had to do with witches, wizards, magic, and mystery.

So the surge in retellings has made me a happy reader indeed.

Retelling tales isn't a new concept, given how often fairy tales were translated into different languages and adopted to different cultures, but the modern upswing has gone far beyond that. Favorite, beloved stories are transformed until they're almost unrecognizable. Some are used more often than others, but which ones are the most popular? What elements about them draw writers and readers alike into their worlds? Welcome, dear reader, as we look at the 3 most popular fairy tales used in retellings and why we keep coming back to them.

Certain fairy tales have a more timeless feel than others. Their stories resonate with readers for generations. They inspire us centuries after their creation and touch the most fundamentally human parts of our hearts. When talking about fairy tales, these could be considered “The Big Three” in how often they're used in retellings.

1. Beauty and the Beast

Thanks to Disney's critically acclaimed animated feature, this tale catapulted to popularity, but even before then, people knew of it. Whether it was the more commonly published Marie Leprince de Beaumont or Andrew Lang version, the original publication by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, or even the myth of Eros and Psyche, the tale of a girl who falls in love with a monster, only to discover he's in truth a handsome prince, has been known for ages. It has charmed and enchanted readers with its magic, romance, and mystery.

But what about this tale encourages so many retellings?

Let's take a look.

At its core, “Beauty and the Beast” has a universal message: the transforming power of love. It isn't just the Beast's transformation to handsome prince, but it's how a person changes themselves for someone they love. It's about how we as people want to be our best possible selves when we're in love and how that change takes time. “Beauty and the Beast” is one of the few fairy tales where love grows over time. It reflects real life and that powerful message of love is something that resonates with humanity as a whole.

There's also the message of kindness and how it shouldn't be denied to anyone, man or beast. To deny kindness is, in itself, a beastly behavior and what caused the prince to be transformed in the first place. When he is shown and gives kindness, he becomes less a beast and more a human being. This kindness resonates in a secondary message of looking beneath the surface of a person to see the beauty within.

Fairy tale heroines were the original beauty queens. They were fair, delicate, and good. They shone with virtue. The heroine in “Beauty and the Beast” is no exception. She is a good, dutiful daughter, the most beautiful of her sisters, well-read, and the purest of heart. Their princes were handsome, strong men, to match the heroine's beauty. Not the Beast. The Beast was such a prince, but becomes what would usually be the monster of the tale. It takes kindness and courage on Beauty's part to look past his exterior and see who he really is. Her strength and caring resonates with readers young and old.

“Beauty and the Beast” has the most potential to be shaped into a new version of itself. Its basic, touching messages combined with elements of magic, romance, and mystery are wonderful ingredients to create new tales as old as time.

2. Cinderella

Although I love “Beauty and the Beast,” I have to admit that “Cinderella” is my favorite fairy tale of all time. “Cinderella” has always spoken to me in ways that other stories didn't. There are thousands of versions all over the world, from every culture, but the oldest recorded version is of Rhodopis, as told by Strabo, a Greek geographer. The most well known versions are by Charles Perrault (“Cendrillon”) and the Brothers Grimm (“Aschenputtel”), but the first European version was published by Giambattista Basile (“Cenerentola”). Each version has its differences, but what is it about the story of a young girl who goes to a ball that compels writers to retell it so many different ways?

The core of “Cinderella” is no less powerful than “Beauty and the Beast” but it has a dark side: this is a fairy tale of abuse and the power of hope. In both Perrault and the Grimm versions of the tale, the Cinderella character is forced into a life of servitude after her mother dies and her father remarries. Also in both tales, and what makes it far worse, is that the father survives and allows this abuse of his only child. It's a sad state, but often seen in reality: children neglected and abused by their parents, the people meant to protect and love them. When, or if, they survive, it's a marvel of personal strength and character.

Despite all of the insults, chores, and sorrow heaped upon her, Cinderella never gives up hope. She never loses her kind nature, which takes strength all on its own. To resist abuse, to resist falling into the pit of hate and hopelessness and anger, requires an iron will and great courage, something often overlooked in Cinderella tales.

The message of hope, of never giving up, is one that also resonates through the changing times. Humanity itself exists on hope, going all the way back to the tale of Pandora's Box, and it's the one thing we keep with us, always. Because Cinderella has hope and courage, she is able to retain her good heart in the face of adversity, and is rewarded for it. While the real world isn't so kind, and having a good heart isn't a guarantee of reward, we still hope. We hope that somehow, someday, that strength will be rewarded.

