Welcome to my First Kiss Friday blog. Today’s guest is Ruth A. Casie who has an excerpt from My Heart’s Song appearing in the Dragonblade Publishing Anthology, A Wraith at Midnight. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!
The Story – My Heart’s Song:
In 1850, tucked away in the heart of Northumberland, Edith Cavendish’s life is upended by the inheritance of a manor shrouded in mystery and whispers of a bygone era. The sprawling estate, with its rolling hills and ancient woodlands, harbors secrets that echo through the manor’s corridors, watched over by the ghost of Lord Alistair, its last lord. His ghostly warnings speak of an enduring curse, a narrative of love forsaken and a legacy shrouded in darkness.
Lord James Ellington, heir to the Duke of Northumberland, shares Edith’s passion for unraveling the past. Together, they discover a music box whose haunting melodies are intertwined with the manor’s troubled history, revealing their intertwined fates. Their journey through the archives uncovers letters and relics that draw them closer to the truth and to each other.
Yet, as the curse’s grip tightens, a near-fatal accident threatens their future, and a heated argument pushes them to the edge of despair. In their darkest hour, a hidden letter from the past holds the key to their salvation. Will Edith and James’s love prove strong enough to break the silence of centuries and herald a new beginning?
The Set Up:
After a day of unraveling the mysteries of Cavendish Hall, Edythe and James found themselves in the quiet of the ballroom, surrounded by the history they were beginning to piece together. The music box, a mysterious heirloom, had unexpectedly begun to play a haunting melody, stirring emotions and memories that connected them to the manor’s past. Its notes weaving a tale of love and loss that deeply affected both of them.
As the song filled the room, they were drawn together, compelled by a bond that had grown stronger with each passing day. It was in this moment, surrounded by the echoes of the past and the promise of the future, that they embraced in a moment that felt like destiny…
The Excerpt:
As the final notes of the song played, they stopped, reluctant to break their connection. In the quiet aftermath of the dance, Edythe stood in James’s arms, their breaths mingling in the charged air. The music had faded, but a different kind of song was beginning, a song of heartbeats and soft sighs.
His gaze dropped to Edythe’s lips, and he saw the question in her eyes, the silent invitation. He leaned in, his intent clear, and she met him halfway. Their lips touched, tentatively at first, a soft brush that offered more.
The kiss deepened into a slow and deliberate exploration, a gentle and profound discovery that kindled a tender warmth in their hearts. Edythe’s hands rested on his shoulders, a soft anchor in the whirl of emotions. James’s arms wrapped around her waist with a protective assurance, drawing her near. She surrendered to his embrace, the kiss, the moment that held all the promise of what was yet to come.
It was a pledge made without words, a vow that needed no witnesses, not even the watchful eyes of Alistair’s ghost. As they parted, breathless, they understood this was indeed a turning point.
James gazed into Edythe’s eyes, a depth of emotion reflected in his own. “Edythe.” His voice was steady and sure. “There is something I must tell you. I’ve spoken from my heart to Lord Alistair, but it’s you who needs to hear my words. I wish to court you with the hope you will grant me the honor of becoming my wife.”
The air between them thrummed with emotion. “James,” her voice, a soft echo of his resolve, touched with a smile, “I dared not hope nor admit—”
He put one finger against her lips and begged her for an answer without saying a word.
Gently, she kissed his finger. “Yes. With all my heart, I welcome your courtship.”
In the wake of her whispered consent, the space between them became charged with a new passion. James drew her close, his hands framing her face with a tenderness that spoke volumes.
Their lips met in a kiss that contained all their unspoken words. A tender and profound connection sealed their promise. It was gentle at first, a question and answer all in one. Then, as if carried by the momentum of their spoken promise, it deepened and grew more insistent.
Edythe’s hands rose to weave into his hair, pulling him closer as if they could become one. James’s embrace wrapped her in a blanket of warmth and certainty. Time stood still for them, the world outside fading away until there was nothing but the two of them and the music of their shared heartbeat.
When they finally parted, it was with the slow reluctance of two people who had found their home in each other’s arms. Their foreheads rested together, breaths mingling, a silent vow hanging in the air around them—a vow of a future written in the stars and now sealed with the sweetest of kisses.
In the quiet aftermath, the room held its breath. It was a sacred pause, a moment suspended in time where the past and future converged. Edythe’s eyes then drifted to the corner of the room where the delicate music box rested.
The music box, an exquisite heirloom of the Cavendish family, sat on a pedestal, its intricate carvings catching the light. Edythe approached it. Her fingers traced the patterns as if guided by an unseen force. She paused at a particularly ornate carving slightly more worn than the others, a rose, its petals just beginning to unfurl.
A gentle pressure from her fingertips caused a subtle click, and the rose carving shifted, revealing a small odd-shaped inset hidden beneath.
A Wraith at Midnight: A Historical Romance Anthology
By Ruth A. Casie and other various authors
Preorder now for only 99 cents
Release Date: October 26, 2024
A derelict old castle? A spectral lady wandering the forests? These tales will give you a chill, a thrill, and have you reading them over and over. From the moors of Devon to the ballrooms of Regency London, and far north into the Scottish Highlands, these stories will bring you wistful dreams of legendary and haunting romance. You’ve never before experience a collection like this by some of the very best authors in Historical Romance.
Preorder for $0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Buy Link: Amazon
About the Author:
RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author. She writes historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. Within the pages, you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat’ suspense, mind-boggling drama, and heart-melting emotions featuring strong women and the men who deserve them. She currently has four historical series: The Druid Knight, The Stelton Legacy, and The Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea, and she participates in The Connected World of The Pirates of Britannia as well as The Lyon’s Den Connected World.
Ruth lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms, and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at a major international bank where she was a product/marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing romance. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join her heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. Ruth hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!
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