Happy Friday! Before I turn this post over to Beth, I’d like to announce the winner of The Anatomist’s Wife giveaway: it’s Karen! Congratulations, Karen. Email me your mailing address at ashley.pinkforallseasons@gmail.com, and Anna and I will make sure your prize finds its way to you.
Over to Beth for our Pink III recap.
Hello, everyone! One more week, and our favorite author has woven a fantastic adventure for us to unravel. A highly eventful theater trip has really stirred the pot, for starters, not to mention the relationship developments between our hero and heroine. Let’s catch up with our favorite characters…
Geoff: After tailing the elusive and always suspicious Lord Vaughn, he catches his wife in very close proximity with a very dead Marquise de Montval… wait, no, Miss Emily Gilchrist. He’s thankful, of course, that his cousin Jasper hasn’t done any permanent damage to Letty – (who he is finally speaking to, and referring to by name) – but not at all excited that she’s had her first “dead body” experience. After discovering a pawn with a seal in Emily’s reticule, Jane reveals that she’s been working with Lord Vaughn for months without telling him – gasp! All the while, of course, there are rockets being amassed by the Irish, and the French are coming. Most concerning, however, is the fact that he can no longer believe that Letty contrived being compromised just to marry him. Geoff actually discovers that he admires her – it’s not every woman who can handle blood ruining her lace gloves with such calm – and he also can’t really control himself when they’re in a carriage alone together. It’s troublesome, really.
Letty: After being brought into the fold of the Pink Carnation, her life has really taken a 180 degree turn. Jasper, the best man at her wedding, has offered to help her kill her husband so they could be together (shudder). Someone who she thought was her friend (well, she tolerated her flamboyance as best she could) is now dead, and in a gruesome way. The killer literally ran into her as he/she fled the scene. Letty realizes, thanks to a memory of Mary, that a black tulip isn’t actually a real flower, which leads Jane to the important conclusion that the Black Tulip must be a ring of spies who all have the same fair skin and dark hair. Miss Gwen is talking about blowing up something, Jane is talking about a potential French invasion, and her gloves are still bloody from trying futilely to revive Emily’s dead body. The ruined gloves really aren’t the worst – but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a little rattled by the whole experience. On top of it all, Geoff finally believed her, kissed her again, and asked her to come home with him (yikes!). How is it possible to have seen your first dead person and be floating a few inches off the ground because your husband might actually like you in the same day?
Jane: Life as the Pink Carnation is never boring. She’s acting as the flighty Gilly, being the mastermind behind a collaboration with Lord Vaughn, tracking the Marquise (who is actually posing as Lord Vaughn’s nephew), and trying to thwart the French and the Irish. Talk about a day in the office! And, now Jane knows that there are multiple petals to this Black Tulip, which means there must be a stem as well – not exactly comforting.
Miss Gwen: She’s pretty excited about blowing up this depot.
Eloise: She is thoroughly trying to ignore Colin whenever she sees him, though he isn’t having to work nearly as hard at ignoring her. She has also had a wine-fortified date with Jay, and a chat with Serena.
Y’all, stuff is about to go down. Miss Gwen is ready to blow up the place. Someone is dead – but the most likely killer is supposed to be working with Jane, not against her. Letty has physically bumped into the killer, and might be targeted next. AND – Letty and Geoff are getting to know one another. We are on the brink of big things!
In this section of the book, I’ve been amazed by two things: First, that Letty has handled a ton of drama without falling to pieces. Second, that Jane can trust Lord Vaughn.
What do you think – how can Letty handle all that she’s been thrown into? Would you behave in the same way? If you were Jane, would you trust Lord Vaughn?
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
The Bubble Bath Reader 
I love seeing Geoff’s and Letty’s relationship develop.
I had forgotten how confusing the Black Tulip identity became.
Lord Vaughn – I probably wouldn’t trust him at this point, but Jane is so much smarter than me. Geoff’s reaction to their collusion was priceless.
Jane is smarter than me too! The Tulip is confusing to begin with – and then add all the petals, and anyone would have to be a genius to keep up!
I wasn’t able to start my reread of Emerald Ring until this past Thursday but I had forgotten how much I always enjoy rereading this book. While Letty is largely a new character (and I will confess, not one of my favorites) Jane and Miss Gwen have the air of characters settling into themselves and exploring depths still left unknown to their readers at this point, while it is clear that Lord Vaughn will have more to say in future books. This, I think, is the benefit of a series as you get to know the characters so well over time.
And while this is a bit late, this is my addition to the favorite quotes, which jumped out at me because I am spending my weekend finalizing a book manuscript for an academic press: “It was the usual sort of academic battle: footnotes at ten paces, bolstered by snide articles in academic journals and lots of sniping about methodology, a thrust and parry of source and countersource.”
Indeed!
Don’t you love that ‘I forgot how much I liked this!’ reread feeling? It’s the best!
That’s a fantastic quote to add to our list!