From
the beginning, I knew The Mistress of Pennington’s would be the first in an
ongoing series and when Aria Fiction offered me a four-book deal based on the
first book, I was thrilled that a publisher believed a ‘female empowerment’ theme
could easily run to four books.
So,
which of the many scenes that make up The Mistress of Pennington’s have a story
behind them? There are so many, but I decided to go with this one. Enjoy!
Elizabeth continued her sure-footed journey to her
father’s closed office door. Tonight, he would listen to her. Tonight, he would
not provoke her self-doubt. She was worth more than her singular role as head
of the ladies’ department. She wanted to shake up the men’s department, too and
inject a renewed energy into the toy department. To her mind, both current
department heads had become stuck in their ways, in much the same vein as her
father. If Pennington’s had any chance of remaining the consumers’ number one
choice of where to shop, the store had to move with the times and the demands
of the people,
Inhaling a strengthening breath, she lifted her hand
and knocked on the door.
‘Come.’
Gripping the handle, Elizabeth entered the monster’s
lair.
Her father sat behind his huge walnut desk, his
silver-haired head bowed over some papers, his usual early evening whisky
within hand’s reach.
Elizabeth crossed the plush sapphire-blue carpet and
sat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. ‘Good evening, Papa.’
He raised his steely gaze to hers. ‘Elizabeth. Did we
not agree to meet at six thirty? I’m still finishing off a few things.’
‘We did, but I was hoping…’ She briefly closed her
eyes and straightened her spine. ‘I want to speak to you about some new id—’
‘Not again.’ Her father slapped his pen to his desk
and glared. ‘My decision still stands. You made the trip to London and
Selfridges against my wishes. Now you return with a plethora of new-fangled
ideas. I will not stand for you—’
‘Using my imagination?’ Elizabeth glared, frustration
sparking her rare interruption. ‘Wanting to make more of myself than just being
your daughter?’
He leaned back, the anger in his eyes cooling to malice. ‘You are my
daughter, Elizabeth. Lord knows, I wish you were my son, but there we have it.
I have a daughter. A single daughter.’
‘As you so often like to remind me.’ Elizabeth ignored the tell-tale
increase of her pulse. She would not falter. ‘I want to push forward in the
world. Prove to you and myself that I wasn’t destined to spend my days overseeing
the ladies’ department while waiting for a rich gentleman to whisk me off my
feet. I want—’
‘More than I’m prepared to give you.’
‘America is leading the way in retail and department stores. Their
success is well ahead of Britain. We’d be foolish to stand by and allow that to
continue without challenge.’
He huffed a laugh. ‘And what would you know of America? You barely move
from the house to the store. You refuse invitations to balls and soirees. You
turn your back on potential suitors as though each of them is beneath you.’
‘I do no such thing.’
‘No?’ He arched an eyebrow and put his forearms on the desk. ‘Then when
did you last attend any kind of social event? What is it you are so afraid of,
my dear? Do you think a man might advance on you? Make you think about more
than how you wish you could bury your father and take everything he’s built. Is
that it?’
Heat rose in Elizabeth’s cheeks as her father’s glare bore into her
soul, making her tremble. Damn him and how inferior he could make her feel with
a single look. Damn him for how he continually made her aware of her female
status.
This
is part of the opening scene of The Mistress of Pennington’s and it was the
first scene that came to me fully formed and ready to be written. Now only does
it encompass Elizabeth’s frustration, but shows a lot about her character and
the character of her father, Edward Pennington. Edward is an integral part of
the entire story and his life and development are equally as important as those
of his daughter and the hero, Joseph Carter.
The
scene kick starts Elizabeth’s determination and desire to make changes at the
store and push herself forward as the rightful heiress of Bath’s premier department
store. Little does she know, that her answer to making her desires possible
comes with the arrival of another man in her life…a man like no other.
I
hope you enjoyed the scene and it’s tempted you to buy the book! Happy reading J
Rachel
x
Buy Links:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mistress-of-penningtons-rachel-brimble/1128920728?ean=9781788546508
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rachel_Brimble_The_Mistress_of_Pennington_s?id=dIFSDwAAQBAJ
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