THE HOUSE by Sebastiana Randone @sebasti29567440 #AmReading #Excerpt #Romance
Posted on Friday, September 19, 2014
She
had developed into a very beautiful maiden; tall and svelte with thick
golden hair, a long swanlike neck, and blue-green eyes that enchanted by
their tendency to change colour with mood. These blue sapphires won
young William over. Many suitors had come and gone. But he was the only
one that made her heart quicken with ever increasing passion.
William
Chatterham was extremely ambitious. Having created his wealth from
speculation, at a time when England was expanding her empire through
industry and commerce. With this, came along numerous opportunities.
Particularly to those driven like William, who was fuelled primarily, by
the desire to advance in station and social stature.
As
a farmer, his father had toiled long and hard. Being a man who had a
proclivity towards fiscal discipline, meant that the family endured a
parsimonious existence, for which they were often derided and
criticised, as is often the way with miserly folk. This lifelong
adherence to economy however, eventually resulted in an inheritance that
was surprising, as it was substantial.
When
he was six, William’s mother passed away during child birth. The
newborn, a girl, survived only to perish some days later. Eighteen year
old William was the only child when his exhausted father finally fell to
his death. This ensured the young man a small fortune. Sadness
notwithstanding, suddenly William found himself in the novel predicament
of a life that held much promise. Confidently he embraced this
ascendancy with great expectation.
Not
wishing to emulate his father, William, who was more predisposed to
mental pursuits than manual labour, decided to tread a different path.
With his formative years dedicated towards the procurement of wealth,
William’s aspiration was largely borne of the desire to live a
gentrified routine, consisting of fine clothes, food and wine, and
marrying into a respectable family. The culmination of the inheritance,
as well as, an innate acumen for investment and capitalising on
opportunities, meant that William’s advance up the stairway to wealth
and privilege was guaranteed.
Upon
introduction William fell instantly in love with Elizabeth. Her charms
and beauty were dazzling to the young inexperienced man. He eagerly
agreed to marriage with the alacrity of a young man who had yet to
experience the joys of physical romance. Fortunately, Elizabeth
reciprocated his advances. William, a very handsome man, with dark looks
and a tall stout physique, spoke the promise of a fairy tale union.
The House is an adult fairy tale rich in mystery and intrigue.
Here
is a tale of a woman so absorbed with historical novels that her own
reality ceases to offer any hope of romance and beauty.
Until
one day this dreamy idealist finds herself in a mysterious forest. How
she arrived there is unknown. Soon she encounters a dilapidated house,
within whose ancient walls magical rooms that transport to parallel
worlds lie in wait. There she is transmigrated to 18th century England,
where our heroine interacts with an odd mix of characters whose
dysfunctional lives become immediately apparent.
Her
first tribulation involves a nefarious lord, an archetype of the
monstrous characters one encounters in fairy tales. The ramification
from this confrontation sets the tone for the narrative.
A
magic portal finally enables escape from the austere Georgian dwelling.
She is then spirited back to the enigmatic house, and a journey to
Regency London follows, where a large cast of eccentric identities
present themselves.
Late
one night, following a long stay in Florence, a young, heart-broken
poet arrives. His introduction to the beautiful time traveller offers
promise of restoration and love. But there are several more obstacles
ahead before her destiny in this curious adventure is made apparent.
In
the end an unexpected twist is revealed. But like all good fairy tales,
this surprising conclusion is pleasing, even though the means of
getting there are dark, and at times sinister.
Buy Now @ Amazon & Createspace
Genre - Historical, Fantasy, Romance
Rating - PG-16
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