As part of this special International Women’s Day blog tour I’m delighted to welcome you to my stop on the tour for Catherine, book 2 in The Cousins of Pemberley series by Linda O’Byrne. Thank you to Zoe O’Farrell and Spellbound Books for giving me the opportunity to share an extract from this fabulous sounding book with you today. I can’t wait to read it!
About the book:
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Many years have passed since the dramatic events of Pride and Prejudice. In The Cousins of Pemberley series we follow a new generation of heroines – cousins with lives as different and interesting as those enjoyed by their mothers.
Catherine:
Catherine Collins, a very ordinary young woman – plain, quiet, often over-looked but possessing a reputation for having great common-sense.
Or so her distant cousin Elizabeth Darcy believes and so recommends her as governess for little Matilda Courtney.
Catherine travels to Northumberland, full of good intentions to do her best and be a credit to the family.
But appearances and reputations can be deceptive – Robert and Martin Courtney will soon learn exactly what type of girl Elizabeth has sent them.
Book 3: Miriam- Coming Summer 2022
About the author:
Linda O’Byrne is the author of The Cousins of Pemberley series of books. Book 3 of the series is out later this year.
Extract:
Catherine
by Linda O’Byrne
Catherine Collins had arrived the afternoon before with her stepmother, Kitty, her half-sister, Harriet, and MrsBennet. In all the flurry of unpacking, taking tea, greeting aunts and cousins, showing Harriet off to everyone and then making sure that the child had her bread and milk before she went to bed, Catherine had had no time at all to explore.
She had been forced to sit beside Harriet’s bed for a long time – the little girl was too excited to sleep and so even investigating the wonderful house had been postponed. But this morning Harriet was still fast asleep and Grace, one of the Pemberley maids was on reluctant duty in the nursery. She had told Catherine, almost impudently, that she was a lady’s maid and made it quite clear by her attitude that she was annoyed at being told to take care of Harriet for a little while, but Miss Reynolds, the housekeeper, had insisted.
Mrs Bennet and Kitty Collins were still in their rooms, so Catherine had taken the chance to explore outside where no one could find her.
Being on her own, doing exactly what she wanted was such a rare occurrence that it went to her head like strong wine. Her whole life was governed by cries of “Catherine! Where are you? Catherine, bring me this, do that…” There was never any time to stop and think, to be just herself. Now she gulped in deep breaths of the clear, pure Derbyshire air, wondering why it tasted so different from that in Hertfordshire.
The glorious woods were too far to reach this morning because she knew she could not be away from her duties to her sister for long, but she idled her way through the gardens, enjoying the arbours and statuary, the spring flowers and the new leaves bursting into life and hearing in the distance the cries of the sheep and their lambs up on the hillsides.
“I do wish Papa could see these gardens,” she murmured to herself. Sadly, she was well aware thatMr Collins was not and never would be a sensible man. He was pompous and some of the things he said in public and even from the pulpit of his church, made her wince and bite her tongue in shame. That the Darcyshad no time for him was quite apparent from various remarks she had overheard, including her stepmother declaring to her older sister on their arrival that it was wonderful to be away from William for a short while!
But for all his faults, Catherine loved him: they shared an interest in nature and growing things, although whilst she found comfort in the beauty of flowers and trees, her papa preferred growing cabbages and lettuces. Catherine knew he would have enjoyed these wonderful gardens and was sad that his duties in the church living of Meryton prevented him from travelling north with the rest of his family.
End of extract
Catherine (Book 2 in The Cousins of Pemberley series) by Linda O’Byrne is available to buy now:
Check out what these other lovely bloggers have to say about this book:
Cal Turner Reviews 
Thank you so much for taking part in the tour today and sharing this extract x
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