{"id":2330,"date":"2025-07-14T18:10:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:10:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianregency.com\/blog\/?p=2330"},"modified":"2025-07-14T18:10:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T18:10:46","slug":"section-five-kristi-ann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/14\/section-five-kristi-ann\/","title":{"rendered":"A Suitable Match, Serial Story Section 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MatchCover\"To kick off the\u00a0second year of celebrating Inspirational Regency fiction, we presented\u00a0a serial story, A Suitable Match. At the end of the month we’ll be giving away a fabulous prize package filled with items tied to the story.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>

\"Fire<\/a><\/div>\n

Missed an earlier section? Read it here:\u00a01<\/a>\u00a02<\/a>\u00a03<\/a>\u00a04<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The George and Pelican Inn, somewhere between Somerset and London
\nApril 1818<\/p>\n

\u201cGone? She can\u2019t be gone!\u201d Chard glanced at Twiford who uttered the same words, the \u00a0panic and disbelief in his voice mirroring Chard\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, my lord, but I checked her room myself. It\u2019s empty.\u201d The servant shuffled his feet, probably in anticipation of fleeing the company of two angry peers.<\/p>\n

Lord Twiford stomped from the room with Chard on his heels. If she had left, she couldn\u2019t have gone far.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Cressida pressed her ear to the doorjamb, careful not to scrape it against the rough wood. A little ache and discomfort was one thing. Some things had to be suffered through in order to achieve the desired result, after all. A mass of splinters in the side of her face was another thing entirely, and something to be avoided if at all possible.<\/p>\n

Her nose flattened as she pressed into the door, peering through the knothole. If she angled her head just right, she could see the counter at the bottom of the stairs where the innkeeper did business.<\/p>\n

Moments earlier the innkeeper had informed the servant that she had vacated her rooms, implying that she had departed from the inn entirely. The man had been hesitant to give her a new room late last night so she could fool the men into thinking she was gone, but an old silver locket had been enough to purchase the new room and his cooperation.<\/p>\n

She hated to part with any of her inherited jewels, but this trinket was by far the least valuable. Besides, it was worth it if it allowed her to escape the company of the men from her past.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the meaning of this nonsense?\u201d Lord Twiford\u2019s voice shot up the stairs followed by the reverberation of his pounding on the innkeeper\u2019s counter.<\/p>\n

It was too bad that such a contrary disposition wore such a pleasing appearance.<\/p>\n

Lord Chard joined the party, adding his own demands that the innkeeper tell him how she had left the premises. Cressida\u2019s heartbeat rushed a little louder through her abused ear. Recollections of stolen kisses and quiet talks flooded her mind. The years had not done enough to dampen the memories of her engagement. How could she possibly find another man to wed in London where frolicking dances and intimate rides in the park would forever make her think of him?<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is just like her,\u201d Twiford ranted. \u201cThoughtless. Frivolous.\u201d<\/p>\n

It appeared his opinion of her had not improved over the years. Spoiled, careless, and vain were going to be his next insults if memory served correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cCease, Twiford. She doesn\u2019t deserve your disdain now any more than she did then.\u201d Chard beat his hat against his leg, looking past the innkeeper into the common room beyond. Was he hoping she would be sitting amongst the locals enjoying a cup of tea?<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never understand why you jump to her defense so quickly. Are you saying you approve of this reckless behavior?\u201d<\/p>\n

A smile crept across Cressida\u2019s lips. Chard had defended her back then? She\u2019d always wondered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I don\u2019t approve. It shows she\u2019s never outgrown that blasted impulsiveness that had her breaking our engagement. She may be a bit self-absorbed but that\u2019s no reason to malign her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cressida\u2019s smile fell into a frown. Breaking their engagement had not been a fit of selfish impulsiveness. How dare he discount her sacrifice on his behalf?<\/p>\n

\u201cI always thought her desertion of you was rather noble, myself.\u201d Twiford strode out of her line of vision. \u201cYou needed money, she didn\u2019t have any. She probably thought she was doing you a favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

She pressed a hand to her forehead and abandoned her knot hole to rest her head on the solidity of the wall, feeling dizzy despite her prone position stretched along the floor of her new room, just two doors down from her old one. Men! If they could just decide on whether or not they disliked her, they could go on to London and leave her to figure out her own transportation. The locket she\u2019d given the innkeeper might be enough to rent her a post chaise to continue the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cPardon me, gentlemen, but could you direct me to Miss Cressida Blackstone?\u201d<\/p>\n

Cressida\u2019s eyes flew open. She jammed her face against the door and felt a prick as a prong of wood stabbed her in the ear. Ross Ainsworth had recovered sufficiently from his head wound and decided to join the drama at the innkeeper\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you?\u201d Chard demanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer driver,\u201d Twiford mumbled at the same time that Ross declared, \u201cHer cousin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow distant?\u201d The menace in Twiford\u2019s voice crawled up the stairs and wrapped around her throat. She could feel his displeasure, it was so thick.<\/p>\n

