I’m delighted to welcome Marcia Clayton and her new book, Millie’s Escape, to the blog. She’s sharing a snippet from the story.
“Granny, Granny, guess what. I’ve been serving customers all on my own, and I even took the money because I can count the pennies now.”
Betsey studied her grandson fondly. At four years old, he was the spitting image of his father, William, and a constant reminder of the son she had lost, but she loved him dearly, and though she would never admit it to anyone, even herself, he was something of a favourite. She pulled him towards her and sat him on her knee, pushing his mop of curly red hair out of his eyes.
“Aren’t you a clever young man, then? Whom did you serve?”
“Mum said I could serve all the children with a square of sugary pastry and charge them a ha’penny each.”
“That’s very smart of you. What did you do if a customer gave you a penny?”
“Oh, that’s easy; I gave them a ha’penny change. I know there are two ha’pennies in one penny.”
“That’s right. You’ll be running the place before we know it.”
“Do you know, though, Granny, there were three who didn’t have any money, and Mum told me to give them a pastry square each anyway.”
Bentley seemed puzzled by this.
“I see. Did you want to give them some food?”
“Yes; they were thin and dirty and looked cold and hungry, so I think they needed something to eat.”
“You did the right thing then, and I hope you’ll always be kind to folk less fortunate than yourself. Do you know, when I was a little girl, I was like those three children because I never had enough to eat, and I was always cold? But for the kindness of some folk, I probably wouldn’t be here at all.”
Bentley was astounded at the thought of his granny being cold and hungry.
“Oh, I’m so glad someone was nice to you, Granny. I’ll always remember that.”
Here’s the blurb
1885 North Devon, England
It is winter in the small Devon village of Brampford Speke, and a typhoid epidemic has claimed many victims. Millie, aged fifteen, is doing her best to nurse her mother and grandmother as well as look after Jonathan, her five-year-old brother. One morning, Millie is horrified to find that her mother, Rosemary, has passed away during the night and is terrified the same fate may befall her granny, Emily.
When Emily’s neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife, Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.
As she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them. There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family and hope they will offer them a home.
With Emily promising to follow as soon as possible, the two youngsters reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed between the two families for many years.
Buy Links:
This title is available to read with #KindleUnlimited.
Barnes and Noble Millie’s Escape by Marcia Clayton
All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.
Meet the author
Marcia Clayton is the author of five books in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga stretching from the Regency period to Victorian times. A sixth book is to be released in 2024.
Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport.
Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.
Connect with the author
Website: Bluesky: Book Bub: Allauthor:
MJ Porter 