Tamsin and her diary first appeared in the book The Wolf's Pregnant Bride and I found her story so compelling I couldn't help but bring it to life. I hope you have enjoyed this book as much as I have.
Thanks for reading,
Jane
*While doing research for this book I came across many sources that readers might find interesting. Here were a few of my favorite videos (all available on YouTube at the time of this writing):
Britain's Tudor Treasure: A Night at Hampton Court
King Henry VIII The Mind of a Tyrant
Hampton Court Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace
Shakespeare's Mother the Secret Life of a Tudor Woman
Hidden Killers of the Tudor Home
Inside the Body of King Henry VIII
About the Author:
Jane B. Night was born in central Ohio. She graduated from Hocking College with a degree in Health Information Management. She has worked as a Medical Records Technician and a Switchboard Operator since earning her degree.
When Jane isn’t writing or working, she loves to read, play videogames, and take her children walking.
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Other Books by Jane B. Night
Stand Alone Titles:
Wedding the Widow
Her Forever Husband
Loving a Fallen Star
A Family for Nicholas
The Secrets of Arach Innis
The Wolf's Pregnant Bride
Series:
After the Explosion:
Singing the Last Song 0 (Prologue)
Educating Autumn Book 1
His Doctor in Training Book 1.5 (Takes place within Book 1)
Desiring the Doctor Book 2
Coming Soon!
Protected
The Alpha's Niece
She-Wolf Wanted
Preview of The Wolf's Pregnant Bride (available on Amazon)
Chapter 1
Nathaniel tried not to stare but Vivian looked beautiful tonight with her green dress bringing out the equal amounts of green in her eyes. Her blond ringlets hanging around her shoulders would have intoxicated any man and they did indeed seem to be.
"I'm sorry, my dance card is full," Vivian said batting her eyelashes at Nathaniel a moment before twirling around and heading to the other side of the dance floor.
Nathaniel Wolstenholme sighed. Her card probably had a Duke or two not to mention countless Earls and Barons.
His eyes surveyed the ballroom until he located his older brother, Eldon, who was standing next to their father near the wall. He had expected Eldon to be out on the dance floor with his new bride.
Claire, Vivian's sister and his new sister-in-law, was standing next to Eldon listening to whatever conversation he and their father were having. Nathaniel pushed past several ladies whose skirts were so large they reminded him of the hand bells used in rehearsal by change ringers.
"I could barely believe it. The peasants must have been lunatics to destroy all that machinery! I can't imagine the cost. So many jobs lost," his father said.
"Were the culprits apprehended?" Eldon asked. He had a glass in his hand which he raised to his lips and took a large swallow from before refocusing his attention on their father.
"And jailed."
"It is so sad. With the machines broken many men will be unable to work. Think of all the hungry children," Claire added. Pain played on her face and Nathaniel was sure that she really was feeling deep sorrow for those hypothetically starving children.
"The men destroyed the machines to save jobs and protect their livelihood. The machines replace the need for much of their labors," Nathaniel said.
"There is always work to be had. New machines will create new jobs. It is the way of the future. Businessmen are not going to go back to the old ineffective ways of doing things just because of a few vandals. Besides, if machines allow goods to be made more efficiently, eventually prices will go down and it will benefit no one more than the poor," his father said.
"If they have any jobs at all," Claire added. Eldon took another drink from his glass.
"I suppose we should be grateful that our people will never need to worry about that. I think we are the only landowners in the area who are not losing people to the cities. It is really a shame," Nathaniel said. The world around them was changing in leaps and bounds.
"We don't demand exorbitant rents. Of course it helps that King George doesn't require much in the way of goods from us. We could not remain at as we are if our kingdom taxes were higher," his father said. Other landowners primarily paid the king in goods while the Wolstenholmes paid in blood. Every man born on the land who grew to be werewolf had to serve in the army that the Wolstenholmes supplied to the kingdom.
"Yes but-" Eldon started to speak but he was cut off.
"Sir." Owen appeared from the crowd. Nathaniel hadn't noticed him approach until he spoke which was not surprising. Owen had been the Wolstenholme butler since Nathaniel's father was a child. He was stooped and gray haired but still able to sneak up on misbehaving children as if by magic. Nathaniel had never seen such stealth in a man so aged and he couldn't help envying it. Though it was common for werewolves to reach old age Owen was old even for their kind.
"Yes?" Nathaniel's father asked.
"There is a visitor to see you in the drawing room," Owen said.
"Tell him to come back another day. I will not leave the ball celebrating my son's marriage to talk business."
"He is not a business associate," Owen said.
"Send him here to speak with me if he is dressed properly. Otherwise, he may leave a card and I will call on him tomorrow." Nathaniel doubted that his father's caller was dressed for a formal ball.
"I believe you will want to speak to the gentleman. It is a matter of some urgency," Owen said.