Cinderella may have wanted a night off and a pretty dress to go to a party after a lifetime of slaving away for her family, but she's so much more than that. She's strong. The kind of strong modern readers want in their leading ladies.

3. Snow White

I have to admit, “Snow White” isn't one of my favorite fairy tales, although I do like some of the recent retellings. Originally published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 and called, “Schneewittchen,” it obtained its final version in 1854. It's one of the few fairy tales that doesn't have prior origins but is strictly native to its homeland of Germany. In comparison to the other two on this list, it's relatively young. Funny that, because it suits the main character perfectly. Snow White was around 7 years old when she was chased from her home by her stepmother (originally her mother in the first published version) and while Disney aged her to 14 years, she's still incredibly young and innocent.

Not to mention beautiful.

On the surface, Snow White embodies little of the strength of character that Beauty and Cinderella do. In the original tale, her father remarries and her stepmother comes to hate her, she is not made into a servant. She is still allowed to live as a princess. It's only until the queen can no longer contain her jealousy that she orders Snow White killed. 

While Snow White faces greater hardship, in that someone actually attempts to murder her, she never saves herself. Her innocence leads her to fall for the queen's tricks 3 times, making a total of 4 attempts, if you count the huntsman. The dwarves are the ones who save her from herself and naivete. The prince saves her when the glass coffin she sleeps in is dropped and she spits out the bit of apple. The core message could be about innocence, and how the wicked try to kill it, but I think “Snow White” has a different appeal.

Rather than a universal message, it has a villain who has become beloved by the masses: the evil queen.

Jealousy is one of the basest human emotions. Everyone, myself included, has been jealous of something or someone at one point in life. The sheer dislike, anger, and sense of injustice against someone else possessing what we covet is the darker side of the human psyche and one that's explored briefly in the Brothers Grimm tale. The queen's jealousy is fueled by her obsession with two things: beauty and, to a lesser extent, youth.

In the original fairy tale, the queen is a pure villain. She has no background to justify her motives behind wanting to be fairest in the land. She simply wants it. When Snow White becomes more beautiful than her, she wants to kill the child and eliminate the problem. She has no qualms about murdering her own stepdaughter and attempts to do so multiple times. At the end, she goes to the wedding to kill the young bride, not knowing it's Snow White, so deep is her obsessive need to be the fairest of them all.

But why? What drives this obsession?

That's what writers around the world have done when reimagining and retelling the “Snow White” tale. They delve into the backstory of the queen. Writers are drawn to this type of character, who can be given a complex and compelling background to explain how she came to be and the reason behind her obsession. The possibilities are endless and it frees the imagination in a way that “Beauty and the Beast” and “Cinderella” don't. 

Neither story has such open characters. Both the queen and Snow White can be reinterpreted, Snow White could be given a gun and a backbone, the queen could be a lonely girl forced to marry a man she doesn't love, the list goes on and on. That, I think, more than any universal message is what draws writers into using Snow White in their retellings.

Plus, who doesn't love a story about a wicked queen trying to poison our heroine and the heroine actually doing something about it?

With 3 such rich tales, it's no wonder the market has exploded with retellings. Some of the more recent ones include the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, and “The Shadow Queen” by C.J. Redwine. More are being released every month. I, myself, am looking forward to reading, “Forest of a Thousand Lanterns” by Julie C. Dao, released just this month. Funny enough, it's a “Snow White” retelling, featuring the Evil Queen and set in East Asia. Fairy tale retellings are emerging from all cultural backgrounds and to a voracious book dragon like myself, that is the best tale of all.

Thanks for stopping by, dear reader, and look for new blog posts on Tuesdays. I've got a secret project in the works that I'll be posting updates about with my posts so look for that in the future too. Please like, comment, or reblog if you enjoyed this post, and until next time, it's lights out at the lookout.

