The Coffee Pot Blog Tour presents: The Merchant's Dilemma by Carolyn Hughes

Book Title: The Merchant’s Dilemma, a Meonbridge Chronicles Companion Novel

Series: The Meonbridge Chronicles

Author: Carolyn Hughes

Publication Date: 20th September 2023

Publisher: Riverdown Books

Page Length: 232

Genre: Historical Fiction

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The Merchant’s Dilemma

By Carolyn Hughes

1362. Winchester. Seven months ago, accused of bringing plague and death from Winchester, Bea Ward was hounded out of Meonbridge by her former friends and neighbours. Finding food and shelter where she could, she struggled to make her way back to Winchester again.

Yet, once she arrived, she wondered why she’d come.

For her former lover – the love of her life – Riccardo Marchaunt, had married a year ago. And she no longer had the strength to go back to her old life on the streets. Frail, destitute and homeless, she was reduced to begging. Then, in January, during a tumultuous and destructive storm, she found herself on Riccardo’s doorstep. She had no plan, beyond hoping he might help her, or at least provide a final resting place for her poor body.

When Bea awakes to find she’s lying in Riccardo’s bed once more, she’s thankful, thrilled, but mystified. But she soon learns that his wife died four months ago, along with their newborn son, and finds too that Riccardo loves her now as much as he ever did, and wants to make her his wife. But can he? And, even if he can, could she ever really be a proper merchant’s wife?

Riccardo could not have been more relieved to find Bea still alive, when he thought he had lost her forever. She had been close to death, but is now recovering her health. He adores her and wants her to be his wife. But how? His father would forbid such an “unfitting” match, on pain of denying him his inheritance. And what would his fellow merchants think of it? And their haughty wives?

Yet, Riccardo is determined that Bea will be his wife. He has to find a solution to his dilemma… With the help of his beloved mother, Emilia, and her close friend, Cecily, he hatches a plan to make it happen.

But even the best laid plans sometimes go awry. And the path of love never did run smooth…

The Merchant’s Dilemma is a companion novel to the main series of MEONBRIDGE CHRONICLES, and continues the story of Bea and Riccardo after the end of the fourth Chronicle, Children’s Fate. It is a little more romantic and light-hearted than the other Chronicles but, if you’ve enjoyed reading about the lives of the characters of Meonbridge, you will almost certainly enjoy reading The Merchant’s Dilemma too!

EXCERPT 3 FROM THE MERCHANT’S DILEMMA

 

From Chapter 1

 

Many more days passed before Bea felt strong enough to leave the bed. It occurred to her that, although this was Riccardo’s bed, he wasn’t sleeping in it.

 ‘Where does Riccardo rest his head at night?’ she said to Mistress Collyton, and the old woman grinned.

 ‘Across the way,’ she said, pointing to the door. ‘The master bought a new bed for the front chamber.’

 The other upstairs chamber had not been furnished with a bed when she lived here before.

But, then, no one came to stay. If they had, she supposed Riccardo would have provided pallets. ‘So, it’s now a proper bedchamber?’ she said.

 ‘The bed’s not as fine as this one, but good enough…’

 Bea sat up. ‘Perhaps I should sleep there now, so Riccardo can have his own bed back?’

 Mistress Collyton let out a hoot. ‘You can be sure the master’ll not hear of such a thing. You’re to have the best of everything, young mistress…’ Coming forward, she began straightening the rumpled bedding, but Bea reached out to touch her arm.

 ‘No need to do that,’ she said. ‘I think I might get up today.’

 The old woman clapped her hands. ‘Oh, that’s good to hear! The master’ll be so pleased.’

 Bea flipped back the covers and, gently swinging her legs sideways, she placed her feet upon the floor. The wooden boards were chilly and she grimaced. Mistress Collyton noticed and hurried to one of the chests standing by the wall. She lifted up the lid and, pulling out a pair of soft slippers and a woollen mantle, brought them over and put them on the bed.

 ‘These are for you,’ she said. ‘Shall I ’elp you wi’ the slippers?’

 ‘No, no, I can manage.’ The poor old thing could scarcely bend low enough to help her. Bea wriggled her feet into the slippers, and beamed. ‘A perfect fit,’ she said, then took the mantle, which was thick and warm, and wrapped it about her shoulders.

 ‘’Course, if you want to go downstairs,’ said the housekeeper, ‘there’s a couple of gowns for you to wear.’

 Bea wondered if they were new. Or had they belonged to Riccardo’s wife? She hoped not. Nonetheless she nodded. ‘But I think I’ll stay up here for now, till my legs are working properly.’

 ‘Why don’t you take a few turns about the room,’ said Mistress Collyton, ‘whilst I go and bring you some hot broth?’ She stepped towards the door. ‘’Less you need my help?’

 ‘I’m sure I can manage, thank you.’

 By turns, she circled the chamber’s floor and sat in the chair the housekeeper had dozed in whilst she’d been sound asleep. Her legs felt weak, not quite able to sustain her. But she had been in bed for weeks, following several months of hunger and mounting frailty, so it was unsurprising they needed time to regain their strength. She would take things steadily for a day or two, yet she was longing to see the rest of the house. Longing too to spend time with Riccardo. Of course, he visited her up here in the bedchamber, but it wasn’t the same as sitting together by the fire in the hall, or dining side by side at the long table. But, to do that, she had to be able to dress properly, and it might be a while yet before she had the vigour to pull a gown over her head.

 

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Carolyn Hughes has lived much of her life in Hampshire. With a first degree in Classics and English, she started working life as a computer programmer, then a very new profession. But it was technical authoring that later proved her vocation, word-smithing for many different clients, including banks, an international hotel group and medical instruments manufacturers.

Although she wrote creatively on and off for most of her adult life, it was not until her children flew the nest that writing historical fiction took centre stage. But why historical fiction? Serendipity!

Seeking inspiration for what to write for her Creative Writing Masters, she discovered the handwritten draft, begun in her twenties, of a novel, set in 14th century rural England… Intrigued by the period and setting, she realised that, by writing a novel set in the period, she’d be able to both learn more about the medieval past and interpret it, which seemed like a thrilling thing to do. A few days later, the first Meonbridge Chronicle, Fortune’s Wheel, was under way.

Six published books later (with more to come), Carolyn does now think of herself as an Historical Novelist. And she wouldn’t have it any other way…

Carolyn has a Master’s in Creative Writing from Portsmouth University and a PhD from the University of Southampton.

You can connect with Carolyn through her website www.carolynhughesauthor.com and social media.

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