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Enjoying Georgette Heyer, Doyenne of the Regency Romance

11/22/2015

Georgette Heyer wrote nearly sixty novels in various genres. She was known for her historical fiction, detective stories, and contemporary novels of her day. By far the most popular of her prodigious output where her historical romances set in the Regency Era in Britain. The first of these was Regency Buck, published in 1935. The story begins in 1811, the first "official year of the Regency of George, Prince of Wales, who ruled in the name of his father, George III, until the latter's death in 1820 when the Prince Regent became George the IV for the remaining decade of his life.

Ms. Heyer did extensive research into the manners and mores of the period from 1811 to 1820, its language, and its society customs and traditions. Pictured at the rights is one of the early covers of Regency Buck showing the Regent's flamboyant pavilion in Brighton, at which scenes are set portraying the entertainments hosted by the spendthrift Regent.

A favorite among Heyer's regencies is The Grand Sophy, almost always among the top three listed by her fans. For those who have not fallen in love with Heyer's Regencies, this one has all the fascinating characters and sparkling wit for which she is known.

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MEMOIRS OF AUTHOR FANNY BURNEY OF BRUSSELS IN THE TIME OF WATERLOO, PART II

10/13/2015

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Author Fanny Burney lived through the Battle of Waterloo in the nearby city of Brussels, where she had fled from Paris when Napoleon regained power in the spring of 1815, Burney's husband, General d'Arblay was a member of the guard of King Louis XVIII, who fled Paris with his retinue and waited for a time in Belgium.

We take up Burney’s account of Brussels again on the day of the Battle of Quatre Bras. “I was again awakened at about five o'clock in the morning Friday, 16th June, by the sound of a bugle in the March aux Bois: I started up and opened the window. But I only perceived some straggling soldiers, hurrying in different directions, and saw lights gleaming from some of the chambers in the neighbourhood: all again was soon still, and my own dwelling in profound silence, and therefore I concluded there had been some disturbance in exchanging sentinels at the various posts, which was already appeased: and I retired once more to my pillow, and remained till my usual hour…

(Later) “… my ears were alarmed by the sound of military music, and my eyes equally struck with the sight of a body of troops marching to its measured time. But I soon found that what I had supposed to be an occasionally passing troop, was a complete corps; infantry, cavalry artillery, bag and baggage, with all its officers in full uniform, and that uniform was black.... I learned it was the army of Brunswick. How much deeper yet had been my heartache had I foreknown that nearly all those brave men, thus marching on in gallant though dark array, with their valiant royal chief at their head, the nephew** of my own king, George III., were amongst the first destined victims to this dreadful contest, and that neither the chief, nor the greater part of his warlike associates, would within a few short hours, breathe again the vital air!...

“What a day of confusion and alarm did we all spend on the 17th!...That day, and June 18th, I passed in hearing the cannon! Good heaven! what indescribable horror to be so near the field of slaughter! such I call it, for the preparation to the ear by the tremendous sound was soon followed by its fullest effect, in the view of the wounded, the bleeding martyrs to the formidable contention that was soon to terminate the history of the war. And hardly more afflicting was this disabled return from the battle, than the sight of the continually pouring forth ready-armed and vigorous victims that marched past my windows to meet similar destruction.”

Above, the Wounded Arriving in Brussels

Many offers of escort out of Brussels were discussed and several attempted but none were successful. The military had confiscated all vehicles and barges destined for the roads and canals to Antwerp or Ostend.

Amidst reports on her conversations with those trying to escape, “I found upon again going my rounds for information, that though news was arriving incessantly from the scene of action, and with details always varying, Bonaparte was always advancing…Yet no clamour, no wrangling, nor even debate was intermixed with either question or answer; curiosity, though incessant, was serene; the faces were all monotony, though the tidings were all variety. I could attribute this only to the length of time during which the inhabitants had been habituated to change both of masters and measures, and to their finding that, upon an average, they neither lost nor gained by such successive revolutions…No love of liberty buoyed up resistance; no views of independence brightened their imagination; and they bore even suspense with the calm of apparent philosophy, and an exterior of placid indifference.”