[ethanalter]

‘Nashville’: Rayna and Deacon’s Best Episodes

Connie Britton, Charles Esten in ‘Nashville’ (Credit: CMT)

Gather ‘round children and listen closely as we croon “The Ballad of Rayna James and Deacon Claybourne.” It’s a love song that spanned five seasons of the musical drama Nashville, and — like so many country tunes — ends in tragedy. On the Feb. 23 episode, Rayna departed this earthly plain, survived by her longtime lover (and relatively recent husband), Deacon, as well as their two daughters, Maddie and Daphne. She also left behind a just-completed 16-track album, co-written with Deacon, that told the story of their long, complicated romance. No need to wait for that record’s posthumous release, though. You can recreate their history on with this 16-episode playlist culled from the show’s archive on Hulu. Turn down the lights, crank up the volume, grab some tissues and give this greatest hits album a spin.

“Pilot” (Season 1, Episode 1) Nashville’s first-ever episode is still its best, promising a knowing peek behind the country music industry curtain that the series ultimately wasn’t able to deliver. It also sets in motion a storyline that the writers have since strongly encouraged everyone to forget about: Rayna’s rival Juliette pursuing, and eventually bedding, Deacon. Nashville’s central power couple is otherwise in a strangely subdued place in this introduction: their romance is ancient history, but they continue to sing together onstage, after which Rayna goes home to loser hubby, Teddy, and Deacon wallows in self-pity. It’s almost as if they decided to get divorced before they got married.

“I’ve Been Down that Road Before” (Season 1, Episode 12) Deacon and Rayna are on tour together just like in the old days! Unlike the old days, though, he’s playing lead guitar for another singer–Juliette. On the other hand, he’s totally into the idea of some elevator nookie, which probably did happen a lot in the old days. And his skulking around has the added benefit of finally convincing Teddy to throw in the towel on his passionless marriage to Rayna, paving the way for a Claybourne/James match…four seasons later.

“Take These Chains From My Heart” (Season 1, Episode 18) Deacon and Rayna are both in the midst of trying out one of several substitute lovers. He’s making time with earnest (and boring) veterinarian Stacey, while she’s macking on rugged (and boring) producer Liam. But they wind up falling into bed together anyway, starting a fling that ends with a literal crash.

“I Fall to Pieces” (Season 2, Episode 1) Deacon demonstrates his loyalty to Rayna by going to prison for her, falsely claiming that he was driving their car when it swerved off the road. Flashbacks fill in the last time that alcohol got in the way of their happily ever after, and confirm that her eldest daughter Maddie should be calling Deacon “Daddy” rather than Teddy. Back in the present, Rayna’s hospital bed account of the accident exonerates her lover, but lowers the temperature of their relationship back to “ice cold.”

“I’m Tired of Pretending” (Season 2, Episode 9) Rayna sees Deacon in a new light when he starts spending some quality father/daughter time with Maddie by giving her private guitar lessons. (Free of charge, of course.) He comes off looking especially good when compared to Teddy, whose jealousy bubbles over into a near-brawl. Deacon’s already shown that he can be a caring lover — this episode shows he’s got the makings of a decent dad.

“On the Other Hand” (Season 2, Episode 22) Lucky Rayna gets to choose between two proposals. First, country powerhouse Luke Wheeler successfully requests her hand in marriage in a very public fashion. But then Deacon turns up on her doorstep with a ring of his own. His timing gets better later, we swear.

“Two Sides to Every Story” (Season 3, Episode 9) Consider this the Christmas ballad: Rayna invites Deacon to be part of her and Luke’s one big happy family for a down home country TV special. But he’s got a sizeable chip on his shoulder thanks to some ill-advised comments Rayna made about their romantic history in a Rolling Stone interview. Her gift to him is to try and set him free, but he simply doesn’t wanna go.

“I’m Not That Good at Goodbye” (Season 3, Episode 11) Like pretty much everyone anticipated, Luke and Rayna’s peppy love song ends up as a dirge as she ditches him right before the wedding. Luke takes his anger out on Deacon, but the guitarist has bigger concerns than a jilted groom. He’s got liver cancer, which puts a possible expiration date on any Deacon/Rayna love connection.

“Time Changes Things” (Season 3, Episode 20) After three seasons, it’s “When Rayna Met Deacon” time! Flashbacks transport us to the early ‘90s and give us a peek at rising star Rayna checking out Deacon (while he checks her out) as he and his sister Beverly perform a set at the Bluebird. Back in the present, Rayna is trying to give an embittered Beverly reasons to save her brother’s life by donating her liver. Liver, schmiver. Give us more ‘90s Rayna!

