by Jo Beverley
Writing, however, is a physical skill requiring a lot of practice to do well. Add the technical difficulties of writing on parchment or vellum with fragile pens and homemade inks, and it is reasonable to believe that people would use scribes just as executives used to use typists.
Now, on to time.
Before clocks—and clocks as we know them are hundreds of years in the future—most people did not reckon time in hours and minutes. They went by the sun and the church bells, and most churches and religious houses were going by the sun anyway by using sundials.
Early sundials made no allowance for the seasonal change in the sun's position and angle. This wasn't stupidity; it was because time was only needed to reflect the reality of people's lives, and lives changed in harmony with the seasons.
So, in fact, time was flexible.
Theoretically, the day was divided into eight equal portions marked by specific prayers. Matins was midnight, lauds was three A.M., etc. In winter, when nights were long, the time periods—read from sundials—meant that prime (meaning first in Latin, or daybreak) would be about eight A.M. and vespers (meaning evening) at about four P.M.
But in summer, when nights were short and days long, prime would be about four A.M. and vespers at around nine EM. (And incidentally, in religious houses matins and lauds were usually said—i.e., prayed—together, so that people did get at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep.)
These time divisions, marked by prayer and bells, provided the rhythm for medieval life. They are called the canonical hours, and are as follows, with their approximate modern equivalent:
prime—six A.M.
terce—nine A.M.
sext—noon
none—three P.M.
vespers—six P.M.
compline—nine P.M.
matins—three A.M.
lauds—three A.M.
You'll see that they counted the day hours from one (prime) through to nine (none) with vespers signaling the end of most workdays. More logical really than our system, which has the day starting when nearly everyone is fast asleep!
Did you spot him? Those of you who have read my previous books will have recognized FitzRoger, the king's champion. The Normans in England not forty years after the Conquest were a small, tight-knit community.
FitzRoger is the hero of Dark Champion.
All best wishes,
Jo
Page forward for an excerpt from
AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE
The Company of Rogues
Book One
Excerpt from
An Arranged Marriage
The Company of Rogues
Book One
by
Jo Beverley
New York Times & USA Today
Bestselling Author
AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE
Awards & Accolades
Best Regency Novel, Romantic Times
RITA, finalist
Bookrak Bestseller
"A splendid love story.... This immensely appealing pair of lovers will utterly captivate readers, while Ms. Beverley's commanding ease with the Regency period provides a veritable feast of delight for the true connoisseur. Bravo!"
~Romantic Times
Nicholas has arranged for his friends, the Company of Rogues, to keep Eleanor company, but when she holds a small party, he attends to keep up appearances...
Eleanor was pleased to see Nicholas exerting his charm to secure the success of the event, but this also led to bitterness. If he can turn it on and off so easily, she thought, why can't he turn it on for me now and then? She was amused by Peter's jealous care of Amy until she compared it to Nicholas's casual regard of herself.
Lord Middlethorpe, standing beside her, said, "Now what in the sight of those sickening young lovers can be making you look so sad?"
"I'm just worrying about arrangements. This is my first real party, you know."
But he shook his head. "Won't do, Eleanor. May I try my hand at mind-reading? You were looking at Peter and Amy and wishing Nicholas was hovering over you in the same way."
She knew she had colored and did not attempt to deny it.
"He wouldn't be a very good host if he did that, you know. And perhaps he trusts you rather more than Peter appears to trust Amy."
Eleanor was betrayed into bitter speech. "He wouldn't care, I dare say, if I were to throw myself into another man's arms."
Surprisingly, Lord Middlethorpe laughed. "You obviously don't know Nicholas, even yet." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Jealousy is a not very attractive reflection of possessiveness, but would it make you happy if he were jealous?"
"Francis, this is most improper, and very silly. I can't...." Under his gently insistent look she said, "Yes. Yes, it would."
"Come then," he said and held out his arm. "Show me some particular book in the library."
Eleanor looked over at her oblivious husband then put her hand on Lord Middlethorpe's arm and allowed him to lead her from the room. "You expect him to come after us? I doubt he will even notice I have left the room, never mind who with."
"I, however, know I am taking my life in my hands."
His sensitive eyes reflected all his concern for her. Why was she surrounded by care from everyone except the one....
"Cheer up, or you'll have me thinking I am very poor company."
As they entered the darkened library Eleanor said, "Indeed you are not. I don't know what I would do without your friendship, Francis."
He lit the candles with a taper from the low fire and looked around. "Well, which book are you so anxious to share with me?"
