Glamorous Illusions

by Lisa T. Bergren

  But the other half longed to continue this journey, to find out more about my half siblings, about myself. About…

  Will. The thought came unbidden, and I quickly glanced at him, feeling heat in my cheeks as if he could read my thoughts. But he was staring at his uncle. Guiltily I looked to Pierre. Why not him? Why did I not think of him?

  The room erupted in arguments.

  “You must do what you must, as our guide,” I said, surprised by the words that were leaving my mouth. The group hushed, and all eyes turned to me, making the heat of my blush spread from my neck upward. “But might we send telegrams too? Reassure our fathers that we are quite well and feeling confident that if we foiled these intruders’ intentions once, we can do so again?”

  “Then tell them that we will await word from them in Provence?” Vivian put in.

  “And if we get as far as Provence,” I rushed on, trying to past the wonder that my sister and I were arguing for the same thing, “if we show them that we’re willing to take the next step, might they not see the very independence that they sent us here to discover?”

  “You’d be safest here, my friends,” Pierre said, gently trying to dissuade me.

  “But Pierre,” I said, rising and going to him, feeling strength return to my limbs as I made up my mind. I wanted to continue, see this tour through, I realized. We’d take precautions in case the missing men decided to try again. And this time, we would be on the watch for them. It’d be difficult to take us by surprise. “Didn’t you tell me you could send us to friends in Provence? Or perhaps your sister? Surely they can provide adequate shelter. And we can hire additional men to protect us, can we not?” I turned to Will.

  He hesitated, studying me. Then he gave me one slow, somber nod of assent.

  “Then let us go in the morning,” I said. “Forget the shadows of this night, and remember what brought us to France in the first place. The art. The people.”

  “The food!” Nell said.

  “And the dances! Oh, the dances,” Lil moaned, as if already being torn from the next invitation.

  The others laughed.

  “My sister does live in a castle on the Rhône,” Pierre said.

  My smile grew. “There. You see? What could be safer than a castle?”

  “A castle would be a unique stop along the tour,” Will said with a slow grin.

  “Then we move on?” Hugh said, rising and looking about. “We’re all in agreement.”

  “Now see here,” the old bear grumbled. “That decision is up to me.”

  “Are we not the clients?” Andrew asked, keeping his tone reasonable, low. “Until you hear from our fathers?”

  “And isn’t your charter to take us to new territory,” Vivian added, “completing our education with an introduction to as many people and new experiences as possible? Is it so wrong to see but one more, while taking reasonable precautions?”

  Stuart smiled, slowly, knowing they’d found an argument he might support. “You’re certain, then, all of you? Unanimous in this?” His smile faded as he studied each face around the circle.

  “Let it be a vote, then,” Will said. “All in favor, say aye.”

  As one, we voted aloud.

  “All against, say nay.”

  The room was silent.

  “I see I must ring my sister in Provence,” Pierre said with a grin.

  “If you’d be so kind,” the bear said.

  I rose and walked out of the room, then down the hall and out onto the marble porch, taking deep breaths of the night air, wondering if I’d encouraged the group in the right direction, if I shouldn’t have grabbed the chance to head home and leave this foreign, challenging world.

  I sensed someone behind me but did not turn, wondering if it was Pierre or Will. Trying to decipher in my heart whom I hoped it would be.

  He took another step, and as soon as he grasped my hand, I knew his long, lithe fingers. Pierre. He brought my hand up to his mouth and gently kissed the knuckles, waiting until my eyes met his. “You continue to surprise me, Cora.” He shook his head. “In good ways. May I call upon you in Provence?”

  I smiled. “I’d like that.” And I did. I wanted him to come. To know him better. For what reason? I wasn’t entirely sure. I only knew I wasn’t ready yet to say good-bye. Even if it seemed impossible, anything more between us.

  When I thought about it, I didn’t want to say one more farewell to anyone I cared about, even a little. Even the Morgans or Kensingtons, as impossible as that seemed.

  I was weary of farewells.

  I only wanted hellos. Welcomes. Open doors.

  So I could walk through them.

  … a little more …

  When a delightful concert comes to an end,

  the orchestra might offer an encore.

  When a fine meal comes to an end,

  it’s always nice to savor a bit of dessert.

  When a great story comes to an end,

  we think you may want to linger.

  And so, we offer …

  AfterWords—just a little something more after you

  have finished a David C Cook novel.

  We invite you to stay awhile in the story.

  Thanks for reading!

