What's In a Title?

 Recently, someone (who admitted she was not familiar with the British nobility), questioned what the big deal was with Dante hiding his title from Beatrice in The Inconvenient Sister and why Beatrice, as a want-to-be investigative journalist, would not have known all his titles, anyway. 

British nobility is known primarily by their highest title. In this case, a Duke is only second to the King, and therefore the title "Duke of Dorset" is Dante's highest title and the one by which everyone would have known him as. Now, when he was being announced such as for state balls (which did not occur in this book), all of his titles would have been read, but most people would only pay attention to his highest title. That said, as a Duke (second to the king), he was at the highest echelon of society. 

Beatrice is prejudiced against the upper classes. Although she was also born into nobility, she is the youngest in a stream of sisters, naïve, idealistic, and wants to make changes in the world. A baron (the title Dante introduces himself to her with) is at her same level in society because her mother is a baroness. Although her sister is now married to an earl, she would not have any benefit in society from her sister's marriage--even if her sister did not have children, the title could never be inherited by her. The only benefit is that men who want connections to her brother-in-law (and who presumably are titled) may be interested in marrying her for that connection. Beatrice, herself, has no social rank and will only get the social rank of her husband. She also has no wealth, and that is why her family wishes her to make a good marriage. 

Although she wishes to be an investigative journalist, neither she nor her boss would know or care about all the titles bestowed on Dante. None of the additional titles would help them achieve their goal of printing how stuck up he is and writing a story about how he does not care for the poor. These are the stories that would have sold the newspaper--which was extremely important in an era where they were footing the bill to print it and needed to recapture their investment. 

I'm not sure if a British journalist today would even know all the titles for nobility because there are so many. With the internet, they would, of course, be relatively easy to look up, but in the premise of the story, the characters would have to know all of Dante's titles (and by extension the titles of all the nobility they wished to target), even though all but that of "duke" are rarely used. It is a step beyond just remembering someone's middle name--and I, personally, don't know Elon Musk's, President Trump's, or Bill Gates' middle name (without looking it up)--even though I frequently write scathing blog posts on my RSS Feed news blog, and knowing someone's middle name would be an easier task than remembering all someone's titles. 

The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 8

Dante decided to walk home and sent his carriage ahead of him. The young Miss Radford consumed his thoughts, and he wanted time to think about them. He found walking frequently cleared his head enough to deal with his servants and with life in general.

Despite his confusion and the set downs she gave him, he still found Miss Radford to be intriguing. Her sister must have spoken harshly to the young lady to tame the shrew into such heartfelt repentance. But there was that “sir” again that had him questioning if the tears were real.

Was it a deliberate slight? he wondered.

Like most people in town, he knew about the history of the Radfords. Lady Radford had been born the only child of the Baron Monteagle, Lord Parker, a former investor and leader in the British East India Company. At three years old, her mother died, and her father had sent her home to England to live with an aunt despite the danger of the voyage for one so young. Baron Monteagle had arranged a marriage for his daughter when she was sixteen, but she had balked at the arrangement and had fled to Gretna Green to marry Sir Radford, who was below her station. Not surprisingly, her father had disinherited her, leaving her to rely upon Sir Radford’s small wealth. After giving birth to four daughters, Sir Radford had passed away from illness several years ago with only two of his daughters comfortably married. Unfortunately, his estate had been entailed. Lady Duval, then known as Miss Radford, had married a dying man to secure a home for herself, her mother, and her youngest sister. After being widowed, she had fallen in love with Lord Duval.

Although their family had been wrought with unfortunate happenings, there was no reason to assume that the young Miss Radford had been so ill-bred as to deliberately misuse titles. He quickly concluded that her fire and passion must be the result of her youth or her inexperience. Once he convinced himself that was the case, he developed the opinion that the interesting side of her personality would soon turn into a simpering miss like the rest of the women on the marriage market. That thought disappointed him as he climbed the steps of his townhouse.

He paused for a minute before entering his London home. He questioned himself: Was he interested in her romantically? It only took him a second to push the idea aside. He needed a far tidier and self-controlled wife. He planned to find one in three years. He was still far too young to be burdened with that aspect of life. He also enjoyed some simpering, and social etiquette was of the utmost importance in his position. If he thought women were foolish when they discovered his title, he could only imagine how much more unpleasant marriage would be with one of them. He had many reasons to put off that institution.

