Start as you mean to carry on

Have posted some thoughts over at The Britwriters blog about how important it is to get the start of your story right. Talking of which (Radio 2 style link here!)

Cambridge, June 1909.

“Post, Dr. Coppersmith, Dr. Stewart.” Mrs. Ward, the housekeeper at Forsythia Cottage, bustled through the dining room door before neatly arranging the morning post on the table for her gentlemen to read once they’d dealt with their bacon and eggs.
“Thank you.” Jonty Stewart eyed his post eagerly. “That looks like Lavinia’s writing. I’ll save her epistle as a postprandial treat.”
“Unless you’re in trouble with your sister, again, in which case it’ll be a postprandial punishment.” Orlando Coppersmith, having put away the last bit of egg, picked up the other letter, addressed to him even though it was in the clearly recognisable—even from the other side of the table—hand of Jonty’s mother.
“Why’s Mama writing to you?”
“Not having the ability to see through paper, nor being able to read her mind, I couldn’t say.” Orlando deliberately took his time in opening the envelope and reading the contents, aware of Jonty almost bouncing with curiosity. It would do the man good to develop some patience. “We’ve been summoned. July. A visit to London and then off to somewhere called Fyfield.”
“Fyfield?” Jonty almost dropped his bacon in surprise. “I’ve not been there since I was a boy. Mama’s godmother lived there.”
“She still does, if she’s a dowager duchess. Alexandra Temple. Your mother says she’s a very old friend of the Forsters. Is this Fyfield a nice place?”
“Nice?” Jonty consumed the bacon before it got either cold or dropped again. “It’s spectacular. Knocks the Old Manor into a cocked hat.”