Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Rhys on Cottages she has Known

RHYS BOWEN: I am nearing the first draft of my 14th Royal Spyness book, this one a spoof on REBECCA and set in Cornwall, a place I know well since we visit John's sister there every summer.
In this excerpt Georgie's friend Belinda has just inherited a property in Cornwall. They go to inspect and it turns out to be a cottage perched above the rocks. A rather primitive cottage.

As with all my books, I make my characters suffer my own experiences. In this case their suffering mirrors the time John and I were lent a farmhouse in France. We arrived and couldn't find a loo. We knew there must be a bathroom somewhere as the instructions told us how to work the shower. Eventually I went down to the cellar, across a dirt floor and down another flight of steps into...well, a cavern. Vaulted ceiling with ferns and mushrooms growing out of it. In one corner was a loo and in the middle a shower coming from the ceiling directly onto the stone floor. Needless to say neither of us went down there at night! Will Belinda and Georgie?  Read on:

Below was a stone basement with another large sink. The smell of fish still lingered. In one corner was a rusted tin bathtub, and in another a lavatory. Goodness knows where that drained to!
            “Not exactly much privacy,” I pointed out.
            “Can you imagine coming down here in the night?” Belinda sounded horrified. “Forget what I said about furniture being the number one priority. The first task is a proper bathroom.”
            “Are you sure this place is worth all the effort?” I asked. “it’s terribly remote. Would you really want to be here alone?”
            “I’m not sure,” she said. “I like the idea, but… Let’s sleep on it. I always say things look better in the morning.”
            “Do you think we should lock the front door, just in case?” I asked.
            “Who is possibly going to bother us out here?” Belinda said. “But maybe you’re right. We are far from any help, aren’t we?”
            She turned the big iron key in the latch. “Satisfied?” she asked.  I was.
After we had taken turns to use the facilities while the other stood guard at the top of the stairs we got undressed for bed. 
            “I don’t feel like turning off that oil lamp, if you don’t mind,” Belinda said. 
            “I agree. And wake me up if you need to go down to the loo.”
            “I rather wish I hadn’t had that pint of cider now,” Belinda said. 
            “Me too.”
            We climbed into the bed. The mattress was lumpy and the springs squeaked every time one of us moved.
            “I wouldn’t recommend this for a romantic hideaway,” I said, making Belinda laugh.
            “Oh crikey, can you imagine.”
            We both lay there laughing, as one does when very nervous.
            “I’m freezing. How about you?” Belinda asked.
            “I certainly am. The blankets feel damp, don’t they?”
            “I could put my cape over us. And your overcoat.”  She got up and started to drape them over the bedding.
            “Remind me whose mad idea this was,” I said.
            “At least you are not having to give tea parties and feel lonely and bored,” she said.
            “You’re quite right. It is an adventure. I must remind myself of that—especially if I have to get up in the night.”
            “Wake me and I’ll hold a candle for you,” Belinda said.
The extra layers started to warm us up. The wind had died down and all one could hear was the distant thump of waves on the rocks below. Gradually I drifted off to sleep. I awoke to pitch darkness. The oil in the lamp must have finally given out. I lay staring at nothing, wondering what might have woken me. Then I heard it again… the slightest sound. Was it the creak of a door? 
            Only the wind, I told myself. I knew from experience with Castle Rannoch that old houses were full of noises as they creaked and sighed and shifted. I turned over and tried to go back to sleep. I had almost drifted off when I felt the covers being peeled back and someone climbed into the bed beside me. The bedsprings creaked ominously. Silly Belinda, I thought. She’s been to the loo by herself. How considerate of her not to have woken me up.
Then I realized this person was getting into the bed on my left side. Belinda had been lying on my right. I reached out a hand and felt the warmth of her body. Then who on earth? 

Who on earth indeed? The plot thickens after this! It's called THE LAST MRS. SUMMERS (Those of you who know Rebecca might appreciate the names) and it comes out next August.

30 comments:

  1. Rhys, I am chucking over Belinda’s and Georgie’s plight . . . can’t wait to read the rest of the story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Uuumm . . . I'm chuckling over their plight . . . I definitely need more coffee . . . .

      Delete
  2. I'm intrigued. Maybe I need to try Rebecca again between now and then.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rebecca takes some getting into! And the house the Georgie and Belunda go on yo is worse than the cottage .....