Shaking his head, he walked into his townhouse.

His heart skipped a beat at the faint hope that Miss Radford might accept him for who he was, even after she learned his title, and remain true to her causes. The thought of having an authentic friend after all these years was an exciting one that he quickly rejected. He had often been disappointed in that department, and he definitely would not get his hopes up after only spending a few, tense minutes with the woman. Tomorrow evening, when he danced with her, he would be able to tell easily enough if she were shopping for titles.

He said a quick prayer and decided to leave it in the Lord’s hands. He had been praying a long time for a close male friend, but if the Lord preferred, he would settle for a temporary female one just to have the experience. Although he tried not to get his hopes up, he found himself looking forward to going to an assembly for the first time in his life.

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 7

 “It seems as if we finished our conversation just in time,” Emily whispered, as men’s voices arose to meet them on the first landing of the turning stairway.

When Beatrice released the wrought iron balustrade and stepped onto the entry hall floor, she steeled herself for her mission. Marcus and the man stood before her, saying their parting words, but both stopped and turned upon the ladies’ entrance from the stair.

“I’m sorry—” Beatrice began, but the words caught in her throat.

For some reason, she had not truly looked at the man when she had argued with him earlier. Standing merely an arm’s length away with the bright light of midmorning hitting his face through the glass that framed the home’s front door, she realized with mortification that he was much younger and more attractive than she had first thought. His features were almost perfectly formed with a solid, straight nose. His hair was pitch black without the sunlight streaks she had mistaken for gray. His smooth, strong jawbone was clean-shaven and looked as if it were carved from rock. His teal and black coat fit across his muscular chest perfectly, and his black breeches revealed trim legs. Clearly, whoever Marcus was entertaining enjoyed sport and was fit enough to pursue it. With the insults she had tossed his way, it was no wonder he reacted defensively.

Suddenly ashamed, she quickly averted her eyes and struggled to fight back tears. She wondered if she would ever learn to control her temper. She had been so angry at what she had witnessed this morning that instead of trying to find a champion for her cause, she lashed out at a stranger as if he were the reason for the calamity. As the blush climbed across her cheeks, she forced out the rest of the apology she now knew he deserved.

“It was wrong of me to speak to you so. Please forgive me,” she choked.

Her eyes flitted up to his and were immediately captured by their powerful, golden hazel. One corner of his mouth turned upward in an attractive half smile. “I must say that I am flattered. I don’t think I have ever received such a sincere apology. Of course, I accept it, Miss—?”

“—Radford. Beatrice Radford,” Beatrice blinked and held out her hand.

When he took it, her stomach flipped inside her. She watched as he slowly raised it and pressed it against his lips. He stared deeply into her eyes, and for a moment, she felt as if he could see the depths of her soul. Her breathing quickened, and her heart pounded against her corset.

“Will you be at the assembly tomorrow night?” Marcus’ voice interrupted their connection. The gentleman dropped her hand, and Beatrice immediately returned her eyes to the intricately designed rug on the floor.

“Yes, I was planning on attending.”

“This will be the first one for Beatrice. Would you be so kind as to dance with her once? I am afraid she has few acquaintances in London.”

“Of course, I would be honored,” the man smiled and bowed slightly.

Beatrice’s face flamed as she scowled at her brother-in-law. She had little intention of dancing at the assembly with anyone—a fact that Marcus should know. As she opened her mouth, her sister’s elbow landed firmly in her side.

She closed her eyes, thankful for the protective boning of her corset that had felt suffocating to her moments earlier. Focusing, she remembered this gentleman had not made the arrangement, but was merely being polite about it. She forced a smile and returned her eyes to the man’s perfectly tied cravat. She willed herself to be nice for Emily’s sake—and for Marcus’. “I-I would love that, sir.”

Marcus gasped, “Beatrice, do you not know—”

“Well, until tomorrow, then,” the man said brusquely, no longer smiling. She watched as he carefully placed his hat on his head and walked out the door. She was left wondering if perhaps he did not want to dance with her at all. For some reason, this thought bothered her despite her dislike of such an unproductive pastime.

She shifted her gaze from the closed door to a horrified Marcus. “Beatrice! You can’t talk to him like that. He is—”

“—Be-a-trice! Child, you don’t even look as if you have begun to get ready for supper.” Lady Radford, her mother, interrupted from the stair landing. “Why are you standing in the entryway, staring at the door like a ninny? Come upstairs to your room immediately, or we shall have to hold the meal!”

