I am delighted today to be hosting MARCIA CLAYTON, as a stop on her Coffee Pot Book Club blog tour to celebrate the recent publication of Millie’s Escape, the latest book in her Hartford Manor historical fiction series set in Victorian rural England.
Find out more about Millie’s Escape below and whet your appetite with a brief snippet from the book.
What is the book about?
1885 North Devon, England
When Emily’s neighbours inform her that Sir Edgar Grantley has also perished from the deadly disease, the old woman is distraught, for the kindly gentleman has been their benefactor for many years, much to the disgust of his wife, Lilliana. Emily is well aware that Sir Edgar’s generosity has long been a bone of contention between him and his spouse, and she is certain Lady Grantley will evict them from their cottage at the first opportunity.
As she racks her brain for a solution, Emily remembers her father came from Hartford, a seaside village in North Devon and had relatives there. Desperate and too weak to travel, she insists Millie and Jonathan leave home and make their way to Hartford before the embittered woman can cause trouble for them. There, she tells them, they must throw themselves on the mercy of their family and hope they will offer them a home.
With Emily promising to follow as soon as possible, the two youngsters reluctantly set off on their fifty-mile journey on foot and in the harshest of weather conditions. Emily warns them to be cautious, for she suspects Lady Grantley may well pursue them to seek revenge for a situation that has existed between the two families for many years.
Read an excerpt
Annie arose early the following day and hurried to the nursery to feed the twins. She paused to peer into Selina’s bedroom, and, for once, the little girl was still fast asleep. Annie tiptoed away quietly and gently opened the door of the room in which Jinnie and Eliza were sleeping. She was pleased to see that they had not yet awoken. Paul and Martin were in the next room, and the sound of sobbing reached her ears before she even opened the door. Annie found three-year-old Paul in tears and Martin trying to comfort him.
“Good morning, boys; what’s the matter, Paul? Are you poorly?”
The toddler shook his head, clung to his brother, and wouldn’t meet Annie’s eyes. She looked at Martin, wondering why the boy was so distraught.
“What’s wrong with Paul? Has he had a bad dream?”
“No, ma’am, but he’s wet the bed. I’m so sorry. I’ll help him take the sheets off and wash them; we don’t want to be any trouble.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that; Selina still has an accident now and then. It happens, and I expect you were tired last night.”
The younger boy lifted his face and stared anxiously at Annie in bewilderment. The tears were still flowing down his cheeks, and his nose was running; his frail body shook with sobs.
“Are you going to beat me?”
Annie was shocked.
“Goodness me, no! Of course, I won’t beat you; why would I do that? You didn’t wet the bed on purpose, did you?”
“No, ma’am; I didn’t know it was wet until I woke up.”
“No need to worry then. Do you ever have little accidents like this, Martin?”
“No, ma’am, luckily I don’t, but you see, if this happened in the workhouse, Paul would get a hiding, so he didn’t tell anyone if he could help it; he’d just sleep in the same wet bed the next night.”
Book details
Millie’s Escape was published in November 2023 by Sunhillow Publishing, and is available as an eBook and in both paperback and hardcover.
It is also available to read on Kindle Unlimited.
Buy link
All the books in The Hartford Manor Series can be ordered from any bookshop.
About the author
Marcia Clayton
Marcia Clayton is the author of five books in The Hartford Manor Series, a heart-warming family saga stretching from the Regency period to Victorian times. A sixth book is to be released in 2024.
Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport.
Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.
You can follow Ann on social media:
Twitter | Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram
Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Allauthor
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Thank you so much for hosting Marcia Clayton today, Carolyn.
Take care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club