Mirror World Publishing and Sapphyria's Book Promotions present the 1-week virtual book tour for
Lady by LCW Allingham
About Lady:
In the year 1464, while England recovers from the devastation of the War of the Roses, Baron Alexander FitzRoland is dying in his northern castle. His young wife, Rosalynde, recovering from the stillbirth of her first child, succumbs to despair like a dutiful lady should.
When the castle gates are threatened, only Alexander’s reputation as a brutal fighter is enough to frighten off their opportunistic enemy. The proper thing for Lady Rosalynde to do is to pray and submit to devastation. Instead, she puts on her husband’s armor and rides to the gate disguised as the baron.
From there, things only get more complicated. Between mastering the art of war, meeting with witches, struggling with self-doubt and maneuvering her complicated relationship with Alexander’s lover, Robert, Lady Rosalynde balances on the razor thin line between duty and destiny.
Excerpt:
Something cold bloomed in my chest and spread to my limbs, pushing the ache away. I could die tonight. I could simply kneel back down on my warped knees and pray like a proper lady until I was cut down, but my inaction would condemn everyone else as well.
I rolled the stiffness out of my shoulders and flexed warmth back into my calves. I had to act. I had to move. I was suddenly awash with a strange, sterile gratitude.
I had to keep fighting.
I straightened my back. “I must rally the baron.”
“My lady.” Sir Simon tugged at the red trim on his surcoat. “In this state, the baron could not possibly—”
“He can, and you will escort him. Have our best men flanking him.” My heart beat so hard I wasn’t sure how loudly or softly I spoke.
“My lady—” Sir Simon’s orange mustache fluttered nervously. I lifted my hand to cut him off.
“Do we have an alternative, Sir Simon?” I asked. “Could our garrison win against Colbert’s men?”
He shook his head. “Lord FitzRoland would deter Colbert in a challenge of single combat, but our men could not stand up to his.”
“Then the baron must go to the gate,” I said, ending the debate. My household retreated from the rooms. Old Meg shuffled past me, with a strange brightness in her milky eyes.
The knight took a deep breath, his thick chest swelling as he looked up at me. I was taller than Sir Simon. Taller than many of our soldiers. Always so oddly out of place, yet I felt a sudden gratitude for my height as the knight deflated in my shadow.
“Yes, my lady. I will await the baron at the bailey gate.”
When the door shut behind him, I sank to my husband’s bed and took his damp hand.
“Oh, Alexander,” I whispered. “Please awaken and save me from this folly.”
My husband of two years took a rattling breath, but did not wake. A moment later there was a knock on the door. It was time to move.
I ushered in my cousin and lady maid, Aures, her fair face white and her lips tightly shut for a change.
“I need you to get Nicolas,” I said. “I am in need of Alexander’s squire.”
“Rosalynde, what are you doing?” Aures whispered, twisting her skirts in her hands.
I lifted my hand. “I’m trying my best. Help me out of my kirtle before you go.”
She pulled the laces from my overdress, then slipped from the chamber without another word.
A cool evening gust came through the open window and blew through Alexander’s damp hair as I tugged the plain red dress off. The metallic stench of sickness and fear wafted through the room. At this time of year there should have been life, fragrance, joy, and music on the air, but it seemed Casstone’s fortune had turned as sour as the stink in the chamber.
And now was I to seal that fate?
By the time Aures returned with Nicolas, I was dressed in Alexander’s hose and quilted doublet.
“Rosalynde, you can’t do this,” Aures said. I suppose she felt she wouldn’t be doing her job if she didn’t protest.
Nicolas’s sharp brown eyes assessed everything in a moment and his mouth quirked up. “You are almost the same height as him.”
“I know,” I said. Alexander had often jested that I could wear his armor.
Aures muttered in Welsh as Nicolas started with the chain mail, a chattering coat of weight, then the greaves on my ankles and poleyns on my knees. I should have wrapped my knees tight before he armed them, but it was too late now. Time was short. When Nicolas strapped on the breast and back plates, their heft nearly pressed me to the floor. If it came down to combat against Colbert, I was already defeated. The burden of the armor confined me, each motion a strain on soft muscles. I was not as strong as I had been a year ago.
“Make sure the visor covers my face.” I kept my voice steady. “No one must suspect it is not Alexander on that wall.”
Follow the Tour:
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing
Paperback: 364 pages
ISBN-10: 1998360059
ISBN-13: 978-1-998360-05-5
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-998360-04-8
Praise for Lady:
"A captivating tale. This lady rides to her own rescue." - Bestselling Author of the Elizabeth of England Chronicles, G. Lawrence
"Amid uncertainty, betrayal, and treason during the War of the Roses, Lady Rosalynde emerges as an avatar of power, courage, and fierce loyalty as she defends her home and her very life. Battling turmoil within her heart and enemies at the gate, she defines what it means to be fully woman in a world fully run by men. Mourn with her, rejoice with her, and celebrate her message: Home is where love is found." - Abyss & Apex Editor and Author of the Twins of Bellesfées series
"A compelling and strong female lead with a great cast of supporting characters. Loved the time frame of the 1400's. This was listed as a first novel but the writer is not new to the skill and it shows."
" I was hooked from the first page and really enjoyed the medieval element of this story, it uses the time-period perfectly and was hooked with what I was hoping for. The concept worked overall and enjoyed how the love story was going on, it was realistic and enjoyed the overall feel of this. LCW Allingham has a great writing style and was engaged with what was going on and can't wait for more."
" During the early days of the War of the Roses a young noblewoman living in a remote castle is mourning the miscarriage/stillbirth of her son when her husband Baron Alexander falls ill. To make matters even worse a neighbour's son keeps attacking the castle. Uncommon in this kind of novels this is a very layered story and not a romance although there is all kind of love between the group of main characters. Our heroine survived a very traumatic event when she was still young and her warrior father knew only one way to deal with that to give his daughter confidence: he trained her to fight. She is a very androgyne tall woman with an unusual upbringing what made her very unpopular at court. Still, handsome and kind, fierce warrior Alexander marries her because he wants heirs but he has a dangerous secret to keep.
It is a story that has a genuine and realistic feel to it. It handles diversity but in a natural way. Also in the Middle Ages people fell in love with people they could not marry. And there would also have been people from far places.
The author said in her final comments "I realised in the end the story was about love" and that is exactly it. Not just sexual attraction, no hanky panky, love. In all kind of forms.
I was very impressed and went to bed late in the hope to finish the story. Failed. And then in the morning I hated reaching the end."
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Meet the Author:
LCW Allingham (she/her) is a Philadelphia area author, artist, musician and editor. Her early education was uniquely rich in the arts, learning music, performance and fine art all of her life, but she was always compelled toward the written word and storytelling. She received her degree in journalism and wrote home renovation articles before turning her focus exclusively to fiction. Her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and publications and she is an editor for the Collection of Utter Speculation series, and her horror novella, Muse, was released in April 2024, to critical acclaim.
In 2022 she co-founded the indie press, Speculation Publications, with her long-time editorial partners and serves as executive editor. She writes in many genres but particularly horror, fantasy, historical and speculative fiction. She is an active feminist and human rights advocate and lives in Pennsylvania with her family, her pets and her ever expanding art collection.
Lady is her debut novel.
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