Ginger, got it - some excellent catches, especially the age difference. I need to change that; I'd been so busy concentrating on making sure the years scanned that I forgot the age difference calculation.

OK, I need some help getting through a writer's impasse. It's not a block, per se--I could write if I could just make up my mind what would be the most plausible course of action for my characters. As is, I'm stuck, and a pair of handsome young Englishmen (one tall, one short; one fair, one dark) are sitting on opposite sides of a heavy desk, blinking their blue eyes at me (one's sky blue, one's lake blue) and waiting for me to give them some dialogue.

Sebastian (the tall, fair one) has come to call on James because he intends to marry Anna, who is James's sister. James isn't her guardian, since they were both minors when they were orphaned, and the uncle who is dotes on her too much to refuse his consent to any halfway respectable match if her heart is set on it. Sebastian knows this, but wants to discuss his intentions with James because he feels like it's the decent thing to do. James can't stand Sebastian, whom he thinks of as the Pompous Ass, complete with capital letters, and if he were Anna's guardian, would certainly refuse consent.

What I can't decide is, given that James is powerless to actually prevent the match, how much should he let his disapproval show, and how he should go about it. Admit upfront that he'd refuse if he could? Give Sebastian a good grilling about his intentions and motives, and the fact he's only known Anna for ten days or so? Something else entirely?

Help! Give voice to my handsome yet sadly muted imaginary Englishmen.

Susan, from what I've read of James? He'd probably let rather a good bit of his attitude show. If you can find a way to have him make it clear to Sebastian, via choice of phrasing, that he knows Sebastian is a fortune hunter and a climber and that if even looks like making Anna unhappy, by God, he'll personally kick Sebastian halfway to Salamanca and back, I'd do it that way.

Allyson, due to my account acting up, insent a second time (if you got both mails, the second is such a copy of the first).

deb, if you need any help, my offer still stands (or, if you took me up on it last time, I'm afraid I didn't get anything, and sorry about that).

Mmm, yes, that helps. I wonder if the cliche where the father/guardian asks the young man if he can "support her in the manner to which she has become accustomed" existed yet then, because I can see James turning it on its head and pointing out that she'd be the one supporting him.

I'll have another go at it tomorrow morning. I just finished typing in my eight handwritten pages from the past two days before I got to the point where Sebastian and James clammed up on me. Almost 2000 words. Not too bad.

Nilly, I didn't send anything because I'd asked which account you wanted, and never heard back; last few times we had major hiccoughs, remember?

Which account?

Susan, goodonya. I need to finish the damned story today because I am itching to start Cruel Sister.

deb, sorry, I probably missed that.

Let's try the profile address, and I'll answer you from the university one as well, just to make sure things are OK. How's that?

You bet. Sending; it isn't done yet, but it's about 80% done.

Nilly, did you get it?

And Teppy, new topic today?

deb, got it, and the attachment opens as it should. Thanks.