Trying to set the odd encounter aside, she hurried up the stairway. Her emotions were swirling inside her. One minute, the man seemed kind, almost playful, but the next, he was like a tempest—wild and unpredictable. It was true that aside from Marcus, this man was the first male she had met who was not old enough to be her father. Still, she had always thought males would be easier to understand. Her mother seemed to think they were.

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The Inconvenient Sister Is Published!

 The Inconvenient Sister is now available on  Amazon: (hardcover is $12.99; large print is $10.99; paperback is $8.99; Kindle version is $2.99). 

The audible version is still in production at this time, as is the re-release of the first book in the series, The Inconvenient Widow. 

Visit our new website to see our other books.

The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 6

 Beatrice thought about what her sister had said as she peered past the bed-canopy roof at the circle in the center of her ceiling that framed a painting of Samuel anointing David as king of Israel. Emily was not her oldest sister, but she always saw the more practical side of things. Even before Emily had married Lord Duval, she had a natural sense of poise under pressure. Beatrice hated the current situation in which the poor people of London resided, but she realized the wisdom of her sister’s advice.

Beatrice knew her problem was that she could never control herself when any situation escalated. Her temper was her biggest flaw. She was well aware that the only way to be the voice of the lower classes was to be a part of society. How else would she teach the upper classes about the commoners’ suffering?

After a quick prayer asking for help with her temper, she sighed. “I guess I did go about my plea rather shabbily. But Emily, babies are lying dead in the street!”

Emily rested a hand on her shoulder. “Honey gets more flies to it than vinegar. If you shout at and insult our guests, you will close the door on your chances of marrying. If you don’t make such a cake of yourself, you could find a husband who supports your efforts and has a seat in Parliament.”

“But I don’t want a husband!” Beatrice fumed. She wished finding a spouse were not such a tradition among young ladies. Her trip to London to be placed on the marriage mart had not been her idea. Between her mother and Emily, she could not decide who was acting worse about it.

“A single woman has little social sway. Consider how much better you could further your cause if you had a man to defend it with you. Why would you want to limit your ability to make changes? You’ve only been in town a few days. You haven’t even begun to explore all the wonderful parties and social events. Take your time, and enjoy your chance to find a perfect helper. You don’t have to choose someone this year, but don’t secure your heart against those men you have not yet met. Believe me, the Good Lord has someone planned for you, and I am praying hard you will meet him.”

“Or, perhaps, the Good Lord prefers for me to be an old maid,” Beatrice countered.

“If you keep on like you did today, there will be no question of that. Although I don’t think the Lord would be pleased about it if He presented you with the perfect husband and you shouted the poor man away.”

“I highly doubt the Lord wants me to marry an old baron. He evidently didn’t have such narrow plans for you. However, I suppose I did let my anger get the best of me today.”

“You forget that it was in the Lord’s plan that I first marry a dying baron before I could have a living Earl. Now, you need to make your apologies. Hopefully, all will be forgotten with only a simple act of retribution. I know Marcus needed this vote in Parliament for the project on which he is working.”

“But that man should apologize to me, too! You should have heard—”

“—What I have heard is enough!” Emily interrupted firmly. “I know you. I know that you probably took something he said out of context and went off on a rant without listening to him. I know you must learn to control your temper. That is your greatest flaw. Now, you need to come with me and apologize, if it isn’t already too late.” Emily arose and walked toward the door. “And, Beatrice?”

“Yes?”

“You need to make this a heartfelt apology. I don’t know all the details, but I do know this meeting was important to Marcus. After all my husband has done for me—for us—you should at least take his feelings into consideration.”

“I will,” Beatrice murmured as she followed Emily out of the room. She could already tell this was going to be a very long London season. She wanted nothing more than to make a difference here in the city, but being hindered by social events and apologies would not help her cause.

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 5

 Beatrice had never been so angry before in her life. She was so upset with the man in Marcus’ library that Emily was able to pull her through the hallway, up the two flights of stairs, and into her room before she could slow down her thoughts enough to talk. She flounced on her white, French-styled bed with its white satin tufted headboard framed in teal damask curtains. As she sank into the downy mattress with her skirts flaring around her, she flung herself backward next to her teal-colored, satin pillows. Then she released all her pent-up anger in a roar of frustration.