      Delete
    2. My issue was an audio book with too many scratches to play.

      Delete
  3. Rhys, I need to read Rebecca. I am intrigued too. Is Belinda wearing her fancy clothes or country clothes? I can imagine old houses full of noises. I can imagine how chilly it would be and I could see Belinda and Lady Georgie wearing five jumpers, if not more. I remember wearing six layers when living on the East Coast during the winter years ago.

    Already hooked on the story and when can we pre-order the book?

    Diana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Definitely chilly. But you wait and see where they go to stay after this

      Delete
  4. I love this excerpt. Somehow I don’t think Darcy would climb into bed knowing Belinda was there.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my gosh! I can't wait to read this one! But first, yes, I must dig up my old copy of Rebecca to revisit Manderley.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now I'm really wondering about the 'person' climbing into bed with Georgie and Belinda--now I need to find something else to read while I wait to find out what happens next! Luckily the library finally has a copy of Ann Cleeves' latest with my name on it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OMG, Rhys! I can hardly wait to read this book. I love the title, too. You know, I suddenly have a strange urge to re-read Rebecca. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. Holey mackerel! Who indeed!

    A toilet in a cavern? Reminds me of a "Pittsburgh toilet," which is a toilet in the basement, no walls - just a freestanding commode.

    ReplyDelete
  9. a nice twist on Rebecca! My grandparents' Cape Cod "cottage" had an indoor toilet and sink. My grandfather a nice touch in the fifties: hot water in the outdoor shower. Nothing quite like washing off salt water and sand with chickadees supervising from a nearby pine tree.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rest of the story centers more on a brooding old house with a creepy housekeeper

      Delete
  10. Eeek!! I'm shivering for Georgie and Belinda!

    What fun, and what a treat for us Georgie fans.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a spooky setting! Yikes. Had to put on my sweater to read it. This one will be fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Was reading this just prior to going to bed, last night. Nice chuckle to end my day until the last sentence. It did remind me of a family camping trip. Mom was not a sleeping on the ground person so we rented a tent/trailer. Basically it's a pop up tent in wheels. The door wouldn't latch very well so Dad tied it shut at night. I needed to use the bathroom, in the middle of the night, couldn't get the door untied in the dark, Dad woke up to seeing my back leg going over the door. I would have been find except I thought someone was following me back from the bathroom. It was my Dad but hadn't said a word. Can't wait for this one, Rhys.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Rhys, such fun! I miss Georgie--can't wait to read her latest exploits! Who is getting in bed with Georgie and Belinda???

    ReplyDelete
  14. Rhys, you are CONSTANTLY wonderful. Best voice on the planet! Love this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. AND THE WINNER of THE BELLAMY TRIAL (from yesterday) is Abby Fabian! YAY. Abby, email me at hryan at whdh dot com with your address!

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Who is possibly going to bother us out here?”

    Oh golly, famous last words. Right up there with "What could possibly go wrong?"

    Brrrr....

    ReplyDelete
  17. Maybe we should have a Jungle Red Writers reread of Rebecca before this book comes out next year?? Love it Rhys!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I really am laughing out loud. Rhys, your description of the bathroom in the French farmhouse got me started. I was a realtor for about 18 years and when you enter a house, especially some of the larger older ones, you do not know what is in the basement or the attic. Random commodes. Rattlesnake skins (yep- 6 feet long.) I had wonderful clients looking at big old houses, and the wife stated emphatically that she did not go into basements! In some cases, I'd wish I could skip them, too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Damp is one thing. Snakes, however.... Don't think is stay long

      Delete
  19. I already can't wait to read it! And is there anything more instantly evocative than "the blankets feel damp"? I think everyone has had some dreadful night with the overcoat spread atop the bedding in an attempt to keep warm. Brrr!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thrilled! Rebecca is on my short list of all time favorite books, so having Lady Georgie run amuck in a Rebeeca inspired setting - genius!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh, my! What a great excerpt! I can't wait to see who is getting into bed beside Georgie. The bathroom situation has me completely freaked out. I don't see how you and John were able to tolerate your similar situation. And, I love that the setting will be Cornwall. It's a place I love reading about and so want to visit there.

    ReplyDelete