These are just a few of her observations, but I have attempted to choose the most relevant ones. At last, we come to the day of the main battle.

“But what a day was the next — June 18th — the greatest, perhaps, in its result, in the annals of Great Britain!...” Despite the streets full of people, “when every other hour changed the current of expectation, no one could be inquisitive without the risk of passing for a spy, nor communicative without the hazard of being suspected as a traitor…”

Her friend Mr. Boyd “…feared all was lost-that Bonaparte was advancing-that his point was decidedly Brussels-and that the Duke of Wellington had sent orders that all the magazines, the artillery, and the warlike stores of every description, and all the wounded, the maimed, and the sick, should be immediately removed to Antwerp. For this purpose he had issued directions that every barge, every boat should be seized…”

“The dearth of any positive news from the field of battle, even in the heart of Brussels, at this crisis, when everything that was dear and valuable to either party was at stake, was at one instant nearly distracting in its torturing suspense to the wrung nerves, and at another insensibly blunted them into a kind of amalgamation with the Belgic philosophy. At certain houses, as well as at public offices, news, I doubt not, arrived; but no means were taken to -- promulgate it -- no gazettes, as in London, no bulletins, as in Paris, were cried about the streets; we were all left at once to our conjectures and our destinies.”

… “What a dreadful day did I pass! dreadful in the midst of its glory! for it was not during those operations that sent details partially to our ears that we could judge of the positive state of affairs, or build upon any permanency of success. Yet here I soon recovered from all alarm for personal safety, and lost the horrible apprehension of being in the midst of a city that was taken, sword in hand, by an enemy -- an apprehension that, while it lasted, robbed me of breath, chilled my blood, and gave me a shuddering ague that even now in fancy returns as I seek to commit it to paper.”

Eventually Burney heard an account from a witness to the battle; (Mr. Saumarez’s) “…narration was all triumphant and his account of the Duke of Wellington might almost have seemed an exaggerated panegyric if it had painted some warrior in a chivalresque romance. . . . I could not but be proud of this account: independent from its glory; my revived imagination hung the blessed laurels of peace. But though Hope was all alive, Ease and Serenity were not her companions: Mr. Saumarez could not disguise that there was still much to do, and consequently to apprehend; and he had never, he said, amongst the many he had viewed, seen a field of battle in such excessive disorder. Military carriages of all sorts, and multitudes of groups unemployed, occupied spaces that ought to have been left for manoeuvring or observation. I attribute this to the various nations who bore arms on that great day in their own manner; though the towering generalissimo of all cleared the ground, and dispersed what was unnecessary at every moment that was not absorbed by the fight.”

As she returned to her lodging, “Three or four shocking sights intervened during my passage, of officers of high rank, either English or Belge, and either dying or dead, extended upon biers, carried by soldiers. The view of their gay and costly attire, with the conviction of their suffering, or fatal state, joined to the profound silence of their bearers and attendants, was truly saddening ; and if my reflections were morally dejecting, what, oh what were my personal feelings and fears, in the utter uncertainty whether this victory were more than a passing triumph!”

Though confident of victory, no one knew at the moment that for all practical purposes, Napoleon’s reign was over and peace would soon be restored to Europe.

Finis

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AFTER THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO...

9/14/2015

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The above picture is a detail from the great glass apinting in the Gallery of the House of Lords in the Palace of Westminster. It depicts the victorious field marshals, Duke of Wellington and Prussian General von Blucher shaking hands after the fighting was over. The Prussians pursued the fleeing French army and the British and Allies stayed behind to rest, bury the dead, treat the wounded , and take up the chase again later.

This painting by Joseph William Mallord Turner was painted after he toured the battlefield and sketched the scene. It emphasizes the tragedy of so many deaths, so many lost forever. Below, the Duke of Wellington rides through the carnage back to his headquarters in the village of Waterloo where he would write his despatch to Lord Bathurst in London declaring victory. Later the Duke of Wellington said, “I hope to God I have fought my last battle…I am wretched even at the moment of victory, and I always say that next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained.”

