Currently on Amazon, Midst has 794 reviews with a 4.2 overall rating and Belle has 224 reviews with a 4.3 overall rating.
The day had come. Lavinia’s story, which Jasper had titled The Grand Adventures of Casimir Kimberly, had been published and today was the first day the story could be purchased. She had slept badly, tossing and turning during the night, all sorts of scenarios playing in her head, each one worse than the one before.
She knew it was pointless trying to predict what would happen. If the story was a failure, she could write another one. If the story was a triumph that might even be worse. How could she better an absolute triumph? Whatever happened, she would either be poised to write a new story to make up for the failed version or an even better one than the first installment.
There was a chill in the air as she pulled on a dark blue woolen skirt with a matching jacket that buttoned up to the throat. She pinned her mother’s gold and garnet brooch on her jacket and left the townhouse.
It was early in the morning and a fog lay over London. The streets were wet, evidence of rainfall during the night. She stepped into the street and, not bothering to hail a hansom cab, walked the few blocks to the news vendor nearest the townhouse. The sound of her heels on the street echoed, as she appeared to be the only one about.
The news vendor had a little shop on the corner of a residential street that turned into upscale shops once she walked further to the left. She noticed that the milkman had not made his rounds as she saw no milk bottles on the doorsteps of the townhouses she passed. It must be very early, she thought as she came nearer the news vendor.
She noticed a man in work clothes stop by the news vendor, make a purchase, and then walk in the opposite direction. She felt for the coins in her dress pocket and stepped up to the vendor.
“Mornin’, miss.” He nodded to her in greeting and returned to his newspaper.
“Morning,” she said in return.
She looked over the newspapers that he was selling and saw the familiar titles: The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph. They were all neatly stacked on top of each other so that a customer could easily grab a copy and be on their way. Besides the newspapers, the vendor was selling the Evening Standard from the night before and The Spectator and The Economist magazines.
“Something I can help you with, luv?” he asked, looking up at her.
Lavinia was about to refuse his help and then nodded. “Yes. I was wondering if you had any new penny dreadfuls? Our cook loves them and we want to keep her happy.”
The vendor smiled. “That’s a fine idea. The penny dreadfuls are just there.” He pointed to the corner below the newspapers.
Lavinia nodded. “I see.” She glanced quickly at the covers but did not see the one she was looking for.
“Now that you mention it,” the man said, looking up at her, “I think I got something new this morning from Courtenay Publishing.” Turning around, he heaved a large bundle of magazines wrapped in twine and placed them before her.
“There you are, luv. Hot off the presses!” the man said, smiling. “Can’t beat that! Your cook will be the first on her block to read this lot.”
Lavinia tried to conceal her excitement as she stared at the cover of a man appearing larger than life standing before a familiar backdrop of London. Over him read the words The Grand Adventures of Casimir Kimberly and beneath his feet it read “By G.R. Howard.” A thrill of delight filled her as she stared at the cover, and she tried hard not to start grinning like an idiot.
“I’ll take five copies.” She shrugged. “She might want to give them to her friends.”
The man took her coins and she pressed the copies to her breast as she turned to hurry back to her townhouse. Her heart thudded heavily inside her chest and only then did she begin to smile, and she didn’t stop all the way home.
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