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REGENCY ROMANCE IS an oxymoron, especially among the ‘ton’ of England. It is my belief that there were only two ways to have love be a part of marriage (at least among the aristocracy). The first was by accident, for the dealings of marriage were by and in large business transactions. Respect and friendship could and did build over time and eventually might give way to love. The second was by breaking the rules, of which there were many. In particular, this could be possible given the hostess’ setup. For example, a waltz was considered scandalous during this time, but at a hostess’ permission could be a part of her ball. In this story, Lady Harrington encourages her sons to ‘mingle’ quite often, which would include inviting young ladies of their choice to ride, walk, play chess, etc. without the accompaniment of a chaperon. It backfires, of course, but that’s the price you pay if you relax those rules.
Historical accuracy is also a bit of an oxymoron, because frankly, I’ve never been to Regency England. And in spite of the documents, literature and research, we are essentially guessing. Imagine if someone 200 years from now read our books and emails for a clue of how to write a story of the early 21st century. What a nightmare – we are all so very dissimilar in our writing styles, our dress, our hair, our fashion...! Not to mention the abundance of information on other channels such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and the like. Of course, Regency England was not as complicated (we guess), but I hope this example has shown you how difficult it can be to get everything just right.
Therefore: Where possible, I have been entirely accurate, even in the words I use. For example, altruism was not coined for several more years, and yet that is part of the research Mr. Lawrence is participating in. Dress trains were short, hair frequently simpler, with dances in some ways the closest you could get to a ‘date’. Hobbits would never have survived, as they didn’t have breakfast until upwards of 9, 10, or even 11 o’clock some days. Many ladies would just have a cup of chocolate or tea sent up to their rooms instead. In many cases a set hour was appointed where guests could come eat buffet style, much like in this book. Henry Salt was real, as were puzzles, and Lewis and Clarke had just returned from their expedition.
I am sure that some readers will find mistakes (hopefully not big fat glaring ones!), and if you do, please forgive me, but remember it most definitely is fiction. Also, the word ‘sarcasm’ has been used incorrectly for so long that it seemed best to use it in place of ‘sardonic’ – forgive me if you noticed. It bothers me too!
And please, after reading this book and for your own safety, do not try Charles and George’s wagers at home.
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