I’m thrilled to announce the release of Victoria Kincaid’s new novella, When Mary Met the Colonel, which I had the pleasure of editing last year. I loved that Victoria’s Pride and Prejudice sequel focused on Mary Bennet; I’m always drawn to variations that focus on the secondary characters, and Mary doesn’t usually get a chance to shine.
Without the beauty and wit of the older Bennet sisters or the liveliness of the younger, Mary is the Bennet sister most often overlooked. She has resigned herself to a life of loneliness, alleviated only by music and the occasional book of military history.
Colonel Fitzwilliam finds himself envying his friends who are marrying wonderful women while he only attracts empty-headed flirts. He longs for a caring, well-informed woman who will see the man beneath the uniform.
A chance meeting in Longbourn’s garden during Darcy and Elizabeth’s wedding breakfast kindles an attraction between Mary and the Colonel. However, the Colonel cannot act on these feelings since he must wed an heiress. He returns to war, although Mary finds she cannot easily forget him.
Is happily ever after possible after Mary meets the Colonel?
Please welcome Victoria Kincaid to talk about the power of reading when it comes to knowledge and relationships:
One of the interesting things about being a writer is that sometimes our writing is smarter than we are. In other words, what I (the writer) write occasionally gives me a glimpse (retrospectively) into my own psyche. I recently had one of those moments with When Mary Met the Colonel.
In the story, Colonel Fitzwilliam is intrigued by Mary Bennet’s knowledge and understanding of military history, which she gained from books in her father’s library. I added this information because I wanted to find some point of commonality between two characters who initially might not appear to be well suited. Only after I had published the novella did I realize that Mary’s choice of reading material reflects one of my strongly held beliefs: the power of reading in teaching us about the world.
Of course, Mary Bennet had few alternative ways to learn about the world; with such a proscribed life, she would have had few other sources of information. However, even today when we have far more opportunities to travel and videos or podcasts to teach us an infinite variety of subjects, I still believe reading is the most valuable way to learn about almost any subject. Obviously, reading on the internet is a great source of information, but for a deep understanding of a subject, nothing beats a book. Whether it is fiction or non-fiction, books take you more in depth than just about any other medium.
In my novella, Colonel Fitzwilliam is impressed by how Mary uses her knowledge to analyze the battles she sees reported in the paper. I also think it’s the fantasy of every book-loving woman to be admired and appreciated for her love of reading—and for her intelligence. So often bookish women are portrayed as dried-up spinster librarians. So, who doesn’t like the idea that being an avid reader helps you “get the guy”?
And I do believe this is true to life. Although there may be guys who are threatened by a well-read, intelligent woman, who wants them? For most people, having the information and understanding you derive from books can only make you more interesting. And, personally, I think “interesting” is very attractive.
Please enjoy this excerpt from When Mary Met the Colonel:
Fitz loved serving his country, and the work he did was important, but girls like Kitty Bennet and Maria Lucas could not see beyond the uniform. They never expressed any interest in him.
He slowed his pace to an amble and brushed his hair from his forehead. It was a warm day for spring, and he enjoyed the sunshine as he followed a meandering path, occasionally framed by overhanging branches and vines.
He gave his head a hard shake. Enough with this melancholy inner soliloquy. I am not a heroine in a popular novel! He had no need to provide an heir and no responsibilities to anyone else. If he never married, he would still have a good life. Never mind that the thought generated an aching hollowness in his chest. He would survive; soldiers were trained to survive.
Better never to marry than to marry a superficial chit who chattered on all day about lace and curtains and the cost of a joint of meat. He shuddered at the thought.
The pathway opened unexpectedly into a little clearing with a bench in the center. Fitz stumbled to a stop; the bench was inhabited.
His sudden appearance caused the young woman to start violently and drop her handkerchief. Her head jerked up to see who had disturbed her and immediately tilted down again. It was enough to reveal a pretty face, although perhaps not by conventional standards. Her brown hair was dark and glossy, pulled back in a severe style without any curls around her face. Her nose was a little long and her brows a little heavy for today’s fashions, but her mouth…was wide and pink with full, round lips. A mouth made for kissing. What the hell had provoked that thought?
“I beg your pardon, miss.” Fitz bent to retrieve the handkerchief. Taking it from his fingers, she was careful not to touch him while her eyes remained fixed on the stone of the path. “I did not mean to startle you…” She said nothing, crushing the handkerchief in one hand. “…I believed myself to be alone.”
Her eyes flicked up to his face and down again, long enough for him to discern that they were a dark, rich brown—but red-rimmed. “’Tis not your fault. I-I fear I startle easily.” Her voice was low and melodious. Fitz would love to hear her sing. If only he could inquire about the source of her tears, but he did not even know her name.
Perhaps he could lead to the subject indirectly. “It appears that we are both seeking a refuge from the crowds in the drawing room.”
She said nothing for a moment, but finally, she spoke. “Yes. My sister and her friend wished me to play dance music for them, but there is not enough space for dancing.”
Fitz gave a short laugh. “I thought so as well!” He cleared his throat. “You must be Miss Mary Bennet.”
