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    Three Romances: Brizecombe Hall, Kitty & The Hangar Dance
    Three Romances: Brizecombe Hall, Kitty & The Hangar Dance
    Three Romances: Brizecombe Hall, Kitty & The Hangar Dance
    Ebook105 pages1 hour

    Three Romances: Brizecombe Hall, Kitty & The Hangar Dance

    By Catherine E. Chapman

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    About this ebook

    A Collection of Three Historical Romances that are Short & Sweet:

    Brizecombe Hall

    'A young woman must value, above all else, her virtue.'

    Ann Rhys, daughter of a minister, is employed by Mr Brindley, the widowed Master of Brizecombe Hall, to be governess to his two children. Her initial feelings of apprehension regarding her employer are rapidly surpassed by other emotions that are new to Ann.

    Under Ann's influence Mr Brindley takes a greater interest in his children's upbringing but does his action imply that he sees her as more than a mere governess or does his heart truly belong to Cassandra, the wealthy young woman rumoured to be the future mistress of Brizecombe Hall?

    A Victorian romance set in England.

    "This tugged on your emotions a lot and kept me interested through the end and the ending made me smile. I love when true love overcomes social standing," (5 star review, Barnes & Noble).

    "Great book, great read, I recommend it to all," (5 star review, Apple Australia).

    "A really lovely read ... beautifully written ... very satisfying," (4 star review, Apple UK).

    Kitty

    'Honestly, Mama, the way Kitty looked at Captain Northwood, when he kissed her hand at the end of the evening, was positively sinful.'

    Kitty Lewis travels with her younger sister, Clara, to join their family for the season in Bath. Her mother is intent upon finding a husband for their elder sister, Lucinda, and believes she has found the perfect match in Captain James Northwood, a distinguished naval officer.

    With time, however, Kitty begins to suspect that her sister's affection lies elsewhere. Meanwhile, her own plan, to keep her head fixed firmly in a book and thus avoid all the nonsense going on about her, goes gradually awry.

    "Captured the spirit of our well-loved Regency romances far better than some lengthier works," (Goodreads review).

    "Very engaging read; authentic to the time," (5 star review).

    "A charming and delightful short story. Very much in the style of Jane Austen, I loved the witty characters and the look at aristocratic life," (5 star review, Goodreads).

    The Hangar Dance

    Sylvie is a girl who longs to be a woman. When her friend Betty invites her to a dance at the local airfield, where a US squadron is based, Sylvie knows she has to go, even if it means lying to her parents. Upon meeting Jack, a young American airman, life becomes even more complicated.

    A World War II romance, set in Norfolk, rural England.

    "Short and sweet story about love, innocence and loss," (Barnes & Noble review).

    "An insight into a young girl's heart as she falls for a soldier. Her mind-set felt true to the era and a compassion develops quickly between reader and character," (Goodreads review).

    "Sylvia sneaks out, determined to see the glitz and glamour of the US and escape the grind of the war years. She never plans to fall in love. A short and touching romance that nonetheless develops its characters and world fully," (Bookangel book club, 4 star press review, January 2016).

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCatherine E. Chapman
    Release dateSep 10, 2013
    ISBN9781301457373
    Three Romances: Brizecombe Hall, Kitty & The Hangar Dance
    Author

    Catherine E. Chapman

    I write women's fiction and historical and contemporary romance. My longer works have been described as accessible character fiction; they are often humorous.For tasters of my writing, five short stories are available to download for free from Smashwords & their retailers.Many thanks to all who have reviewed, recommended and rated my books; I really appreciate feedback from readers.My seven short historical romances, set in periods ranging from Medieval times to the Twentieth Century, are available, digitally and in print, in one volume, 'Collected Romances.' My full-length historical romances include 'Miss Millie's Groom,' a subtle romance set during the Great War, and 'The Knight's Falconess,' a sensual Medieval romance.'The Laird's Right-Hand Lady,' a contemporary romance set in the Scottish Highlands, and 'Art & Grace,' a novel set in Regency England, are amongst my most recent publications on Smashwords. Some of my books and stories are available as Audiobooks from Google Play and other retailers.

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      Book preview

      Three Romances - Catherine E. Chapman

      ~THREE ROMANCES: BRIZECOMBE HALL, KITTY &

      THE HANGAR DANCE~

      By Catherine E. Chapman

      Published by Catherine E. Chapman at Smashwords

      Copyright 2013 Catherine E. Chapman

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/RavenandBlack

      Also by the author

      All the Trimmings

      Braggot Park

      Clifton

      Collected Romances

      Danburgh Castle

      Elizabeth Clansham

      High Sea

      Miss Millie’s Groom

      Opening Night

      Rhiannon

      The Beacon Singer

      The Family Tree

      The Laird’s Right-Hand Lady

      The Office Party

      The Ramblers

      Three Medieval Romances

      BRIZECOMBE HALL

      You will come each day to instruct them.

      But not on the sabbath.

      Of course. Have you any objection to that arrangement?

      No Sir.

      We shall see you Monday week then – well, you shan’t see me; Mrs Travers will introduce you to your pupils.

      Very well, Sir.

      You may go.

