Tuesday, 8 February 2022
Saturday, 22 January 2022
Travelling abroad for work or pleasure in the early 1800s
The fascination of travel and of The East
In the early years of the 19th Century
In 1810, Lord Byron and his friend John Cam Hobhouse arrived in Constantinople. During their stay, they accompanied the British Ambassador on a formal visit to the Sultan, Mahmud II. Hobhouse later wrote that the Sultan, dressed in yellow satin, his milk-white hands ‘glittering with diamond rings’, had an ‘air of indescribable majesty’.
This was confirmed by the wife of the retiring British Ambassador, Robert Adair. She had attended the ceremony, disguised as a man.
When Ambassador Robert Adair left in 1810, he promoted 24 year-old Stratford Canning, [ later Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe ], as Minister Plenipotentiary. He was an energetic young man with robust ideas on protecting British interests. He had a wide intelligence network and corresponded with all his counterparts across Europe and the
Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Take a trip back to Regency England via Lady Catherine's Salon and Joffe Books
Many thanks to Sasha at Joffe Books, for this graphic. This week I'm enjoying my travels around Regency England through my Regency tales, as the Guest Hostess at Lady Catherine's Salon on Facebook.
These titles published on Kindle by JOFFE BOOKS
Saturday, 15 January 2022
Cover pictures, [past and present]
together with two new stories.


as ebooks, with updated covers.

HAVING FAITH IN MY REGENCY TALES.
Thursday, 16 December 2021
With much love and respect
[Credit to the creator of this photo. My apologies, I don't know the name to credit them more personally.]
Tuesday, 9 November 2021
A fortune in jewels
Since their father remarried, he has not given Nell and Sophie any money.
This means they cannot escape life with their hostile young stepmother. Fortunately, their Aunt Sophie finds out. She takes them to London and summons the family lawyer to discuss their situation.
It turns out they will inherit a respectable sum each on their marriage or when they reach the age of 25 years. That is no help to Nell, who desperately needs funds NOW.
But then the lawyer informs them that their childless Aunt Eleanor has left them her collection of jewels.