The young lady dabbed at her eyes with a corner of the handkerchief, which was still fairly clean despite its tumble to the stones. “Yes. The two elder Miss Bennets are the pretty ones, and the two younger Miss Bennets are the lively ones. I am the one in the middle—neither pretty nor lively.” Her hand immediately flew to her mouth. “Oh, dear me! That sounded terribly bitter, did it not? I apologize, Colonel.”
Ah, he suspected that he had now uncovered the reason for her tears; such sentiments might be particularly acute on the day one of her sisters married. Fitz took the liberty of seating himself next to Miss Bennet. “Do you fear to offend my delicate sensibilities?” He batted his eyelashes absurdly, provoking laughter. “Only apologize if you are speaking an untruth.”
Her lips thinned into a flat line. “No. I always speak the truth.”
“No, you do not.” This caused her eyes to raise to his face in bewilderment. “You are quite pretty, perhaps not in the same way as your sisters.” Mary’s lips parted slightly, and she appeared, if anything, even more bewildered. Had no one ever said as much to her? “And if by ‘lively’ you mean that your sisters chase men wearing red coats, then I am quite pleased you are comparatively sedate.” This elicited a giggle from the young lady. “Your presence is quite restful, and so far your conversation is vastly more interesting.”
She blinked rapidly at him as if not understanding his words. Surely someone else had thought to tell her how pretty she was? Then a deep blush spread itself over her face and the part of her neck revealed by her gown’s neckline, much higher than today’s styles. Why did a simple compliment provoke such a reaction?
“Thank you. It is very kind of you to say.” Her voice was almost a whisper. Mary fixed her gaze on a number of blossoms in her lap.
“I did not say it to be kind. It is what I observe.”
Blushing an even darker red, she glanced about the clearing as if hoping to be rescued from this conversation. She was not only unaccustomed to compliments but also exceedingly shy, Fitz decided. She resembled Georgiana a bit, although Miss Bennet must be at least two or three years older.
Apparently deciding that no help would be forthcoming, she returned her gaze to the hands tangled in her lap. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Darcy said you are recently returned from the peninsula.”
Fitz blinked, a bit surprised at the abrupt shift in topic. Did she wish to direct the conversation away from the personal? “Yes.”
“I have been following the war in the papers,” she murmured. Fitz raised his eyebrows. A woman had never broached this topic with him. “Do you believe those accounts to be accurate on the whole?”
Fitz leaned toward her slightly. “Are you certain you wish to speak about this? Many women find the topic to be…distressing.”
A crease formed between her eyebrows. “Sir, the events of this war will affect our country for generations to come. It will influence the futures of my nieces and nephews. Faced with such weighty matters, I do not understand why anyone believes I should care about the latest designs in lace!”
Abruptly, she bit her lip and blushed. “I apologize for that outburst. I have had a trying day. I am overwrought.” She stood quickly, straightening her skirts. “I will trouble you no—”
Without forethought, Fitz seized her hand in his. “Please do not leave just when you are proving to be an interesting conversational partner.” He remained seated, hoping it would encourage her to stay. “I think I must.” She stared at the ground.
“Miss Bennet, if you will allow me to be frank, the majority of my visit has been occupied by your younger sister and her friend admiring the fine handiwork of the buttons on my uniform.” Her shoulders shook; had he provoked laughter? “Intelligent conversation about the happenings in the world would be quite welcome.”
Slowly, Mary’s head lifted. Her eyes traveled down her arm, paused on her hand—which he had not released—and then rose to meet his eyes. Whatever she saw there caused her body to soften slightly. Fitz took the opportunity to tug on her hand, encouraging her to sit once more.
It was wildly inappropriate to be holding her hand, although they both wore gloves. If anyone should happen upon them, their proximity could lead to all sorts of difficulties, including an accusation of compromising her reputation. Yet he could not bring himself to leave; he was too intrigued to allow the conversation to end.
She allowed him to pull her down on the bench beside him, and he instantly released her hand. “I pray you, ask your questions.” Mary regarded him warily, a wild animal that might be easily startled. “What did you wish to ask me?” he asked gently.
“Did you fight at Salamanca?” He nodded. Her eyes lit with interest. “The papers all claimed Wellington’s strategy was brilliant, but they never described the details. What did he do?”
Fitz was momentarily in the uncharacteristic position of being at a loss for words. This was her most pressing question? He expected a query about the Spanish people or Wellington’s character. Instead, she asked about…battle strategy?”
Giveaway:
Victoria is generously offering one ebook copy of When Mary Met the Colonel to my readers. To enter, simply leave a comment with your email address and tell me what intrigues you most about this novella. Entries will be accepted through Sunday, February 28, 2016. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced in the comments. Good luck!
© 2016 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.
Ohhh me me me me
blodeuedd1 at gmail dot com
Well the whole Mary and Colonel, she is always so, annoying you know 😉 I wanna see her in a different way
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Yes, she was annoying, but I also thought she might have been lonely and misunderstood. In this story she is learning to come out of her shell. Good luck!
