Born to Blush
by Fran Connor
Genre: Historical Romantic Adventure
Her future looks secure; that is the hope but she must leave behind a childhood friend, the son of a wealthy local family with whom she managed to cross the social divide; that is the sadness.
Not all employers in 1850s England are bad and young Mary works her way up the servants' ladder to become lady's maid to a kind aristocrat. She grows into an attractive young woman which does not go unnoticed by her employer's lascivious husband.
When her Ladyship unexpectedly dies, the husband makes unwelcome advances towards Mary.
Her defiance of his carnal desires sets in motion a series of adventures and catastrophes.
This thrilling romantic adventure follows the plucky Mary on her journey into the depths of Dickensian England where she encounters a myriad of odd characters some of whom mean her harm while others strive to help her.
When someone from her past reappears, her joy is tinged with fear. Much has happened to her since last they met. To cross the social divide as adults is far more difficult than in childhood and romance instead of friendship complicates it even further.
Mary has a secret. Should it be discovered it will have her transported as a felon to Australia.
If you love your historical romantic fiction to have a gutsy heroine, this is the novel for you.
Excerpt:
Mary met Johnny at the usual time and
place on Sunday. They headed for the wood and the tree trunk that had become
their secret place.
Johnny seemed quieter than usual as
they sat talking about her new job as lady’s maid.
He seemed preoccupied. It began to
worry Mary. “Is everything all right?”
Johnny nodded. “I don’t want to upset
you or alarm you but. . .”
Mary’s tummy turned over. What was
wrong? Would this be where he told her he couldn’t meet her again?”
“Mary. . .” He took hold of her hand. “Mary,
please forgive me if this offends you
but may I kiss you?”
Mary blinked and felt a surge of relief
that shyness troubled him not something more serious. This was their fifth
meeting and they hadn’t even held hands though she had wanted
to from the first time they came into
the wood.
“Yes.”
He leaned forward. On her lips she felt
his, at first as light as a feather and then a little stronger. With neither
moving the kiss lasted for over two minutes. Mary pulled back only because she
needed to take a breath though she didn’t want to stop. Her cheeks turned the
colour of roses in the greenhouse. Johnny’s eyes fixed on hers, her beating
heart and butterflies in her tummy told her she was in love. But it was a love
that could never be. Not with her a lady’s maid and him an eligible bachelor,
soldier, and heir to a fortune. Mary
would give up everything and happily
live with him in penury but that could never be.
“What’s wrong? I’m sorry if I was too
forward,” said Johnny taking hold of her hand.
“No, not at all. It’s just that it
seems so unfair. We can never be together; our backgrounds are too different.
You couldn’t be seen with me, a maid.”
“That’s how society works. We can still
meet in secret if you don’t mind.”
“Johnny, of course I don’t mind but how
long will this go on for? We can’t spend the rest of our lives seeing each
other in the woods.”
“I have some leave coming up. Do you
think you could persuade Lady Eleanor to let you take some time off and we
could perhaps go somewhere and be together? Oh, I didn’t mean to shock you. I’m
sorry if that offends. I would not make any improper advances towards you er. .
.beyond what you found acceptable.”
Mary pondered for a moment. What is
he suggesting? Are we to go to some sordid seaside hotel and book in as man and
wife where he would make love to me? I hope that’s what he means.
“Lady Eleanor did say I could take some
leave. I’ll ask. Where would we go?”
“I visited Lyme Regis as a child. It’s
a pretty little town by the sea where nobody will know us.”
Fran now lives in SW France with his wife Viv after serving thirty three years in a UK police force retiring with the rank of Chief Inspector. He doesn’t do cop stories. He says he’s seen enough of the real thing. He enjoyed his time in the police during which he met many odd characters some of whom creep into his novels in very different circumstances.
Without wandering into the political minefield of today’s policing issues, he’s saddened by the current events.
He’s the author of nine novels and nine novellas published in his name and a host of others that he has ghostwritten.
Although he doesn’t restrict himself to a particular genre, the two he likes to work on most are Historical Romance with a large dose of Adventure and Contemporary Thrillers. Most but not all of his protagonists are female. Women in his opinion make more interesting characters as they are more complex and often need to think their way out of jeopardy rather than bash their way out.
He does do ‘steamy’ in some novels but not violence against women. It’s anathema to him after his service. If a woman is in a tight corner she gets out of it before anything serious happens to her.
Born to Blush falls in the Historical Romance genre.
When not writing, Fran keeps himself fit by walking Molly, a Griffon Nivernais dog who is the real boss of the house, tending his large garden and keeping his old farmhouse from falling down. Set in the French countryside surrounded by vineyards, orchards and ancient hilltop villages he finds it inspires his stories.
If you enjoy Born to Blush you may like two of his other Historical Romance novels “Passarinho and the Highlander” and “Honourable Lies”.
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