Anthony pulled the picnic basket into the middle of the circle they’d formed and opened it. “I’m not sure we know, which is part of the problem. Right now, our biggest issue is figuring out how the hero and heroine end up together.”
He went over the comments Miss Quinn had made on that score while Brody and Callum helped set up the tea he’d brought. “Basically, the hero has to choose the heroine no matter the cost to his reputation.”
“Which makes me wonder if his reputation presents a big enough obstacle for them,” Miss Quinn mused.
“What?” Anthony, Brody, and Callum all asked in unison.
“If the hero has enough self-esteem and a decent circle of friends willing to lend their support, what difference does it make to him what everyone else thinks?” Miss Quinn accepted the teacup Anthony handed to her with a softly spoken, “Thank you.”
“Society’s opinion is everything,” Brody explained and promptly knit his brow. “I realize that sounds rather awful, but what other peers think, their good opinion or lack thereof, can determine one’s future.”
“Fall out of grace,” Callum said, “and there’s no telling what might occur. Doors could close, denying the connections upon which we all depend so heavily.”
“And it’s not just a question of how, um…marrying down will affect the earl,” Anthony pointed out without being able to meet Miss Quinn’s gaze, “but the consequence it may have upon those nearest and dearest to him.”
“Family,” Miss Quinn said with a thoughtful nod. “One does what one can to protect them and keep them out of harm’s way. Perhaps this is an angle worth exploring in greater detail. Have you decided whether or not the earl has any siblings?”
“We considered a brother who’s chosen a military career,” Brody said.
“Why not include a younger sister – a lady with every conceivable chance of making an excellent match,” Miss Quinn said while filling her cup with the tea Anthony offered. Her posture relaxed as she spoke. “Provided her brother doesn’t create a scandal with his pursuit of an innkeeper’s daughter.”
It was impossible for Anthony to ignore the similarity she’d just created between the real situation he found himself in with her, and the fictional plot point she’d just provided. He wondered if she was aware of it. Probably not, he decided while studying the undeniable gleam of enthusiasm sparkling in her blue eyes.
“Sounds like a quagmire to me,” Callum said as he reached for one of the sandwiches Anthony’s cook had prepared.
Brody took one too. “How will we ever muddle our way through it?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Miss Quinn said as she too took a sandwich. She smiled at Anthony, a brilliant smile that instilled in him a need to slay every dragon she might encounter. “Remember, you can take a few days to do so. The reader won’t know you struggled. They’ll just be impressed that you managed to pull it off.”
All three men groaned, which apparently caused her to chuckle. It pleased him to watch her shed the discomfort she’d shown when they’d first arrived here.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Anthony asked, attempting to keep his voice light and teasing.
She grinned. “Guilty, I confess.”
Sobering, she added, “I believe your greatest challenge will be writing three different parts of the same book simultaneously. The characters and their goals must remain constant.”
“Which is why we’ve each got a copy of the plot outline,” Brody said. “We’ve also agreed to meet once a day in order to review our progress.”
Ada gave a thoughtful nod. “It’s probably also wise of you to take notes of any new details being added so all of you are made aware of them.”
“That’s not a bad idea though it might slow things down.” Callum sent her a wary look. “Your advice is good, Miss Quinn. So good I’m almost afraid to ask if you have any other ideas for how we might improve.”
Miss Quinn pursed her lips as though in consideration. “With only three chapters completed, it’s a little hard to say, but one important aspect will be your ability to bring love onto the page.”
“How do you mean?” Brody asked.
“I believe the effect you want,” Miss Quinn said, her words measured, “is for the reader to end the book with a sigh of pleasure. You want them to feel a happy sort of assurance that the characters fought their way through a tough situation and won.”
Anthony leaned back so his hands and arms supported his upper body. “And how do you propose we accomplish that?”
Miss Quinn picked a blade of grass and twiddled it loosely between her fingers. “I suppose it can be done by showing how well the hero and heroine support each other. Even if their opinions differ, they should come together as a team. Compromise is key, I would think. And then of course there are the smaller gestures that come into play. If you drop a few hints here and there about something the heroine wants to experience, for example, and then have the hero help her do it, this would show that he’s been paying attention to her, that he cares about her, and that her happiness matters to him. The same is true for her of course. If he visits the inn, for example, and mentions how sorry he is to learn that they no longer make the dessert he’d been hoping to try, she could ask him to wait while she goes and makes it.”
“Hmm…” A pensive look had come over Brody’s face. “I believe I’m starting to understand what you mean. Basically, we need to show the reader that these two are willing to do more for each other than what they might do for their friends or family.”
“I’m sure they’d do a great deal for their family too,” Miss Quinn said, “because they love them. The hero and heroine need to be included in that circle of love. The fiercer that love is, the greater the lengths they’ll be willing to go to in order to stand by each other, the more powerful the experience will be for the reader.”
“Your ability to clarify this is rather remarkable,” Callum said with the same sense of awe Anthony had begun feeling toward her at some point since their first meeting. “It sounds like you speak from experience, so I hope you won’t take offense to my asking if you’ve ever known such a love.”