“The Slender Thread that Binds Us Here” (Season 4, Episode 4) Deacon works through his grief over Beverly’s passing, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for expressing affection for Rayna. But then, she’s distracted anyway with new client, Markus. While it may not make for the most romantic episode, this hour represents an important step on Deacon’s path back to physical and emotional health.

“Can’t Get Used to Losing You” (Season 4, Episode 7) Deacon adds “bar owner” to his résumé, which revives the issue of his alcoholic past with Rayna. That’s precisely the wedge that’s driven them apart before, but this time around they’re both sober enough to be able to work through it without calling the whole thing off. That’s a clear sign of maturity right there.

“We’ve Got Nothing Left But Love to Prove” (Season 4, Episode 10) Feel free to needle drop ahead to the last five minutes, when Deacon floats his latest proposal to Rayna and this time, she accepts. It’s a “Yes,” four years and 75 episodes in the making.

“Forever and For Always” (Season 4, Episode 11) Rayna and Deacon’s storybook wedding begins more like a Stephen King story, with the groom roughing up a paparazzi shutterbug Sean Penn-style, causing Maddie to freak out about her dad’s violent streak. A last minute relocation, plus Deacon’s pointed tardiness, adds another layer of tension to what’s meant to be a happy day. But good things come to those who wait, so rings are exchanged, knots are tied and lips are locked as this on-again, off-again couple finally arrives at the altar.

“The Wayfaring Stranger” (Season 5, Episode 1) He may have been a nervous groom, but Deacon proves himself a stellar husband in the Season 5 premiere, catching a last-minute flight out to California when Rayna develops a sudden fear of flying back to the East Coast. “‘Cause my girl’s in trouble,” is his version of Han Solo’s immortal “I know.”

“Hurricane” (Season 5, Episode 7) Rayna and Deacon sit down to start work on their relationship-encompassing record, and dredge up some old, less-than-romantic memories in the process. It’s an episode that encompasses the joys and challenges of maintaining a creative partnership, not to mention a loving marriage.

(Credit: CMT)

“If Tomorrow Never Comes” (Season 5, Episode 9) It’s the end of the road for Nashville’s biggest power couple, as Rayna succumbs to injuries sustained in a car accident. Going forward, Deacon is going to be a solo act, but you can bet that every song he writes will be dedicated to his lady love.

Seasons 1-5 of Nashville can be streamed on Hulu.

Read more: Ken Tucker on What’s Next for ‘Nashville’‘Big Little Lies’ Star Zoe Kravitz Admits it’s ‘Annoying’ How Nice Her Character Is Oscars: What Jimmy Kimmel’s Past Hosting Gigs Tell Us About What to Expect

[infinitehouseofbooks]

BLOG TOUR - Wellington Beaus

  Welcome to Shannon Muir’s Infinite House of Books!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS by Bewitching Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Wellington Beaus

Wellington Cross

Book Five

Cheryl R. Lane

Genre:  Fiction/Romance/

Historical/Victorian

Publisher:  Cheryl R. Lane

Date of Publication: May 6, 2017

ISBN: 1539035492

ISBN: 978-1539035497

ASIN: B06Y5JVWFW

Number of pages:  288

Word Count: 92,709

Cover Artist:  Cheryl R. Lane

Book Description: 

Two Wellington brothers, Godfrey and Bertie, find love and loss in 1895 in the small town of Charles City, Virginia.  Godfrey, the older one, is married and expecting his firstborn child, but when tragedy strikes, how will he carry on? 

Will Malynn Selman, who comes to live at Wellington Cross Plantation, be able to help him through his grief?  Meanwhile, Bertie has just proposed to Amanda Adams, but when an old flame comes to live and work at the boarding house, Adams House, will she tempt Bertie into being unfaithful? 

She is recently widowed and brings her two children with her along with her own troubles.  Will the two brothers eventually find happiness?

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/P-zppqOjaj0

  Amazon��      BN       Goodreads

Interview with the Author:

What initially got you interested in writing?

I always used to play pretend when I was little.  I loved making up scenarios, mostly of TV shows I watched.  I didn’t start writing stories down for fun until after I had graduated high school.  I had a manual typewriter that I took outside one summer to our picnic table under the trees and wrote a Civil War love story.

How did you decide to make the move into being a published author?

