I always been a fan of the old horror movies, and of Gothic Romance. I like that creepy, uncertain feeling, and not knowing if the hero is the good guy or the villain. Dark Hero is my debut novel, published one year ago. In it we have all the elements of a good gothic story, a heroine with secrets who is placd in an uncertain environment away from all that is familiar to her, a tortured hero with ulterior motives and a penchant for the macabre, an old unkempt manor house on an isolated estate, and plenty of ghosts. I had fun writing this story, and it is my favorite among all my novels for many reasons.
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| Elizabeth and Donovan |
In this excerpt from Dark Hero, the heroine, Elizabeth, has
just arrived at her new husband’s home for the first time:
Dark Hero, Copyright Lily Silver, 2013
“Stay here, I’ll be
right back.” Her husband admonished, leaving Elizabeth standing in the foyer to
gaze up at the winding marble stairs leading to the second story. The mahogany
banister had been polished not too long ago, she noted, feeling hopeful that
the interior was not as neglected as the exterior grounds.
Double doors to the right of the stairs piqued her interest.
She decided to look beyond them. She was relieved to find this door unlocked,
only to have hope crushed as she gazed inside. The room was dark, the shutters
were drawn to block out the sunlight. The furniture was covered with white
sheets, resembling ghosts in the darkened room. She crept in a few feet and
waited for her eyes to adjust to the gloom. Slats in the shutters allowed
jagged shafts of light to diffuse through the shadows. Something dark and furry
scuttled across the floor in front of her. Elizabeth stifled a scream and
stepped back, remembering Peter’s tale about hairy spiders the size of tea
saucers.
Who lives here? The
house had an empty, desolate feel to it, as if no one occupied it for a very
long time, at least, no one who cared.
“Lizzie.” Elizabeth turned at the sound of her husband’s
voice, his normal voice, not an affected one. He stood in the foyer, seeming
perturbed that she wasn’t standing precisely where he’d left her. “Come.” He
held out his hand. “I’ve ordered a bath for you. Tabby will see to your comfort
while I’m out.”
“Where are you going?” She grimaced as she left the dark
room for the sunlit foyer. “We’ve only just arrived.”
“I want to take a ride about the place while I’m still
dressed as the count. Enjoy your bath and a nice nap. You look all in,
darlin’.” His lips brushed hers, teasing lightly, reminding her of the tender,
caring man on the voyage. He smiled down at her, and then straightened as a
lone figure stepped from the shadows of the hall. “This is Tabitha Wilkes, my
grandfather’s--” He paused momentarily. “Housekeeper. I kept her on after he died, and the cook.”
Mrs. Wilkes was clad in an informal muslin gown rather than
the starched black uniform that housekeepers wore in the wealthy homes in
England. She was barefoot. Her white hair was unbound, cascading down her back
in gentle waves. She was thin, graceful, her complexion golden from time spent
in the sun instead of indoors, cleaning her master’s home.
She did not resemble any servant Elizabeth encountered in
England. Nevertheless, she smiled at the older woman. This was Donovan’s home.
She was going to have to accept his odd ways and get along with the people in
his employ. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wilkes.” Elizabeth responded,
knowing her mother would scold her for being familiar with a servant. Alas,
putting on airs would not win her acceptance from Donovan’s household staff.
“It’s Tabby, Ma’am. I’m not married.” The woman archly
corrected Elizabeth, looking her up and down as if she were a dead rodent the
cat carried in from the woodpile.
“Don’t be impertinent, Tabby.” Donovan interjected before
Elizabeth could form a response. “My wife is the grand-daughter of the ninth
Earl of Greystowe. She’ll put you through your paces, old girl. You might wish
to put some thought into retiring. I’m certain my lady will be more particular
than I am regarding the household routines.”
The woman bristled at his words, looking for a brief second
as if she might curse out loud at them. She managed a limp smile from taut
lips. “Welcome to Ravencrest, your ladyship.” The housekeeper made a polite
curtsy to Elizabeth.
“Take care of my lass and mind your tongue, Tabby. I’ll
tolerate none of your cheek with her.” Donovan directed as he made his exit,
effectively abandoning Elizabeth.
Elizabeth followed the woman up the stairs and down the hall
to the master’s chamber. She sensed resentment within Tabby. She dismissed the
impression, reasoning that she’d be cranky, too, if she was in this woman’s
place and the master dropped a new mistress on the doorstep without warning and
then left again. It was an awkward situation all around.
Donovan’s bedchamber was furnished in a deep forest green
that complimented the oak paneling. Very masculine, indeed, befitting a
bachelor lord.
“Rest Madame, your bath water will take a while to warm.”
Tabby said, and left her.
Elizabeth stepped over to the louvered doors and peered
through the slats. They gave access to a veranda winding about the second
story. And they were locked. She was suddenly seized by a rush of sheer panic.
“Watch out!” A thin, frightened voice from beyond the grave warned
in the empty room. “He’ll lock you away
for his pleasure. He’ll never let you feel the sunlight on your face or the
wind in your hair again.”
“Who are you?” Elizabeth glanced about. No one appeared or
answered her query.
This was too much; an isolated estate, a house with chained
gates and locked doors, a cranky, resentful housekeeper and now a spirit
whispering cryptic warnings to her in the middle of the afternoon. Elizabeth
whirled about to the double doors adjacent to the veranda doors.
Those, too, were locked.
Dark Hero, Copyright Lily Silver 2012
Dark Hero features a man hiding from the horrors of his past, a tortured hero who literally dresses up in costumes, affects false accents and uses false identities to keep himself safe from the world around him. He was tortured in France, held in the Bastille prior to the French Revolution. When the peasants rose up, they set him free. Donovan became a pirate for some years, and then stumbled upon a beautiful lass in England who needed his help. He rescues her, but he still lives in the shadows, like a phantom, unable to get close to others and trust them. Elizabeth must deal with his habit of switching personalities and identities, and try to soothe the beast within him and bring him back to humanity.
Dark Hero is available for sale on all digital platforms. It is the first in my Reluctant Heroes Series. In Dark Hero, and the sequel, Bright Scoundrel, there is plenty of paranormal activitiy, even though these are historical romance. I don't know about you, but I like to mix things up and try something new, without the old romance formulas. Thanks for visiting and do have a wonderfully creepy day!
Lily Silver, aka Darklily.
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