Sample Saturday: "Clytie's Caller"

Here's another snippet from my Regency work-in-progress. Enjoy!

“Miss Preston, it is Doctor Whittington. We were introduced at the Assembly Rooms.” He raised his voice just a bit, to be heard through the door. “I’ve brought a book with me; do you like to read?”

“It is my favorite pastime nowadays,” came the barely audible response from the other side of the door.

“I have a subscription to the library here in Bath; I have just borrowed ‘Waverley’ from them, and thought I might read to you from it.”

“I did not care for Mister Waverley in that book.” The voice, low and pleasing, seemed a little nearer. “He was very fickle about everything, from politics to courtship.”

“So, you have read it already?”

“Yes … but please, do read just a little to me. I have always liked that.”

So, Samuel read a chapter of the novel to her from his seat in the hallway before saying his goodbyes.

“Is that your plan? To read novels until she comes out?” Archimedes was cynical.

“No, Archie. My plan is to show her that I can be trusted. Only then might I persuade her to do anything else.”