“That man is the most infuriating, ignorant—”

“—Beatrice!” the breath hissed through Emily’s teeth, pulling Beatrice out of her tirade. “Since father died, I have focused my entire life on giving you a chance to achieve your dreams. However, you are doing everything you can to ruin any hope you could have of marrying a suitable husband.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. Marriage is not one of my dreams. My dream is to be a journalist and fight social injustice. Talking to members of Parliament is just a first step along that path.”

“Talking?” Emily’s eyebrow shot upward. “Actually, you were shouting so loudly that I am sure every servant in our house and the next heard you. I interrupted your tirade because I feared you would wake baby Pamela. Oh, Beatrice!” Emily groaned and walked over to collapse on the white satin settee with a teal-fern, embroidered design. “You have no idea how London society works. If you cannot learn to get along in it, you will find yourself sifted to the bottom.”

Beatrice frowned. “Since Parliament is full of old, fusty men and their old, fusty ideas, it should be expected that I will disagree with them occasionally. I don’t care about ‘London society,’ so there is no need for me to attempt to join it. Being at the bottom will only bring me closer to the poor, who are the only people for whom I care.”

“And can any of those poor people address Parliament or a member of it? Could a street urchin walk up to the King and say, ‘Excuse me, Your Highness, but life is a little hard. I have some great ideas to change it.’ No. He could not approach the King or Parliament because of his low status.

“If you allow yourself to become shunned by society, you will never make a difference in this world. The people to whom you must encourage to change things will not give you the opportunity to speak with them. Do you want that?”

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 4

 Beatrice’s face turned bright red, and he could almost feel the sparks in her sapphire eyes strike out at him. Dante was sure Lord Duval’s mouth hung open. Acutely aware of his position in society, he normally kept his tongue in check, but something about this woman agitated him to the point he could not contain the set down. At that moment, the door to the library burst open, rattling some books on the shelves as another woman burst into the room.

“Beatrice!” she cried, exasperated.

Dante’s eyes continued to war with Beatrice’s as they both disregarded the interruption. Although not a word had been said by either of them for half a minute, his breathing was still quick as if he had just finished racing his bays. The words between them were bitter, but for some reason Dante could not prevent himself from focusing on her rosy, pouting lips.

“What are you doing?!” The feminine voice continued to scold in the background.

Lord Duval’s new wife appeared beside Beatrice, causing Dante to break contact with the young lady out of politeness toward her older sister.

“Oh, my! Please forgive my sister—” Lady Berkshire gave a curtsy and clamped her hand onto the girl’s wrist in one smooth gesture.

Dante raised his hand and stopped her apology. “Think nothing of it. We were all young once,” he shot at the younger sister. “It has not been so long for me that I have forgotten my own childhood follies.” He allowed himself one final look at the stormy girl and then dismissed her. He could not remember any time in his life when so much chaos had happened around him in such a short time. Returning to Lord Duval, he said, “Before we were so rudely interrupted, I believe we were discussing the gin laws, and you were explaining where you came up with your ingenious idea.”

Lord Duval, being a man of good breeding, looked as if his ship were sunk, but he did his best to save the situation.

Dante did not watch as Lady Berkshire pulled her sister out of the room, but he could feel Beatrice’s eyes on him until the door closed with a quiet click. Inside, he felt unsettled. Half of him longed for her to come back and enliven the conversation again. The other, more sensible half chided his folly.

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 3

 “Workhouses!?!” the young woman’s voice raised a notch as she turned and focused her ire upon him. “How can you call those factories of death an option? Have you ever been to one? Have you ever worked for those slave masters running them?”

With a smirk, Dante replied, “Have you?” At this, he allowed his eyes to travel down the spotless mauve dress that was of the latest fashion with its over-wide sleeves and lace trim. It parted on top to reveal a light pink floral bodice, came together at the girl’s waist, and then parted again, revealing her deep green petticoat. “You don’t look as if you have visited one today. And although your manners suggest otherwise, I would guess that you have never in your life traveled to the areas of London that house them.”

Beatrice gasped and took a step toward him. “How dare you! I am sure that, despite the fact I am probably young enough to be your daughter, I have visited more of the sections of London in need of Parliament’s help than you.”

Dante’s eyes grew wide. The way this termagant said it, one would think he already had a foot in the grave.

