In case you may have missed any of the first three novels in this series, and would like to catch up/find out how this family’s adventures began, here are excerpts from Edmund’s story, Simon’s adventures with Tabitha, and the start of Letitia’s literary career.
Links to all three books, available at Amazon.com, can be found in the bibliography, as well as at the end of each excerpt. (If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you may read these books—and most of Sahara Kelly’s other novels—for free.)
THE LANDLOCKED BARON
Book 1 in the Six Pearls of Baron Ridlington Series
“I do beg your pardon.”
Everyone’s head turned. The slender blonde stepped forward. “Oh please don’t. We should be thanking you for your care of our brother.” She put down her glass and came forward. “I’m Letitia Ridlington.”
“Miss Ridlington.” The woman curtseyed. “I’m happy to say that your brother is doing well. He has a headache, which is to be expected. But he sustained no other injury than a nasty knock on the head and the doctor expects him to make a full recovery.”
“You managed to reach Dr. Fisher, then?” Simon inquired.
“I did, sir. He had planned to attend the funeral, but said a local woman was in the throes of childbirth. The arrival delayed him, and he could only stay for a few moments, before hurrying back to the mother and babe.”
“One life ends and another begins.” Hecate sipped her champagne. “I’m Hecate. The last Ridlington. I don’t believe we’ve met?”
“Forgive me.” The woman paused. “I should introduce myself. I am Rosaline Henry, currently employed as companion to Lady Fincham.”
“We owe you an enormous debt of gratitude, Miss Henry,” said Kitty. “You handled all the confusion so well and with such an air of command. Everyone obeyed you without question and what could have been a terrible disaster was utterly averted. I was astounded.”
Rosaline felt the color rise in her cheeks, but kept her voice level. “You are too kind.” She stepped a little further into the room. “To be accurate, I am Mrs. Henry. My husband passed away last year which circumstance forced me into the position I have now with Lady Fincham.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Hecate moved to her side and touched her arm in sympathy.
“Thank you. But we must move on with our lives.” It was a practical and appropriate response, but Rosaline was moved, all the same.
“Our brother is doing well, you said, Mrs. Henry. That is good news indeed. Do you have medical skills?” Simon beckoned her to a chair and seated her, his voice kind.
“Not as such, sir. But I nursed my husband for several years. He sustained an injury during his service with Lord Nelson and our brave fleet. It left him unable to assume his duties, and quite unwell. It was that which claimed him after an extended period of pain. A sad time.”
“One learns a lot from such an experience, Ma’am.” Simon’s eyes were gentle. “Your fortitude is to be commended.”
“I appreciate your words, Vicar.” She dipped her head. “I believe you have the Ridlington living? You minister to its flock?”
Simon nodded. “I do. And it is quite gratifying work. Although,” he paused, his hand to his chin, “I can’t say that I recall seeing the Finchams in church of a Sunday…”
Noting his quiet grin, Rosaline smiled. “I’m afraid the Finchams aren’t of a religious turn, sir. I had suggested we attend services, but was overruled.”
“I hear that being overruled goes hand in hand with anything to do with Lady Fincham.” A younger man spoke, his voice full of laughter. “I’m Richard Ridlington, Mrs. Henry. And this is my twin, Kitty.” He waved his hand at his sister. “Now you’ve met us all. Not on the happiest of occasions…” he lifted his champagne glass, “but we are, in fact, celebrating our continued existence. And now, thanks to you, we can also celebrate our oldest brother’s recovery from what could have been a fatal injury.”
“Indeed, Mrs. Henry. We are truly in your debt.”
Rosaline found a glass of champagne in her hand, placed there by Letitia Ridlington.
“Please join us? To life and living and new opportunities…” She raised her glass as everyone echoed her sentiments.
Rosaline joined them, somewhat amazed at the concentration of diverse but equally powerful personalities all in one room. And all in one family.
The Ridlingtons were certainly a force to be reckoned with. She wondered if Edmund, the eldest brother and now the Baron, was equally dynamic. He would have to be if he was going to take this lot in hand.
