A Sensible Match
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Synopsis:
How do you thwart well meaning but relentless matchmaking parents without getting caught? In Regency England, Abby's choices were limited. Her perfect solution was to try too hard to chase down and please her equally reluctant counterpart--the soon to be new vicar of Midland. After all, if he didn't propose, it couldn't be considered her fault, could it?
Lord Edwin Chappell was startled by her performance, but too smart to be taken in by Abby's act. Just as she was showing him that she was anything but the perfect vicar's wife, he was showing her that her idea of a vicar was quite as far-fetched.
After a humorous battle of wits and wills between the young couple, tragic events lead the matchmaking parents to stand against the match. Unfortunately, this is at the moment that both Abby and Edwin have discovered that their parents may have been right about them from the start.
Book Excerpt:
Abby heard horses coming and stepped off the narrow road into the woods along a small footpath she knew well. She grabbed Constance by the arm, and they hid further in the manor wood away from the road so that they could not be seen.
Two gentlemen on horseback approached. Constance tried to rise. Abby, her courage failing her, pulled her back down. She did not wish to be found trespassing on the squire’s land or spying on the men. Hide and seek was not fun.
She couldn’t see the men’s faces but could hear them as they walked their horses toward the manor. She knew it to be too early for fall hunting, so one of these visitors was likely the one she sought. Or, she amended, just wanted to see.
“This is the road, cousin,” she heard one say as they came closer.
“Good hunting grounds,” commented the second.
Constance clasped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. Abby gave her an exasperated look. They could not get caught; it would be the worst of everything imagined.
"You are still resolved? Have you really come to take a wife then?”
Abby started. Which one had spoken? She dared not look around the bushes and be discovered, although Constance had no qualms and managed a look.
Her sister pointed at the closest rider which Abby could see through the branches without rising. Did she mean he was the speaker or the one meant for Abby? It would have to wait; they could still hear the gentlemen talking.
“I came to enjoy the country, seeing as I must.” The voice that answered was pleasantly low pitched and strong.
So that was the one. Her quick additional peek only showed the backs of two young men, one dark and one fair. Which one had spoken?
“No, no, you must be in all eagerness to meet her, since you’ve arrived so early. Would that I were as lucky as you. Are you not all agog with excitement to view your intended?” The raspy voice of the first gentleman sounded sarcastic and amused.
“Not at all. Although she must be eager herself since she is still at home and past twenty.”
Abby stifled an indignant gasp. Who else could this man be referring to except her? That insufferable bore! If this was to be her intended, she intended to protest.
Author Comment:
Matchmaking is alive and well today--from the places we chose to live, schools, careers, online dating or even in "church shopping"--we all pick and chose. But I wanted to explore the question of whether you really can pick and choose whom to love. While a challenging topic, I also wanted to show romance can be fun AND funny--especially when you least expect it!
Topics/Categories:
Christian Inspirational, Regency
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Original Publish Date:
December 30, 2007
Formats and associated ISBNs:
978-0-9793327-7-7
Reading Guides:
http://www.terylcartwright.com/Teryl/studyguide.htm
Formats:
Paperback
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