“Beatrice! Shame on you!” Lord Duval stood and slammed his right hand down on the large oaken desk next to him, nearly toppling the globe.

Again, this slip of a girl seemed to best Dante. He longed for a mirror to examine his face for wrinkles but knew that was out of the question. He also would not have a lower peer defending him. He could fight his own battles.

“Well, if that is the case, miss,” he began with slitted eyes, “I must beg your apology. I took you to be a woman old enough to be out. However, if you were, as you say, young enough to be my child, it would mean you are still in the schoolroom. I am surprised your nursemaid would allow an eight-year old to go wandering around the house, interrupting important meetings. In that case, however, I admit that I was in the wrong. As a mature adult, I should have kept my thoughts to myself. After all, it is impossible to argue with children.”

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 2

 “Oh, Marcus! You must do something about it! There are babies lying dead in the ditch near Fleet!”

“Beatrice! I am in the middle of a very important meeting right now with the–” Marcus chided as he flashed the Duke an apologetic glance.

“—I am very pleased to meet you, sir,” Beatrice interrupted as she dropped a hurried curtsy without taking her eyes off Lord Duval or truly acknowledging the Duke, “but whatever you are discussing is not as important as the fact that poor infants are being abandoned and dying from exposure. In fact,” she suddenly turned on the Duke as if she expected something of him, “if you are one of my brother-in-law’s cohorts in Parliament, it is imperative that you also are made aware of this tragedy so you, too, can aid him in resolving it, sir.”

Dante Francis Seymour Sackville, the Duke of Dorset, almost choked on his tea when the firebrand used “sir” for a second time. Never in his twenty-six years had he been so passed over and slighted. Had he previously mused that such a cut might occur in his lifetime, never would he have imagined that the insult would come from such a captivating agitator. He, after all, was the one noted as being a “good catch” on the marriage mart and an “eternal bachelor.”

Dismayingly, when her gaze had shifted to him as she concluded her tirade, he found himself stifling a foolish grin. There was something about her intelligent eyes that drew him to her. Most young women were quite insipid–their interests lay solely in dresses and balls. This woman apparently cared more for His Majesty’s subjects. Perhaps that is why she did not fret over titles or stray hairs. He found it intriguing and repulsing at the same time.

“Are you listening to me, sir?” The question pulled Dante’s attention away from thoughts of Beatrice’s flaming eyes and what they held, but before he could respond in his more carefully thought-out manner, she had dismissed him with an impertinent sigh and returned to Marcus with her tirade.

Again, the Duke found himself in a new position. He could not remember a single person ever completely dismissing him so easily. The loss of title was a faux pas, but the embarrassment would be on her when she discovered it. However, being ignored pricked his pride deeply. He had been pampered from childhood into believing he was a deft cull even without the title. Most women tended to reinforce this view. He found it disconcerting that this young woman, who had dared to address him without a proper introduction, did not give him a second glance.

“… And I insist Parliament do something about it!”

“Well, my dear,” Dante said, entering the conversation ready to do battle before Marcus could reply, “Parliament has already done something about it. We have plenty of workhouses scattered throughout the city. If these women truly cared for their infants and had no other recourse, they could easily apply to one and receive health care, gainful employment, care and schooling for the child, and three balanced meals each day.” Dante leaned back in his chair to study his opponent, crossing his arms.

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The Inconvenient Sister Chapter 1 Part 1

Chapter 1

1742
London

“Let’s just say, Your Grace, that I think this is a perfect way to move us out of our gin crisis, but it will have to be carefully executed,” Lord Duval, Earl of Berkshire said, smiling as he leaned back in the beige upholstered chair.

The Duke of Dorset appreciated that Lord Duval had done everything possible to make his presentation effective, including holding it in his cozy-but-strictly-business library. A low fire burned on the hearth between the Duke’s chair and the matching one in which Lord Duval sat. To Lord Duval’s right, his desk was clear except for a single candlestick, a small globe, and his writing set. The door leading to the rest of the London townhouse was firmly shut in front of both of them.

“I have to agree,” the Duke replied with the corner of his lip slightly curling upward. “Offering the populace tea as an alternative is ingenious. I also agree that simply lowering the current tax on tea from 119% to only 12.5% will encourage even the commoners to purchase it. Did you come up with this all by yourself, or did you work on it with others in Parliament?” The Duke couldn’t help glancing at the well-stocked bookshelves surrounding them. Lord Duval was a knowledgeable, well-read man—something hard to find among those who had taken their seat in Parliament at a younger age like the two of them had done. He leaned forward and raised a delicately decorated porcelain cup to his strong lips for a sip of the very thing they were discussing.

