Greetings, readers! I’m so happy to welcome back author, L.L. Diamond to Austenesque Reviews today! With two Pride and Prejudice novels already under her belt and after an exciting move across the pond, Ms. Diamond visits again to celebrate the release of her newest book, An Unwavering Trust. Today she brings with her a lovely and tender “deleted scene” from her new novel! 🙂
Thanks, Meredith for having me! I wrote this scene, which takes place at a Gala in honour of the King’s birthday that was held at Sydney Gardens in Bath every year. In the end, I opted to only use what came after and give a brief overview of the Gala for the book, but I thought you might like a gander at what I had written of the event.
~~~
Elizabeth was seated to the back of a canvas booth. Her husband had paid for the private tent that was open to one side so they could later view the illuminations and the fireworks. In the meantime, they had been offered choices of cold ham, lamb, and chicken. They had been served their meal in time for the music to start, and they ate leisurely while the orchestra and musicians performed.
She could not say that she preferred Bath to the few other places she had visited, but she had greatly enjoyed the music and theatre performances she had attended during their visit.
She took a sip of her wine, and leaned back, finished with her meal. She felt her husband’s warm hand join hers in her lap and smiled.
“Are you warm enough,” he whispered in her ear, eliciting a shiver down her neck and back.
“I am well at the moment, thank you.”
They listened to the music until there was a break for a moment when the sound of a whistle could be heard, and lanterns in the gardens all around them lit at once. “How beautiful,” she whispered.
“Would you care to walk through a part of the garden for a bit?”
“Yes, I would love to.” Her husband stood, and held out his hand for her. He escorted her through some of the walks closest to the hotel so they could return for the fireworks. She had never seen so many oil-burning lanterns, and the effect was breath taking.
“What do you think?” he asked close to her ear.
“I feel as though we are walking through the stars. It is beautiful.”
“Are you ready to return to our table?”
She was enjoying the illuminations but the evening had become cool. The partially sheltered table at least offered some protection from the light breeze. They were not far from the dining booths and soon they were seated once more while the orchestra finished the performance for the evening.
Though Elizabeth was a bit warmer, she found that despite the shelter, she was still cold. Darcy must have noticed because she soon found herself engulfed in his great coat.
“Thank you.”
He nodded while she adjusted the front so she was shielded from the weather.
She had just gotten situated when she heard a popping noise that prompted her to turn abruptly toward the clear night sky. She what looked like several shooting stars sailing toward the heavens where they exploded into a kaleidoscope of colour. They almost appeared as if they would fall to earth, but they would disappear before long, leaving a trail of light and smoke.
Darcy watched Elizabeth as she noticed the beginning of the show. She appeared awestruck, even when she started at the loud boom when they exploded in the air. She soon turned to him with the most amazing smile he had ever seen adorning her face.
“It is magnificent!” she exclaimed in wide-eyed wonder.
In the dark of their booth, he reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. She turned toward him once more to smile a bit more softly, but another round of fireworks soon had her watching the sky again.
Thank you, Leslie! Sounds like a magical scene, I love seeing such tender love between Darcy and Elizabeth! I can’t wait to read more!
~~~
Connect with Leslie
Blog ❧ Twitter ❧ Facebook ❧ Austen Variations
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Today Leslie brings with her ONE ebook copy of An Unwavering Trust for me to give away to ONE lucky winner!
To enter this giveaway, leave a question, a comment, or some love for Leslie below!
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Leslie!
- This giveaway ends June 10th!
What an incredibly sweet interlude! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by, Theresa!
What a lovely scene to read just before I start the afternoon session in the office. I have read Rain and Retribution by Leslie and I have enjoyed it very much. Thank you so much for the giveaway but please do not include me as I do not have an ebook, however, this book is already on my birthday/Christmas wish list. Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting anyway, Michelle! I loved hearing from you!
I finished this book yesterday…no…..this morning at 1 AM. Loved it. Will be posting my review today. More than just a love story.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know!
Oh, and thank you for the added scene. I do have the Bath period fresh in my mind so this fit into my thoughts.
Your welcome! I’m glad it was still able to be enjoyed since I didn’t include it in the book!
So sweet. Thanks for sharing the excerpt!
Your welcome! I’m glad that everyone seems to be enjoying it! Thanks, Stephanie!
How fun to read about after they’re married!
Still very new, but they’re making headway quickly! Thanks, Michelle!
I really enjoy this scene where Darcy shows his love to his wife in small gestures. Leslie, thanks for including this outtake and wish it could be added back in the book.
I cut this out pretty early as it became difficult to see how to link it to what came next. The book is already longer than Rain and Retribution or A Matter of Chance. I am just glad that it does not appear to be too long! Thanks, Lúthien84!
Thanks for the lovely excerpt and the giveaway! Congrats on the new release, it sounds absolutely wonderful!
Thanks, Joana! I look forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks! I’m so excited!
