A Pinch of Salt Excerpt

Hello!

I thought I’d share another excerpt from my upcoming modern P&P-inspired novel: A Pinch of Salt. I have posted about it previously here and here. We are just under a week away from release day. It feels like it’s been a long time coming. A Pinch of Salt will be available in paperback, e-book, and KU all via Amazon.

On to the excerpt!

Chapter 2

An awkward silence followed, and an odd sense of apprehension filled the air.

Perhaps it is not so odd, given we’re strangers and here to compete against each other, Elizabeth reflected.

They couldn’t keep looking at each other stupidly, and so, with forced cheer, she said, “I guess we should introduce ourselves. I didn’t catch everyone’s name. I’m Elizabeth Bennet.”

Charlotte opened her mouth to reply, but someone else spoke before she could.

“What an excellent notion! There can be no objection to us doing that much. Indeed, it might be expected of us. I am Colin Collins, protégé of Catherine Hunsford.” Colin stood tall, and with what looked like a practiced smile, scanned the room—not for the people, but for the cameras they all knew were present.

Caroline stood by the fireplace, one hand on the mantel, in what looked more like a pose than a casual stance. “I’m Caroline Hurst.” She gave Will a flirtatious smile. At the same time, George whispered in her ear, though he continued to watch the rest of them.

“Charlotte Lucas.”

“Sterling Bramwell.” He turned to his cousins and gave them pointed looks.

“Tom Fitzwilliam.”

“George Wickham. Last to arrive, last to leave.” George accompanied his words with a broad, challenging grin directed mostly at the trio of Tom, Sterling, and Will. The way the four men eyed each other suggested there was definitely a story between them. He was also a good-looking man, but there was something about him Elizabeth found off-putting.

Probably the way he examined each of us women as though he had just entered a club and was deciding who to hook up with.

“Charles Bingley.” He smiled happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Will opened his mouth to speak, but Colin held up an admonishing hand. Elizabeth wanted to smack it away, both because of his rudeness, and because she really, really wanted to learn more about Will.

“No, no. One of the ladies still has not spoken. We men must be careful to give them time to display their talents too. Or, in this case, have their voices heard.” Colin offered Anne a patronizing smile.

Sterling snickered, Tom and Charles shook their heads and rolled their eyes respectively, and Will’s upper lip curled in disgust.

“We are introducing ourselves.” Colin gently touched Anne’s arm and spoke softly, as though she were exceptionally fragile, or perhaps a delicate artiste, lost in thought of the food she wished to create. Elizabeth surreptitiously chuckled at the image.

“Anne,” she grumbled before turning her attention inward once again.

Will sighed. “And I’m Will Darcy.”

The atmosphere in the room changed immediately. Elizabeth knew the name and wanted to kick herself for not recognizing him sooner. Will Darcy. Not only was he a member of the culinary family in the country, but he was also Hugh Darcy’s son. Hugh Darcy owned and managed multiple award-winning restaurants, organic farms, and vineyards. In the food world, the Darcys were big, big news. Beyond that, Will was head chef at his family’s most recent, highly successful venture, Pemberley. There were some people who said Will’s success rested on his name rather than actual talent, but Elizabeth was not so sure. He had already collected a number of accolades, amazing reviews for the restaurant, and won both best new restaurant and best young chef awards. Elizabeth would love to eat at Pemberley, but she doubted she could afford it.

Caroline’s head snapped up, her gaze becoming almost predatory as she tottered towards him. When she reached him, she placed a hand on his arm. “Will Darcy? You hardly need an introduction! I know all about you, of course.”

“Have we met?” Will asked.

She spoke softly, but still loudly enough that Elizabeth and at least some of the others heard. Her eyes swept his body. “We have now. Fitzwilliam Alexander Philip Darcy. You are quite a mouthful, aren’t you?” She tittered and covered her mouth with a finger. “Oops. Your name is quite a mouthful. Very…long.”

Tom shook with mostly silent laughter, Sterling let out a loud guffaw and smacked Will on the back. “You—”

“Shut it, Sterling,” Will hissed, his teeth clenched.