18th century orange foiled topaz triple drop pendant and girandole earrings
[c] S J Phillips
Mr
Cheadle braced himself. ‘Now
we will inspect Lady Eleanor’s bequest. As the only daughter of the Earl of
Danestree, she possessed a most valuable collection of jewellery. Some items,
indeed, should only be worn when security is very tight.’ He shook his head,
adjusted his spectacles, which had slipped down his nose, and at last began to
draw the interesting boxes out from the chest.
As
he opened one velvet case after another, all three ladies exclaimed in
admiration and delight at the sparkling jewels. There were several formal
parures, including one of rubies and diamonds, and another of emeralds,
together with an emerald tiara.
Aunt
Sophie pressed a hand to her lips. ‘Oh, I remember her wearing that tiara and
that superb emerald collar at Court.’
‘Superb?’
Sophie giggled. ‘It’s terribly ornate. Poor Aunt Eleanor. How uncomfortable.
And so old-fashioned.’
‘Emeralds
would not become you,’ announced Aunt Sophie, ‘but those pink topaz girandole
earrings would be perfect.’
Sophie
agreed. In addition to several more necklaces, there were a number of rings,
bracelets and earrings, as well as a leather case full of rose-cut diamond
brooches and pendants. These gems flashed with the fire of the purest stones,
causing all three ladies to gasp in admiration.
‘Those
were worn as decoration on the bodice of the old-style court gowns,’ observed
Aunt Sophie, picking one up and turning it to admire the play of light on the
jewels. ‘Completely out of fashion now, of course, but it is no great matter to
have the gems reset in a modern style.’ She frowned. ‘I seem to remember my
sister-in-law had a pair of diamond shoe buckles. What happened to – oh, there
they are.’
She
inspected them through her lorgnette. ‘Yes, these are the ones. It was rare to
have real diamond buckles, was it not, Mr Cheadle?’
‘Allow me to place everything in two piles,
according to Lady Eleanor’s will,’ said Mr Cheadle firmly, ‘Then you young
ladies may select what you wish to take for now and I can return the other
items to the vault for safekeeping.’
Watching the lawyer set out the various cases and boxes
before her, Nell could scarcely breathe. This was her one chance to get money
for her escape. She must select something of great value while not arousing
suspicion.
It
was difficult to keep her hands from trembling while she examined several sets
of gems, eventually picking out a pretty necklace of pink rock crystal and seed
pearls, with matching girandole earrings. Aunt Sophie nodded approvingly. Nell
fiddled with brooches and earrings, examining them one after the other slowly,
until Aunt Sophie turned her attention back to Sophie, who was hesitating
between an aquamarine pendant and a delicate necklace of diamonds and pearls. While
they were deciding, Nell added a pair of pearl bracelets and one of the massive
diamond brooches to her selection.
Her aunt tut-tutted. ‘That diamond piece is far too big
to suit modern dress.’
‘If I decide on my almond green gown, I’d want diamonds,
not coloured stones,’ said Nell, willing her voice to sound calm. ‘This brooch
can be unhooked, and turn into two smaller ones, see.’ She separated it to
demonstrate. ‘Exactly what I need for the occasion.’ She gazed coolly from her
aunt to Mr Cheadle. He bowed his head politely, though his eyes were anguished.
That told her the diamonds were truly valuable.
Sophie, bless her, drew the attention away by asking with
a laugh, ‘Nell, perhaps you’d like to borrow my diamond buckles to complete
your outfit.’
Later, as she inspected her new treasures, Nell gave silent thanks to Aunt Eleanor. Her heart soared. A couple of those diamonds would surely sell for enough to pay for her journey to France, and allow her some much needed money in her pocket. It will transform my life. She drew out Joachim’s little disc and kissed it. Not much longer now, my darling.
From 'A Lady's Honour'
18th century rose cut diamond brooch, On sale from Gallerease, Netherlands
Note : the jewellery shown is for sale at prices that would still make Nell very wealthy today.
Thursday, 16 September 2021
The kindness of strangers.
A little tale as it's the only thank you I can offer to kind strangers.
It is situated on the north bank of the Golden Horn, some way out of the main city. I arrived by taxi, but when it came to returning to the city centre, the guide at the museum advised walking up the hill to the bus stop.
Thursday, 5 August 2021
Plotting, pantsing, head-banging !
A little stone house on a hillside surrounded by fields of neatly combed vines, stretching down into the valley and across the plain to the Canal du Midi. A few ribbons of trees, marking the roads; here and there the rooftop of a farm in the midst of its vineyards. So rural, so peaceful, such a splendid change after years slogging in a grey city in rainwashed northern England.
But even rural retreats under a sparkling blue sky have their dark secrets, along with their traditional way of life. An outsider, especially a pretty woman, will have to contend with difficulties of many kinds.
The plot came to me easily enough. I know the area well, love the climate, the people, the pace of life. My characters rushed to join the story. Haha, I thought, so for this tale, my plot flows. [That doesn't happen to me often.]
But five chapters in, the characters take over. They won't give way, so it's back to pantsing. My villain has become a victim. My pleasure-loving young dude has joined the really bad gang. And a third guy has suddenly appeared [univited by me] and started hanging round my MC. OK, I know, it is the south of France, and he's full of charm but my original two fellows were already creating enough action.
Banging my head on the desk isn't sorting things out. My only consolation for now is my new villain. He's so 'orrible it's fun to write him. So, onwards and upwards, imagining I'm there in the summer sunshine, on a terrace with a glass of muscat as the sky darkens into a canopy of velvet and the evening air is a caress.
Saturday, 10 July 2021
You CAN go back to Constantinople
Thanks to LUME BOOKS putting the story of Olivia, her brother Richard, and handsome but haughty diplomat Selim on special offer today.
The action takes place in Constantinople, with boat rides up the
Bosphorus, bears in the woods, spies and strange customs, as well as
kidnapping, a visit to the Harem and ...well, lots more fun, suspense and
intrigue.
Scandalous Lady
Beth Elliott
0.99 $1.99