Warwickshire, England, 1812
Fooled by love once before, Margaret vows never to be played the fool again. To keep her vow, she attends a notorious matchmaking party intent on securing the perfect marital match: a union of convenience to someone who could never affect her heart. She discovers a man who exceeds all her hopes in the handsome and obliging rake Mr. Northam.
There’s only one problem. His meddling cousin, Lord Williams, won’t leave Margaret alone. Condescending and high-handed, Lord Williams lectures and insults her. When she refuses to give heed to his counsel, he single-handedly ruins Margaret’s chances for making a good match—to his cousin or anyone else. With no reason to remain at the party, Margaret returns home to discover her father has promised her hand in marriage—to Lord Williams
Under no condition will Margaret consent to marrying such an odious man. Yet as Lord Williams inserts himself into her everyday life, interrupting her family games and following her on morning walks, winning the good opinion of her siblings and proving himself intelligent and even kind, Margaret is forced to realize that Lord Williams is exactly the type of man she’d hoped to marry before she’d learned how much love hurt. When paths diverge and her time with Lord Williams ends, Margaret is faced with her ultimate choice: keep the promises that protect her or break free of them for one more chance at love. Either way, she fears her heart will lose.
These days most of my reading time is taken up with my grad studies, but I wanted to take a moment to spotlight a new Regency-set title from debut author Leah Garriott, Promised. We've been given an excerpt from the book, which I'll share below. I hope you enjoy! After the excerpt, check out the other stops on the Promised Blog Tour, which has been in progress since February 17th. There you will find more content about Promised, reviews, interviews and more!
Exclusive Excerpt of Promised, by Leah Garriott
Only a few minutes would pass before my mother discovered my absence and sent someone to call for me. If I hurried, I could glimpse the man through the window in the parlor. Then I could be prepared. I would have the upper hand when we were introduced.
I scrambled off the bench and raced up the stairs. Bending low to avoid being seen, I raced across the lawn and climbed onto the low wall surrounding the house. With my arms outstretched for balance, I shimmied toward the parlor windows, trying to avoid falling forward into the prickly bushes growing between the wall and the house. When I found a good spot, I adjusted my feet, inhaled deeply, and peered inside.
My mother stood nearest, though she was angled away from the window as though watching the door for my arrival. My father stood a few steps from her, facing the other side of the room. They both looked uncomfortable, my mother furtively glancing to the door, my father unmoving with a small frown on his face. I leaned closer to the window, trying to see who else was in the room, but I couldn’t maneuver past the unruly yew bush growing next to the house and over the wall.
The only other person visible was Daniel, standing by himself in the middle of the room. I waved my hand to catch his attention. When he noticed me, he frowned and shook his head. Why was he so serious? It wasn’t his future that was being destroyed. I made a face. He didn’t respond, though I imagined I heard him clear his throat to stifle a laugh. I gestured to the side of the room, wanting to know what the man was like. Daniel didn’t move. Undeterred, I hunched over, pressing one hand to the small of my back while holding a pretend cane in the other. I took a step along the wall and shook my pretend cane at him in imitation of his Russian from the day before.
Suddenly a man appeared between us and looked directly at me. The intensity of his blue eyes threw me off balance. My arms flung out, flailing for anything to stop my fall, but there was nothing to grasp. My feet slipped and I fell backward onto the lawn. After struggling to regain my breath, I looked at the house. I had fallen too close to the wall to see the window, which meant no one could see me. I was safe.
Except, I was not safe. I knew those icy blue eyes. They were Lord Williams’s eyes.
It couldn’t be.
I lifted myself onto my elbows and peeked over the wall.
It was.
Lord Williams was in my home, standing in my window, though he’d turned and now his back was to me. Even the way he carried himself, formal yet relaxed, testified to his belief that all should bow before him.
Surely this couldn’t be the man my parents had spoken of. He must be here for some other reason. To disabuse me to my parents? To warn them of his cousin since I’d refused to pay heed to him before?
If it was the latter, the joke was on him. My marriage plans had already taken a tumultuous detour.
I would not stand for any more meddling from him, whatever his purpose. Especially not when I was already consumed with deciding how to eradicate a soon-to-be-arriving fiancé. Ladylike or not, I would confront him and let him know exactly what I thought of him. And then I would throw him out.
I stood and, without looking again at the window, walked calmly to the front door, straightening my skirt. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open and almost collided with Alice.
“I was just coming to get you,” she said excitedly, her eyes sparkling. “The baron has arrived, Margaret. Isn’t it thrilling?”
The baron? She said it as though he were the only baron in all of England. I bit back a remark and shook my head, instead grasping Alice’s hand and forcing myself toward the parlor. Just before I reached the open door I paused.
“Do I look presentable?” I asked.
“Yes, you look very pretty. Are you nervous?”
“To face Lord Williams? I should think not.” I rolled my shoulders back, lifted my chin, and strode into the room.
All eyes fixed on me as I entered. Keeping my head up, I quickly surveyed the small party. No one had moved from their positions of a moment before. The only difference was that there were now red splotches on Daniel’s cheeks as he struggled for composure, no doubt the effect of witnessing my fall.
My mother bustled up to me wearing a mask of pleasantness, but her eyes were tight at the sides. I felt the smallest hint of sympathy for her. Lord Williams’s presence in our house, or anywhere in the county, for that matter, was enough to make anyone unhappy.
“Margaret, let me introduce Lord Williams.” She placed a firm hand on my arm and directed me to the middle of the room.
Lord Williams moved in front of me and bowed. It would have been a very gracious bow, except his eyes never left mine.
(Chapter Nine, pages 72-76)
PROMISED BLOG TOUR
Debut novelist Leah Garriott tours the blogosphere February 17 through March 15, 2020 to share her new historical romance, Promised. Forty popular book bloggers specializing in historical romance, inspirational fiction, and Austenesque fiction will feature guest blogs, interviews, exclusive excerpts, and book reviews of this acclaimed Regency romance novel.
About the Author
Though she earned degrees in math and statistics, Leah Garriott lives for a good love story. She's resided in Hawaii and Italy, walked the countryside of England, and owns every mainstream movie version of Pride and Prejudice. She's currently living her own happily ever after in Utah with her husband and three kids. Leah is represented by Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.
Connect with Leah Garriott
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