The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour Presents: Novice Threads by Nancy Jardine

Book Title: Novice Threads

Series: Silver Sampler Series 

Author: Nancy Jardine

Publication Date: 15th May 2024

Publisher: Nancy Jardine with Ocelot Press

Page Length: 356

Genre: Victorian Scotland Saga / Historical Fiction / Women’s Fiction

Tour Schedule Page: 

Novice Threads 

by 

Nancy Jardine

A thirst for education.  Shattered dreams. Fragile relations.

1840s Scotland

Being sent to school is the most exhilarating thing that’s ever happened to young Margaret Law. She sharpens her newly-acquired education on her best friend, Jessie Morison, till Jessie is spirited away to become a scullery maid. But how can Margaret fulfil her visions of becoming a schoolteacher when her parents’ tailoring and drapery business suddenly collapses and she must find a job?

Salvation from domestic drudgery – or never-ending seamstress work – comes via Jessie whose employer seeks a tutor for his daughter. Free time exploring Edinburgh with Jessie is great fun, but increasing tension in the household claws at Margaret’s nerves. 

Margaret also worries about her parents' estrangement, and the mystery of Jessie's unknown father.

When tragedy befalls the household in Edinburgh, Margaret must forge a new pathway for the future – though where will that be?

Read an Excerpt

The funeral came round far too quickly, yet not swiftly enough. It was only a few days after Doctor Oliver had officially certified the death that the house filled with various adult family members, those who could come at short notice, and other people whom Mister Duncan called real friends, stalwarts whom Helen hadn’t driven away during her last years at Albany Street.

Cook was busy. Kate was busy. Jessie was busy. All of them preparing for a small wake.

Margaret’s main task since Rachel’s last breath had been to assist Victoria with contacting those invited to attend the funeral, since the eldest Duncan daughter was in effect standing in for her mother who was not in any fit state to deal with anything to do with the burial.

Along with Jessie and Kate down in the kitchen, Margaret had pored over the recent newspapers to find advertisements for traditional mourning clothes for Victoria. Two days before the funeral, Kate and Jessie had gone off to one of the places advertised with Victoria in tow, leaving Margaret to look after a very upset little Elspeth. At the outfitters, Jessie had also bought swathes of black ribbon to trim Elspeth’s white dresses, a suitable way for the youngest Duncan daughter to indicate that she was also in mourning. Thankfully, Mister Duncan ensured the males had suitable attire because Margaret felt that would have been beyond her abilities.

It was a great relief that she hadn’t needed to make too many alterations to the new dresses that Victoria would wear for months to come.

Elspeth was rarely far from Margaret’s side, the little girl like a lost wraith.

It seemed so ironic that the little coffin containing her well-loved pupil sat across two tables in the drawing room, in the room Rachel hadn’t inhabited since before her accident.

With tears clouding her vision Margaret stood well back near the window, holding Elspeth tight to her side as prayers were said for the final journey that Rachel was now embarking on. And then Margaret kept Elspeth huddled against her skirts when the coffin was sombrely carried through the doorway and out to the horse-drawn funeral carriage that stood waiting outside.

During the short time it took to place the coffin just so, Margaret felt Victoria lead her little sister away from her clutches and up the stairs, something that had been prearranged.

None of the females in the house were meant to be accompanying Rachel on that last long walk through familiar Edinburgh streets to the Western Cemetery near Dean Water, but Margaret felt an inexplicable urge to follow after the male-dominated funeral procession. When she descended the front steps, the first time she had ever done so, the procession had already moved off, ponderously and reverently, all the men of the house pacing behind, including Gavin who had managed to come from Stirling.

Hesitating to gain some composure, it again was no surprise to find her hand grasped by Jessie who propelled her into motion.

Keeping well behind, she clutched Jessie and arm in arm they followed the bier all along Heriot Row and down towards Randolph Crescent. She was silent in memories of her time with her little pupil. On the last part through Dean Village, there was no escape from the flood that dripped off Margaret’s chin. Jessie was in like straits, yet both were determined to see it through. Neither had seen a proper burial before, though Jessie had stood beside her granny near the graveyard gates after Ruth’s death.

It wasn’t curiosity but rather a compulsion that drove Margaret to be there right at the end. The little girl who lay ahead of her, whose short life had been so momentous, had touched Margaret’s heart so deeply.

This title is available to read on #Kindle Unlimited. 

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Nancy writes historical and contemporary fiction. 1st Century Roman Britain is the setting of her Celtic Fervour Series. Victorian and Edwardian history has sneaked into two of her ancestry-based contemporary mysteries, and her current Silver Sampler Series is set in Victorian Scotland.

Her novels have achieved Finalist status in UK book competitions (People's Book Prize; Scottish Association of Writers) and have received prestigious Online Book Awards.

Published with Ocelot Press, writing memberships include – Historical Novel Society; Romantic Novelists Association; Scottish Association of Writers; Federation of Writers Scotland; Alliance of Independent Authors.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.nancyjardine.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nansjar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJardinewrites/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-jardine-a919b03a/

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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/nanjar/ 

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/nancy-jardine

Amazon Author Page: viewauthor.at/findmybookshere

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5139590.Nancy_Jardine