The Watsons Blog Tour ~ Excerpt

Hello, my friends! Today it's my pleasure to bring to you an excerpt from The Watsons by Rose Servitova and Jane Austen. Rose Servitova has taken Jane Austen's uncompleted work and has finished it. I hope you enjoy reading the excerpt! 

Make sure you visit the other stops on the tour! You'll find the tour schedule below!

Excerpt

     Mrs Edwards rushed into the room.

     “This is quite improper, Mr Musgrave, for you to call unexpectedly like this. Had I known you were to honour us with a visit, I should not have left the young ladies unchaperoned in your presence. Why, this is how Miss Thornton came to ruination – two unsupervised meetings and an elopement. It is highly improper of you, sir, and you should have turned on your heels when you saw that a parent was not present. These casual comings and goings, at any hour of the day, may be all the fashion now but I would much rather advance notice.”

     “Madam, I had the most urgent enquiry to make of Miss Watson, on behalf of Lord Osborne. I am sure you would not intend any disrespect to his lordship. He had visited Mr Watson himself only very recently and with great concern for his welfare requested of me that if I chanced to spy any of the Miss Watsons about town, I was to find them out and make most intimate enquiries after their father’s health. Such was my commission of sorts.”

     Mrs Edwards was clearly taken aback at the sheer audacity of this young man’s willingness to talk nonsense to her, in her own home.

     “Sir, please pass on my best regards to Lord Osborne and all his family and kindly inform him that I would not wish him to live in such agitated suspense with regards the health of any of his neighbours. As Mr Watson is a dear old friend of my husband’s, we make enquiries of his health every other day. Please inform his lordship that, if he wishes it, I will happily send a note, to the castle, containing Mr Watson’s current state of health as soon as it is known to me. He may, therefore, sleep soundly at night and without the need to have his friend scrambling about town in the hope of happening upon unsuspecting, respectable ladies in an attempt to extract information from them.”

     Emma, sitting on one side of the fireplace, enjoyed a side view of Tom Musgrave and concentrated very hard to keep her face from betraying any reaction to what she heard. Mrs Edwards’ speech was committed to memory so she may retell it to Elizabeth when home. She would also have to relate how Tom Musgrave’s face contorted, how it was his turn to change colour and how quickly he withdrew from the room on its conclusion. He uttered apologies but he really had to be elsewhere on important business and so forth, hoping that he may see Mr Edwards at the hunt etc. and speedily left the room.

     On her journey home to Stanton, Emma recalled with awe the confidence of Mrs Edwards and how she had spoken so frankly and stood up to an obvious rogue without coarseness. She had cleverly exposed his unpleasing exaggerations and insincere flatteries while assuming the role of protector. Emma contemplated how fortunate Miss Edwards was to have such a parent who, although firm, was caring and mindful of her daughter. She felt a sudden pang of yearning for her own Aunt Turner and mourned the absence of loving guidance she had assumed would be hers on reaching the age of balls and courtship. (pages 89-91)

The Watsons
by Rose Servitova and Jane Austen

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

Can she honour her family and stay true to herself? 

Emma Watson returns to her family home after fourteen years with her wealthy and indulgent aunt. Now more refined than her siblings, Emma is shocked by her sisters’ flagrant and desperate attempts to ensnare a husband. To the surprise of the neighbourhood, Emma immediately attracts the attention of eligible suitors – notably the socially awkward Lord Osborne, heir to Osborne Castle – who could provide her with a home and high status if she is left with neither after her father’s death. Soon Emma finds herself navigating a world of unfamiliar social mores, making missteps that could affect the rest of her life. How can she make amends for the wrongs she is seen to have committed without betraying her own sense of what is right? 

Jane Austen commenced writing The Watsons over two hundred years ago, putting it aside unfinished, never to return and complete it. Now, Rose Servitova, author of acclaimed humour title, The Longbourn Letters: The Correspondence between Mr Collins and Mr Bennet has finished Austen’s manuscript in a manner true to Austen’s style and wit.

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Early Praise:

“A gift for Austen fans everywhere – full of wit, informed imagination and palpable affection for Austen’s characters.” — Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society


“Very satisfying, sometimes moving and often laugh-out-loud hilarious.” — Jane Austen Regency World Magazine


About the Author


Irish author Rose Servitova is an award-winning humor writer, event manager, and job coach for people with special needs. Her debut novel, The Longbourn Letters – The Correspondence between Mr. Collins & Mr. Bennet, described as a ‘literary triumph’, has received international acclaim since its publication in 2017. Rose enjoys talking at literary events, drinking tea and walking on Irish country roads. She lives in County Limerick with her husband, two young children and three indifferent cats. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

Connect with Rose Servitova

Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Social Media Hashtags

#TheWatsons • #JaneAusten • #HistoricalFiction • #Austenesque

THE WATSONS BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

November 18 My Jane Austen Book Club (Interview)

November 18 Austenprose—A Jane Austen Blog (Review)

November 19 The Lit Bitch (Excerpt)

November 20 Austenesque Reviews (Review)

November 20 vvb32 Reads (Review)

November 21 All Things Austen (Review)

November 22 My Love for Jane Austen (Spotlight)

November 25 From Pemberley to Milton (Excerpt)

November 25 Diary of an Eccentric (Interview)

November 26 So Little Time… (Excerpt)

November 27 Impressions in Ink (Review)

November 27 Babblings of a Bookworm (Spotlight)

November 28 More Agreeably Engaged (Review)

November 29 My Vices and Weaknesses (Excerpt)

November 29 The Fiction Addiction (Review)

Congratulations to Rose Servitova on the release of The Watsons! 

Many thanks to Laural Ann Nattress @ Austenprose for organizing and including me on the blog tour! 

So, friends, what do you think? Have you read Jane Austen's The Watsons? I haven't and hesitate because, well, it's not finished, but this sounds perfect!