It was the first battle in which Napoleon faced Wellington, and for both men, indeed their last military battle. The Battle of Waterloo left 9,500 dead; 32,000 wounded.

This caricature expresses the views that Napoleon was principally to blame for the millions of dead in Europe during his years of power. He may have had sokme positive effects on French laws, but it is hard not to blame him for the dreadful number of casualties.

The Duke of Wellington showing the Prince Regent (later George IV) the battlefield of Waterloo by Benjamin Robert Haydon, c. 1844. Copyright: Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. The Prince Regent had convinced himself he was present at the battle, and the Duke was often required to respond when George recalled his glorious participation. "So you say, Your Royal Highness," the Duke would have to reply.

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A ROYAL DAY OUT

8/7/2015

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On a sunny day last August, 2014, we had pre-booked tickets for a combined visit to the Royal Mews, the Queen's Gallery, and Buckingham Palace...that's about as Royal as it gets!

Above, the Gold State Coach, c. 1764; below l to r: The Irish State Coach, the Scottish State Coach, the Glass Coach

From the Mews, it is a short walk to the Queen's Gallery, where interesting exhibitions from the Royal Collection are always on show and open to the public. In this case, the subject was The First Georgians, marking the 300th anniversary of the House of Hanover ascending to the British Throne.

George I, King of Great Britain and Ireland, Elector of Hanover, came to London in 1714; he never learned to speak English. When he died in 17 he was succeeded by his son.

George II became King in 1727 and reigned until his death in 1760. He was succeeded by his grandson George III.

Crowds admire the paintings and objects from the Royal Collection dating from the time of the first two Georges. Next was the visit to Buckingham Palace. Of course no pictures were allowed inside.

Behind the Palace, many tents housed a huge tea room (most welcome indeed!) .and gift shops. Though we were not allowed to wander the gardens, we did follow the long path beside the wilderness and the lake to the exit. A wonderful, if exhausting, day.

I regret they do not allow pictures inside the Palace, but if you google Buckingham Palace interiors, you will find many views of the sumptuous rooms still similar to the styles favored by King George IV who was responsible for most of the remodeling of State Rooms in both the Palace and Windsor Castle.

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REVERBERATIONS FROM WATERLOO

7/13/2015

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The Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815, the culmination of a short campaign by Napoleon into the Kingdom of the Netherlands to appose the Allied Army led by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussians, led by Marshal von Blucher. It ended in a rout of the French, as they fled south to cross back into France, pursued by the Prussians and the Allies. Although Wellington considered the battle a complete victory, neither the British nor the Prussians knew how long it would take to completely end the French threats to the peace established in 1814 when Napoleon was originally sent to exile on Elba.

Above left, painting in the Palace of Westminster by Daniel Maclise, the Meeting of Wellington and Blucher at La Belle Alliance, after the battle; right, the Battlefield by J.M.W.Turner. Below left, The Morning After the Battle, by John Heaviside Clark; right, Presenting the Eagles to the Prince Regent

Above left, French eagle, as it appeared at the top of captured battle flags. Right. jacket worn by Henry Percy. bloodstained o the battlefield, when he delivered the despatch to London. Percy got a chaise to the port of Ostend and embarked on the brig HMS Peruvian. Some accounts tell of the becalmed ship and the completion of the voyage by rowing – the Captain James White RN and Percy, with several other sailors, taking the oars themselves. From their landing at Broadstairs, Kent, about 3 pm on June 21, Percy hurried to London, changing horses at Canterbury, Sittingbourne, and Rochester. At first he could not find Lord Bathurst or Prime Minister Lord Liverpool. But with the French Eagles of the 45th and 105th sticking out of the windows of the carriage, they soon attracted a crowd, following them and cheering. Eventually he found the officials and together they carried the news and the Eagles to #14 (or #16 in some accounts) St. James’s Square, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Boehm who were hosting a grand party for the Prince Regent and his brother the Duke of York, C-in-C of the Army. Below left,
the Boehm residence, St. James Square, today the East India United Service Club. Right, Henry Percy (1785-1825). Colonel Percy retired in 1821 and became a member of the House of Commons in 1823; however, he died only a year later, age 40.

