TITILLATING TUESDAY - A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER SEVEN

Edith Hornbrook dipped the dry biscuit in her tea and nibbled on the moistened end. A lovely assortment of smoked ham, eggs, scones with marmalade, fresh fruit, and local cheeses were spread across the linen tablecloth in front of her, but she wasn’t hungry. In fact, the sight of it made her stomach turn. On the other hand, Wesley’s appetite was heartier than ever. Taking a swallow of his milky tea, he consumed the last of his scone with marmalade and ham, then heaped another serving of everything onto his plate. Although not as gregarious an eater, Proberta, nonetheless, appeared ravenous. Edith couldn't avoid noticing how the two of them chatted breezily, stealing glances that seemed to show more than just a brother and sisterly affection. This perturbed her greatly. Meanwhile, Henley II had yet to make an appearance.

FRIDAY'S FLASH FICTION

Fifty words using five words from Thursday's The History of Sex: Part 5 

It wasn’t that being pleasured was her problem. She had long ago realized her libido was more than most people would have expected from someone so plain, but there were no borders when it came to sex. She would go down in history as a legend in her own right. 

Join in on the fun. Submit your 50 word flash fiction piece using 5 words from next Thursday's post. 

CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE

CHAPTER FOUR

Henley awoke with a start. A dim, early morning light bled in through the white linen drapes. He looked around, expecting to see a crackling fire, dried herbs hanging from the rafters, and a beautiful gypsy woman sitting by his side. Instead, he saw the same blue and gold wallpaper. The large Henry IV dresser still stood tall and stoic against the back wall, and the writing desk and armchair, positioned directly alongside the settee, were as they should be. The painting of great uncle James III, his riding crop not only visible, but at the ready, was hung miserably at the opposite end of the room. He stared at it for a long while. Would Henry have known Rosetta's ancestors? He wondered which of his relatives, or family for that matter, knew of the gypsy family that lived so close to the Hornbrook estate. Then he wondered if there even was a gypsy family, or whether the exotic beauty he visited in his dream wasn't just that, a figment of his imagination.

THE NEW WEDNESDAY

Hey, a girl can dream...

photographer: Reader, Heather ‘Blue’ Van Doorninck

location: Nicaragua

http://outofthebluephotography.wordpress.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32272586@No3

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A CLOUD OF HAWTHORNE - TEASER

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Edith relaxed, looked around to see that no one nearby could see her, and casually wandered toward the shrouded figure. When she got close enough, she ducked behind the tree and came face to face with an exotic, albeit rustic looking woman. 

“Hello, Rosetta,” Edith said with keen interest. “Do you have my tinctures?” 

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She hardly glanced into the drawing room as she passed, so did not see her husband fast asleep in the mahogany armchair, whiskey precariously tilted toward the floor in his drooping hand. It was just as well. She had no tolerance for her husband, Henley II’s, idleness.

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“Teach him. Show him all there is to know about sex and women. Equip him with the tricks of the trade, as it were.” She paused to consider her next move. “I will pay you handsomely I assure you.”

Chapter One of A Cloud of Hawthorne will be posted next Tuesday, January 10th, followed by each new chapter every Tuesday until The End.

Stay tuned...