"Encouragement" (Book 1), by Gratiana Lovelace, 2016 (Completed)

Ch. 5 (PG): Lord Christian is Out of Sorts

"Encouragement, A Regency Tale of Love and Romance",
Ch. 5 (PG): Lord Christian is Out of Sorts, 
September 20, 2016 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #971) 

(An original Regency romance copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace; all rights reserved) [(1) story cover, left]

[From time to time, I will illustrate my story characters with: Emma Hamilton as Lady Madeline Sinclair, Richard Armitage as Lord Christian Blount Earl of Sussex, Maggie Smith as Lady Lucretia Knott, Crispin Bonham-Carter as Lord Harold Blount, and others as noted.]

Authors Content Note: "Encouragement" is a frothy love story with sometimes humorous and sometimes dramatic themes of love and relationships. It will mostly be at the PG and PG-13 movie levels. Specific chapters or passages may have a further rating of: D for dramatic emotions, and LS for love scenes that are tenderly sensuous and not explicit. And I will rate the chapters accordingly. If you are unable or unwilling to attend a movie with the ratings that I provide for a chapter, then please do not read that chapter. This is my disclaimer. And as is my habit, I will summarize the previous chapter's events at the beginning of each chapter.

Author's recap from the previous chapter: The second Blount brother, Lord Harold—junior to his elder brother Chrisitian Lord Sussex—made of himself a nuisance to Lady Madeline Sinclair's Presentation Ball by pouncing on immediately—figuratively speaking—by offering for her. Yet his offer to give Lady Madeline her freedom after she provided him with his heirs—with the understanding that he will be free to dally as well--does not sit well with Lady Madeline. And of course, Lord Harold, is not the paragon that Lord Christian is in Lady Madeline's eyes. Similarly, Lady Madeline's Grandmama Lady Lucretia Beckham Knott ruminates about the thorny issue of suitors for her granddaughter's hand. And the night is still young. I wonder what additional suitors might arise this evening for my granddaughter Maddie. However, I will come to be most surprised and disappointed in the yet to be revealed unbecoming conduct of one gentleman of our acquaintance.

"Encouragement, A Regency Tale of Love and Romance", Ch. 5: Lord Christian is Out of Sorts

After my brother Lord Harold seeks me out in the refreshments dining room at Lady Madeline's presentation ball and gloats to me that he offered for the Sinclair chit Lady Madeline Sinclair while he danced with her this night--and that she refused him--I am not certain whom I am more out of charity with, Lady Madeline, or my brother. It is appalling and degrading to me for Harold to debase himself so in offering her marriage after only just being introduced to her—one dance not withstanding. He is not interested in the lady, only in her dowry money.


I rub my hand through my hair as I sip my glass of champagne and wonder what must Lady Madeline think of us and our family? What must she think of me? Harold has tarnished her opinion of us to be sure. And my sweet sister Lady Lizzie will lose her new friend in Lady Madeline, in whom I had such hopes for her helping me to guide Lizzie out of her shyness and to become more comfortable being in society. Before our family's impending financial ruin is widely known, Lizzie must make a good match–so that at least she is safe. That is my overriding focus, and I will do anything to help Lizzie—no matter the cost to myself and my future happiness.  

As I prop myself up by leaning on a chair back [(2) right], I admit silently to myself that I should eat something from the enticing dinner buffet. I am not one to drink much alcohol. At university, I was much more inclined to raise a pint or two with the lads. That is, until their drinking excesses—and the consequences that stemmed from them being gambled away or bamboozled of their pin money, or worse involving women of questionable pursuits—put me off drink almost entirely. And though I am a tall and large man--a granite mountain is how Lady Madeline teasingly referred to me, I think bemusedly--I still feel light headed this evening.