When I moved to Virginia Beach, my husband and I toured old plantation homes, and I got inspired to make up stories to people that I imagined lived there.  This was when I first wrote Wellington Cross, my first book.  I sent off letters to a few publishers at the time and was rejected, so I put writing aside for many years while our son was young and growing up.  I had a job (and still do) as a medical transcriptionist.   When he was a teenager and driving his own car, I had a little more time to write again, and I revamped that book and sent letters off to the literary agents once again.  I got rejection letters once again and decided to self-publish with Amazon.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

I want readers to enjoy the stories, enjoy the family interactions, fall in love with the lovers in the stories, and I like to provide an escape from everyday life.  I especially enjoy writing historical romance because it’s easier to be taken away to a different time period and try to imagine what life was like back then.  I want my readers to take that journey, too.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I just think it’s fun to make up stories.  Every time I finish a chapter, I feel a sense of accomplishment and my mood improves.  It’s just something I love doing.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

I think the most challenging thing is writing historical fiction.  For my Wellington Cross series, which is set in the late 1800’s, I have to do a lot of research and look things up for what they had back then.   I try to be as historically correct as possible to make it seem more authentic.  That takes a lot of work.

What advice would you give to people want to enter the field?

If you want to write, you have to read other people’s books to get a sense of storytelling.  Also, don’t give up.  If you enjoy writing, keep doing it, whether you publish it or not.  Do it for the enjoyment of it.

What ways can readers connect with you?

Readers can connect with me through my website, email me, send me a letter through snail mail, and I have accounts as Cheryl R. Lane on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Goodreads, and an author page on Amazon.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Charles City, Virginia

Adams House

July 1895

Amanda Adams walked out onto the front porch wearing her best blue dress with leg o’ mutton sleeves and waited for guests to arrive. She was having a birthday party and had invited a few of her family and friends to attend that day.

Her actual birthday was in June, but she had delayed a party so that her cousin Jason could have a proper honeymoon with his new wife, Belle Wellington. Belle had worked at the boarding house where the three of them lived and took care of Adams House. Most guests were just passing through town, but one guest had been a particular nuisance and caused a lot of trouble to all three of them at the boarding house.

Mister Wade Brewster aka Wayne Trueman, Jr., had forcibly raped Amanda back in February when he first came to visit the boarding house. He’d been handsome and charming, and she’d made a terrible mistake.

She had ended up being with child and called on a doctor in Richmond to try and get rid of the baby. She didn’t think she could bear looking at a baby every day who had been the result of such a brutal act of violence and violation. She found a Doctor Gardner, and he’d come to the boarding house in May to perform the surgery.

However, Mister Brewster had returned, found out what she was doing, and tried to stop it. Doctor

Gardner ended up having a heart attack and died before completing the surgery, before sewing her up. She’d bled a lot and the next day, Doctor William Brown and his wife Ginny had taken over her care. She’d taken a long time to heal, both physically and emotionally, and had eventually moved out to the country to stay at her Aunt Paisley’s plantation for a while. Her savior had been Bertie.

Albert Wellington, whom everyone called Bertie, had come to visit her at Carter Manor on a regular basis, and the two of them started taking walks outside on the plantation. First they walked in the garden, then the walks got longer and they’d walked around some of the crops and even over into the woods a little.

He was the sweetest man she’d ever met, and he knew how to make her laugh. He seemed to care a great deal about her.

Truth be told, she was in love with him. The day he saved her and his sister, Belle, from Mister

Brewster, by shooting him after he’d shot Belle in the stomach, was the day she realized she loved Bertie.

He’d sacrificed his life, which he did quite often being deputy of Charles City, but she knew he would do it for her at any given moment, should the need arise. He’d told her so on one of their walks. That he would do anything for her to prove to her that there were good men still left in this town.

Amanda had felt guilty about Belle getting shot and that it was her fault since she was the one who had gotten involved with Mister Brewster. It took her a while to forgive herself, even though Belle said she didn’t blame her at all. She’d insisted that since Mister Brewster had lived in the boarding house when he was growing up, he would’ve been back anyway, whether Amanda had taken up with him or not. Amanda knew that was true, but it didn’t help assuage her guilt sometimes.

She also felt guilt for getting rid of the baby. She had been the cause of an innocent life being terminated. Essentially, she had committed murder. Not actually with her own hands, but it was still her fault. She was the one who’d asked Doctor Gardner to perform the surgery that terminated the baby’s life.

She felt just awful and dreaded that she might not ever have another baby again, either as a result of the procedure or as punishment.