Above left, the monument to British Officers who fell at Waterloo in the Evere Cemetery in Brussels. Right, a lasting remnant of the Battle of Waterloo: Waterloo Teeth, removed by scavengers from dead bodies on the battlefield and sold to dentists who advertised them to customers for decades as superior for replacement dental plates.

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WATERLOO: TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

6/15/2015

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Photo credit: Visit Belgium © Alex Kouprianoff

June 18, 1815, the culmination of the Napoleonic Wars when the forces of the Anglo Allies and the Prussians under the Duke of Wellington and Field Marshal von Blucher triumphed over the French Grand Armee of Napoleon Bonaparte. Within weeks, Napoleon had abdicated and was shipped off to the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena where he died six years later. The victorious armies of Wellington and Blucher occupied Paris, and the Bourbon King, Louis XVIII, was restored to his throne. The decisions of the Congress of Vienna, however reactionary one might now consider them, preserved a general peace in Europe, with a few exceptions, until the outbreak of another widespread conflict, WWI, in 1914.'

In honor of the Great Battle, a group of nine authors have compiled an anthology of romantic stories. Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles is available as an e-book for $2.99 (click here) from all relevant platforms and from Amazon.com as a trade paperback for $14.99 (click here). Below, a description of my story, "Folie Bleue."

On the night of the 30th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Aimée, Lady Prescott, reminisces about meeting her husband in Bruxelles on the eve of the fighting. She had avoided the dashing scarlet-clad British officers, but she could not resist the tempting smile and spellbinding charm of Captain Robert Prescott of the 16th Light Dragoons who— dangerously to Aimée— wore blue.

At the left, is an image of what my hero looks like. Actually, he is a member of the Blues and Royals on duty at Horse Guards in London, but as far as I am concerned, he is Robert Prescott. Dont you think he would appeal to any heroine worth writing about? Yum.

Here is a short except from my story:

“…Robert and I wandered off again, away from the discussions of unworthy royals. We headed across a little bridge to an island in the small lake. As we came off the bridge, the ground was wet and spongy. He placed his arm around my waist, and we continued in the marshy grass. His hand was warm and I wished he would never take it away. I hoped he would leave it there for—oh, the next hundred years?...

I looked back at our footprints in the dewy grass, set off by the sun glinting off our tracks. My shoes were soaked but their ruin was a small price to pay for the lasting image of our side-by-side steps. As I write about it, my heart is full. I can see it as if it had been this morning, not more than thirty years ago.”

However you observe the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, be sure to remember all those lost in all our wars, and those who were left behind when their loved ones never returned. It's a sobering thought.
Somehow it seems humankind has a hard time learning its lessons, n'est ce pas? Adieu.

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A VISIT TO KENWOOD...

6/8/2015

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Today I'm writing about one of my favorite places in London -- Kenwood House. I first visited many years ago and feasted my eyes on the stunning collection of masterworks in the Iveagh Bequest and on the justly famous Adam Library. But I admit, the the rooms used as galleries, were -- aside from the paintings -- quite bland. So I was delighted a few years ago to hear that the whole house was to be renovated and restored to the period, when the 1st Earl of Mansfield purchased the structure and had Robert Adam remodel it in 1764-1779.