  Turn the page for …

  • A Chat with the Author

  • Discussion Questions

  • Historical Notes

  A CHAT WITH THE AUTHOR

  Q. Why the Grand Tour?

  A. I’ve always been intrigued with the concept of the tour—of sending young people out to “finish” their education. I think travel continues to do that for me—to expand my world, challenge my preconceived ideas, solidify truth, and eradicate the lies. There’s no replacement for seeing a place yourself, knowing it.

  Q. Have you been to all the places the Kensingtons and Morgans will journey to in Europe?

  A. I’m focusing on places I’ve been, for the most part. I took my girls to England and France—a fantastic mother-daughter trip. The only location I haven’t explored is Vienna. I’ll rely on coffee table picture books, some interviews, and lots of Internet research to cover that stop. My daughter Emma and I just spent a great deal of time in Venice and Rome, where books two and three will largely take place. I yanked her out of middle school for her own little Grand Tour. When her big sis was Emma’s age, I took her on a research trip to Italy too. It was awesome…for both of us.

  Q. That must be hard, convincing the schools to let you pull her out.

  A. The girls have to comply with federal regulations, so they do what they have to. But I’m pretty passionate about the power of travel to educate—whether you can get your kids to the nearest national park, another state, or another country. Happily, her teachers are all supportive, and I can weather any letter the admin kicks out. If I was really brave and had more money, we’d homeschool and travel for a whole year. But this is as brave as I get. And, well, the coffers will only fund a couple of weeks on the road. So we’ll take what we can get.

  Q. Will you take your son somewhere when he’s of age?

  A. Nah, my husband is already claiming that one. He wants to go someplace manly with him—Scotland or Africa. We’ll see. I might set a book in one of those places too and have to go, at least for part of it. But don’t tell him yet.

  Q. What’s next for you, in writing?

  A. Book 2 in this Grand Tour series, and a devotional called 31 Upside-Down Prayers. Both have to be done soon. Back to the library for me, so I can earn more funds to return to Italy!

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. In the beginning, Cora knows that something’s wrong even before she reaches the farm. On board the ship, the passengers discuss how the families of the Titanic’s victims awoke the night the ship sank, aware that something bad had happened (actual, historic accounts verify this). Has anything like that happened to you or someone you know? Discuss.

  2. Cora has several blows that rip apart the only identity she’s ever known—as a da
ughter, as a potential teacher, as a poor girl helping to work the land. She’s thrust into a whole new world and forced to examine what really makes her who she is. What do you think was the most powerful realization she had about her identity?

  3. Have you ever suffered a blow that made you wonder if you knew who you were? Or a transforming experience that changed who you were in some ways, either externally or internally? What was that life event, and how did it impact and change you?

  4. What does living at peace with God mean to you?

  5. What’s the nicest hotel you’ve ever stayed in? Did the stay leave you satisfied or wanting more?

  6. Cora seems to be resisting Pierre’s advances, even though he seems like a Prince Charming character. Why do you think that is?

  7. If you were in her shoes, would you do the same? Or is there a part of you that wants to be the princess, swept off your feet? Even if you’re married now, what drives the Prince Charming fantasy? Discuss.

  8. Keeping up appearances, regardless of actual feelings, was important to many of the characters in this novel. Why do we do that in real life?

  9. Cora comes to several key realizations about her faith in this novel. The cathedral scene was a pivotal point. Have you thought about these things yourself? Did that scene move you spiritually? If so, how?

  10. What defines you or makes you who you are today? Did you ever have to let go of something, consciously deciding it did not define you?

  11. List the top three places you’d like to see in the world, and, if you wish, why you want to go there.

  12. Most of us spend the majority of our lives close to home. What keeps us from a sense of adventure? What keeps us from exploring and expanding our world? Examine both the practical and the mental/emotional barriers.

  HISTORICAL NOTES

  The Grand Tour was popular for several centuries but gradually faded in the 1900s. This twentieth-century rendition is entirely an exercise of my imagination, but it follows the general path the old bears led their clients on—from England, to France, to Austria, and down through Italy. At times, they elected to visit Germany, Spain, Greece, and Turkey as well. But that would’ve extended the series to five or six books, so we kept to the famous highlights—and my personal favorites.

  The copper kings of Montana were true forces, wielding great power in the young, growing state. At one point, there were more millionaires per capita in Helena, Montana, than any other place in the world. Mining made merchants powerhouses, and I loosely based Wallace Kensington on those who lived—and dominated—in Butte. But all depictions of Kensington are figments of my own imagination.

  The real Duchess of Northumberland—Lady Edith Percy—died in 1913, and the Duke—Henry George Percy—would have been almost seventy years old. My representation of them, as well as of Lord Carlisle and Lord de Richelieu, is completely fictional—no attempt to realistically depict them was made (other than to utilize their titles and their beautiful estates).

