Hi everyone,
As you may know, Dancing on Air will be released by Escape Publishing on the 1st of November. Yay!!!
So today, I thought I would share the opening scene with you all.
I hope you like it and find Lisette’s tyrannical aunt, Madame Devoré as hateful as I do!
It’s available for pre-order on Amazon - http://goo.gl/a8jlMD
Blurb
Cinderella meets Swan
Lake in this Victorian-era set story about a ballet dancer, an aristocrat, and
their class-crossing romance...
Lisette yearns for freedom, security and love, but none are offered on the run-down stage of The Imperial Theatre. Instead she has hard work, a tyrannical aunt, and the hope of one day becoming a prima ballerina. Dancing on the stage she catches the attention of two powerful men: Lord Gainsworth and Lord De Vale.
Lord Evander Gainswith never expected to fall in love, let alone with a woman so wholly unacceptable to his family and his peers. The sinister Lord De Vale covets Lisette's youth and strength, and is willing to pay well for it. Lisette may dance roles in fairy tales and fantasies, but the real world is about to intrude, bringing with it the harsh realities of life for a young girl with dreams of rising above the demimonde.
Lisette yearns for freedom, security and love, but none are offered on the run-down stage of The Imperial Theatre. Instead she has hard work, a tyrannical aunt, and the hope of one day becoming a prima ballerina. Dancing on the stage she catches the attention of two powerful men: Lord Gainsworth and Lord De Vale.
Lord Evander Gainswith never expected to fall in love, let alone with a woman so wholly unacceptable to his family and his peers. The sinister Lord De Vale covets Lisette's youth and strength, and is willing to pay well for it. Lisette may dance roles in fairy tales and fantasies, but the real world is about to intrude, bringing with it the harsh realities of life for a young girl with dreams of rising above the demimonde.
Dancing on Air
London, 1884
Lisette was weightless as she leapt into a grand
jeté across the stage. She was free and in that moment her heart soared past
the walls of The Imperial Theatre. She landed lightly and began the fouetté en
tournant, whipping her leg from fourth position to behind her knee; she created
impetus to spin on pointe. After the eight revolutions, she planted her feet
and lifted her hand in the air, stopping in front of her aunt. There was a
slight wobble in her legs and she tried not to wince. Fixing a smile on her
face she prayed that her aunt had not noticed. Lisette had wanted perfection
but had fallen short. A trickle of sweat slid its way down the middle of her
back, her heart beat rapidly and she tried to catch her breath as her aunt
stepped forward.
Marie Devoré regarded her niece for a
second. Her eyes bore into Lisette’s before she raised her hand and slapped her
across the face.
Lisette’s head jerked to the side as
the burning sting radiated over her cheek.
‘What was that? A farce...? A comedy
perhaps?’
‘No, Aunt Marie, I am sorry that I
wobbled,’ she said as she looked at the well-worn wooden floor and resisted the
urge to cradle her cheek.
‘When you finish, the movement
must be sleek, clean and set in stone, without any trace of a tremble.’
‘Yes, Aunt.’
‘Go, out of my sight. Prepare the costumes
for tonight’s performance,’ Marie said with a wave of her thin hand. ‘You will
practice again tomorrow. Without the wobble.’
Lisette bowed her head before running off
into the wings of the stage. She ran as fast as she could past the burgundy
velvet curtains, beneath the scenery fly and the rigging, down the narrow
flight of stairs that ran beneath the stage, until she was in the cool and
narrow corridor, which led deeper into the bowels of the theatre.
Her cheek burned but it was the sting of failure
that hurt all the more.
As always, thanks for
dropping by.
Nicóle xx
Images
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