Blog Tour – Elin Gregory – Eleventh Hour
Author: Elin Gregory
Release Date: August 1 2016
Length: 68,000 words
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Blurb
Borrowed from the Secret Intelligence Service cipher department to assist Briers Allerdale – a field agent returning to 1920s London with news of a dangerous anarchist plot – Miles Siward moves into a “couples only” boarding house, posing as Allerdale’s “wife”. Miles relishes the opportunity to allow his alter ego, Millie, to spread her wings but if Miles wants the other agent’s respect he can never betray how much he enjoys being Millie now how attractive he finds Allerdale.
Pursuing a ruthless enemy who wants to throw Europe back into the horrors of the Great War, Briers and miles are helped and hindered by nosy landladies, Water Board officials, suave gentlemen representing foreign powers and their own increasing attraction to each other.
Will they catch their quarry? Will they find love? Could they hope for both?
The clock is ticking.
Excerpt
Miles tilted his head and studied his reflection. He – she – Millie looked good. Smart. Miles adjusted one of his spit curls and let out a long calming breath. He deliberately lowered his shoulders and felt the first easing of tension as he began to relax into the role. The excitement would come later. “How is that cut?”
Throckmorton – who had been in the flickers before the Great War spoiled his looks – pursed his lips and lifted the hem away from Miles’s calf. “Fine,” he said. “The styptic pencil stopped the bleeding. Tonight, when there’s time, do your thighs and the rest of your chest. You can’t be too careful. And for pity’s sake, buy a safety razor. That sabre of yours is only fit for cutting throats.”
“It cuts closer than anything else," Miles said, "and then I don’t have to wear so much slap.”
“All I can say is, thank God you’re blond.” Throckmorton grunted and grabbed Miles’s chin, turning his face towards the light. “Shall I do your eyebrows?” he asked.
Miles groaned. “All right. But not too thin. I’m supposed to be a not-too-bright, provincial lass, not Theda Bara.”
Throckmorton grunted again. As well he might, because Miles had to admit he looked nothing like Theda Bara. Elissa Landi, perhaps. Millie would be a handsome girl if not conventionally pretty. He closed his eyes and tried not to wince as Throckmorton plied the tweezers.
“How much do you know about this Allerdale chap?” he asked after a few moments. Resources got all the best gossip but could be relied upon to pass on only what one really needed to know.
“Not much,” Throckmorton replied. “And what I do know is classified as ‘most secret’. But I can tell you he’s sound. You’ll be fine. All you’ll have to do is watch and keep notes. Allerdale will do any of the active stuff. You’ll come to no harm.”
“That wasn’t exactly what I meant,” Miles snapped.
Throckmorton clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, I don’t want you to come to any harm. You’re the only person who fits that set of clothing and it cost a pretty penny. Take care of it. You’ll need these too.” He offered Miles a leatherbound case, and Miles snapped it open and nodded glumly. Adam’s apples were inconvenient things but a pearl choker would camouflage it in the evening. By day, a scarf would do.
“If you’re serious about this, you should have your ears pierced.” Throckmorton flicked one of the accompanying pearl drops with a fingertip. “Clip-ons give one the most frightful headache.”
The clock is ticking.
Excerpt
Miles tilted his head and studied his reflection. He – she – Millie looked good. Smart. Miles adjusted one of his spit curls and let out a long calming breath. He deliberately lowered his shoulders and felt the first easing of tension as he began to relax into the role. The excitement would come later. “How is that cut?”
Throckmorton – who had been in the flickers before the Great War spoiled his looks – pursed his lips and lifted the hem away from Miles’s calf. “Fine,” he said. “The styptic pencil stopped the bleeding. Tonight, when there’s time, do your thighs and the rest of your chest. You can’t be too careful. And for pity’s sake, buy a safety razor. That sabre of yours is only fit for cutting throats.”
“It cuts closer than anything else," Miles said, "and then I don’t have to wear so much slap.”
“All I can say is, thank God you’re blond.” Throckmorton grunted and grabbed Miles’s chin, turning his face towards the light. “Shall I do your eyebrows?” he asked.
Miles groaned. “All right. But not too thin. I’m supposed to be a not-too-bright, provincial lass, not Theda Bara.”
Throckmorton grunted again. As well he might, because Miles had to admit he looked nothing like Theda Bara. Elissa Landi, perhaps. Millie would be a handsome girl if not conventionally pretty. He closed his eyes and tried not to wince as Throckmorton plied the tweezers.
“How much do you know about this Allerdale chap?” he asked after a few moments. Resources got all the best gossip but could be relied upon to pass on only what one really needed to know.
“Not much,” Throckmorton replied. “And what I do know is classified as ‘most secret’. But I can tell you he’s sound. You’ll be fine. All you’ll have to do is watch and keep notes. Allerdale will do any of the active stuff. You’ll come to no harm.”
“That wasn’t exactly what I meant,” Miles snapped.
Throckmorton clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, I don’t want you to come to any harm. You’re the only person who fits that set of clothing and it cost a pretty penny. Take care of it. You’ll need these too.” He offered Miles a leatherbound case, and Miles snapped it open and nodded glumly. Adam’s apples were inconvenient things but a pearl choker would camouflage it in the evening. By day, a scarf would do.
“If you’re serious about this, you should have your ears pierced.” Throckmorton flicked one of the accompanying pearl drops with a fingertip. “Clip-ons give one the most frightful headache.”
Author Bio
Elin Gregory lives in South Wales and works in a museum in a castle built on the edge of a Roman Fort! She reckons that’s a pretty cool job.
Elin usually writes on historical subjects, and enjoys weaving the weird and wonderful facts she comes across in her research into her plots. She likes her heroes hard as nails but capable of tenderness when circumstances allow. Often they are in danger, frequently they have to make hard choices, but happy endings are always assured.
Current works in progress include one set during the Great War, another in WW2, one set in the Dark Ages and a series of contemporary romances set in a small town on the Welsh border.
@ElinGregory
Thanks so much for being such a great host.