      Ann Rhys was escorted from Mr Brindley’s study by Mrs Travers. They walked along the hall in silence, Ann still anxious from receiving her new master’s strict instructions. Don’t let the Master upset you, Mrs Travers said, once they were at the great door of the house. Be assured, his bark is worse than his bite, and she smiled.

      He says you will introduce me to Christina and John.

      And that I will do, Mrs Travers told Ann. They’re good children. You’ll not be unhappy here, Miss Rhys.

      Ann walked away from Brizecombe Hall, following the long, straight drive that rolled out before it. Partway along, she turned to survey the frontage of the grand house. She counted thirteen windows on the upper level alone. Casting her gaze to the ground floor, Ann was certain she saw a curtain twitch at the window of what must be Mr Brindley’s study, where she and he had conversed less than five minutes before.

      This was a world apart from the nearby village where Ann’s father was minister. When Mr Brindley had approached the Reverend Rhys, asking if he were willing to let Ann tutor his son and daughter, her father had agreed, hoping this would encourage the wealthy landowner to increase his charitable contribution to the poor parish. Having spent time in Mr Brindley’s company today, Ann had little faith that her father’s hopes would be fulfilled.

      Reading, writing and arithmetic, they have both been taught, Mr Brindley had informed her. You need not concern yourself with the rudimentary points of their education. They are both bright children, you will soon discern. You will concentrate not only upon the delivery of moral instruction, but on the acquisition of French and the understanding of geography and history. You know French? he had asked her.

      A little, Sir.

      I am aware of your limitations. Your father has explained that, unlike your sisters, you are not a trained governess. You will impart to my children what knowledge you have in these subjects.

      I will do my best, Sir, Ann had vowed.

      And you yourself may, perhaps, benefit from the study you undertake with my son and daughter.

      I do desire greater knowledge, Sir, Ann had professed.

      Good.

      In all his references to John and Christina, Mr Brindley had shown no fatherly affection. Ann’s own father was incapable of talking of she and her two sisters without conveying his love of them and something of each of their personalities. But Mr Brindley’s cold appraisal of his children’s attainments and merits had left Ann with no sense of them as individuals.

      Maybe the loss of his wife –their mother– had resulted in his coldness? Ann couldn’t help but reflect that her own father had sustained such a loss, with a starkly contrasting outcome. But Mrs Travers seemed to feel some warmth towards her master. Could this be without reason?

      Ann finally reached the end of the long drive. She turned again and looked back at the Hall, too far away now to tell if anybody watched her from its windows. She turned back and headed along the rough track that led to the village.

      * * *

      Ann’s week was spent preparing lessons for her new pupils. She selected books from her father’s library and talked at length with him to draw up a suitable programme of study for Christina and John.

      You shall, of course, have access to the full range of instruction available in our library here, Mr Brindley had told her. Upon the commencement of your post, John and Christina themselves will show you the many volumes from which you –and they– may profitably read. Should you consider there to be particular texts of value to your studies, you will, of course, pass details of these to Mrs Travers and I shall see that such titles are acquired.

      It had seemed, from everything Mr Brindley had said to Ann, that he would have nothing to do with her once her duties at Brizecombe commenced. Something in his manner had suggested he didn’t want to see her. Did it embarrass him to employ the minister’s daughter? If that was the case, why was he doing it?

      Lying in her narrow bed the night before she was due to go to the Hall to meet her charges, Ann reflected upon her week. She’d worked tirelessly preparing tutorials for Christina and John but, if she was honest, utmost in her mind throughout the many hours of reading, noting and discussing matters with her father, had been thoughts of Mr Brindley.

      Ann couldn’t sleep. She climbed out of bed and opened the shutters of the small window of her room. Looking out through the leaded panes, across the garden of the parsonage, Ann could see in the moonlight the edge of the moors that led eventually to Brizecombe Hall. It was the clearest of nights and the moon was full.

      Ann heard a horse whinny and saw the shadowy figure of a rider on horseback. The horse reared and then turned and galloped away in the moonlight. Ann discerned the rider’s tall hat and cloak but nothing more. She wondered whether she had seen a phantom, so brief had been the duration of the rider’s stay once she’d pulled back the shutters.

      Getting back into bed, shivering with cold, Ann clung to her pillow. Her thoughts returned to Mr Brindley. Feelings stirred inside her that were new and strange; feelings she couldn’t communicate to her father. Ann wished that Jane and Mariah were here. If they’d been at home she would have confided in them, older and wiser as they were. But as it was she could only write and she dare not commit her feelings to paper.

      * * *

      Master John and Miss Christina, allow me to introduce Miss Rhys, Mrs Travers announced.

      Is she our new governess? asked Miss Christina.

      Well, said Mrs Travers, your father has asked Miss Rhys to instruct you in various subjects–

      "So she is our governess," said Master John.

      Not in the way that Miss Henley was your governess, Mrs Travers corrected.

      Explain, Christina demanded.

      Your father takes the view that you are older now, Mrs Travers began. You no longer need, she hesitated, mothering–

      We have no mother, Christina informed Ann, plainly.

      I know and I am very sorry, Ann replied.

      "Father sent Miss Henley away because she grew too

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