Saturday, June 8, 2019

A Handsome Knight? Snippet from WIP Medieval Romance for #WEWriWa



Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. Find a new author and sample their work. Enjoy!

I am continuing snippets from my new medieval romance set in fourteenth century England in and around my hometown of Reading.
My heroine Audrey and her cousin Margaret have taken a pilgrimage to Glastonbury Abbey. Audrey stops to give a coin to an old beggar woman accompanied by a young girl. The girl reminds Audrey of her deceased daughter, and her cousin asks if she’d thought about marrying again.


I’ve skipped a couple of lines. Please excuse my minor misuse of punctuation.
     “It isn’t easy to find a good husband,” I said, “do you imagine a handsome knight would see me at the fair, slip a ring on my finger, and carry me away to his castle?”
     “Nay, you wouldn't be so improper; more likely you'd scold him for impudence and send him running.” A hint of disapproval entered her voice as she remarked, “Though, you’re certainly fond of traveling.”
     “But, Margaret,” I parried, “you haven’t remarried.”
     “I’m older, not as comely and prosperous as you. Who would wish to wed me?”
     “You are one of my best weavers, a valuable assistant in the shop, and you’re still young enough to bear children.”
     Margaret smiled at my compliments, “Very well, Audrey, when you are married, I’ll consider my prospects.”
     Her complaisant words made me wonder if she had any suitors. I knew of none, although she often paid visits to our trading partners and friends in town.

My blurb is still evolving
A young widow in possession of a good business must be in want of a husband.
In fourteenth century Britain, Dame Audrey enjoys her independence as the widow of a cloth merchant. She has no desire to remarry and submit to a husband’s will, but the town elders covet her prosperous business. Her kindness to a stranger earns Bridda’s blessing and a brooch with a green dragon. The faerie brooch attracts trouble from thieves of all ranks and the attentions of a handsome bailiff, Selwyn Drake. Can she evade the schemes to force her into wedlock and retain her independence?


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As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.  
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16 comments:

  1. Great insight into both of these characters!

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    1. Thank you. This snippet is from the first chapter so I hope to make the characters interesting.

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  2. interesting banter between the two.

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    1. Thanks. I'll sneak in hints of Margaret's suitor throughout the story.

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  3. You've got me wondering if a widow back in those days has any great chance of remarrying.

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    1. One like Audrey, pretty and running a good cloth trade, would have little problem. But her prospects are limited. She lives in an average-sized town of about 1000 people and there will be even fewer people in her social class of mid to upper level merchants and craftsmen. A knight or lord would consider her well below his status. She wouldn't want to marry a servant, even though many of them were free men.

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  4. Myself, I think Audrey is wise not to remarry. Then again, I myself am extremely gun-shy and would sooner hammer my foot to the floor than date, let alone marry.

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    1. Audrey is reluctant to remarry. She has seen too many woman mistreated by their husbands. Wife-beating was lawful. However, according to my main sources, there were no laws against a wife beating her husband.

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  5. Enjoyed the discussion they were having in the snippet, although I wonder what Margaret's agenda is. I just feel as if she's concealing something but that makes it all intriguing. Terrific excerpt!

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    1. Margaret thinks Audrey ought to marry. But that might mean she wouldn't be needed as Audrey's companion. Nothing sinister.

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  6. “Nay, you wouldn't be so improper; more likely you'd scold him for impudence and send him running.” Well I approve! :D

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    1. Yes. It's fun to imagine Audrey and Margaret's comments on people they meet.

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  7. Interesting banter. Audrey must have her reasons as to why she doesn't want to remarry.

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    1. She doesn't want a husband to tell her how to run the cloth shop. Also, husbands often beat their wives.

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  8. I don't blame her for not wanting to marry again, but if by chance she finds the right man, it might turn out better than she thinks.

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