Twenty-Four Characters for Twelfth Night

I was doing research (lovely, lovely research!) and came across a picture I just have to share with you.

We’ve talked about Twelfth Night several times, and a masquerade to celebrate it is included in The Aeronaut’s Heart in My Fair Regency. January 6 marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and the end of the Christmas season in general. In England, it might be commemorated with parties and a special cake. I am a bit late for this year’s celebration, but I offer you the following to get you thinking for next year. (Fingers crossed that if you click on the picture, you can see a larger version.)

These cards were designed and published by Thomas Rowlandson in 1811 and depict the various “characters” you might play during a Twelfth Night party. Your hostess might hand you a role to play when you arrived, or she might have sent you the card in advance so you could come in character and in costume.

And oh, the plot possibilities!

• A shy young lady aghast at being asked to play Lady Racket.
• A mismatched couple; say the gentleman is asked to play Captain Dash but the lady is stuck with Lady Careless.
• Your rival insisting that you play Miss Gadabout.
• A studly fellow being assigned Lord Flutter while a bookworm is assigned Major Matchless.
• The grumpiest chaperone being given Mrs. Friendly!

What do you think? See one you’d like to play? Or one you wouldn’t?

Wishing you a very happy new year, with many wonderful characters to discover in books you love!

Interview: Meredith Thorn of the Fortune Employment Agency

I am pleased to have with us today Miss Meredith Thorn of the Fortune Employment Agency. The raven-haired, lavender-eyed Miss Thorn recently featured in my Never Doubt a Duke and Never Borrow a Baronet and will shortly be involved in Never Envy an Earl. She and her beloved pet Fortune consented to sit for a brief interview. Welcome, Miss Thorn and Fortune.

Miss T: A pleasure.

Fortune consents to have the top of her head rubbed.

19T: A lady of your breeding generally doesn’t trouble herself with matters of trade. What led you to start the Fortune Employment Agency?

Miss T: I observed that many young women ended up going into service, of a sort—governesses, companions, teachers, and the like. In some cases, they were well treated, becoming cherished members of the family or the institution they served. In others, their lives became nothing short of drudgery, with little hope of change. I determined to change that.

19T: There are other employment agencies. Why is yours special?

Fortune pulls away to regard me as if I have suddenly forgotten something important.

Miss T: The Fortune Employment Agency is special because Fortune and I take great care in matching the situation to a lady’s particular needs. For example, Jane Kimball had lost her husband in battle, and with him any chance of having a family. I introduced her into a household where she had every opportunity to find a family of her own.

19T: Yes, I understand she’s shortly to be married. I received the invitation just the other day. A duke, no less.

Miss T, smiling: Yes, quite.

Fortune seems to be smiling as well.

19T: Why did you name your agency after your cat?

Miss T, turning her smile on the gray cat, who gazes back with copper-colored eyes: I’ve found Fortune to be very wise when it comes to determining the character of a lady and a gentleman.

19T: More skilled than you?

Miss T: Decidedly so. My discernment has failed once or twice, with disastrous results. Fortune’s never fails.

19T: Never?

Fortune turns her back on me.

Miss T: Not that I have found. She picked the Duke of Wey for Jane and Sir Harry Atwood for Patience. And she was quite fond of the Earl of Carrolton.

19T: Oh, who has Fortune matched to the earl?

Miss T: I am not at liberty to say.

19T: Fine. Then let’s talk further about you. You take your duty quite seriously, I see. Did you have a difficult time in service yourself?

Miss T, adjusting the lace at the cuffs of her lavender gown: Something like that.

19T: And has Fortune matched you with a gentleman?

Fortune: Meow!

Miss T: Now, now, none of that. I’m merely considering the matter. He has a long way to go to prove himself to me after how we parted.

19T: Do tell!

Miss T: I really should be going. Perhaps another time.

So, it seems Miss Thorn still has a few secrets she will not share. Never fear, dear reader, we will unearth them.