The Duke kept his black hair like he kept his own estate–neat and well-organized. Unlike other men, who curled the hair on the sides of their face, he tied all his back in a long braid to keep it tidy during any activity he might choose to do on a whim. Even so, the Duke was not prone to whims. That Lord Duval wore his hair neatly in a similar style only made the Earl rise slightly higher in the Duke’s esteem.

When the Duke had first arrived at Lord Duval's townhouse, he had been afraid the Earl would present an idea about yet another tax on gin to fix Britain’s current drinking problem among the masses. It seemed someone approached him nearly every day with that same idea. However, in his opinion as a young history buff, the past had shown that taxes were not the answer. In fact, he had only agreed to meet because Lord Duval had been so helpful on a bill he had proposed last year. The Duke felt that he could not refuse to at least hear the Earl’s idea. He was charmed that this meeting he felt obliged to attend turned to one of pleasure with a fresh idea that had merit. Instead of taxing gin, they would subsidize tea. It would take a while for Parliament to accept a plan to lower taxes and lose any subsequent income from them while increasing money spent to subsidize something, but the government would have to make it up somewhere else. The more the commoners consumed gin, the less work they accomplished and the more the economy suffered.

“I must confess: I am only partially responsible for this plan,” Lord Duval began with a tinge of pride in his voice. “My new sister-in-law—”

A loud commotion began in the hallway and ended with a young lady of perhaps eighteen bursting through the door and interrupting the conversation. Her topaz-colored hair was drifting menacingly out of its cap like a darkening storm cloud, while her blue eyes flashed lightning. The Duke was slightly shocked to see a woman in such disarray and passion, but at the same time, he felt an odd pang of attraction that he quickly brushed aside as mere surprise.

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Preview The Inconvenient Sister

Starting Wednesday, we will be posting a sneak peak at the entire first chapter of The Inconvenient Sister. You will get to read a little bit of the book each day for the next eight days on here FREE!

The Inconvenient Sister is an inspirational historical romance set in 1742 England. It is the second in the Situations of Inconvenience Series.

It will be on sale on Amazon Monday, September 15, 2025. 

Beatrice

Beatrice is the ever impetuous younger sister. She frequently acts without thinking and sees no reason to control her actions. As a budding reporter, she constantly is looking for her next story, and she wants to improve the situation of the poor.

Beatrice had her own reasons for wanting to go to London during the season, but none of them involve finding a husband. She believes she can find a job as a journalist, but ends up working as an inker in a print shop. She also chooses to look at London's poor and is outspoken about her desire to change things for them. She purchases from street vendors and helps those who cross her path if she can.

Because of her work, Beatrice is often seen in her working dress with ink stains on her hands. She is also on the lookout for that one bit of news that might encourage her employers to accept one of the articles she writes for publication in their magazine.

Parents: Lady Radford;  Sir Henry Radford

Siblings: Esther;  Judith;  Emily 

Husband: Dante

Children: Dinah; Hannah

The Inconvenient Widow Study Questions (Now part of the 2nd Edition)

1.       Emily says she constantly rushes into things. Have you ever rushed into something? How did it turn out? What are things you do to keep yourself from rushing decisions?

2.      Emily is worried about taking care of her family. Is your family important to you? Have you had to make sacrifices for your family? How does giving up things for your family make you feel?

3.      Marcus had decided not to marry because of the way women acted around him. Have you ever decided that you would not do something but changed your mind later? Is there anything you always wanted to do but never had a chance? Why do goals change over time?

4.      Do you feel Lady Radford is pushy or loving? What are some of her best and worst traits? Would you want to have her as your mother?

5.      Lady Radford walks in at a bad time and assumes wrong. Have you ever been in a situation where someone made the wrong judgment about you? How did you resolve the problem?

6.      Marcus has a difficult time telling Emily he loves her. In what ways does Stephen help or hinder the situation? Have you ever given advice to someone that did not help them? What happened?

7.       Similarly, Emily has a difficult time understanding Marcus' actions. Have you ever misunderstood someone? How did you find out the truth?