"If you think it is urgent I will see him," Nathaniel's father said slowly after a long moment studying Owen's face. Nathaniel studied it too but he never had been able to see whatever subtle gestures that his father and Owen used for their silent communication. Owen had the same serious face he did whether he was scolding another servant or delivering a brandy to his master.
"I hope it isn't something too serious," Claire said as his father disappeared into the hallway. Claire moved closer to Eldon and wrapped her arm tightly around his but he didn't seem to take any notice of his wife's distress.
"I am sure it is not," Nathaniel said even though he could not be sure of any such thing.
"Did you see Mercy dancing with the Duke of Gloucester?" Claire asked.
"I hope you mean the next in line for that title," Nathaniel said. The Duke of Gloucester was older than himself by at least ten years and possibly much more. His sister Mercy was barely a woman.
"I do not," Claire said, "I suppose it would have been rude to refuse a dance with him."
"She would do better to dance with marriageable men," Nathaniel said. The music ended and Nathaniel watched as Mercy made her way to them.
"Where did father go?"
"Owen called for him."
"He should not have interrupted the party," Mercy said though her brown eyes showed the same concern he was feeling. If their father had been called away from such an occasion it must be something dire. Their father was not only a land owner but also the pack alpha.
Eldon emptied his glass and then handed it to Claire who dutifully went in search of another for him. She returned a moment later with a full glass of wine which Eldon took a swig of. Nathaniel hoped his brother would remain on the
cusp of sobriety through the night especially since the dance was in his honor.
"I saw you talking to Vivian. Did she save you a dance?" Mercy asked.
"There were no dances left," Nathaniel said.
"I do believe you are the only eligible bachelor who she has not danced with tonight. She knows fully well that her father will never let her marry anyone who is not-"
"Titled," Eldon broke in though Nathaniel knew that Mercy had really meant werewolf. More than half the ballroom was filled with men and women who had no idea werewolves even existed.
"Of course. Nor should she," Mercy said.
"I am sure she is just being polite. It really is cruel to refuse a dance based on a man's breeding," Claire said. "One dance isn't a marriage proposal after all."
"But dances can turn into marriage proposals, my dear. She really should try to limit her dances to men who your father would approve of," Eldon said.
"There is still time. Now that I am finally married there is no reason to rush matching Vivian," Claire said.
"Our marriage was never in question," Eldon said.
"Mercy, have you any more dances on your card?"
"The next waltz I promised to Daniel," Mercy said. Her cheeks pinked. Daniel was third in line for an Earldom and so the most beautiful women took only casual notice of him. He was next in line for a pack alpha though his pack was one of the smaller ones in England. He was the man their father had planned to marry Mercy to until she hit womanhood and still had not turned into a werewolf.
Nathaniel had spent long summers with both Claire and Daniel as his father attempted to create companionable friendships amongst the children he hoped to match. There had been no female selected for him. He would not inherit either the title or pack leadership and therefore was far less desirable amongst the aristocratic werewolf families.
"He looks very dashing tonight," Claire said.
"He is only dancing with me because we are friends," Mercy said.
"Are there some men without titles you had hoped to dance with tonight?" Nathaniel asked using the euphemism his brother had. Unlike Eldon and him, Mercy had never become a werewolf even though both of their parents were. Doctor Alyes had tried to explain the science of it to their father but he had never really understood. Until Nathaniel had started breeding dogs he had not understood either. A white sire and a white bitch should produce white pups and usually they did. It wasn't until Gertie threw a gray pup in her second litter that Nathaniel truly understood what Doctor Alyes was trying to explain. Sometimes, nature messes up.
Not being a werewolf complicated finding a husband for Mercy. Daniel needed sons who were werewolf and it would not do for him to marry a woman who was not a werewolf and might produce children who also were not. There was an abundance of werewolf females, even those who were aristocratic.
In the non-were world Mercy was in some demand because of the family she came from but these days it seemed titled men preferred heiresses to good breeding and his sister was no heiress. Also, their father was loathe to match her to a family who did not know were-kind existed.
"Master Eldon, your father is requesting your presence in the drawing room." Owen had snuck up on them again. Nathaniel wondered if he had been some kind of spy during his days in the military service. Surely, a man with such stealth could do better than life as a butler even of a house as prestigious as Wolstenholme.
"Shall I come as well?" Claire asked.
"Master Wolstenholme said that you are to stay and enjoy the party. He needs only a word with his son. Some kind of business dealing most likely," Owen said. Nathaniel knew he was lying but he couldn't have said how. Perhaps it was a minute change in his voice or a flexing of the muscle on his cheek. Whatever it was, Claire did not seem to notice.
"Try not to be long. You should be celebrating as well. I am not the only one who married," Claire said.
"I shall tag along as well," Nathaniel said as Eldon followed Owen.
Owen looked at him for a long moment but did not voice any protest so Nathaniel followed them down the long hallway that led into the main house where another much shorter hallway would lead them into the drawing room.
The Alpha's Daughter Page 19