Ross\u2019s eyebrows lowered. \u201cDistant enough. Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Chard jerked his gaze from one man to the other. \u201cWhat is going on here?\u201d<\/p>\n

Twiford jutted his chin toward Ross. \u201cHe nearly killed Miss Blackstone with his reckless driving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was merely trying to get her to London as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou landed her in a river instead. I brought her here to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ross took a slow step forward, his scraped hands balling into fists at his sides. \u201cSo help me, my lord, if you have dishonored her-\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cMe? I wasn\u2019t the one traveling to London without a proper chaperone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chard stepped between the two men before they could exchange blows. \u201cGentlemen, calm yourselves. We all know that Cressy \u2013 Miss Blackstone would never do anything untoward, despite how the situation might appear.\u201d<\/p>\n

An odd warmth filled Cressida\u2019s midsection. It took a moment to recognize it as pleased surprise that he would defend her honor. But which \u201che\u201d had caused the pleasure?<\/p>\n

Twiford grunted. \u201cWe may not know Miss Cressida Blackstone as well as we thought. The woman has run off alone in the middle of the night after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three men leaned over the counter, addressing the nervous innkeeper. \u201cHow did she leave?\u201d Chard asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cEr, well, I\u2019m not certain, my lord. She mentioned taking a post chaise to London.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen she hasn\u2019t left,\u201d Ross declared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d Twiford asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI spent the night in the stable, as you so comfortably situated me. No conveyances have left the inn in the last several hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe might have walked.\u201d Chard rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight back and forth as if he wanted to do something, anything, other than stand around discussing the situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could set out in different directions on horseback. It wouldn\u2019t take long to catch up with her.\u201d Ross grimaced, probably thinking of the agony putting his battered body on a galloping horse would cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt certainly speaks ill of a man that he would allow a gentlewoman to stride into the night unescorted,\u201d Twiford added<\/p>\n

The men exchanged glances and then glared at the innkeeper. The man coughed and ran a finger between his neck and cravat.<\/p>\n

A young servant girl slipped around them, carrying a loaded tray of tea, toast, and Cressida\u2019s favorite orange marmalade.<\/p>\n

Twiford held out a hand, stopping her progress. \u201cIf I may be so bold as to inquire, where are you taking that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the young lady upstairs, my lord. Her maid, Knighting, said to bring it up this morning, as her mistress would be indisposed and unable to come down.\u201d The maid bit her lip as she looked from the three men to the innkeeper.<\/p>\n

Cressida\u2019s heart stopped. Her breath turned to stone in her lungs. This couldn\u2019t be happening. She\u2019d been so close.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere is this \u2018indisposed\u2019 young lady?\u201d Chard asked.<\/p>\n

Lie!<\/i> she screamed in her head, willing the servant girl to tell them she was staying in a room at the back, or that she\u2019d been wrong and it was actually an old woman, or, better yet, a child. Anything to buy her just a little more time, though Cressida had no idea what she would do with those precious seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the room at the top of the stairs, my lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

So much for that wish.<\/p>\n

The three men turned and looked up the stairs, right at her little knothole.<\/p>\n

* Section 5 was written by Kristi Ann Hunter, blog.KristiAnnHunter.com<\/a>\u00a0*<\/p>\n

Did you find the hidden item? Note it in the comments below for a chance to win.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Don’t forget that the readers will ultimately choose who truly loves Cressida, and whom she loves in return. Already have a favorite?\u00a0Go vote for him!<\/a>\u00a0Want everyone else to vote for him too? Grab a voting badge from the\u00a0Suitable Match Extras page<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What do you think the gentlemen are going to do next? Read the next installment<\/a>!<\/i><\/p>\n

Originally posted in 2013.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Originally posted 2015-10-18 22:11:25. <\/small><\/p>

\"Listen<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To kick off the\u00a0second year of celebrating Inspirational Regency fiction, we presented\u00a0a serial story, A Suitable Match. At the end of the month we’ll be giving away a fabulous prize package filled with items tied to the story.\u00a0 Missed an earlier section? Read it here:\u00a01\u00a02\u00a03\u00a04 The George and Pelican Inn, somewhere between Somerset and London […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[203,16,1],"tags":[582,206,207,74,39,190,566],"class_list":["post-2330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-suitable-match","category-contests","category-uncategorized","tag-a-suitable-match","tag-free-regency-story","tag-inspirational-regency","tag-kristi-ann-hunter","tag-regency","tag-regency-reflections","tag-regency-romance"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2330"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5101,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2330\/revisions\/5101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}