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I always felt sorry for Mary Bennett. Love to see how this story unfolds.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
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This story definitely gives her a chance to shine. Good luck with the giveaway!
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Two of my favourite characters – can’t wait to read
meikleblog at gmail dot com
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Two of my favorites as well. Good luck!
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I love seeing Mary be shown as more than an annoying, ignored character. She has so much potential. Colonel Fitzwilliam is my favorite secondary character. I am always in search for good stories that give him more page time. This will be a must read for me. Thank you for the giveaway.
Cherringtonmb at sbcglobal dot net
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Thank you for your interest. I agree that both characters have a lot of potential and it was fun putting them together. Good luck with the giveaway!
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I love that Mary is finally getting some time in the books. And Colonel Fitzwilliam is a good on. What a great idea to put them together in a book.
savvyverseandwit {at} gmail
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Thanks for your interest. I wanted to see Mary with someone dashing and sociable–the result was very intriguing. Good luck with the giveaway!
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[…] Guest Post & Giveaway: When Mary Met the Colonel by Victoria Kincaid […]
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This was delightful from beginning to end. Congrats on the new release, Victoria. I anticipate the next one.
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I’m so glad you liked it,Joy! You’re so sweet. Thank you!
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Love how two people can fall in love through intelligent conversations. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
tdungnvu(at) yahoo (dot) com
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So do I! And I love the way you said that. Good luck with the giveaway.
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I think many of us in this particular community would rather be loved for our brains rather than for any other, shall we say, attributes? Like many others, I think it’s great that Mary has a chance to shine here and attract the attention of our favourite Colonel.
This is a lovely story that could easily be read in a single sitting and I enjoyed it very much. Please don’t enter me in the giveaway Anna as I obviously already have a copy.
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I agree; many women (and men) would rather be appreciated for our brains. I’m glad you liked it, Anji. Thank you!
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I love how you’ve shown the Col. and Mary to have a common interest. Can’t wait to see where this goes. kimpru1 (at) aol.com.
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Hi Kim, I’m so glad you liked the excerpt. Good luck on the giveaway!
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That is a fervent dream- to be appreciated for having a well-read mind. And happily there are men out there who do appreciate it. I found one. He hates reading, but has no problem making use of all my reading to discuss something or get an answer. 😉
I do enjoy the thought of this pairing. After the Colonel was so pleasant to Lizzy and a friend to Darcy, I would love to see him end up with a woman with some depth which a Mary Bennet who has had time to get out of her sisters’ shadows and balance out her books with being in society would be for him.
Looking forward to it. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com
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Hi Sophia, That is one of the things I love about my husband as well! Good luck with the giveaway!
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Wonderful guest post and excerpt! I love the idea that Mary is admired for her intelligence. I will add this terrific giveaway to my blog’s sidebar.
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suko95(at)gmail(dot)com
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Hi Suko, I’m so glad you enjoyed the excerpt. And thank you for spreading the word. Good luck with the giveaway!
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I love to see a story where Mary is admired for her intelligence. And yes, I am a bookworm from childhood! :-).
Thanks for the nice giveaway! Loved the excerpt!
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Hi Pam, I think a lot of Austen fans are dedicated bookworms :). Good luck with the giveaway!
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i LOVE THE EXCERPT!
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Hi Patricia, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Good luck with the giveaway!
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Mary is an irritating girl. To see her like this would be nice!
mystica123athotmaildotcom
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Hi Mystica, I agree that she is irritating in P&P, so I thought I would see if I could make her less so — learn how she might be misunderstood. Good luck with the giveaway!
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I would love to read this book. I am a huge Mary Bennet’s fan. I am on waiting list for a lot of novels written on her. In the book stores I’ve been to they don’t sell much of Jane Austen’s adaptations. I read a lot of Mary B’s fanfics too and I always love how Jane Austen opened Mary Bennet’s character for interpretation. It was as if she knew in two centuries to come people would take great notice in her background, oft forgotten and ill-treated character.
About this excerpt, first of all the way the Colonel described Mary B’s features during his first encounter with her really brought tears to my eyes. I always believed Mary B was very associable to me, and having read Colonel’s favorable first impression of her is really romantic even though it was just the beginning!
And despite Mary B’s resolution of her own quality (or lack of it), from the way she reacted to Colonel’s compliments, it was obvious how she, like any normal girls, would wished to be noticed and loved for who they are, and be called beautiful, because isn’t beauty in the eyes of the beheld?
Mary seem to flourish in personal and intimate conversation rather than in group. Oh I really wished I could read this book because it’s always nice to read someone who represents so much of you and just make you understand yourself a bit more!
Please pick me! 🙂 cidatka@gmail.com
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Thank you for your wonderful analysis of the excerpt. I’m so glad you were touched by it. Good luck with the giveaway!
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I have always thought that Mary deserved a chance at love. Glad she meets someone that appreciates her personality. 🙂
newyorkgirl82(at)gmail(dot)com
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Thanks to all who entered! The winner is Suko! Congrats and happy reading!
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Yay! Thank you very much, Anna! 🙂
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Mary finally in love……great news
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