Eleanor shrugged, and took up the folder of Chinese prints. "Have you seen these? They are exquisite."
He turned the sheets carefully. "Very fine. I have some similar but none as delicate as these."
Eleanor relaxed as usual into the pleasure of his company. They were studying the prints, Eleanor seated and Francis leaning over her shoulder, when the door opened and Nicholas entered. He closed the door quietly behind him.
Eleanor blushed, and Francis smiled.
Nicholas could not be said to be angry, and yet there had been a flash in his eyes when he first entered. Eleanor had to force herself not to leap to her feet and stammer out excuses.
He strolled over to the table. "You are admiring these? I think we should have them mounted."
"Yes," Francis replied, in an equally light tone. "A shame to hide them, but be careful the light does not spoil them. Treasures need to be cherished." He quietly left the room.
At the click of the door Eleanor looked up in alarm. Nicholas was studying her with careful attention.
"Has something in particular upset you?" They both knew he was not referring to the state of their marriage.
"No, nothing at all," she said hurriedly. "We must go back. It does not do for us both to be neglecting our guests."
"I think everyone is quite content for the moment."
He perched on the corner of the table beside her chair. It was a more intimate situation than any they had been in for weeks. Idly, he twirled one of her curls around his finger.
She found she could not look at him.
His voice came softly in the quiet room. "You are being very brave and very careful, Eleanor. You cannot know how grateful I am."
There was a magic in the moment, but it evaporated when she remembered what he was doing with the time she was so generously allowing him. She was trying, head still lowered, to decide on her response when he spoke again.
"Would it help to know that I am finding this time as difficult as you? And, I suspect, for many of the same reasons."
Surprised, she responded with a slight nod, anger melting into swallowed tears, equal parts grief and happiness. She did not understand what he was saying but his tone of deep concern was balm for her pride. At least he felt something for her.
But then he stood up abruptly, facing away from her. His voice was rough as he said, "I cannot explain things, Elea
nor, and believe me, it wouldn't help if I could. Come, we must go back."
When he turned to offer her his arm she rose obediently, knowing no way to make any sense of him. His movement was arrested, and then changed. He raised his hands to cradle her face and she knew the hint of tears must be there, no matter how gallantly she smiled.
"Oh, Eleanor. I cannot even ask forgiveness, my dear."
He leant forward until his lips caressed hers. It was a kiss which spoke more of caring than of need, but there was a sweetness to be so close, to be wrapped in his concern, if not in his arms...
"Oh God." He wrenched back. She saw the bewildering need in his tortured eyes before he turned and left the room.
An Arranged Marriage
The Company of Rogues
Book One
by
Jo Beverley
New York Times & USA Today
Bestselling Author
~
To purchase
An Arranged Marriage
from your favorite eBook Retailer,
visit Jo Beverley's eBook Discovery Author Page
www.ebookdiscovery.com/JoBeverley
~
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Publishers Weekly declared Jo Beverley "Arguably today's most skillful writer of intelligent historical romance..." Her work has been described as "Sublime!" by Booklist, and Romantic Times described her as "one of the great names of the genre."
She is the NYT bestselling author of over thirty historical romance novels, all set in her native England in the medieval, Georgian, and Regency periods. Her novels have won the RITA, romance's top award, five times, and she is a member of Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame.
She also writes some romantic stories with a science fiction and fantasy twist. The Trouble With Heroes... won the Sapphire Award for Best SF Romance, and The Marrying Maid was an honorable mention for Best SF 2011.
Her web site is www.jobev.com, and she regularly blogs at Word Wenches. www.wordwenches.com. You can also find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jo.beverley
She firmly believes that reading should be fun, and that every book should leave the reader with a smile.
Page forward for a list of books by Jo Beverley
Also by Jo Beverley
An Arranged Marriage
An Unwilling Bride
Christmas Angel
Forbidden
Dangerous Joy
The Demon's Mistress (a novella)
The Dragon's Bride
The Devil's Heiress
Hazard
St. Raven
Skylark
The Rogue's Return
To Rescue a Rogue
THE MALLOREN WORLD
My Lady Notorious
Tempting Fortune
Something Wicked
Secrets of the Night
Devilish
Winter Fire
A Most Unsuitable Man
A Lady's Secret
The Secret Wedding
The Secret Duke
An Unlikely Countess
A Scandalous Countess
Seduction in Silk
Table of Contents
Cover
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Epilogue
A Note from the Publisher
Special Author's Note
Excerpt from An Arranged Marriage (The Company of Rogues, Book 1)
Meet Jo Beverley
Also by Jo Beverley
