Special guest: Characters from Previous Novels

- December 03, 2012

A question for readers: Do you like it when characters from previous novels have cameos in the next book? I was deep into writing [working title] The Hot Pirate's Secret Baby when all of a sudden Daphne and Alexander were across the street. Here's the very raw output from this morning's session, uncorrected. You'll see it's somewhat disjointed and has notes in it--that's how it looks before I get to the third or fourth re-write.

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't yet read Castaway Dreams, you may wish to avert your eyes.

[working title] THE HOT PIRATE'S SECRET BABY aka THE PIRATE'S GOVERNESS

They were nearly to their lodgings when a light voice rang out, “Look, it’s Captain St. Armand! Yoo-hoo, Captain!”

Lydia looked up and spied a lady across the street from them with a scowling gentleman tugging at her arm. She ignored him and continued waving.

It was impossible to ignore her. The lady was dressed in pink, from head to toe, sporting a Leghorn bonnet of blush colored satin trimmed with black feathers. Having just spent the morning poring over Mrs. Culver’s designs, Lydia knew the lady was dressed in the first state of fashion.

“This is…unexpected,” St. Armand muttered, and he seemed unsure for a moment whether he should return the greeting.

The lady decided for him by pulling her escort across the street behind her.

“Captain St. Armand! I thought it was you, even though you have your shirt on, I said to Alexander, ‘Look, it’s Captain St. Armand!’.” She leaned in and with wide cornflower-blue eyes[awkward] added, “Then he said something rude about you that I shall not repeat.”

Before either gentleman could respond to this, the lady, whom Lydia could now see was ridiculously lovely, turned to Lydia and said, “Did Captain St. Armand kidnap you? He really needs to stop doing that.”

[YES, THEY HAVE PUPPIES]

“Look, Pompom had puppies! Well, Pompom didn’t have puppies, he’s a boy so that would be impossible, but his wife Coquette had puppies so now Pompom’s a papa. And is this your little girl? She looks just like you, Captain. Is she a pirate too?”

She paused to take more breath to continue speaking, but the scowling gentleman said frostily, “Daphne, I am certain St. Armand and his guests are on their way somewhere and we are keeping them.”

Lydia hoped someone would step up and explain what was happening, but Mattie had heard the lady ask if she was a pirate and practically glowed with excitement.

“I am Mathilde St. Armand, but the other pirates call me Marauding Mattie!”

The lady—who Lydia figured out was named Daphne--clapped her hands in delight.

“You have a pirate name! How wonderful!” She smiled at Lydia and said, “Are you a pirate also Miss--?”

St. Armand sighed and said, “I suppose I must do introductions.”

“It’s really not necessary,” the gruff man said with a barely discernible Scottish accent, but St. Armand said, “Miss Burke, I would like to introduce you to Miss Daphne Farnham and Mr. Alexander Murray. Miss Farnham, Murray, my daughter, Mathilde St. Armand and her governess, Miss Lydia Burke.”

Mattie dropped a curtsy that did her governess proud, and the smiling pink lady said, “Oh, but Captain St. Armand, I am Mrs. Murray now. I have an idea, dine with us this evening and we will get to know each other better. Marauding Mattie can come also—we will be informal, and she can meet Pompom and Coquette and the puppies.”

“Puppies! Papa they have puppies! You said I could have a puppy, you promised!”

Now St. Armand looked slightly panicked and looked ready to find an excuse to decline, but it was so clearly evident that Mr. Murray did not want his company at supper that Lydia knew he’d be unable to resist tweaking the solemn gentleman.

“It would be our pleasure, Mrs. Murray.”

So, what do you think? Should I take Alexander and Daphne (and Pompom, of course) briefly back into the story?