She tried most days not to think any of those thoughts and quickly pushed them out of her head as she straightened up her dress. It was her best dress, one she had gotten at Belle’s sister Lillie’s shop. She first wore it to the Wellington’s Spring Ball last year. She hadn’t been able to go this year because of all the mess with Mister Brewster. She was happy she could wear it now. She’d sent it out to the lady who does their laundry, and it had just barely arrived at the boarding house in time – that very morning!

She rested a hand on one of the white porch columns and looked around the town until her eyes paused at the Sheriff’s Office where Bertie worked and then the small house down the street from it where he lived.

He said he would ask for the whole day off so he could attend the party. She couldn’t wait to see him. And dance with him.

“Amanda, everything is nearly ready,” Belle said behind her.

Amanda turned around as Belle walked out onto the porch. She looked so much happier since she’d married Jason. Amanda was happy for them both but felt a twinge of jealousy. She wished she could feel so completely happy. She thought she just might be able to, someday. Maybe with Bertie.

“Wonderful,” Amanda said. “Thank you so much for all your hard work.”

Belle had cooked all the food for the party, including a ham, a large roast turkey, a round of beef, and scalloped oysters. Also served would be four kinds of finger sandwiches – cucumber, egg salad, ham and goat’s cheese, and tomato-and-basil – as well as fresh vegetables from the garden, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, which would be served alongside peach cobbler, ice-cream, and a three-layer cake made with strawberry jam inside the layers.

When Belle first started working for Amanda, she was tasked with cleaning the rooms, cooking, checking people in and showing them to their rooms. After Belle married, she recuperated from her gunshot wound and had only recently started cooking again as her sole duty. Amanda was checking people in, and another lady, Malynn, was cleaning the house.

Malynn Selman had been involved with Mister Brewster out in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and had followed him to Virginia just before his tumultuous demise. She had also become impregnated by Mister Brewster and had a baby girl named Mabel who was now two months old. Amanda marveled at the woman’s tenacity and ability to make the long arduous journey all the way from Colorado after such a short period of time since birthing a baby. Malynn had helped Bertie trap Mister Brewster and decided to stay in Charles City after the incident. She said she wanted a quieter place to live and raise her baby.

“You’re welcome, Amanda,” Belle said, stirring Amanda from her thoughts. “It’s the least I could do.

Jason helped me before he left. Is he back with Aunt Paisley yet?”

Jason had driven a carriage to go and fetch Amanda’s aunt, as she was planning to spend a week at the boarding house. Amanda had insisted that she stay in her own room, which was located on the second – main – floor of the house near the check-in area. That room had been Belle’s room at first, but after

Amanda’s procedure and Doctor Gardner’s subsequent death, Amanda wanted no further part of the room she used to occupy with all its bad memories, so she had switched rooms with Belle. When she moved back

from Aunt Paisley’s while Belle was recuperating, she had taken the same room on the second floor, still not ready to face her ghosts in the other room on the bottom floor.

“No, not yet, but I expect them anytime,” Amanda said.

“All right. Send Jason to the kitchen when he arrives. I need to check on the beef.”

“I’ll be sure and tell him. When your brother gets here, I’ll have him help carry the food up.” The food was going to be served in the dining room on the second floor, while the kitchen was on the first floor.

After Belle went inside, Amanda turned around and saw Bertie walking her way. She broke out into a big smile and pushed a loose strand of her copper-colored hair behind her ear.

Their eyes met, and he began smiling, too.

“Amanda, you’re breathtaking,” he said upon reaching the top step of the porch. He took her hands in his, leaned in, and kissed her temple.

She blushed a shade that competed with the color of her hair. “Thank you, Bertie. You look very nice yourself.” She was used to seeing him in his deputy uniform, though he had worn a rugged Norfolk jacket or cutaway morning coat on many occasions when he came to visit her. This time, he wore a more formal dark dinner jacket with a shawl collar over a light gray waistcoat, white shirt, and a dark tie. “You didn’t have to get so dressed up for the party. It’s not a big to-do, just a nice quiet little party.”

“I know, but you weren’t able to attend my family’s party in the spring, so I wanted to look nice when I dance with you.”

She smiled and her stomach fluttered a little bit at the thought of dancing with him. “I can’t wait, Bertie.” She straightened his collar, just wanting to touch him somewhere.