And so can you, in Never Borrow a Baronet. Here are the links one last time:

Smashwords 

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

Kobo 

iTunes 

Hearing from a Hero: Drew Wallin from Would-Be Wilderness Wife

Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something about a broad-shouldered man, ready to take on the world and protect those he loves.  That’s Drew Wallin from my March release, Would-Be Wilderness Wife.  Drew has a lot on his hands, logging the massive trees around Seattle, managing his family’s wilderness farm, and improving his own claim along the shores of Lake Union.  But Drew’s driving goal is to see all of his younger brothers and sisters safely grown. He’s definitely the strong, silent type, and it takes a lot to get a rise out of him.  That’s why I enlisted his second brother, the dapper, witty James Wallin, to interview him for us.

James Wallin:  Well, you’ve finally done it this time, brother.  Gone and kidnapped yourself a bride.

Drew Wallin:  I didn’t kidnap her.  I went to Seattle trying to find medical help for Ma, and Doc Maynard couldn’t leave town. I didn’t plan on taking his nurse.  I knew what the rest of you would think.

James:  Of course!  We took one look at Catherine’s pretty face and heard wedding bells.  Better you than the rest of us.  I just bless Levi for having the brains to grab her when you wouldn’t.

Drew:  I wouldn’t call that brains.  More like stupidity.  Just be glad Catherine agreed to stay until Ma was well.

James:  Oh, I am. Even if she is the bossy sort.

Drew:  You call it bossy, I call it organization.  She herded us all into line.  We needed it.

James:  Speak for yourself. 

Drew, groaning:  Not again.

James:  Ha!  Just like when Simon tricked you into reading that poem with Catherine in front of us all.  You were playing John Alden, and she was playing Priscilla Mullins, and she asked you to speak for yourself in courting her.

Drew, smile playing about his mouth:  She turned so red when she’d realized what she’d said. 

James: And you wore that loopy grin for hours.  Scared the daylights out of the oxen.  What I don’t understand is why you don’t take her up on the offer.  She’s smart, organized, and pretty.  What more do you want, man?

Drew, smile fading:  I have enough to do trying to raise you all to take on a wife, particularly one who doesn’t know her way around the wilderness.

James:  In case you hadn’t noticed, Simon, John, and I are grown.  We don’t exactly need your tender care.

Drew:  And Levi?  Beth?  Should I just run off and leave them to fend for themselves?

James:  You won’t be far.  I can spit and hit your cabin from the main house.  You know what I think?  (Lowers his voice)  I think you’re scared.

Drew:  Terrified.  So, leave be, brother.  Besides, I don’t need to marry to carry on Pa’s name.  There are four more of you to do that.

James, raising his hands:  Don’t look at me!  I don’t intend to marry, ever.  Life’s too short to spend it worrying about the people you love.

Hm, sounds like both Wallin men need to find the right bride to help them see the beauty of love.  What do you think?

Introducing Sir Trevor Fitzwilliam of Blackcliff

Thank you all for your kind words! An Honorable Gentleman is actually my twentieth book, and the excitement of knowing it’s out in the wild, where anyone might pick it up and read it, is still heady. I appreciate those of you who hazarded a guess in the contest. The winner of the autographed copy is Rose De Guzman who correctly guessed (ahead of Beebs) that I had intended William IV, Duke of Clarence, to be the man who had fathered Sir Trevor. Rose, please send me your mailing info at reginascott@owt.com. Just think. If Trevor had been legitimate, he would have been King of England instead of Victoria! I wonder what the Trevorian era would have been like. :-)

So, in honor of the man who would never be king, today I’d like to ask my heroine, Gwendolyn Allbridge, to interview Sir Trevor for us. Gwen is the daughter of the estate steward at Blackcliff Hall, and she’s actually running the place.

Gwen: Sh! You aren’t supposed to tell my father or Sir Trevor. They think they’re in charge.

Nineteenteen: Ah, of course. Sorry. Ahem, Miss Allbridge, apprentice midwife and helpful young lady . . .

Gwen: Much better.

Nineteenteen: Is here today to introduce us to Sir Trevor Fitzwilliam of Blackcliff. Take it away, Gwen.

