ELIZABETH VISITS MADAME LA FAYETTE IN PRISON…
from my novel, THE BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN, by Marilyn Holdsworth
“Oh,
no,” she wailed the moment the door opened revealing the two guards.
“The guillotine,” she cried. “It is to be today. Dear God,
dear God, have pity on my soul.”
“Oh
my dear, my dear,” Elizabeth Monroe soothed, pushing past the two
guards and rushing to Madame LaFayette’s side. She stooped down, took
the trembling woman’s hands in hers, and knelt down beside her. “No,
no; it is nothing like that. I am Elizabeth Monroe. My
husband, James, is the United States minister to France and a longtime
friend of your husband. They fought together in our revolution,” she
explained. “I have come to visit you, assure you how very concerned for
you my husband is. We are going to do all we can to help you.” She
placed her arms around the sobbing, frightened woman’s shoulders,
continuing her reassuring words in soft, flowing French.
I
stood watching from the doorway as Mistress Monroe calmed and comforted
Adrienne LaFayette. Disregarding the filthy surroundings, Mistress
Monroe continued to crouch down before the distraught woman, holding her
hands as she spoke. When at last she rose, she drew Madame LaFayette to
her feet and embraced her.
“Merci
beaucoup, thank you for coming,” Adrienne LaFayette whispered, wiping
her eyes. “I was sure they had come to take me to the guillotine. I was
so very frightened. My family is all gone. I thought for sure they had
come for me too,” she said, fighting back the tears.
“Of
course you did, my dear, but have courage. Be assured that James will
do all he can for you,” Mistress Elizabeth promised, patting her gently
on the shoulder before joining me at the door. “We must go now, Jasmine,
get back to the Folie as soon as possible. We must tell James of this
poor woman’s deplorable state.”
She
glided gracefully back down the long dingy, hall, past the guards to
the prison door, where Michael was waiting to escort us safely back to
the carriage.
As a novelist, I draw on many real life experiences to provide
background for my books. After completing studies in Literature and
History at Occidental College, I became a staff writer on a travel
magazine, and throughout my career I have traveled extensively all over
the world. Because
I love horses, I owned and trained them. I support horse rescue and
wild mustang preservation. Based on my experience with horses and my
research on abuse issues, I wrote Pegasus.
As
a descendant of James Monroe, I did extensive research at the James
Monroe Museum in Virginia about him and his wife Elizabeth Kortright
Monroe. I also visited their home, Ashlawn/Highland in Albemarle County.
This resulted in my novel, The Beautiful American. Making Wishes, was based partly on my experiences as creator, owner and operator of a greeting card company.
Elloree
Prince is an attractive, creative young woman who marries a wealthy
businessman, Tom Randall. After courting his bride with unrelenting
determination, Tom moves her into old-moneyed Oak View, where
generations of Randalls have lived for years. Outwardly, Elloree appears
to settle into raising their two sons within Oak View's stifling social
structure, but inwardly, she yearns for her artistic work.
An
unexpected phone call from Mark Williams, her former employer, offers
her the career opportunity of a lifetime, and she must make a choice.
She is torn between her devotion to her sons and her love for her work.
Her decision to return to Wishes, Inc. brings dramatic life changes to
her and the people she loves.
Genre - Women's fiction
Rating – PG-13
"Abby
Long is thrilled when she offers the winning bid for an antique desk at
an auction. With its intricately inlaid woods and elegant style, the
desk is perfect for Abby; it is the gift she promised herself to finally
celebrate her thriving antique business. She has no idea that the
antique desk holds a secret that will lead her on a fascinating,
life-changing journey back in time.
When
Abby discovers a hidden diary stuffed inside a secret compartment in
the desk, she can hardly wait to read the spidery, faded script. As she
carefully turns the tattered pages, she reads the captivating story of
two remarkable women from opposite backgrounds who somehow manage to
form an unforgettable bond against the backdrop of a fledgling America
struggling to find its place in the world. Elizabeth Kortright Monroe,
the wife of James Monroe, and Jasmine, a young slave girl, develop an
extraordinary relationship as they are united by pivotal historic
events, political intrigues, and personal tragedies.
From
a bucolic Virginia plantation to the bloodied, starving streets of
post-revolutionary Paris, this powerful tale follows the lives of two
courageous women from the past as they quietly influence—and inspire—a
woman of today’s world."
Genre - Historical fiction
Rating – G
Widowed
at thirty, Hannah Bradley is a successful journalist focusing on animal
abuse issues. An accidental meeting introduces her to lawyer, Winston
Caughfield III. Drawn to Hannah’s gentle beauty and fierce commitment to
her work, Win joins her in a fight to save wild mustangs from
slaughter. Together they rescue a badly injured horse with a mysterious
background. Hannah’s search to discover the animal’s true identity leads
them into a web of black marketeering and international intrigue.
Action
packed with crisp colorful dialogue the story propels the reader to a
race against time conclusion. Marilyn Holdsworth delivers a gripping
tale of mystery, adventure and romance guaranteed to hold the interest
and capture the heart. She brings true-life characters together with
real-life issues to create a fast-paced irresistible story.
Genre - Contemporary fiction
Rating – PG
