Blackmoore
Page 27
His mouth lifted into a crooked smile. I stared at that smile, remembering how it had felt to kiss those lips, to hold his face in my hands, to bury my fingers in his hair. His hair was much lighter, I realized. It was nearly the gold of his childhood.
He knelt in front of me. My face flushed, and my hands trembled, and my hope lifted again and again, like a million wings beating within me. “I left Blackmoore in the keeping of my brother, George, and I have taken a position with the East India Company. I have traveled halfway around the world to find you ... to show you that I will never resent you for robbing me of my home, because I have given it up freely. Now I have nothing left for you to rob me of, except my heart, but you have long been guilty of that already.” I saw in his grey eyes an ache of hope and dread and fear and love all mixed together with so much light that my heart cracked in two. I covered my face with my hands, overcome.
“Kate,” he said in a husky voice, “I am here to ask you one more time if you will spend your life with me. We can be adventurers together. I have followed you this far, my darling girl, and I will follow you wherever you choose to go next. I will love you no matter what happens in the future. You know me. You know I am capable of being just as stubborn as you. I have given up my home to be with you. And so I ask you to give up your fears to be with me, to believe me, to trust me, to ...” His voice broke. “... to love me, as I love you.”
My shoulders shook.
“Kate ... are you laughing? Kate, if you’re laughing again, I swear—”
I dropped my hands, showing him my tear-streaked face, and reached for him, and fell into his arms. It felt like home. It felt like the surest home I had ever, or would ever, know. We clung to each other as if we were drowning, and we were the only ones who could save each other. And then he kissed me, all over my tear-streaked face, my lips, my hair, and I hoped he would never, ever stop. And finally, when I had to pull away to catch my breath, I said, “I have to tell you something.
“You—” I started but had to pause to wipe my nose on my sleeve. “You are not The Giver of My Heart’s Desire, Henry Delafield.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
“No, listen.” I held his face in my hands. His eyes were soft and lit up, and his gaze roamed all over my face with such adoration that I felt caressed. He tipped his head toward me and brushed his lips against my cheek.
“I’m listening,” he murmured, his arms holding me impossibly close.
“You are not The Giver of My Heart’s Desire.” I took a deep breath and smiled. “You are my heart’s desire.”
“Oh, Kate,” he murmured, bending his head to mine. “You are a Romantic after all.”
Chapter 40
Five Years Later
“What do you see ahead of us, love?”
Olivia rested her head on her father’s shoulder. “Only water, Papa.”
“Look again, darling. Do you see the land? Like a shadow in the distance?”
I leaned close, so that her soft, rounded cheek brushed mine, and I pointed to the land rising from the ocean. “Look there. And just wait. It will grow clearer, and then you will see a village full of red-roofed houses, and on a cliff high above the sea, you will see a large house. And do you remember what that is?”
She nodded and blinked her dark-lashed eyes. She had the grey eyes of her father and her great-grandfather. She also had my dark eyebrows, which Henry loved.
“What is it?” Henry asked, smiling down at her and at me, holding us both close.
“It’s home.”
From far away, across the grey water, I imagined I heard the song of a blackbird.
THE END
Author’s Note
I write historical fiction because I love research and I love creating stories. If you’re like me and would like to know where fact and fiction meet in a work of historical fiction, read on. If not, you can skip ahead to the acknowledgments. I promise I will not judge you at all.
When I first started dreaming up Blackmoore, I knew I wanted it to be set in northern England, surrounded by the moors and looking out over the ocean. But I didn’t know if such a place existed. So I flew there, rented a car, and drove all over the north of England, from Manchester to Whitby and back, in search of the perfect location for my story. I found it at Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.
Yes, this town really does exist. I have tried to describe it accurately, but I don’t think words can do justice to the charm and character and windswept beauty of the place. It was a smuggling port for hundreds of years, and over the centuries everyone in the village became involved in that trade. In fact, it was said that a bolt of silk could pass from the beach all the way up to the top of the hill without once seeing the light of day.
How, you ask? All the houses were connected by secret cupboards and passageways. In fact, a villager there told me that someone had recently knocked out a cupboard to do some renovating in her kitchen and found herself staring right into her neighbor’s house.
The estate of Blackmoore is set in the same location as the real estate of Ravenscar, which did (and maybe still does) have secret passageways and was involved in the smuggling trade. And there are still elderly villagers who will warn you to stay away from the moors at night or Linger’s Ghost will get you.
The ruined abbey is based on Fountains Abbey, which is near Harrogate, North Yorkshire. It had the most lovely feeling of being haunted by very friendly ghosts. Its towers were filled with rooks, and its ruin was both beautiful and tragic.
The interior of Blackmoore is modeled after Castle Howard, also in North Yorkshire.