St. SIMON’S SIN
Book 2 in the Six Pearls of Baron Ridlington Series
Simon became aware of the silence as the last of the carriages rolled away. The birds still sang, the ocean still provided a background of soft wave sounds, and the breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees and on the hedges that bordered either side of the lane.
“We should walk,” she said.
“Indeed.” Politely, he offered her his arm.
“I’m not decrepit, you know.” She lifted an eyebrow at his gesture.
“I wasn’t implying anything of the sort and you know it.” He sighed. “I was merely offering an arm. Must we always come to daggers drawn?”
She lifted her chin. “No. And I apologize. That was my fault.” She took his arm.
“Apology accepted.”
They began to follow the lane, strolling easily between the laurels and the wildflowers walling them in to their own private walk.
“You didn’t stay that day for the Spring Fair,” said Simon. “You arrived, said hullo, and that was the last I saw of you, even when we heard the sad news.”
“I know.” She nodded, her gaze fixed on the way ahead. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to re-establish my acquaintance with the people I used to know here. I certainly didn’t want their sympathy. Too much like pity for my comfort.”
“But they’re people you grew up with, Tabby. They’re not strangers.”
“To you? No they’re not. But to me…” she paused as if looking for the right words. “To me, they represent my past. Something that is gone and can never be recaptured.”
Simon took his own time answering. “It must have been difficult when your papa passed away. My condolences on his death. I never had chance to express them. You were gone before the news came to Ridlington.” He lifted his hand and placed it over hers where it lay on his forearm.
“Then you know Papa died in London.” Her tone was calm. “He was there under his physician’s care. There was nothing anyone could do. I should have been there, I suppose, but I took a chance on coming down here. Of course, that was when he passed away.” She sighed. “The way of the world. Always doing the worst possible thing at the worst possible time.”
“So you vanished again, leaving us wondering if you had received a summons from some high ranking Government agency.”
He smiled as he gently referred to her previous adventures in Europe. Her task as an intelligence-gatherer, or as his sisters liked to refer to it—a spy—had intrigued them all last autumn.
She chuckled. “No. I’m hoping that phase of my life is over. I am retired from anything to do with the Government—of any nation.”
“I am glad to hear it.” Simon heaved an inner sigh of relief. “What are you going to do with the rest of your time, Lady Ellsmere?”
“The title is nominal, at best.” She sounded wry. “I can order an evening gown and have it delivered the next day. But I don’t have a residence to receive it.” A slight snort followed. “Stupid, isn’t it?”
Simon snugged her arm in a little closer to his body. “I know Worsley Hall has gone to some relative…a distant cousin?”
She nodded. “A man I had never heard of, let alone met. My home. Gone just like that with Papa’s death.”
“And that’s why you’re here now? To conclude those matters?”
“Mostly, yes.”
They walked on in silence for a little while, Simon as busy with his thoughts as he imagined her to be with hers.
“What shall you do, Tabby?” He brought them to a halt and looked down at her. “Worsley is no longer yours. You are a widow, and apparently there’s no home for you with the Ellsmeres.”
She stared ahead, but he saw her throat move as she swallowed.
“Can I help? Can the Ridlingtons do anything? I know Edmund and Rosaline would…”
“No, stop.” She turned and disengaged her arm from his. “I have a mission already, Simon.”
“I thought you said no more Government business for you.”
“Not that kind of mission.” She blew a breath out from between her lips. “There’s no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just come right out with it.”
“Very well.” He wondered at her tone. Her face was expressionless, quietly attractive in repose and giving nothing away.
“I have been asked by the Diocese to review and assess the finances of St. Simon’s church.”
WORD OF A LADY
Book 3 in the Six Pearls of Baron Ridlington Series
He was a little younger than she’d anticipated. Perhaps in his early forties, which was no great age, but given that he was the name behind a prestigious London publishing company, she’d been prepared for someone with more of an elderly appearance.