It has been awhile since I have seen fireworks – thank you for the giveaway – I did so enjoy Rain and Retribution
Thanks for stopping by, Vesper and good luck!
Ahhhhh! Well done, Leslie. Best of wishes for the continued success of this story. I’ve loved following your blog tour and particularly enjoy the excerpts.
I was busy trying to decide what to write for the blog tour when I remembered the document with the deleted scenes or scenes where I changed my mind (such as this one) and got excited to post these. I’m just glad everyone is enjoying them! Thanks, Joy!
They’re so sweet!! Thank you, for this beautiful excerpt and giveaway!
They are sweet! Especially when they are just learning about one another! Thanks, Maria and good luck!
Thank you for the deleted scene. I will remember it when I read the book as you said you have included what came afterwards. Thank you for the giveaway. I am so looking forward to reading your new book.
In the book, we join them as they are leaving the gala. I liked the idea of having this in the book, but I didn’t know how I’d fit it all in the chapter. I’m happy that you can read what I started, though! Thanks, Eva!
What a beautiful scene! Thank you and don’t enter me in the giveaway, as I just bought it!!! Couldn’t wait to read it. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Carole! I’m glad you stopped by to comment!
I like the romantic excerpt! Sounds like a beautiful evening!
The galas sounded amazing! I did enjoy reading how Jane Austen attended one of the galas while she was in bath and using her opinion of the music and such as Elizabeth’s in the book. I have a post coming up on 11 June at Austen Variations that will go more into Jane Austen’s experiences with Sydney Gardens and Bath and the letter excerpts that influenced some my writing of the gala. Thanks for stopping by, Meredith!
It sound enchanting with the lanterns being lit making it like a fairy tale setting. It must be hard to cut a scene.
As I remember, I got a bit stuck as I was writing it. I felt like I would be repeating a certain amount if I continued on and so I decided to take a different approach. It can be difficult because sometimes scenes are born out of a flow you have as you write, but in the end, it depends upon the scene. Thanks for stopping by, Sophia!
What a sweet excerpt! Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway! 🙂
My pleasure, Shannon! Thanks and good luck with the giveaway!
OOh I just loved this scene! Thanks for sharing it with us and having a neat giveaway…
I’m so glad! Thanks louannlajeunesse and good luck with the giveaway!
So sweet! I want this book!!
I wish I am lucky enough to win this!!!
Thanks for stopping by and good luck, tgruy!
This excerpt is so sweet and so full of love. I love it already! I would like to enter the giveaway! By the way, your picture is taken in Dover, right? 🙂
Yes, the picture is in Dover! We took a trip to Kent last September and visited Ramsgate, Deal, and Dover. All were nice, but I did love Deal. Such a pretty and historic town! I’m so glad you liked the excerpt! Thanks, anadarcy!
Deal is beautiful. I got engaged near Deal 🙂
What a sweet scene, thank you for sharing! I can’t imagine how utterly wondrous fireworks would have been to Darcy and Elizabeth, when even now they’re pretty darn spectacular!
I agree! Since they weren’t as common then, I would think it was an astounding sight for those who had never seen them before. I’m curious about the illuminations. I would love it if there was a garden or National trust home that would do an exhibition of them one evening as they were done at Vauxhall and Sydney gardens! Thanks, Nicole!
Oh, I love the scene above Leslie. I want to read more. I can’t wait to read your book.
All the best,
Becky
Thanks, Becky! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I love it when authors share deleted scenes with us. Makes us appreciate thier talent even more, I think, to see what doesn’t make it into the “final cut”. If I had the talent to be a writer, I’m not sure I could bear to delete anything I’d slaved over a hot keyboard to produce.
Thanks for the giveaway, ladies.
I cut more from this one while writing and editing than my other two books. For me, it depends on the scene. Usually, what upsets me is a neat tidbit of research that I don’t want to lose by cutting a scene. Thanks, Anji!
Sounds like a good book would love to read it
Thanks, mrsdarcy99 and good luck with the giveaway!
Thanks Leslie – love this romantic interlude and am just sorry it isn’t in the book – although luckily there are lots of others which did make it. Please don’t include me in the giveaway as I already have it – another wonderful book! I have all 3 and am eagerly awaiting number 4. Thanks again.
Number 4? I better stop procrastinating and get writing! Thanks, Glynis! 🙂
What a beautiful scene. This Darcy is so attentive and loving. Sigh. I already have the ebook, so please do not enter me in the give awayl
I think we all like to have Darcy be that way since we didn’t get much loving interaction between D&E in canon. We have to indulge ourselves with that when we can get it! Thanks, Deborah!
So romantic. Sigh…lanterns at night, holding hands, fireworks, and your sweetheart wrapping you in his coat when you get chilled. Never gets old. It’s going on my wish list right now. 🙂
It’s always a pleasure to read and extra scene. Thank you for sharing!