My characters and their lives are purely fictional. But my research did inspire my story. For example, when trying to choose a surname for Henry, I came across the name Delafield. I liked the sound of it, but I wanted to make sure it was a good historical fit for Henry. When I researched the name, I discovered that the Delafield family name originally came from the family of Count de la Feld, a very old family whose seat was the Chateaux of La Feld in Alsace, France. Hubertus De La Feld emigrated to England in 1066, earned himself some large grants of land, and the family began its rise in stature in England. What really clinched their ambition, though, was when John Delafield became a count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1697 due to his valor at the battle of Zenta. When I read that, I imagined a family that thirsted for another title, an English one, and the Delafield family ambition, which was the crux of the obstacle between Kate and Henry, was born.
Herr Louis Spohr is the one character who is based completely on fact. He was a German musician and composer involved in the shift from Classicism to Romanticism in the early 1800s. He did write an opera based on Faust, and he and his wife, Dorette, did travel to England in 1820 and give musical performances. I don’t know if they toured outside of London, however, and I created the name for his piano piece.
I greatly enjoyed researching birds for this story. One site I found very helpful was www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier. On this site you can view photos of birds, read about their habits, and listen to their calls. Although I did not name Kate’s dark bird in the story, I based it on the black drongo, which is indigenous to India.
Much of my research about Robin Hood’s Bay, smuggling, and the moors is owed to a book I picked up in a tiny museum in Robin Hood’s Bay—A History of Robin Hood’s Bay: The Story of a Yorkshire Community, by Barrie Farnill.
If there are mistakes or historical inaccuracies, you can blame them on my fallible nature as a human being. Or they could be the product of my being a writer and therefore being willing to bend fact a little for the sake of good fiction.
Acknowledgments
I could not have written this story without the help of many people in my life. This is my meager attempt to thank them for pushing and pulling and lifting me through a task that felt completely insurmountable at times.
Thank you to everyone at Shadow Mountain for believing in me and this story, even when I was sure it
was the worst story ever written and missed my deadlines over and over. Special thanks to Heidi Taylor, for endless pep talks and great lunches; Chris Schoebinger, for his unflappable good humor and optimism; Lisa Mangum, for begging me for a happier ending (and being right about it); Suzanne Brady, for her impeccable editing skills; and Heather Ward, for the drop-dead gorgeous cover and design.
Thank you to my agent, Laurie McLean, who has been a cheerleader, a coach, and a safe harbor in every storm. I would have felt adrift without you.
The Writing Group of Joy and Awesomeness—what can I say? You gave me joy; you gave me awesomeness; you saved me from my demons time and time again. Thank you all for being so wise and compassionate and funny and brave. Here’s your shout-out: Erin Summerill, Jessie Humphries, Katie Dodge, Donna Nolan, Ruth Josse, Peggy Eddleman, Kim Krey, Sandy Ponton, Jeigh Meredith, Julie Maughon, Christine Tyler, and Chantele Sedgwick.
A big thank-you to my dear friend Marla Kucera, for the adventure of our trip to England. You made everything so fun, you didn’t scream much from my driving, and the cat following you around the cemetery was just icing on the cake.
Thank you to my beta readers for being friends I can trust with a very rough draft: Jinjer Donaldson, Jaime Richardson, Stacey Ratliff, Pam Anderton, Julie Dixon, my mom, and members of the Writing Group of Joy and Awesomeness.
Thank you to my readers who loved Edenbrooke and begged for more. Thank you to all of my online fans for helping me with my brainstorming needs and coming along for this journey. This story is for you!
Thank you to Christine Walter for the beautiful artwork that inspired my story.
Thank you to my dear Fred, Adah, David, Sarah, and Jacob for putting up with me through the stress of missed deadlines, missed family vacations, missed soccer games, and many other missed things. You have my overwhelming love and gratitude. Thank you also to my parents, Frank and Ruth Clawson, for moving closer to me and being a lifeline time and time again. Thank you to my sisters, Kristi, Jenny, and Audrey. I love you lots. And I’m grateful for my in-laws, in all of their numbers: all of the Donaldsons and Hofheins, and Nick, and the Hinmons and Clawsons.
And I once again must acknowledge God’s help in my writing. As far as lifelines and safe harbors go, nothing surpasses Him.
Discussion Questions
1. Repeatedly throughout the story, Kate asks others not to call her Kitty anymore. Have you ever attempted to take on a new identity by asking others to call you by a different name? Do our names play a role in how we are perceived by others or how we feel about ourselves? What significance is there to Henry’s being the only one who calls Kate by her chosen name instead of Kitty?