8.      Many of the book's characters do not trust Algernon when Emily continues to give him the benefit of the doubt. The Bible says to be as crafty as serpents and as innocent as doves. How is it difficult balancing this fine line in your life?

9.      Some of the bad guys in this story are truly bad. They have completely closed themselves off to reform. How should they be dealt with by the law? Do you believe they should receive the death penalty for their crimes? (They would have been hung in the time period.)

10.   Algernon makes many bad choices. Do you feel his actions are excusable? Do you think he has truly changed by the end of the book?

What is an Inspirational Romance?

Well, my book, The Inconvenient Widow, isn't doing so well ratings wise on Goodreads right now. Why? Because it is an inspirational romance. Now, I don't try to hide this fact from anyone. I clearly stated it on my Goodreads Giveaway page. In case anyone didn't know what that was, in the description, I say, "Marcus is there to protect her while Emily’s faith helps her through her ordeals." Unfortunately, the same people who do not know what an Inspirational Romance is also seem to miss that very important clue. 

According to the Romance Writers of America, Inspirational Romance is "Romance novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs (in the context of any religion or spiritual belief system) are a major part of the romantic relationship." All the books I have read that are marked "Inspirational Romance" use Christianity as their basis of belief. Obviously, mine follows suit. 

So, I am getting bad reviews because of all the Christianity in my Inspirational Romance. Sigh. I know I am not the only author to suffer this readership misunderstanding, but it is the equivalent of someone reading a fantasy and giving it a bad review because it contained unicorns and dragons. After all, those creatures aren't very realistic. 

True, my novels don't have sex in them or swearing, so I suppose they are attractive to those who shun these things in books, but it is disappointing to get a one-star review that berates the unbelievably Christian characters, but then in the last sentence says, "The author is a good writer." I write well, but since I have chosen to write Christian Romance my books are one-star. 

So, please, if you are following this blog, go out and tell your friends - and tell them to tell their friends - Inspirational Romances are Christian Romances. The next time I do a Goodreads Giveaway, I will definitely be spelling it out better. 

The Inconvenient Widow Giveaway on Goodreads!!

It took a long time to get it active - so there are only two days left. We are giving away 10 copies of The Inconvenient Widow on Goodreads. Click the link above to register today!!

The Inconvenient Widow Large Print AVAILABLE NOW!

We just released the large print version of The Inconvenient Widow. This book was written in large print and bold to help ease the reading. You can buy it on Amazon by clicking this link. Or buy it directly through our CreateSpace store by clicking here. Or you can purchase it directly from our Dreaming Reality website: Write To Dream Reality.

The Inconvenient Widow e-books are available on Kindle and will be free to Amazon Prime members for a limited time.

The Inconvenient Widow: Chapter 1, End

As Marcus stood watching the scene unfold, he was even more shocked to hear Lucian return the confidence. His friend explained about his longstanding engagement with Penelope. The additional torture he went through when the relationship was broken off and the girl married to another mere months before his father’s death and the will that left him in a position to wed. He told of the responsibility thrown upon him with the loss of his father. He went into detail about the difficulty and emotional turmoil of having a depraved brother. Then he and Emily began sharing all their life’s struggles as if they had known each other for years.

Marcus sat in the corner growing more and more uncomfortable. Outside, it remained dark, but a cock crowed, reminding him how short time was. As he rose, the doctor walked into the room to check on his patient, and Marcus was thankful for an excuse to leave.

“Shall I go for a marriage license, then?” he asked stiffly.

Lucian and Emily exchanged glances.

“It does seem to offer both of us the best way out of our individual disasters,” Lucian was the first to speak. Grasping Emily’s hand, he asked, “I know I am asking much of you, but Emily, will you be my wife? I only expect you to stay with me through the ceremony. Then, Marcus will escort you to my estate. You do not need to tolerate my woeful company any longer than that.”

“Lord Westings, I shall only agree to marry you if you allow me to stay by your side until the end. I shall not have people saying I was an unfaithful wife who married you solely for your income. If you let me care for you in your sickness as any dutiful wife should, I will gladly marry you.”

Lucian smiled and turned to his friend. “Yes, Marcus, I believe you may go for the license.”

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The Inconvenient Widow: Chapter 1, Part 18

Lucian smiled. “You may call me Lucian. I am sure Marcus made you aware of my situation, but would you mind informing me of what brought you here this evening?”