A special bonus for me was the traveling exhibition of most of the Iveagh Bequest paintings in the U.S. in 2013-14, including at the Milwaukee Art Museum which I was able to visit several times. Unless otherwise indicated, the pictures in this post were taken by me in August, 2014. Then, in advance of leading our Duke of Wellington Tour in a few days, Kristine Hughes and I were actually there in the refurbished Kenwood House and free to enjoy it at our leisure. And when I say free, I mean it. When Lord Iveagh, one of the heirs of the Guinness Brewery fortune, bequeathed Kenwood and his incredible art collection to the nation in 1927, he specified that his collection should be exhibited free to one and all. The renovations cost about £5.95 million, so don't be surprised that they have a good-will offering suggestion! Before we got to the greatest of the artworks or the newly-refurbished library, we stopped to examine an Adam fireplace and the handsome staircase.

The library as it was when I first saw it, was certainly a room justly famous as representative of the work of the famous architect and designer Robert Adam. However, as it once appeared, left below in a file photo, the red carpeting overwhelmed the delicacy of the ceiling and wall decoration. At the right, see how the restoration restored the colors of the ceiling to their original hues. When you look at the restored version, you realize the former decor was rather gaudy, too much so for authentic Adam.

Above, left, the newer ceiling decor; right, the entrance to the library. Below, Left, Lord Mansfield above the fireplace (more about him later), right, a classic Adam touch, a mirrored alcove to reflect the light.

In the dining room the deep red walls are appropriate to the decor and the brilliant art, not to mention the chandelier (right). The painting above the fireplace is by Anthony Van Dyke, Princess Henrietta of Lorraine Attended by a Page.
Elsewhere in the Dining Room are two priceless masterpieces: left, Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of the Artist, and on the right, Johannes Vermeer, The Guitar Player.

The furniture is certainly equal to the paintings and the setting: a handsome sidetable, left; on the right, Edwin Landseer, The Hon. E. S. Russell and His Brother, 1834. Children love this painting of the boys on their ponies with their dogs. Below, a portrait of William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, by David Martin, 1775, hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. A copy hangs in Kenwood (see above). At the right, a double portrait of Elizabeth Murray and Dido Bell, cousins, once attributed to Johann Zoffany, but currently unattributed; the version hanging at Kenwood is a copy of the original, which can be seen in Scone Palace, Perthshire, Scotland. This painting of Lord Mansfield's wards has long fascinated art experts and social commentators. Dido Bell was the subject of a 2013 film exploring her life and times.
Lord Mansfield was the Lord Chief Justice of Britain and authored the decision that slaves who entered Britain were no longer subject to the orders of their former masters. For this and other important judicial rulings, he was made the 1st Earl of Mansfield.

Left. Angelica Kauffman, RA, The Disarming of Cupid. Kauffman was an excellent painter and did many Georgian interior medallions and other paintings -- and is, in my opinion, quite underrated. Right, a Carlton House Desk; the original was supposedly designed for the Prince of Wales by George Hepplewhite; These were very popular and are found in many country houses in England.
Most of the Old Master paintings in the house are part of the Iveagh Bequest. Lord Iveagh purchased Kenwood to house his substantial collection and bequeathed it to the nation in 1927. Sadly, he passed away before the installation was complete. Below, the Music Room on the left and on the right, Miss Murray by Sir Thomas Lawrence, painted 1824-26.

Above, left, John Hoppner, Mrs. Jordan as Viola from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, c.1785-92; right, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Kitty Fisher as Cleopatra Dissolving the Pearl, 1759.
Below, left, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mrs. Musters as "Hebe", 1782. Another version of this work can be seen in the staircase of Highclere Castle, sometimes in evidence in scenes from Downton Abbey. Right, Sir Joshua Reynolds, The Brummell Children, 1782

Above, left, Main Entrance of Kenwood House; right, the Dairy on the grounds. Below, left, walking the paths; left, the view of London from Hampstead Heath.

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The Ringling Museum's British Treasures

5/26/2015

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The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota is operated by the State of Florida, housing the bequests of the Ringling family and others. Left is a view of the interior courtyard. Recently, the entire museum was renovated and its collections rehung.
Well worth a visit!

