Welcome Diane Scott Lewis

Originally from California, Diane Scott Lewis grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has written since a small child and published poems and short-stories in school magazines. In high school she had a short story submitted to a literary festival. Diane joined the Navy at nineteen and met her future husband while stationed in Greece. After living overseas and raising two boys, the family settled in Virginia where Diane again pursued her love of writing. She joined a chapter of the Virginia Writers Club and works as a free-lance editor. Besides being a great friend, she's a treasured resource for author, Ginger Simpson and others for whom she critiques. You can find out more about Diane at http://www.dianescottlewis.com/


Blurb:

Forced from France by her devious guardian on the eve of the French Revolution, Countess Bettina Jonquiere must deliver an important package to further the royalist cause. In England, she discovers the package holds nothing more than blank pages. The address is false and she's penniless. Stranded in a Cornish village, Bettina toils in a bawdy tavern and falls in love with a man who lives under the shadow of his missing wife.

Excerpt:

“Trethewy isn’t going to be much help, I’m afraid. He never is, unless it benefits him. But he’s the only law in the area.” Everett assisted her into the curricle, his grip on her arm almost painful.

“I must agree.” The Justice bringing up Stephen upset her. But Everett had little reason to kill him and he’d been away, in London…hadn’t he? She rubbed a hand over her brow as if she could wipe away that thought.

The curricle and horses lurched up the steep grade to the main road. An edgy silence lingered between them. Bettina’s aggravation and confusion over the events boiled over. “I must find my horse. I planned to give him to—”
“You have to be careful from now on. You simply can’t go off unescorted. And never approach that man alone.” Everett snapped the reins and his team tossed their heads. “Trethewy should be reprimanded to do his duty.”

“I am leaving here as soon as I can arrange it, so I will not be a burden to anyone.” She struggled to keep her voice firm and shifted on the hard bench. “I wish that I had never come to Cornwall.”

Everett glared at her. “Don’t start sounding like Miriam.”

“Stop this carriage at once!” Bettina slid from the seat, forcing him to rein in the horses. She jumped down and ran toward the cliffs, not wanting him to see her angry tears.

Everett leapt from the curricle and chased after her. He caught her arm and swung her around to face him. “I didn’t mean that, I'm sorry. You don’t understand everything.”

“I do not understand anything!” She thrashed to free herself, but he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his chest. She refused to look at him. “I wanted you to love me.”