Far From Normal

Five years ago, Lord Henry left Lady Emmaline alone to face society’s scorn after the two were found in a compromising position.  Now Henry has returned to London as the Duke of Salle, determined to win back the woman he never forgot.

Lady Emmaline believes herself to be happy as a resigned spinster. Though her days are no longer filled with callers and balls, she has found her place in society and has no interest in romance. Her vow to withstand Henry’s renewed advances slowly crumbles, however, under his persistent and unwavering charm.

Finally, they believe, the ghosts of their past have been banished.  That is until a new scandal threatens to separate them. This time, forever.

While writing Princess, I wrote a scene in which it became necessary to describe the way Lukas smelled. My first thought was, he probably didn’t smell all that great being a sixteenth century male and all. But no one wants to read a book about a stinky hero, so I gave it more thought. Since he was a wealthy duke’s son, I decided he probably smelled better than your average sixteenth century male.

After checking to make sure scented soap had been invented, I realized he smelled like leather (not from soap) and almonds (soap).

I didn’t think too much about it until I found myself in the middle of the Beth Moore study, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, and a session discussed almonds. Specifically the part in Exodus where God instructs Moses to have the tabernacle lampstand made with almond flowers in the design. Beth noted that the Hebrew word for almond (shaqed) is almost the same as the Hebrew word for watch (shaqad). I promise that’s significant, plus it shows how God plays on words, which I think is very cool.

Beth went on to explain that the almond (shaqed) is the earliest flowering plant in Israel, budding sometimes before the end of February. Often, she said, God is anxious for us to produce spiritual fruit and allows us to do it earlier than we think we should. God is watching (shaqad) to see His Word fulfilled in us.

And this has what to do with Lukas?

Lukas, I think everyone can agree, is probably the very last person one would expect to produce any spiritual fruit, much less produce it early. But he smells like almonds, remember? It only stands to reason that he’ll bear fruit early and fulfill God’s Word in the process. And he’ll do it while people watch.

I know relatively few readers will ever realize the significance of Lukas and his almond soap, but I smile every time I think about it.

The setting is December 1812. No title yet.

*****

Henry Westmoreland, the new Duke of Salle, had returned to England.

The servants had whispered about it all day. Emmaline tried to ignore them, but the guilty way they jumped apart every time she happened upon a group of them didn’t make it easy. After running into gossiping servants in the kitchen, the dining room, and the drawing room, she finally took a novel and found a quiet corner in the library.

She soon found, however, that while she could escape hushed chatting of the servants, she could not escape her own thoughts.

            

“Foolishness,” she admonished herself. “He didn’t return for you. You wouldn’t want him if he did.”

          

With a self-satisfied nod of her head, she turned her attention back to her book, and reread the page in front of her for the eighth time.  After the tenth, she put the novel aside with a heavy sigh. Perhaps she should go for a walk.

“Lady Emmaline,” the butler said from the doorway. “You have a caller.”

 A caller? She hadn’t had a caller in over five years. Not since he left.

“Who is it?” she asked, standing and trying to cover her excitement.

            

“His Grace, the Duke of Salle.”

            

Her knees grew weak. Henry? Here? At her home? Her heart beat wildly. Whatever did he want?

            

From the doorway, the servant watched her with barely concealed curiosity.  Summoning all the inner strength she had, Emmaline sat back down.

            

“Oh.” She took her book off the table and opened it to a random page. “Please inform His Grace I am indisposed.”

            

“My humblest apologies, my lady, but he has already conversed with your mother.”

"Of course he has," she muttered under her breath. Whatever he was, Henry wasn't a fool. He knew the quickest way to a single woman was through a desperate mother.