Book Title: The Brantford Wagers
Series: The Brantford Series, Book 1
Author: Nadine Kampen
Publication Date: 20th January 2022
Publisher: Birdsgate Publishing
Page Length: 358 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Regency Romance
Follow the Tour : https://maryanneyarde.blogspot.com/2022/01/blog-tour-brantford-wagers-brantford.html
The Brantford Wagers
(The Brantford Series, Book 1)
By Nadine Kampen
Is Clara Vincent ready to risk it all for love?
Clara Vincent is “the artful dodger” when it comes to marriage, especially when her father is bent on match-making. Will her attitude change when she meets two eligible suitors and is drawn into the lives of intensely competitive families? Clara falls unexpectedly in love, but when fortunes are reversed and relationships up-ended, she needs to decide whether to trust James Brantford, who is seeking retribution, or accept the love of the man everyone else believes is her ideal match.
As the Brantford wagers unfold and lay bare the history of past relationships, will Clara be able to learn the truth and finally follow her heart?
Read an Excerpt from Chapter 13 - A Day of Triumph
Mrs Stancroft’s cheerful state of mind stemmed from her resolution to let Mr Brantford decide which of her two daughters he wished to court. ‘I will play no part in it,’ she said to her brother-in-law that morning. ‘If he chooses Catherine—which would be sensible, she being the eldest—and if, in turn, Catherine shows a preference for him, so be it. I will not a meddler be.’ On she went: ‘And, if Mr Ashton selects Isabelle—who is pretty enough to a man bent on courtship—neither will I quibble with that choice, either.’
She said as much to Clara, and finished off her speech, thus: ‘It is possible that Mr Langtree will still be at Brantford Hall. My dear, do your best to keep him away from Catherine, will you? In any case, he is clearly interested in you—oh, I know it is true, I saw it in a moment.’
On arrival at Brantford Hall, the family was met personally by Mr Brantford. Clara was the last to step down from the carriage. He greeted her quietly as he assisted her, expressing his hope that she had travelled comfortably.
‘Come, we have set out some refreshments for you in the salon,’ he told the group. ‘Afterwards, I will take those who wish to see the grounds on a tour out of doors.’
As they reached the manor, he said to them, ‘While you are taking a short rest, I will escort Clara to the stables so that she may check on her horse. I know you will understand that she has been anxious to learn how the mare is doing. We will not take long and will rejoin you shortly. For the moment, please enjoy some refreshments to tide you over until dinner. My man will escort you in. Miss Vincent, let us quickly see this horse of yours,’ he said. He smiled to the others, offered his arm to Clara, and led her away towards the stables.
‘I am glad to have a few minutes for conversation,’ he said. ‘I was rather spoiled in this regard, when we first met,’ he said with warmth, looking appreciatively at the lovely woman at his side. ‘Tell me, when you examined your trunk, did you find your belongings in good order? It must feel strange to know that people were handling everything.’
‘Yes, to be sure, but your decisions on what to leave, and what to bring back, made good sense,’ said Clara. ‘I cannot thank you enough. The trunk itself belonged to my mother, and some of the items inside are quite special to me. Did you incur much expense? I should wish to reimburse you, and I will need the address of the family to thank them.’
‘I rewarded the family on your behalf. Please, let that be my contribution. I am glad I could assist in this small way.’
They soon reached the stable, a long, low building, meticulously maintained, and filled with fine horses. Brantford’s groom, who had seen them arrive, joined them and was introduced. On entering the stable, not wanting Clara to sully her footwear and clothing, Brantford gently lifted her over bit of sand and hay so she could step along a length of planks he had lain down for her to walk on. Reaching the nearby box stall, he helped her step onto a low crate placed there for her use. Conscious of his thoughtfulness, and feeling her heart beat more quickly from his nearness, Clara raised her eyes to his in a shy gesture of appreciation. Brantford met and held her glance, and the warmth in his eyes made Clara feel light-headed.
Clara’s horse, drawn to their voices, turned and approached them. Clara, shifting her attention to the horse while she composed herself, could see at once that her mare was placing weight on its leg and moving without hindrance. She clasped her hands in relief.
‘She looks so healthy! Does she still limp, sir? I am not seeing it.’
‘We are working on that,’ said Brantford. ‘I do think she will be fully healed, in time. Since you are staying on in this district, I think you should leave her here for another month. It is no trouble—we have grown quite attached to her. I think we can get her mended well enough to travel, if you wish to send her back to your own stable. I would like to see her protected from any further mishap.’
‘Yes, that would be wise. If it is not too much of a burden for you, I would be happy for her to remain here.’ Clara looked relieved. Brantford patted his groom on the back in appreciation.
Clara struggled to hold back some unexpected tears. ‘I never dreamt she would be ridden in such a way. It was quite a shock. I cannot tell you what it means to me, to have you intervene on her behalf. Thank you.’
‘I trust you will want to come again to see her. She misses you,’ he said, watching the horse nuzzling up to Clara.
They visited at the stall for several minutes more before returning to the house. Once they reunited with everyone, Brantford invited his guests on a tour of the grounds. Aware of his duties as host, he walked along with Mrs Stancroft as he led the group and only glanced back in a general way, now and again, to check on everyone’s progress.
Clara found herself paired with Uncle Stancroft, and thought he looked even happier than Mrs Stancroft. He was, after all, a man with no opinions to check, no mind to change, no wishes to curb. He came to be satisfied. He wanted only food and wine to be perfectly happy, and if he knew anything at all about great houses, it was that the cupboards and cellars were filled with ample supplies.
Universal Link (Amazon): https://books2read.com/u/mddA55
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Chapters-Indigo.ca:
Prior to her career as an author, Nadine served as a regional marketing manager with an in-ternational consulting firm and as a communications and marketing director on university campuses. Earlier in her career, she worked in public relations and journalism, and was co-author and project lead for five non-fiction books comprising The Canadian Breast Cancer Series, published in 1989.
A resident of Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, Nadine loves relaxing with family and friends, reading and walking, playing tunes on her 1905 Bell piano, and gardening.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.nadinekampen.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cookiebuxton
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nadine-kampen-b6828765
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Nadine-Kampen-and-The-Brantford-Wagers-107540071714536
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadinekampenauthor/?hl=en
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nadine-Kampen/e/B09GS6975W
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-brantford-wagers-the-brantford-series-by-nadine-kampen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/142891393-nadine-kampen
Thank you so much for hosting the blog tour for The Brantford Wagers.
ReplyDeleteAll the best,
Mary Anne
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Dear Judith,
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to "meet you" through the Coffee Pot Book Club tour. Thank you for sharing details about the release of my book with your blogging community as a way for readers to discover the work of a new author. I appreciate this gracious welcome to the historical fiction genre. It is inspiring to see your passion in writing about the lives of women in the Tudor era and other historic periods, and the talent you share in giving a presence and a voice to women whose stories were largely unrecorded and forgotten. Thanks again - I appreciate your time and support.
With regards,
Nadine
Author, The Brantford Wagers