  The Eiffel Tower has three observation decks, all of which had stairs and lifts; an Austrian tailor did try to parachute off the first deck in 1912 with a homemade chute and, indeed, died. But I have no idea if they closed the decks for a time—I only thought it was plausible.

  Richelieu was a name I pulled from a French map. Nobles of his stature and wealth largely lived a good distance from the city center of Paris by 1913—out in the countryside, an hour or two away. But for the purposes of this novel, I portray the countryside and grand chateaus to just a fifteen-or twenty-minute carriage ride away. If you go to visit, know you’ll have to travel a good distance farther to see such estates.

  Some say Marie Antoinette never tended to her own livestock or milked the cows, as our bear shares with the group. Reportedly, she used her “hamlet” as an alternative “drawing room.” My own guide at Versailles shared the milking story, and while it may very well be nothing but myth, I found it charming. Such is the way of history—there are many accounts of similar events, with various perspectives and interpretations. It’s rather like how people view fiction, don’t you think? Regardless, while I’ve tried to represent historical facts accurately, I’m no historian. I’m merely a teller of tales…

  ~ L.T.B.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Rachel Lilley, archivist at the Montana Historical Society, helped me track down information on Montana Normal Schools (aka teacher colleges) in 1913. She was quite thorough, as well as helpful.

  Christine Cantera kindly assisted me with all Italian and French translations. You can find her at WhyGoFrance.com. I do.

  Dan Rich, Don Pape, Terry Behimer, Ingrid Beck, Traci DePree, and Caitlyn Carlson formed the editorial team behind this series. I’m thankful they caught the vision and helped me bring it together. Amy Konyndyk, Steve Gardner, and James Hall made the vision beautiful, with an incredible cover concept and execution. And I appreciate the sales and marketing team—Marilyn Largent, Jeremy Potter, Ginia Hairston, Karen Stoller, Michael Covington, and the rest of my publishing partners at David C Cook, who constantly strive to bring my books to readers’ attention. I appreciate you all.

  I’ve fallen in love with the world of book bloggers, too. Many of them have done so much in getting word out about my teen series, the River of Time (Waterfall, Cascade, and Torrent). For a list of my All-Star Book Blogger Buddies, see my website, www.LisaBergren.com.

  STILL WANT TO KNOW MORE?

  Find out more about Lisa, read about her journeys, and connect with her by visiting:

  Web: LisaBergren.com and TheWorldisCalling.com

  Facebook: Lisa Tawn Bergren and River of Time Series

  Twitter: @LisaTBergren

  What people are saying about …

  Glamorous Illusions

  “A fascinating mix of travel and intrigue, heartache and romance, Glamorous Illusions sweeps you away on the Grand Tour, exploring London and Paris through the eyes of a young woman who longs to find her place in the world. The title captures the story perfectly, as Cora delves beneath all that glitters to discover what is real and true, while not just one man but two vie for her affections … ooh, la la! A grand start to a new series from a seasoned author who writes from the heart.”

  Liz Curtis Higgs, New York Times best-selling author of Mine Is the Night

  “Who am I and where do I fit in this world? These are just two of the important questions addressed in this poignant story that takes the reader from an impoverished farm in Montana onto an opulent cruise across the Atlantic to stately England and finally to the city of love, Paris. With fresh characters, a touching story, and plenty of adventure and romance, you’ll get swept away in this lavish world of the young and wealthy.”

  MaryLu Tyndall, author of Surrender the Dawn and Veil of Pearls

  “From a bankrupt farm in 1913 Montana to the glitter and glamour of a European Grand Tour, Glamorous Illusions is the trip—and the read—of a lifetime. Absolutely one of my favorites ever, this book is a stunning adventure from first page to last. A truly masterful storyteller, Lisa Bergren has penned a magical journey of the heart and soul that will leave you breathless and longing for more.”

  Julie Lessman, award-winning author of The Daughters of Boston series and Winds of Change series

  “A Cinderella story lingers in the pages of Glamorous Illusions. Open the book and be swept into a story of heartache, strength, and romance. Add in the sweeping beginnings to a Grand Tour of Europe, and I found all the ingredients for a story I couldn’t put down.”

  Cara C. Putman, author Stars in the Night and A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island

  LISA T. BERGREN is the award-winning author of over thirty-five books, with more than 2 million copies sold. A former publishing executive, Lisa now divides her time between writing, editing, parenting three children with her husband, Tim, and dreaming of her next trip to Italy. She lives in Colorado Springs.

  www.davidccook.com

  en, Glamorous Illusions