Gwen: Thank you. As you may know, Sir Trevor recently took on ownership of the Blackcliff estate when he was awarded his baronetcy for services to the Crown. Would you care to elaborate, Sir Trevor?

Trevor: It was an administrative matter. Nothing of consequence.

Gwen: Important enough to earn you a baronetcy and the finest estate in Cumberland.

Trevor: I’m afraid I must disagree, my dear, on several points. I solved a problem for a titled fellow, and he saw fit to recommend me to the king for elevation. And I’d hardly call Blackcliff the finest estate in Cumberland or any other part of England. The house and outbuildings are decaying, the mine that paid for them is closed up, and there’s not enough land to sustain any other sort of agriculture. In truth, it’s a sad disappointment.

Gwen: Well, it will be the finest, when you’re done improving it, I’m certain. And do not give me that eye, sir. I know you will be the salvation for this place. The villagers already look up to you.

Trevor: They look up to you, and I can see why. I’ve never met a woman with more energy and drive. You concoct potions that cure illnesses, you managed an army of volunteers to clean this cavernous house from the schoolroom to the scullery, and somehow you find time to cook for your father, sew your own clothes, and train your guard dog.

Gwen: Oh, yes, Dolly. Isn’t she a dear?

Trevor: She is the largest mastiff I’ve ever seen, and any man with an ounce of sense would run at first sight. I don’t know how you manage her or half the other things you do. Frankly, madam, you exhaust me.

Gwen, dimpling: Why, Sir Trevor, that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.

Trevor: You have obviously been associating with the wrong sort of fellow. You make me wish . . .

Gwen, breathlessly: What?

Trevor, quietly: That I was an honorable gentleman.

Nineteenteen: Ahem, well, I think we'll all just slip out now.

My Brother, the Irresistible Earl

We are pleased today to have with us Lady Phoebe Dearborn, younger sister of Chase Dearborn, Lord Allyndale, the so-called Irresistible Earl. Like her brother, Lady Phoebe was born in Yorkshire, on the edge of what today is the North York Moors National Park. She was raised at home on their family estate and, at nineteen, has just completed her first Season in London. Welcome, Lady Phoebe.

LP: Thank you so much for having me.

19 Teen: So how did you enjoy the Season?

LP: Oh, it was marvelous! All the balls, all the shopping! I was having a wonderful time until my brother cut it off short.

19 Teen: Why was that?

LP: Well, let’s just say that a certain gentleman caused trouble, and my brother thought I would be better off somewhere else.

19 Teen: So you went to Scarborough. That seems like a strange spot for someone who prides herself on being fashionable.

LP: Well, I actually suggested Scarborough, after I learned that’s where. . . um, that’s where Chase would prefer to be. Of course. He’s a bit strong on tradition, my brother. He says Scarborough is perfect because it’s full of company in the summer but close enough to home that he can pop off to the estate for the day and see to his affairs. He’s also strong on doing his duty.

19 Teen: He sounds a bit bossy.

LP: He’s terribly bossy! I suppose that’s because I’m more than ten years younger than he is. Our father died when he was only twelve, and he had to take on responsibility for me, Mother, the estate, and all our tenants. But he seems to have forgotten that I’m quite grown up now. I don’t need him to make my decisions for me.

19 Teen: Certainly not. Have you had luck convincing him of that?

LP: SIGH. Not as much as I’d like. But I have great hopes. He’s changed since he met Meredee Price. She’s had quite the civilizing influence on him.

19 Teen: Didn’t I hear you met Meredee under interesting circumstances?

LP: She saved my life! I had gone out to bathe in the waters on Scarborough Bay. You see, if you go to Scarborough, you must do two things: drink the waters and dip in the sea. It’s supposed to be good for your health. Only I slipped coming out of my bathing machine and went under. If Meredee hadn’t come along, I don’t know what I’d have done!

19 Teen: I imagine your brother was very thankful for her intervention.

LP: Very! He invited her to dinner the very next night. And then he decided to help her hunt for seashells. You see what an influence she’s had? Who would ever have thought of Chase hunting shells!

