An Excerpt From my Newest Novel, Enjoy

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. I've had a nasty headache since the 31st and haven't had a lot of energy to spare. In recompense I have some dialogue for you. Since it's January I'm back to writing my November novel. That's doesn't require as much time travel as it may sound like I need.

My female lead is trying very hard to distract my male lead who is worrying too much about her health. He's kind of giving up for now because he knows she can be very stubborn. This is a first draft so don't expect perfection or even that I haven't left out crucial words.

She poked him in the ribs. "What do you think I mean keep me as his mistress?"

Kipling laughed. "No of course not, although that's not a bad idea. Have you ever been kept before?"

"I most certainly have not and I don't intend to start now."

"Just imagine, I could buy you jewels and ball gowns. Every decent person in society could give us the cut direct when I parade you on my arm through Rotten Row."

"Kipling James, whatever have you been reading?"

He hung his head in mock dismay. "I must confess I have a secret fondness for regency romances."

"I would never have guessed."

"I hide it well, don't I? It started with an absurd love for Pride and Prejudice and then continued until I was reading them by the armload."

"Shouldn't that be 'by the cartload?'"

"Perhaps. The important thing here is that I am at heart a romantic."

"This explains your love for period pieces, methinks."

"Maybe it does. But we were talking about your health, not me."

"But that's so boring. Why don't we do something else? First kiss me and then you can be the stable boy and I'll be the Lord's daughterÂ?"

He frowned at her rather menacingly. "You've never read a regency have you?"

"I have a spectacularly good imagination. That has to count for something."

"Stable boys don't fool around with Lord's daughter's. That's so basic!"

"Oh really? I thought the aristocracy had all the power. What if the daughter demands that the stable boy fool around with her?"

"But she wouldn't. She'd be protecting her virginity and trying to get married."

"Maybe she doesn't want to get married. Maybe her father is trying to marry her off to a man with fetid breath and horny toenails who is as daft as the day is long. Then mightn't she try to get rid of her virginity so that she gets taken off the marriage market? And in fact mightn't she try and get rid of her virginity and indulge in her lust for the stable boy at the same time? The stable boy who always gives her long glances as he boosts her into the saddle? The same stable boy who always strokes the horse's nose softly and gently while telling her just how stunning she looks in her new habit?"