In celebration of finishing: another excerpt from the novel.
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Henri held the oil lamp and lighter in one hand and Emily’s wrist in the other. There was a restaurant straight across the boulevard and Henri didn’t bother to wait for the horses to trot their carriages out of his way before pulling Emily onto the cobbles. They hurried into the restaurant, making a scene, and one of the waiters took Emily into the kitchen to soak her hand in a tub of cool water.
“Your hand will keep burning unless you cool it off,” Henri explained, “so let it soak for a few minutes. “Do you have any clean cloths?” he asked the waiter. “Here, I’ll pay you.” He shoved his hand into his pocket and searched frantically, finally pulling out a few coins.
“No need, monsieur. Take the cloth. She needs it, we can see.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you.” Henri took the cloth.
“Emily, how’s your hand?” Andy asked. “Does it hurt any less?”
Emily nodded. “I think it’s cooling down.” She swished her hand slowly through the bucket of water. “Much better.” She pulled her hand out of the water and patted it dry on her apron before holding it out for Henri to wrap. Her hand was still very tender but her excitement about unsealing the cave occupied her mind more than the pain.
When Henri finished, Emily inspected the dressing. “Thanks. Ready to go?”
“You sure you’re okay?” Andy asked.
“Yes.” She took his arm with her good hand and began to walk toward the front of the restaurant. “Thank you, monsieurs,” she said to the waiters.
“Your hand will keep burning unless you cool it off,” Henri explained, “so let it soak for a few minutes. “Do you have any clean cloths?” he asked the waiter. “Here, I’ll pay you.” He shoved his hand into his pocket and searched frantically, finally pulling out a few coins.
“No need, monsieur. Take the cloth. She needs it, we can see.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you.” Henri took the cloth.
“Emily, how’s your hand?” Andy asked. “Does it hurt any less?”
Emily nodded. “I think it’s cooling down.” She swished her hand slowly through the bucket of water. “Much better.” She pulled her hand out of the water and patted it dry on her apron before holding it out for Henri to wrap. Her hand was still very tender but her excitement about unsealing the cave occupied her mind more than the pain.
When Henri finished, Emily inspected the dressing. “Thanks. Ready to go?”
“You sure you’re okay?” Andy asked.
“Yes.” She took his arm with her good hand and began to walk toward the front of the restaurant. “Thank you, monsieurs,” she said to the waiters.
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My Current NaNoWriMo Word Count:
Started book 3!
6 comments:
I am looking forward to reading the whole thing! What is the title of book one - Has it been published? I would like to read it also.
I'm afraid it's still much too soon to the read the whole thing. The title of book one is The Painter's Heir, though that could change. No, it hasn't been published--yet. I hope you will read it when it is! Thanks for the positive feedback.
You really seem to be a writer! I'm impressed to see how you progress - only 13% left. One word more or less would be OK, I guess? How will you proceed for the publishing?
I'd like to be a published writer! I'm sure the novel will need a lot of work but I'm basking in its length at the moment. I certainly plan to pursue publication but this one, and the novel that precedes it, must be perfect first. At least as close to perfect as I can make them. Two more writing days left to reach the 50k goal!
So, ready for the weekend! I believe you will not immediately give us THE END? Hope you will succeed in publishing after all your efforts! (Sorry, I have no publishers among my close friends.)
No, I won't be posting the end of the novel. Don't want to give anything away! And if it's published I'll definitely let you know.
Thank you so much for supporting me this month, everyone. You've really helped keep me going.
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