2. Propriety, titles, and reputation play important roles in the lives of the characters. Kate’s own reputation is affected by the actions of her sister Eleanor, to the point that Sylvia thinks no man who knows of the scandal would want to marry her. Mrs. Delafield is adamant that there be no scandal at Blackmoore, even chiding Kate for going outdoors in the morning. Did you find the cultural expectations of Kate’s society unfair? What cultural expectations of propriety do we see today, if any? To what extent do they affect our lives? Are such cultural constraints unfair or necessary?
3. Kate claims that Henry can’t understand her situation because he is a man. What differences did you notice in the novel between what men were allowed to do and what women were allowed to do? How does it compare to the culture you live in? Have you ever felt limited based on your gender? In what ways?
4. After learning of Kate’s bargain with her mother, Sylvia accuses Kate of being selfish and manipulative. Do you think Sylvia is right? Do you think Kate was wrong to make such a bargain with her mother or to flirt with men she has no feelings for? Have you ever found yourself manipulating others to get your own way? Is this ever acceptable?
5. What do you think of the friendship between Kate and Henry? Do you think they have a foundation for a strong marriage? If Henry had married Miss St.Claire, do you think theirs could have been a healthy marriage? Why or why not?
6. Were you surprised with Kate’s reason for swearing off marriage? Do you agree or disagree with Kate’s decisions following the ball at Delafield Manor? Do you think she was right to refuse Henry at Blackmoore, even after he said he was willing to give up his birthright for her? What role does sacrifice play in love and marriage?
7. The character of Kate’s father is buried under the oppressive weight of Mrs. Worthington’s character. What feelings did you have when Kate briefly mentioned his self-seclusion? How do those feelings differ from those you experienced when Kate met Henry’s grandfather for the first time? Do you think it’s possible to make a real connection with someone you’ve never met except through the stories someone tells about them?
8. Kate dreams of escaping by going to Blackmoore and then to India. Have you ever felt trapped or caged? What did you do about it? What do you wish you had done about it? Do you relate to Kate’s need to travel? Do you have dreams of traveling to specific places? What do those places mean to you?
9. Kate dreamed all her life about going to Blackmoore, and yet her fantasy trip turned into a mess of mixed feelings, largely disappointment. What dangers are there in projecting your happiness into a “finally” that exists only by fulfilling your hopes and dreams somewhere else? Kate expresses her fear that India also might not hold up to her expectations. What do you believe is the real factor in fulfilling your dreams, in finding your heart’s desire? Did you sense that Kate was truly happy in India?
10. When Sylvia, Kate, and Miss St.Claire walk to Robin Hood’s Bay, Miss St.Claire has a basket of food on her arm and is intent on giving to the poor. On the same occasion, Kate has a chance to buy treats for two young girls, though she hadn’t set out with any intention to be charitable. Does one act seem more charitable than the other? What motives are necessary for displaying true charity? Did Miss St.Claire possess those motives as characteristics or were they a disciplined display of her potential status?
11. When Kate’s plan for three proposals turns into a plan to involve only Henry, she believes he will not be harmed by her request, since his future with Miss St.Claire is already decided. How is this concept different from the realization she had the night before that flirting without feeling was something her mother would do? How is it perhaps similar? Even if she believed Henry would not be hurt, why would she put herself through the agony of rejecting three proposals from the man she loved? How do you feel Kate handled her rejection of the younger Mr. Brandon’s interest?
12. Many important scenes take place in the second music room in Blackmoore. What similarities do you see between Kate and the bird in that room? What else about that second music room is symbolic of Kate’s journey to find her own voice and wings? Toward the end of the novel, when she is in India and is flooded with memories of the bird and the manor, what symbols do you see come full circle? What realizations has she come to about her heart after her dream to visit India is fulfilled?
13. Herr Spohr’s words and music have a considerable influence on Kate. He gives her sheet music of an original composition and tells her there are no rules for how to play it. And then of the bird he suggests that it may not have been its restlessness that killed it but the cage itself. How do you think these statements helped Kate choose to leave? How does music influence your life and decisions? Where do you find the openings to release you from what cages you?
14. Ultimately Kate made the excruciating decision to leave Henry so she wouldn’t be the cause of dividing him from his home and inheritance. Do you think Henry could have said anything in that moment of separation that would have made Kate stay? Without her leaving and a drastic change of scenery, would Kate have been able to recognize what her uncaged desires were, where her home really was?
About the Author
Julianne Donaldson is the bestselling author of Edenbrooke. Her degree in English has fueled her desire to write. She and her husband live in Salt Lak
e City, Utah, with their four children, but she takes every opportunity she can to travel the English countryside. You can find her online at www.juliannedonaldson.com.
Table of Contents
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
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
Discussion Questions
About the Author