He closed his eyes briefly and took her hand in his. When he opened his eyes, he looked troubled.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“No, I, uh, no, nothing at all.” He seemed nervous all of a sudden.

A carriage pulled up then – it was Jason and Aunt Paisley. After him was the Wellington carriage which held Bertie’s parents, and another carriage behind that which belonged to Bertie’s brother, Godfrey.

Amanda felt herself getting nervous at the thought of mingling with Bertie’s family because of how close she felt to him now. She barely knew his family at all, had only met his mother once. It was time she got to know them.

It was time for the party to begin.

An hour later, the party was in full swing. A string band played inside in the parlor, and with the windows open, the music could be heard inside as well as outside on the wraparound porch. Food was spread out in the dining room at the back of the house in a room with red walls, white trim, and windows on three sides, which afforded views of the garden and cottage out back. Jason and Belle were the perfect hosts, making sure the food and drink were plentiful.

Bertie mingled with Amanda as well as his family who were there – his parents, his older brother

Godfrey and his wife Cecilia, and his three sisters – Lillie, Lizzie, and Belle – along with spouses Ian and

Jason. Lizzie was visiting from Boston and would be going back home the following morning. She was found out to not actually be a blood relation to the Wellingtons, but he still considered her a sister. Her husband, Josiah, was actually the one who was a Wellington, and even though they were nearly the same age,

Josiah was his uncle. He didn’t travel down for this visit, as Lizzie wanted to stay for four weeks and Josiah could not be away from his occupation as a banker for that length of time.

The only other people present were Amanda and her small family – her cousin Jason and her Aunt Paisley. She had lost her parents in an accident three years ago and Bertie knew she missed them a lot, especially her mother. Especially on her birthday. That was one of the reasons he decided to propose marriage to her at her birthday celebration, so that she would have a new memory to think about and something happy to celebrate instead of feeling sad.

He was nervous and tongue-tied around her. He’d been engaged before, had been in love before, but the woman had broken the engagement and he swore off women for many years. Until he met Amanda. In all his twenty-six years, he had never met a more formidable and yet vulnerable woman before. He loved her for her sweetness, her determination, and her courage. She’d been through a lot and he wanted to take care of her, more than anything, for the rest of his life.

She was on the back side of the wraparound porch looking over the garden when he walked up behind her. “Amanda, there you are.”

She turned quickly, looking startled.

“Hey, Bertie. I was just looking out over the garden…thinking about my mother.”

“Oh. Would you rather be alone?” Although he thought he would die if he put off proposing to her any longer.

She looked at him and smiled. “No, I’m glad you’re here. We haven’t danced yet.”

“Oh, yes. Dancing. Could we, uh, talk for a minute first?” he asked her.

“Of course. What did you want to talk about?”

Bertie cleared his throat and fumbled inside his pockets for the ring he was going to give her. He found it and kept his hand on it for the moment until he worked up the courage to present it. “Would you take a walk with me in the garden?”

“Now?” she asked. “Can we not talk here where we can still hear the nice music?”

“We can most likely still hear it out there,” he said. “And then we will dance after, um, after we walk in the garden. It’ll only take a moment, I promise.”

He took her hand in his and kissed it, hoping she would comply. He was so nervous that she would decline his proposal.

“All right,” she agreed. “A little walk and talk, and then we’ll dance.”

“Yes.”

He followed her around to the back of the porch, past the dining room windows where Bertie knew others would be watching. He glanced inside and saw Jason looking his way. He smiled broadly and gave him a thumbs-up. Bertie quickly looked away and nearly stumbled as he followed Amanda down the outside stairs leading towards the garden and stables. When they got to the last bottom step, he placed his hand on the small of her back and pointed towards the cottage and they walked behind it where there was a black wrought iron bench. This was a secluded spot away from view of the house, and it overlooked a tall group of sunflowers and the woods beyond. They walked over to the bench and he motioned for her to sit down on it while he kept standing. She looked at up him curiously, and he looked around them nervously, not wanting an audience for this.

“What is it, Bertie?” she asked him. “Just tell me.”

He reached into his pocket again and pulled the ring out, not showing it to her yet. He might as well get this over with before he exploded. He dropped down onto one knee and Amanda looked stricken. Did she know what he was going to ask? Why didn’t she look happy?

“Amanda,” he squeaked and cleared his throat again.

“Yes?” she whispered.