“Miss Smith?” He rose as she entered the parlour.
“Indeed.” She dropped him a polite curtsey. “Thank you for the honour you do us, Mr. Lesley. Coming all this way from London is very much appreciated, and quite a surprise.”
They sat, he in a large chair by the fireplace, she in a smaller one next to the well-worn sofa.
“After reading your…er…friend’s manuscript, I felt it incumbent upon me to visit in person. And to be honest, I have an acquaintance in the area, so it was a case of killing two birds with one happy stone.” He crossed his legs. “I suppose there is no chance of my meeting with Lady Corinth in person?”
“No sir, I’m afraid not.” Letitia kept her expression calm and her words simple. She was masquerading as the author’s friend and intended Mr. Lesley to completely accept her role. “Given the nature of the manuscript, I’m sure you can understand her desire to remain anonymous.”
“Indeed.” Lesley nodded. “Cytherean Tales has the potential to be a very popular volume, Miss Smith.”
Letitia’s heart jumped. “It does?”
“Yes.” He tapped his leather case which lay on the table next to him. “It is quite remarkable in its characterization and the heroines’ voices are strong and will easily attract and hold a reader’s attention.”
“Well,” Letitia cleared her throat. “I can assure you she will be very happy to hear that. Very happy indeed.”
“You realize however, that this is a very controversial volume?”
“I do.”
“You have read it yourself?” He raised an eyebrow. “I will admit to some surprise that a lady of your tender years has risked exposing herself to the material contained in this book.”
Letitia’s chin rose. “I believe Lady Corinth wrote much of the book with women in mind, Mr. Lesley.” She caught herself up. “At least that’s what she told me, several times, during its creation.”
“You astound me.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure that we will be able to market it as suitable for ladies.”
Unwilling to argue at this point, Letitia let that issue lie. “Do I take it then, that you are considering accepting Lady Corinth’s work, sir?”
“Indeed yes. I will be very happy to offer a publication contract to Lady Corinth. On most generous terms, I might add.”
Since she couldn’t stand up, shout, dance, whoop or do any of the things she would like to have done, she just smiled.
“There is one proviso…” He reached for his bag and withdrew the manuscript.
Her heart dropped to her boots. Here it comes. Nothing is ever that simple.
“I have made a copy and taken the liberty of marking up some areas that need greater clarification. I’ve also had a copy made of the document with the suggestions. It never hurts to have an extra manuscript for safety.”
“Would not an editor be the one to make those suggestions, sir? I believe I’ve heard that that’s how these matters are handled?”
“We do have editors with whom we consult; several are well-respected in their fields. However, given this particular volume and the nature of the content, I felt it better to retain it in our own offices. I’m sure you can appreciate my point of view.”
She watched him. He was not embarrassed, just cautious.
“Therefore I have done what might be called a preliminary read, and made some editing suggestions. If Lady Corinth would be good enough to look them over, and perhaps attend to them, then we would be delighted to offer one of our highest tier contracts.”
He withdrew a document from his case and passed it to Letitia.
Her vision blurred for a few moments as she read the terms. The advance alone would be enough to fix a lot of the rotting floors at Ridlington Chase. And the consequent profits from sales and second and third editions? Her mind scrambled to grasp the significance of the numbers.
After a few minutes, she laid the document beside her on the couch. “You must be confident of success, Mr. Lesley, to offer such generous amounts. You’ve said yourself that this is controversial material. Are you that sure it will sell? Is there a market for works of such a nature?”
“I can understand your questions, Miss Smith. And since they must emanate from Lady Corinth herself…” He glanced at her with a questioning look.
“Yes, they do.”
“Then you may reassure her that yes, there is indeed a very active interest in such books. I think it fair to describe this as erotic, if you’ll forgive my blunt words. And such volumes have achieved very healthy sales numbers, while not necessarily finding their way into the most popularly visited sections of bookshops or libraries.”
“Ah,” exclaimed Letitia. “I see what you mean.” You’re going to make a fortune selling my book under the counter.