19 Teen: If he’s so strict, how did he get the nickname of the irresistible earl?

LP: You all have a saying, I believe: “Resistance is futile.” That’s pretty much Chase. But he does strike a commanding figure. I’ve heard ladies sigh when he passes. Even Meredee was smitten. I could tell. All my plans are working out perfectly.

19 Teen: Your plans?

LP: Oh, just a manner of speaking.

19 Teen: But you do have other plans for your time in Scarborough.

LP: I certainly do. But I am not at liberty to divulge them.

19 Teen: Oh, come now. Surely you can tell us.

LP: Well. . . [Glances both ways and lowers voice.] I do have hopes of attracting the attentions of a certain gentleman. But you mustn’t tell Meredee; she might think less of me. And please don’t tell Chase. He’d ruin everything.

19 Teen: Goodness, this sounds serious.

LP: I certainly hope so. [smiles]

If you’d like to know more about Lady Phoebe and her irresistible brother, check out The Irresistible Earl from Love Inspired Historical, available now online and in fine stores near you. To learn more, see Regina's website.

And don't forget--if you comment on any post between now and July 12, we'll enter your name in a drawing for an Irresistible Earl prize package. Hope to hear from you!

Today's Characters, Yesterday

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say that nineteenth century young men and ladies looked very different from people today. I disagree. Or, sure there are stylized portraits that make them look rather unworldly, and some artists have more skill than others. I’ve heard the arguments that poor dental care made mouths look sunken, or people were afraid to smile because of their teeth. Then there are those who insist that because some ceilings were lower and surviving clothing is smaller that people were a lot shorter than we are. (I shudder to think who lived in the remarkably high-ceilinged rooms of some of the country estates!) Certainly hairstyles and fashions have changed over time.

People had their portraits painted for a number of reasons: to commemorate a major event like a military victory, to announce their success in their careers, or to document their family. Recently I’ve come across a number of portraits that seem to me to be straight out of Hollywood today. See what you think.

This is the French miniaturist Francois Jean Baptist Isabey and his daughter, right around 1800. Compare him to Keanu Reeves. Ancestor, perhaps?


How about this one? Young Mr. Fleetwood is dressed for riding to the hounds, his knee hooked up over his saddle, around 1803. Shia LaBeouf, anyone?


And then there’s Elinor, either the 1810 version in this miniature or Emma Thompson’s version from Sense and Sensibility.


So, what do you think? Have we changed so much in 200 years?

Oh, and just so you know—we will have one post next week, Wednesday or Thursday, so we can spend more time with our families over the holiday. Carpe diem, my dears!

The Final Three!

Reasons we love the nineteenth century, that is. Comment by 11:59pm Sunday, October 5, with either your own reasons or suggestions for blog topics and you might win a genuine fashion plate or a $25 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. We’ll draw names Monday, and Marissa will announce the winners in her post Tuesday, October 7. Thanks so much to all those who have already commented. We’ve really enjoyed hearing your thoughts.

So, here are my final three reasons:

17. Fanciful food with friends. Lots of fine restaurants these days aim for food that looks as good on the plate as it tastes in your mouth. But dining by candlelight, the table adorned with fine china and draped in damask, silver utensils at your side, was definitely more romantic. And chefs vied to please: Oysters in aspic, apricot trifles, and peacock stuffed back in its own feathers. (Okay, the last one would probably gross me out.)

18. Inventiveness. The nineteenth century saw the birth of the industrial revolution, with new technologies, new ways of doing things. And while the design of some of it was pretty ugly, some of it was amazingly cool. Here’s what someone thinks a laptop would look like today if we still followed those design principles. Could someone please put that on my birthday list?

19. Colorful characters. From the scandalous antics of the royals to audaciously poetic highwaymen, the nineteenth century had more than its share of interesting people. Perhaps that’s why Marissa and I love to put our characters into the same elegant, romantic, inventive time period.

So, there you have it! Nineteen of our reasons why we love the nineteenth century and why we keep writing about it. Be sure to comment and come back next week to find out who won!

P.S. If you’re a school librarian, check out the contest on the Class of 2k8 web page!