He took one of her hands in his and with the other he presented her with a silver-banded ring with a square-shaped small diamond on the top. It was brand new; he’d ordered it at the mercantile a month ago.

Amanda gasped.

“I know this is sudden,” he said, licking his lips. “We’ve only known each other a short time, but I…I love you and I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Would you…will you marry me?”

She closed her eyes, looking like she wanted to cry. Why was she sad? “Oh, Bertie. I would love to, but…”

He felt like he’d been slapped. “But what?” he whispered. “Is it too soon after…your ordeal?” He cleared his throat again and spoke louder. “Because I’ll wait as long as you want to. We can have a long engagement.”

She brushed tears back with her free hand. “It’s not that, Bertie. I don’t…well, it is partly because of that. I’m not good for you, Bertie. I’m not…pure.”

His jaw dropped momentarily and then he recovered himself. “You think I don’t know that? I know what procedure you had done and how you got that way. I’m not naïve.”

“I know you’re not, but I’m just not good enough for you, Bertie. You deserve better.”

“Not good enough? Amanda, how could you think that? You are a beautiful woman who cares about other people. You have gone through many challenges in your short life and yet you smile and wear a happy face. And you have made me happy in the short time I have known you. You absolutely are good enough for me. You’re all I’ll ever want.”

“You have made me happy, too, Bertie, but I hide my feelings a lot. I…I have a lot of burdens in here,” she said, putting her hand over her heart. “A lot of sadness.”

“I know, but I can change all of that. Haven’t I made you happy at all in these past few months? Don’t you care about me?”

She closed her eyes and sniffed, opened them and said shyly, “Yes, I have come to love you dearly, and yes, you have lightened my burdens a lot, but I still don’t feel that I deserve you.”

“Amanda. No marriage is perfect. Even my own parents had difficulties. My father took another wife when my mother had lost her memory for a year and couldn’t be found. I’m not perfect either and I’m not looking for perfection…just love. And I love you like no other. Won’t you please be my wife? We’ll lighten each other’s loads and fill our lives with love. I’d like no one but you to share my life with.”

She looked at him, then at the ring, and then back at him. “Are you sure your family will approve?”

He could tell she still felt down on herself for her past mistakes.

“They already like you, and once they find out that I love you and want to marry you, they’re going to love you, too. Belle already does.”

“What if I can’t have any more children? You know what I did to Brewster’s baby.” She looked down again and he saw tears in her eyes again, which she tried to hide.

“I don’t care. We don’t have to have any children. It won’t change my love for you.”

She glanced up at him under her long lashes, her green eyes making his insides melt.

“Please?” he whispered. “Please say yes. I’ll treat you better than any man ever has before.”

She finally smiled. “Yes,” she whispered.

“What’s that?” he asked, grinning happily.

She smiled even more. “Yes,” she said louder.

He pulled her into a quick hug, released her quickly, and then stood up. “Thank God! My knee is killing me, and I didn’t know how much longer I could stay on it like that.”

Amanda laughed, making him so happy. He pulled her up against him. “Thank you,” he whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Bertie.”

  He placed the ring on her left third finger and then leaned down and kissed her sweet lips.

    About the Author:

  Cheryl R. Lane was born and raised in Tennessee and went to college at East Tennessee State University before marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

  She started writing as a hobby while in college after purchasing Southern Heritage cookbooks, which were filled with pages of old plantation homes. She wrote more after moving to Virginia Beach and visiting beautifully restored homes in Williamsburg as well as plantations on the James River.

  She has been working as a medical transcriptionist for over 20 years while writing on the side, and finally decided to self-publish her first book, “Wellington Cross”, on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing as well as in print through CreateSpace. She has since published four more books and a novella in that series as well as starting a modern-day fantasy Angel series and has two books in that series so far.

  She is currently working on her next novel, book six in the Wellington Cross series.

  She is still married to her sweetheart after 28 years and they have one son and a Havanese bichon.

  Website:  www.cheryllaneauthor.com  

  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cherylreneelane/   

  Twitter:  https://twitter.com/cheryllane01  

  Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6653858.Cheryl_R_Lane   

  Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/crlaneauthor/   

  Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Cheryl-R.-Lane/e/B00ALDXOAY/   

  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQ_khfhYc7oRwXEmCd-XHg  

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  BLOG TOUR – Wellington Beaus was originally published on the Wordpress version of SHANNON MUIR'S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS.