Nell Iris

Thank you so much, Nell, for having me back on the blog again! I’m Ellie, I write Historical MM Romance and today, I’m here to chat about my new release, Heart of Stone, Book 3 in my Regency Paranormal novella series, this year’s Halloween story.

All three novellas in this series feature the staple of Regency fiction, the country house party as a recurring theme! In the first story, The Monk’s Lair, shy and retiring Christian is dragged along by his formidable aunt to a house party in Gloucestershire where he meets Sam. While there, the two young men are plunged into an unearthly adventure near the ruins of Tintern Abbey just over the border in Wales.

In the second story, The Unquiet House, after publishing an expurgated version of the spooky events at Tintern, Chris and Sam are invited as guests to Haverford House in Wiltshire to discreetly investigate some uncanny goings-on, and are again drawn into danger.

In Heart of Stone, my couple takes a road trip back to the Welsh borders to join a country house party of young people, including Justin, Sam’s younger brother. As usual, the house party provides a backdrop for more adventures, both romantic and dangerous, that have become the hallmark of these stories.

During this novella, Chris and Sam learn more about themselves and each other, both in quiet moments and when up against dangerous foes. It’s the combination of how these two young men are settling down as a couple, together with pitting them against danger that makes these stories such a pleasure to write.

In Heart of Stone, the duo face personal and external challenges that help them grow together and face the future, prepared for further adventures together.

Book links

JMS Books ::

Blurb:

In the spring of 1817, Christian Maxwell is recovering at home in Wiltshire from a spate of illness following his adventures at Haverford House earlier in the year. Sam Gillespie, Christian’s constant companion in life and paranormal investigations, suggests a road trip to aid Christian’s recovery. They plan to visit friends and places from their previous adventures until reaching a house party at Chepstow on the Welsh borders.

During the journey, the bond between the couple seems stronger than ever. Once they reach their destination, exuberant Sam throws himself into socialising, while retiring Christian feels increasingly isolated despite being surrounded by conviviality.

Might this be an indication that they are ultimately unsuited? Or will unexpected peril prove that the link between Christian and Sam is unbreakable?

Excerpt:

For once, Christian took the lead.

In his view, Sam was the epitome of masculine capability. Christian was deeply grateful for Sam’s acceptance of his oddities. Although Sam chose to regard these abilities as special, Christian remained unconvinced they were worth desiring, let alone envying.

The pair crossed the boggy field beside the riverbank. As his feet sank into the oozing mud, Christian was grateful they had both worn stout boots for this part of the journey. They picked their way across to the great stone which appeared more substantial than the heavily pitted stone at Minchinhampton. The Broad Stone was merely misshapen by age and the elements, standing in a shallow pool of water.

“Are you willing to trust me?” Christian asked timidly as they stood within touching distance of the stone.

“In every conceivable way.”

“I have no idea if this will be successful.”

“We won’t know until we try.”

“Place your hand on the stone.”

Sam obeyed and cocked his head for further instructions.

“Spread your fingers.”

Christian placed his hand over Sam’s. He relished the contrast between the rough, cold stone and the warmth and vitality of Sam’s skin.

It was a heady sensation, being joined with Sam as the stone eagerly transmitted its long history. His impressions were slightly fainter than usual but no less vivid.

He opened his eyes, smiling widely, feeling alight from within. He was disappointed to see no answering smile from Sam.

“Nothing?”

Sam shook his head. “Oh well, it was worth an attempt. I suppose we should return to the shore.”

Christian had rarely seen Sam so dejected.

“Since we’re already here, why don’t we have another try? You’ve told me before that experiments rarely work the first time. Regard this as a scientific endeavour.”

Christian placed his hand on the stone, feeling the full force of reverberations.

“Put your hand over mine.”

Sam hesitated for an instant. Then Christian felt his tentative touch. He spread his fingers to allow Sam’s fingertips some contact with the stone. Sam’s palm was flat against the back of Christian’s hand, their fingers not quite meeting. Instead of being drawn into place memory, Christian applied himself to become a conduit for Sam.

He tried to transmit his impressions outwards. The traces of the ancient boar hunt, the generations of fishermen, how the stone had become part of the landscape as the river gradually carved out the ancient shoreline.

Finally, he opened his eyes with a shaky sigh.

Sam’s face was still, his eyelids closed, his face a picture of concentration.

Then as if sensing Christian’s waning focus, Sam’s hand shifted away.

His lips curved in a smile and his eyes opened, blazing bright blue with wonder.

“It worked?” Christian asked croakily.

“I’m sure I felt only a fraction of what you can perceive. All the same, it was quite remarkable. No text book could possible replicate the experience.” He added huskily, “Thank you for sharing your precious gift with me.”

With the stone as their witness, Sam raised Christian’s hand to his lips.

“You are a constant inspiration. I could wish for no better companion.”

Book links:

Publisher:

https://www.jms-books.com/ellie-thomas-c-224_420/heart-of-stone-p-5565.html

Bio:

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/
Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/8308047409266947
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/elliethomas.bsky.social
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19835510.Ellie_Thomas
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-thomas

Guestpost

New Release Spotlight: An Unlikely Alliance Box Set by Ellie Thomas

August 18, 2025August 17, 2025 Nell Iris

The lovely Ellie Thomas is back on the blog today with her latest release, An Unlikely Alliance. It’s a box set! We love box sets here on my blog, and especially this one. It’s a collection of three lovely stories that I’ve read and loved, so I give it my warmest recommendations.

Please help me welcome Ellie to the blog, everyone ❤️

Thank you so much, Nell, for having me back on the blog again! I’m Ellie, and I write Historical MM Romance. I’m delighted to announce that the box set for my Regency London-set An Unlikely Alliance MMM trilogy is now on release!

This box set consists of An Unlikely Alliance, An Increasing Entanglement and An Uncommon Alignment, where Clem, Abe and Humphrey, three very different men in terms of character and status find mutual attraction and forge a lasting relationship to reach their HEA.

At the start of An Unlikely Alliance, Humphrey Atkinson is a good-natured and modest young gentleman who lives with his aunt in a grand house in Bloomsbury, assisting her to run the household. By the end of An Uncommon Alignment, Humphrey is still living with his aunt and remains helpful and modest. So has anything changed? Well, yes, pretty much everything!

Humphrey’s outward circumstances might remain static but he has a profound inward shift during the series. Unlike Clem and Abe, when we first meet him, despite his relative privilege, Humphrey lacks confidence. He is uneasy with his sexuality, seeing it as a disadvantage and something to keep strictly secret. His sexual outlets consist of occasional encounters with university friends at their prompting, and only when they don’t have recourse to willing females.

So it’s no wonder why he is taken aback by his first encounter with Clem and then Abe. Humphrey finds it hard to believe that both these assured men, both so comfortable in their skin, continue to find him attractive. Unsurprisingly, he’s initially dazzled and infatuated and further humbled when his new lovers don’t take advantage of him in the accustomed way. Humphrey might be self-effacing but he’s staunch in character. He supports Abe’s efforts to clear Clem’s name simply because it’s the right thing to do.

As the relationship continues in An Increasing Entanglement, it becomes clear that, despite his innate modesty, Humphrey is the moral compass of the trio. When Clem is abducted, Humphrey stands shoulder to shoulder with Abe, showing his concern and support, and in the same way, dedicates himself to Clem’s recovery. Humphrey might never dream of using his social position for his own advancement but he is more than happy to use to his connections to help his men.

By An Uncommon Alignment, Humphrey’s confidence has increased to the point where he’s prepared to challenge Abe for keeping secrets from Clem, however well-meant. Of the three men, Humphrey is the most emotionally open and generous, which means he has the clearest perspective. His unchanging decency and kindness is essential to the longevity of the relationship and, in return, he is valued and loved by his men for his innate goodness and reliability.

Blurb:

All three novellas in the MMM Regency An Unlikely Alliance trilogy by Ellie Thomas are compiled for this box set.

In these stories, bratty private secretary Clem, semi-criminal hard man Abe, and shy gentleman Humphrey discover that mutual passion leads to romance and even lasting love when they band together to defeat a mutual enemy.

Contains the stories:

An Unlikely Alliance: In Regency London, private secretary Clem encounters shy gentleman Humphrey with satisfying results. From then on, it seems natural to include Abe, Clem’s regular lover, in their frolics. Apart from willing bedfellows, Clem is used to being alone and unsupported. But will the alliance between the three men prove more substantial than mere passing pleasure?

An Increasing Entanglement: Clem, Abe and Humphrey are struggling to maintain their romantic connection in the hustle and bustle of Regency London. When one of their trio is threatened, will the others dash to his rescue? And might this be the making of their romance?

An Uncommon Alignment: In Regency London, Clem, Abe and Humphrey are spending the summer together, in the hope of consolidating their romance. But amongst the demands of everyday life, an old enemy reappears to threaten their harmony. Can the trio defeat Richard Farquarson for once and all? And might they find a way to remain together forever?

Book Links

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Universal Book Link
Add to Goodreads :: Add to Bookbub

Excerpt:

Excerpt from An Unlikely Alliance:

Humphrey had tried and failed to forget the episode in the coffee house the week before. It wasn’t as though he had the excuse of no other distractions. He barely had a free minute given the number of house guests arriving for the start of the Season. There seemed to be a constant round of relatives expecting him to conduct them in the social round.

At Drury Lane Theatre, Humphrey was entirely distracted during a performance of Hamlet, simply because one of the supporting actors bore a faint resemblance to the man from the coffee house. Only then did he admit he was a lost cause. In conversation with his cousins afterwards, he tried to hide that he couldn’t remember a single scene from the play, even though he’d studied it at school.

So after dinner one evening, when he wasn’t required for an hour or two, he audaciously decided to beard his seducer in his den, or rather the Fleet Street tavern he frequented.

Humphrey was so flustered by his uncharacteristic decisiveness that he changed his waistcoat three times. Although the blond had seemed more interested in what lay beneath Humphrey’s clothing.

He eyed his modest supply of coats with trepidation. Is the green too sober, the blue too frivolous and the buff-coloured one too plain?

In the end, he solved the problem by closing his eyes and picking a garment at random. He didn’t dare glance at the mirror in case that prompted more equivocation.

When downstairs, Humphrey hesitated by the drawing room door, lured by comfortable congeniality versus the pursuit of illicit pleasure. One minute he was about to enter the room and in the next, he was haring out of the front door and down the steps to the street.

He calmed his pace when he reached Holborn, slowed by a steady trickle of early evening foot traffic that thickened as he made his way towards Fleet Street.

I’m just going for a quiet drink, he thought. He might not even be there.

Humphrey halted at the entrance to the tavern, his resolve failing him. His vacillation was overcome by pure coincidence. A group of men required access and their impetus carried him over the threshold. Humphrey removed his crown beaver hat and looked around the unevenly shaped room.

With a combination of disappointment and relief, he concluded that his quarry wasn’t present. Then he spotted him in a corner nook. A second glance proved that he was not alone.

Humphrey shifted from foot to foot. In any given social situation he was a reliable sort of fellow, or so Aunt Cece reassured him. But etiquette couldn’t guide him in this particular situation.

It didn’t help that the man seated beside his acquaintance was equally attractive; well-built and with deep olive toned skin. He made a pleasing contrast to the other’s fair slenderness. His massive build reminded Humphrey enticingly of a bare knuckle boxer in an exhibition bout at the Lyceum.

Humphrey was dawdling indecisively when the blond looked up. Humphrey was neatly hooked by that sultry grey gaze. The man nudged his friend. He whispered a few words in his ear, from which hung a gold hoop. The other man grinned and looked Humphrey up and down in a far too knowledgeable way.

Oh good heavens, has he told him? Humphrey felt hot and cold and flustered all at once. He didn’t know whether to be flattered, alarmed, or horrified. He stood stock still, to the annoyance of another patron, halted in the course of reaching the bar.

“Scuse me, squire.”

“Beg your pardon,” Humphrey said immediately. Unfortunately, his reflex response brought him in front of the table occupied by his coffee house companion.

“Care to join us?” The dark aspected man asked.

The invitation seemed to be loaded with meaning.

Bio:

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Read Around the Rainbow Web Ring

Read Around the Rainbow: Three Things That Make Me Happy

July 25, 2025July 25, 2025 Nell Iris

Read Around the Rainbow is a blogging project featuring yours truly, A.L. Lester, Ofelia Gränd, Holly Day, K.L. Noone, Amy Spector, Addison Albright, Fiona Glass, Lilian Francis, and Ellie Thomas. Every month, we pick a topic and then we blog about it. Check the other blog posts by clicking the RAtR widget in the sidebar, or the links at the bottom of this post.

The July topic for the Read Around the Rainbow blog project is an easy one: three things that makes me happy. Let’s dive right in!

My new cold brew ice tea bottles. I was recently diagnosed with diabetes type 2 (it sucks! I’m very busy feeling sorry for myself) which means I’m supposed to avoid sugar (among other things). So no more sugary drinks for me, no juice, no sugary cocktails. But, as you know if you’ve followed me for a while, I LOVE tea, hot or cold, more than any other drink (yes, even wine! gasp!), and I never take any sugar in my tea so I can indulge in that as much as I want. So my darling husband bought me two very practical bottles I can use for cold brewing tea: I just scoop tea leaves in the bottle, fill it with cold water, and let it steep in the fridge for at least six hours (for green tea that I prefer, shorter for black tea) and OH MY GOD, I love them so much. They’ve made making iced tea so convenient and I’ve been drinking little else since I got them.

Really great books. Reading always makes me happy, and you know that feeling when you come across a really great book and how you want to hug it close to your chest, throw your husband out of the bed and sleep next to the book instead? Yeah, that feeling. It doesn’t happen often, and honestly, this year I’ve read mostly meh books. But then I found On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, and OH MY GOD, it is so great. The story itself doesn’t really make me happy (it slayed me!!), but the writing! The writing is flawless and beautiful and I felt it all the way into my bones. If you haven’t read it and if you’re only going to read one book this year, I recommend this book. It’s not a romance, but the MC is gay and there’s a gay love story, but that is not the main focus of the story. Seriously. Read it. Five million stars.

Live music. Today, when this blog post goes live, I’m going to see my favorite Swedish artist live, Thåström, for the third time this year, and I’m so, so excited. I really love his music, his lyrics, his voice. Everything. And my husband surprised me with tickets, and that makes me really happy.

Bonus item (not pictured above): on Saturday, I’m going to go visit my darling granddaughter, my daughter, and my son-in-law, and I’m going to spend a few days with them. And, that, my dear friends, is the thing on this list that makes me the happiest of them all.

If really great books is something that makes you happy, too, may I suggest you pop over to JMS Books. They are celebrating 15 years in business this year, and that means 25% off all ebooks during the entire month of July. I have a couple suggestions for you below, but feel free to browse the entire store.

After the Storm :: A Valentine for Violet :: Grave Witch

Don’t forget to go check out what makes my fellow author friends happy.

Ellie Thomas :: Ofelia Gränd :: Fiona Glass

Guestpost

New Release Spotlight: A Period of Adjustmen by Ellie Thomas

July 7, 2025July 6, 2025 Nell Iris

Thank you so much, Nell, for having me back on the blog again! I’m Ellie, I write Historical MM Romance and today, I’m here to chat about my new release, A Period of Adjustment.

This is the tenth story in my Twelve Letters series, set in Regency London with an ensemble cast of four established couples. In the ninth story, A United Front, released in April, one of my couples, Jolyon Everett and Daniel Walters were threatened with blackmail. Their friends rallied around and managed to subdue the threat, but Jo and Daniel were left rattled by this close call.

When the JMS Books Anniversary submission call was announced with a Date Night theme, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for Daniel and Jo to work out their remaining issues following recent events.

Of course, given this series has an ensemble cast, this couple are far from alone in their hour of need and beyond. When trying to work out his complicated reaction to the foiled attempt at blackmail, Daniel turns to two of his friends, Luc Gerrard and Percy Havilland.

Luc, a jobbing violinist, is a working man like Daniel and they have another similarity in that their parents are dependent on their earnings. Luc understands the depth of Daniel’s fear of losing his income and his parents’ respect if his relationship with Jo was revealed. He also has sympathy with the insecurity that Daniel feels, since Luc is involved with Harry, a handsome and charismatic up-and-coming actor.

In a similar way to Daniel, it’s not that Luc doesn’t trust Harry. His insecurity is due to a deep-seated recurring self-doubt. Daniel finds Luc’s insights reassuring. Shortly afterwards, Daniel is confronted by Percy Havilland, who has discovered that all is not well between Jo and Daniel. Spoiled brat Percy might have matured since the first Twelve Letters story, but sensitivity is not (and will never be) his forte.

Instead, he gives Daniel practical advice on how to plan the all-important date night to bring Jo and Daniel back on track in their relationship.

Sequel to A United Front

In London during the spring of 1818, the close-knit group of men successfully routed a recent threat of extortion that particularly impacted Jo Everett and Daniel Walters.

The after-effects might linger, but everyday life and other challenges keep all four couples occupied.

Luc, the musician, and Harry, the actor, are heavily involved with a production at Drury Lane Theatre.

Ben is helping Edward to counter his father’s edict that Edward quits London to take the reins of the family doctor’s practice in Wiltshire, leaving behind his lover and his medical research.

Meanwhile, Percy is out of sorts at the prospect of his sister Eustacia’s upcoming wedding. As usual, his long-suffering lover Nathan bears the brunt of Percy’s mercurial moods.

Life above the tailor’s shop at Tottenham Court Road has apparently returned to normal since the banishment of the corrupt constable, Jabeth Snell. But neither Jo nor Daniel has fully recovered from their close escape.

Jo is trying to put on a brave face while Daniel’s old doubts have resurfaced, making him keep Jo at a distance.

Can Jo and Daniel weather the storm and return to their previously happy existence? And will their friends rally round to help them reconcile?

Book Links:

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Books2Read :: Add to Goodreads :: Add to Bookbub

Excerpt:

“Have you finished for the day, Mr. Jo?” Cribbins asked while Jo placed the completed stack of letters on the hall table ready for the post boy.

“That’s right, Cribbins. Ben told me not to linger once I’d finished today’s quota of epistles.”

“Rather you than me,” Cribbins said, eyeing the pile of papers. “I’ll stick to polishing the silver.”

“Why, is Ben such a stickler?”

“Not so you’d notice. Someone has to keep the captain up to certain standards, even if they aren’t his own. I call it a work in progress.”

They grinned at each other.

“Talking of standards,” Jo said, his mind turning to the recent upset. “Have you come across your friend Arkwright recently?”

This official served at the same magistrate’s court as Snell but was of a different pedigree entirely, and had been a soldier under Ben’s command. With some prompting from Cribbins, Arkwright had been pivotal in engineering Snell’s removal from London.

Since Cribbins and Ben were in close alignment, Jo had very few secrets from Ben’s manservant, the most reliable of men who he regarded as a friend.

“Funny you should say that, sir. I bumped into him only this afternoon, on my way back from the cobblers. You know how the captain needs his boots specially adjusted these days.”

Jo nodded at this allusion to Ben’s injured foot, or what remained of it.

“Arkwright was in no hurry and seemed pleased to see me. We shared a jug of ale as he was keen to relate his tidings of Snell.”

It was typical of Cribbins to refer to the potentially life-ruining scandal in such oblique terms.

He’s had plenty of practice at circumventing a trigger for Ben’s moods and rages.

“There’s been neither hide nor hair of Snell in Soho or thereabouts. Mind you, plenty of fellows seek him and not to enquire after his health,” Cribbins said knowingly, doubtless referring to the criminal element to whom Snell owed money. “Snell’s missus had the bags packed on the cart off to Southwark sharpish,” Cribbins paused for effect. “Although that’s probably because they owed three months rent.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Indeed, sir. I reckon Snell’s lying low in Battersea, out of the reach of any rogues. And from what Arkwright says, it’s not a comfortable billet. Mr. Thompson, the local magistrate is a God-fearing sort, close to Methodist in inclination. Arkwright says he makes Mr. Madingley seem like a Sybarite in comparison.”

Jo laughed at that colourful description of the eminently respectable Soho magistrate, a friend of Nathan’s and a new acquaintance to Ben, who had been delighted to rid the district of Snell and his nefarious schemes.

“There’s no scope for Snell’s schemes in Battersea, what with Mr. Thompson watching him like a hawk. There’s more sheep than people in that direction, anyway,” Cribbins said with the lofty condescension of a seasoned city dweller. “The magistrate disapproves of gambling and doesn’t hold with his men drinking spirits.”

“So it looks like Snell is forced into being a sober citizen.”

“Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving cove.”

“I have to say, that’s certainly brightened up my day.”

“I thought it might, sir. Are you off home now?”

Perhaps Jo was simply feeling oversensitive, but there seemed to be slightly too much understanding on Cribbins’ weather-beaten features.”

“I thought I’d drop into Jackson’s for a bit of sparring before preparing for the evening’s revelry.”

Better than going home to have Daniel invent yet another reason to keep out of my way.

In recent training sessions, Jo had imagined Snell’s smug face imprinted on the punching bag, giving him some measure of satisfaction.

“Ben’s got an invitation for tonight’s ball, too. He must have accepted as I spotted the card on the mantel.”

“That’ll please him.” Cribbins grinned. Ben was vocal in his dislike of frivolity. “I’d better get his evening suit brushed down and ready, so he’ll have no excuses.”

“Rather you than me, in that respect.

“We have to suffer our lot in life. I’ll see you tomorrow morning then, Mr. Jo.”

“Indeed, you will, Cribbins, despite the gallons of Champagne I’ll be obliged to consume this evening.”

“I’ll be sure to have the coffee ready. Strong enough to stand a spoon in.”

Book Links:

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Books2Read :: Add to Goodreads :: Add to Bookbub

Bio:

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/
Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/8308047409266947
Twitter/X: @e_thomas_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/elliethomas.bsky.social
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19835510.Ellie_Thomas
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-thomas

Guestpost

New Release Spotlight: The Perfect Number by Ellie Thomas

June 9, 2025June 8, 2025 Nell Iris

Hi friends! I’m very excited to welcome Ellie Thomas to my blog today. She’s here to talk about her most recent release, The Perfect Number. It’s a free (yes, you read that right, FREE!) collection of three short stories about Humphrey, Abe, and Clem, the MCs from her An Unlikely Alliance trilogy. And if you, like me, absolutely adore Humphrey, Abe, and Clem, you don’t want to miss out this book!

Thank you so much, Nell, for having me back on the blog again! I’m Ellie, and I write Historical MM Romance. I have a brand new short story release which is a free read!

The Perfect Number puts together the three newsletter bonus chapters in my Regency MMM An Unlikely Allliance trilogy. Each roughly 1k word story has an individual point of view from one of my three MCs.

The second story, Privilege and Preferment is from the point of view of Abe Pengelly and takes place towards the end of the third novella, An Uncommon Alignment. Outwardly, Abe has changed the most of all three MCs in terms of social status.

At the start of Book 1, An Unlikely Alliance, Abe is a notorious hard man, straddling criminality, easing into dealing in information rather than stolen goods, because the latter could land him in prison or worse. By Book 3, he has embraced respectability with a civil service position at the military headquarters of Horse Guards, no less. Abe’s transition has mainly been on account of his beloved mother Lucy, with whom he shares a house in Soho, but also his ambitions are supported and encouraged by his two men.

The first section of Privilege and Preferment deals with the consequences of celebrating his promotion with Clem and Humphrey when they reel back to Lucy’s roaring drunk and Abe has to face his mother’s wrath the following morning.

The second part of the story looks at the prejudice Abe faces at Horse Guards from those who hold positions due to family influence rather than aptitude. One particular youth, Carshalton, is particularly venomous about Abe’s social status and the colour of his skin and has previously plotted against him with the series baddie, Richard Farquarson. So it was a genuine pleasure to give him his comeuppance for once and all!

Blurb:

These three 1.5k-word stories are bonus chapters for the Regency MMM An Unlikely Alliance trilogy, featuring a short story from the point of view of each of the three men, Humphrey, Abe and Clem.

In The Spare Man, modest gentleman Humphrey Atkinson reflects on recent events and the tumultuous effect that Abe and Clem have had on his previously quiet life.

Former hard man Abe Pengelly is in the spotlight for Privilege and Preferment, firstly in trouble with his mother after a drunken night out and then getting the better of an arrogant young sprig at the military headquarters of Horse Guards, Abe’s new and respectable workplace.

Buy Links

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Universal Book Links
Add to Goodreads :: Add to Bookbub

Excerpt:

It was nearly lunchtime before Abe emerged from his bedroom, still feeling slightly the worse for wear. Humphrey had also arisen, and after a subdued farewell, hurried home to assure his Aunt Cece that he wasn’t lying dead in a ditch.

Abe recalled Humphrey’s unusual pallor. He looks how I feel.

When Abe shook Clem’s shoulder in a half-hearted attempt to waken him, Clem moaned piteously and buried his face in the pillows.

I’ll leave him to sleep it off, Abe decided before heading downstairs with a sense of trepidation.

There was an occasion in his extreme youth when he and the kitchen girl had got foxed on a stash of gin secreted by one of his mum’s fellow incumbents at the Covent Garden seraglio where Abe had grown up. His mother’s fury was unprecedented. He had never since reeled home in a state of inebriation.

During his years hovering on the brink of outright criminality, Abe was far too leery of the company he kept in the environs of the Old Red Lion to let down his guard. It was a measure of his trust in Clem and Humphrey that he had allowed himself to become a trifle mellow the night before.

Although Mum might not appreciate that sentiment, he thought glumly as he reached the ground floor.

Abe was less concerned about his mother’s disapproval than her disappointment in him. From his earliest childhood, they had always been close, the two of them against the world. The idea of disillusioning his most constant supporter made Abe’s head ache worse than the mild megrim induced by last night’s overindulgence.

He found Lucy in the kitchen, moving the luncheon pots and pans around with unnecessary force. Their maid took one look at Abe and scuttled off towards the scullery.

I’m for it, then.

Abe took a seat at the kitchen table and waited for his mum to deign to notice him. Eventually, Lucy turned to face him, her generous mouth set in a grim unsmiling line.

“I suppose you’re in need of a pot of coffee?”

“I don’t want to put you to any bother, Mum. I can make it myself.”

Lucy huffed, ignoring Abe’s offer. She reached for the kettle and slammed it down on the stove.

Abe winced.

It wasn’t going to be easy to get back in her good graces. Due to a natural sense of self-preservation, he kept silent until Lucy set a mug of coffee in front of him.

“Thank you.”

Lucy stood over him with her arms folded.

“What do you have to say for yourself then, Absolom?”

“I’m sorry, Mum. It won’t happen again.”

“It’s one thing you for you to get into such a sorry state, and I’m surprised at Humphrey, too, but luring that poor lamb into drunken insensibility? I have to say, I’m thoroughly ashamed of you.”

Abe was within his rights to point out that Lucy’s poor lamb was more than accustomed a surfeit of drink. Clem’s capacity for gin or beer was apparently limitless.

Hollow legs, that one.

It was the Champagne that did for Clem, a beverage with which he was generally unaccustomed. However, Abe didn’t dare mention his theory aloud.

“Sorry, Mum,” he repeated, in the hope that if he apologised enough, she might start to believe him. “Clem’s still sleeping it off. And we made sure he drank a glass of water last night before going to bed.”

Lucy didn’t reply.

But she topped up his mug, an indication that her rancour was softening. Abe felt much more awake and alert after a few gulps of coffee with a sharper recall of the night’s events.

“Apart from giving Farquarson a good clouting,” he said. “We had another reason for celebration. I spoke to Mr. Travers before we left the theatre. He told me I would have a new position at Horse Guards, starting on Monday.”

“A promotion?” Lucy’s eyes grew wide.

“So he said.”

Lucy forgot her annoyance and sat next to Abe at the table.

“Why, Absolom, that’s wonderful news, and most unexpected. You’ve only been there a matter of weeks.”

“I don’t think I’ll be running the place yet, Mum.”

He vaguely remembered passing on his good tidings to his lovers which had caused Humphrey to order a fourth bottle of Champagne.

Things were slightly hazy after that.

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Bio

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/