Using a thumb and one finger, Will gingerly picked up the hand resting on his arm and dropped it away from him. “We haven’t met, and you, like the others, should call me Will. Just Will. I need a word—in private—with my cousins.”

“Maybe this is a good time for us to choose bedrooms. We can all meet back down here in what, half an hour? We can make some dinner,” Charlotte suggested.

Everyone agreed, some quite eagerly, and they grabbed their bags and headed for the stairs.

***

There were two double bedrooms on the uppermost floor, which the women took, Elizabeth and Charlotte in one, and Caroline and Anne in the other. One floor below that was a room sleeping four and another sleeping two. The three cousins chose to be together, and Charles—who seemed nicer than the remaining two men—quickly claimed the last spot with them.

Alone in their room, Elizabeth and Charlotte chatted and unpacked. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”

Charlotte threw a t-shirt at her. “It’ll be an experience.”

“I just hope it isn’t a disaster!”

“You know you can compete with the best of them.”

“Will Darcy? Do you know how many awards he’s won, and the Darcy family—”

Charlotte retrieved the shirt she had thrown and thrust it into a drawer. “You are good enough, and you will prove it, whatever ridiculous challenges they toss at us. I just hope you won’t be bunking alone too soon.”

“Char—”

Charlotte waved a dismissive hand. “I have a healthy appreciation for my limits. I fully intend to give this my all and have a great adventure doing it. I think we better go down.”

Elizabeth nodded. “I want food, and I’d like to learn more about our competition before we head to the studio tomorrow.”

***

Will’s brain felt like it was on fire from everything that had happened so far, and he struggled to order his thoughts. He’d need to think clearly to succeed.

As soon as they saw there was a bedroom set up for four, Tom said, “Perfect. Will, Sterling, that’s us.” He tossed his bag on a green duvet covered bed, and Sterling dropped onto another one.

Charles practically leapt over to the bed furthest from the door. He looked at Will and his cousins and gave an awkward laugh. “Me too.”

Colin stood near the threshold. “I suppose that is acceptable, although you should have asked our opinion. While I understand these fine gentlemen would wish to be with their family—despite my belief it would create more of a congenial situation if they did not—”

“Whatever,” Wickham interjected. “Me and you are in the other room. Don’t annoy me with your chatter.”

With a parting glare at Will, which he returned in full measure, Wickham strode down the hall to the other bedroom, Colin lumbering along behind him.

“What is with that guy? I mean Colin.” Charles screwed up his face, as though he smelled something foul. “He supposes it’s acceptable? Like any of us need his permission to do things.”

“No kidding,” Tom said.

“I hope it’s okay that I jumped in and grabbed the last spot in here. I didn’t really want to be stuck with either of them.” Charles jerked a thumb at the door.

“No problem. We also didn’t want to be stuck with one of them.” Sterling remained reclined on the bed he had chosen.

Will made a noise of agreement and began unpacking his things.

“So, you guys have known each other a long time?” Charles asked. “Sorry. I can be nosy.”

“I expect we’ll learn a lot about each other soon enough, what with being stuck together all the time.” Tom passed Charles as he went to the closet to hang up his jacket and gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. “But yeah, Will and I practically grew up together. Our dads have been friends since they were kids, and my late aunt and father are siblings, like I said. They were really close.”

Will’s mother had died a decade ago. He still missed her, and even Tom’s mention of her caused his heart to ache.

“And I entered the picture when we were all eighteen. Rebecca and I were dating, and she introduced me to the family.”

Charles gave another awkward chuckle before continuing. “So, yeah, I guess I’ll leave you alone. I’m sure you all want to catch up.”

He was out of the room before any of them could reply, and Will, Tom, and Sterling stared at each other for a moment.

That’s it for now. Let me know what you think of Chapter 2. I’ll be back next week to share my inspiration for some of the non-P&P characters. If you like cats, you won’t want to miss it!

A Pinch of Salt will be released on Monday, 4 March via Amazon.