THESE ARE ENTRIES TO A WASHINGTON POST COMPETITION ASKING FOR A TWO-LINE RHYME WITH THE MOST ROMANTIC FIRST LINE, AND THE LEAST ROMANTIC SECOND LINE: 1. My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife: Marrying you has screwed up my life. 2. I see your face when I am dreaming. That’s why I wake up screaming. […]

I have a very retentive memory – my earliest recollection goes back to when I was just one year old. We had a blue Model A pedal car, complete with rumble seat, where I sat, while my 4 years older sister pedalled the car in front. One day, we were all out in the garden. […]

CHAPTER 5 Gerald was surprisingly quiet on the ride home. Lavinia glanced over at him and to her surprise, he was smiling and chuckling to himself. “So what’s so funny?” she asked somewhat annoyed. “I was thinking of you getting our marriage annulled for non consummation of our nuptials.” And why was that funny?” Lavinia […]

CHAPTER IV Jumping down from his lofty perch, the driver walked over to the carriage door, opened it and helped Lavinia alight. Gerald followed grumpily. FatheringamHall was brilliantly lit up with flood lights. Lavinia paused to admire the Georgian architecture, and the gracious grounds, lavish flowerbeds, beautifully manicured lawns, gracious trees – it all took […]

CHAPTER IV A MARRIAGE OF INCONVENIENCE Lavinia, Lady Beecham was riding in her carriage in Regent’s Park. Her friend, Victoria (Lady Carlisle) sat beside her. “Vicki,” Lavinia said, “I wonder if I could ask you a favour?” Victoria glanced at her friend in surprise. Livvy had never asked a favour of her before and her […]

CHAPTER III Their footman was standing at the carriage, opening the door and ushered Lavinia safely in. Gerald climbed in moments later and sat down next to her. Hopping up onto his seat, on the top of the carriage, the coachman flicked his reins and the horses started up. Gerald sniffed the air. “What is […]

I don’t know how it happened, but chapter II of my story A MARRIAGE OF INCONVENIENCE got attached to Chapter I not once but TWICE! I tried to delete it but it didn’t work. Anyhow, I did manage to post Chapter II on its own, so please ignore the screw up – it was probably […]

CHAPTER II Lavenia slowly approached the head of the stairs. She gazed down at Gerald, who wasn’t looking up at her, but glaring at his pocket watch that he held in his hand. She had a few moments to reflect on him. Gerald was a handsome man, tall with a shock of black curly hair, […]

A MARRIAGE OF INCONVENIENCE C 2013 JoJo Lavinia, Lady Beecham was riding in her carriage in Regent’s Park. Her friend, Victoria (Lady Carlisle) sat beside her. “Vicki,” Lavinia said, “I wonder if I could ask you a favour?” Victoria glanced at her friend in surprise. Livvy had never asked a favour of her before and […]

Okay writers, sharpen your wits and pens – it’s FALL WRITING COMPETITION TIME. I will put up a small prize for the winner, but haven’t yet decided what it’s going to be. As soon as I do, I will tell you and post a photo of it. The rules are simple: no more than 500 […]