Hello lovely readers!

A special treat for you: final copies of the sequel to A Gentleman’s Gentleman, A Lady for All Seasons, are in my hands and I am giving one away before it’s even available on shelves. Enter here.

If you’ve already pre-ordered it, bless you. You can now nab a special bonus short story that connects the two books.

This week we are reading Chapters 25 through the Epilogue.

Here’s a recap for Chapters 22-25:

Now that they know the truth of each other, Christopher tells Harding the story of how he became the Earl of Eden. His family had been living in Philadelphia when he was young, and his parents had died from yellow fever. He and his twin brother set sail to return to England so that his brother, the “real” Christopher, could claim his title and go to university. On the Atlantic crossing, a storm struck their ship. Christopher’s brother was lost overboard, and no one else witnessed it. In a split second decision, Christopher dressed in his brother’s clothes and took his name. He’s been plagued by nightmares of that night ever since, haunted by the guilt of stealing his brother’s life.

Harding comforts him and requests that he be allowed to dress Christopher in clean, dry clothes. Christopher is a little dazed but agrees. Sensual care-taking with appropriate nightwear! While Christopher is relieved to be out to Harding at last, he reminds himself that it’s very unlikely that Harding is attracted to him the way he is to Harding, so he’s got to stay chill. Once in their dressing gowns, they lounge in Harding’s room and talk as intimates. Harding reveals that he is the missing “elder daughter” that went missing from the duke’s house all those years ago, and Belinda is his sister. He’d left his family and former life behind to become a manservant, which afforded him the freedom to live as a man. Christopher is stunned as the pieces fall into place, that Harding gave up his fortune. They end up falling asleep on Harding’s bed.

In the morning, they dress together. They take down the old family portraits in the hall together. They go riding together. As they take a break on a footbridge at a pond, Harding makes a proposal. Christopher still needs a wife, and Harding says he is willing to marry him, even though it will mean resuming his old identity. He points out the practicality of the arrangement and says he’s willing to do it if only to preserve Eden Abbey. Christopher is incensed. He would never want Harding to do this terrible thing, knowing what it would cost him, and he reacts rather badly. They argue and Harding storms off.

When Christopher calms down enough to return home, he finds Harding has disappeared, leaving behind a note with Cook saying he has decided to take the time off he’s owed. He says if Christopher wants to fire him, he can leave his final pay check at the post office. Days pass and Christopher worries Harding is never coming back. He leaves a note at the post office pleading for one last conversation. While awaiting a reply, Christopher tells Cook she should take his family jewels and visit her family, as he wants some privacy should Harding return. Cook reluctantly agrees.

And that’s a recap!

Want to chat with other read-a-long readers? Join the Discord server.

Q&A Corner

A reader on instagram asks: How did you decide when the characters would come out to each other as trans?

Oooh, good question. I knew it would need to be late in the game, right? That gives our heroes most of the book to get to know each other and therefore trust each other. But it needs to happen before Harding’s proposal because otherwise he wouldn’t be making that proposal, you know? So I knew I needed to place that dual reveal as late as possible, preferably after a moment of extreme vulnerability on Christopher’s part and unflinching bravery on James’s. It’s an end-of-Act 2 moment for sure. A real DUN-DUN (Law & Order sound effect) placement.