Emily swallowed. What had brought her to the inn was an accident, but she now wondered what brought her into this room. How was she to explain to the dying Baron that she came to see him because she believed he could be a solution to the financial problems of her family? She decided that if the Good Lord were guiding her actions, He would want her to be completely honest. She would tell her story, and if Lucian rejected her, so be it. Since Stephen had paid for her night at the inn, she had enough money to return home or to attempt to see if she was still needed with the Pickerings. If, on the other hand, Lucian accepted her, she would see it as the Lord’s will and trust Him to guide her through the days ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marcus watched from his chair in the corner. At first, Emily told her story haltingly. She related the distress of having her father die and discovering the estate was entailed to a distant cousin, whom she had never met. She told him how her eldest sister immediately took their mother into her home while her two other sisters offered to take Miss Radford and her younger sister. She explained how her older sisters could little afford the burden of bringing Beatrice out in style or keeping Emily on the market for a husband. Rather than set her hopes high or weigh her siblings down, she alone decided to enter into service in order to offset the burden of her mother and Beatrice’s care. 

To Marcus’ surprise, Lucian listened patiently, encouraging her to forge ahead with her story whenever she stalled. His constant urging, seemed to relax her as she stood stiffly in the doorway. Then she stepped further into the room and seemed to pour her heart out to his friend, explaining in detail her disastrous first employment and her dashed expectations with this one.

By the end of her tale, she had taken the chair at Lucian’s side. Again, a flicker of jealousy rose in his breast. Why had she refrained from telling him all her troubles? He stifled the emotion, knowing he still would have felt obligated to thrust her at Lucian.

END

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The Inconvenient Widow: Chapter 1, Part 17

Marcus frowned. He knew Lucian was right, but he did not want to sit in the room while Lucian tried to convince the beautiful Emily to marry him. He stifled a tinge of jealousy. He had proposed the scheme, but he was not exactly pleased about following through with it. He remembered the story of Job. Dear Lord, you gave patience to Job to endure many hardships, please be with me now and help me to deal with my peculiar emotions, he prayed silently. From what he could see, the Lord brought Emily to this inn to save his friend’s estate. That meant she was not here to develop a relationship with him. If the Lord intended her for Lucian, that is what he must help achieve. If that meant preserving her dignity although it placed him in an uncomfortable position, he would do it.

“I see your point. I shall stay,” Marcus added quietly, dragging one of the chairs to a corner and sitting in it with his arms crossed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 “Well, Miss Emily, may I call you by your first name?”

Emily hesitated. The man lying before her was propped up on several pillows, and his hair was flung around in untidy mats of sweat. The covers of the bed were pulled up, but his arms were free. She could tell he wore a borrowed shirt that swallowed him. His sallow complexion did nothing to add to his appearance, but she clung to the kindness in his eyes. Glancing at Marcus, she said, “I suppose the circumstances do not allow for long periods of introduction, my lord.”

Part 18

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The Inconvenient Widow: Chapter 1, Part 16

At that moment, there was a faint rap on the door, and Marcus jumped to open it. Standing there with her head bowed and a candlestick in her hand stood Miss Radford.

 “She’s beautiful,” Lucian murmured.

“I told you she was not pockmarked,” Marcus smiled. “And she comes from fine, noble stock.”

“I am not some horse on the auction block, if you please, my lord,” Emily scoffed, raising her fiery eyes, and then offsetting the severity of her comment by biting her lower lip.

“Forgive me, miss,” Marcus bowed. “May I present Miss Emily Radford, governess, daughter of Sir Henry Radford. Miss Radford, this is my dearest friend, Lord Lucian Grummel, Baron of Westings. I am sure you both have much to discuss, and I wish you well,” Marcus bowed and took a step toward the door.

“I beg your pardon, Lord Berkshire,” Emily gasped. “What kind of a woman do you think I am to attend to a man in his room, alone, my lord?”

Marcus paused. “But, Miss Radford, the man is dying.”

“So you seek to entrap me into marrying him?”

Marcus had a difficult time looking into the rekindled fire in her eyes without laughing. “I shall leave the door open.” He could not resist baiting her.

Lucian sighed. “Marcus, you told me you brought me a lady and that I would need to mind my manners, but where are yours?”

Part 17

Want to read more? Purchase the full 284 page book on Amazon: (paperback is $7.59; Kindle version is $0.99). If you purchase the paperback, you also have the option to get the Kindle version free for a limited time.