Of course I am particularly partial to the British paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries. Above Left is my photo of the Joshua Reynolds portrait of John Manners, Marquis of Granby, 1766. Sir Joshua (1723-92) was the first president of the Royal Academy of Art in London. Right, his colleague and competitor, Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), who painted this equestrian portrait of Lt. General Philip Honywood.
Below, Benjamin West's historical painting of Agrippina and Her Children Mourning over the Ashes of Germanicus, 1773. West (1738-1820), born in America, succeeded Reynolds as President of the RA. Right, George IV When Prince of Wales attributed to John Hoppner (1758-1810). This colorful portrait of the man who would be Prince Regent for his father, George III, for nine years, truly characterizes him as a dedicated, if self-indulgent, connoisseur of the arts. Click on the pictures for full size images.

Above L, Mr. Hope Vere of Blackwood, c. 1805, by Henry Raeburn (1756-1823); M, The Sisters (Georgina and Elizabeth Reay of Killingworth Hall, Northumberland) by George Watson (1767-1837); Mrs. George Frederick Stratton nee Anne d'Ewwes, 1811, by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769 -1830).
Below, The Sirens, 1870, unfinished, by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898); R, Roman Courtship, by William Ernest Reynolds-Stephens (1862-1943).

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At Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon 4/25/15 in Milwaukee

4/27/2015

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Great weekend at the Reader Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by Barbara Vey in Milwaukee.
Hundreds of readers and authors , books galore, and fun for all. Barbara has been holding these wonderful events for four years, each one bigger and better than the last. Watch her site for info on 2016. And sign up immediately if you want to attend.

Featured speaker was Tess Gerritsen, author of many medical thrillers and inspiration for the TNT series Rizzoli and Isles. She gave a marvelous and funny talk about her experiences -- sometimes in morgues! In the left is Shari Anton and on the right is me. Tess is the doll in the center!

I sat at Lori Handeland;'s table and she gave us all hats, brooms to ride, and lots of other swag (potions!) in recognition of her new series, Sisters of the Craft, coming this summer. Look for In the Air Tonight in June 2015, Heat of the Moment in July, and Smoke on the Water in August. Three sisters lost toi time...Can they find what they desire most? On the left, author Anne Stratton, center Lori, right, Joy Molter -- and lots of others enjoyed the table too.

On Friday, lots of volunteers packed 500 bags with free books and swag from many authors. In the evening there was an author question night for the public, followed by a booksigning and lots of chatting.

The Wisconsin Romance Writers (WisRWA) held a simultaneous conference with excellent workshops. One the left is Liz Lincoln Steiner; center, Barbara Vey, right, Liz Czukas. The two Lizes chaired the WisRWA event and did a great job.

And I got to touch base with Ki Pha who attended --
a pal from the Duke of Wellington Tour last September. We shared pizza time! Next year, Ki???

Now a bunch of random shots -- most of the time I was having too much fun to remember the camera. But signing gave me a moment or two -- top down, l to r:
Eloisa James books, but one is a cookie! Terri Brisbin, Shari Anton, Mary Burton, and Kathryn Albright; Lori Handeland; Jason Mott; Eileen Dreyer; Maggie Mae Gallagher, Eileen, Vicky, and Shari

WisRWA pics from the conference: I love Thor!; Lots of the Gang; President Virginia McCullough; Barbara Britton achieved PAN status; more of the gang; Mary Buckham signing; Mary and me; Where did these guys come from???

Special thanks to our heroine, Barbara Vey, the best friend readers and authors can ever have!!

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SUSANA ELLIS: THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND'S BALL

4/16/2015

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I am delighted to welcome Susana Ellis to my blog; she is one of my fellow authors in Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles: A Celebration of Waterloo. In fact, she was the instigator and one of the hardest working of our jolly band. So thanks to Susana for her leadership. She, like almost all of us, is fascinated with the famous ball held on the night before the conflict began. Please welcome Susana.

June 15, 1815

The escaped emperor had marched into Paris nearly three months ago. Rumors abounded that he was heading north, that he had crossed the border with Belgium, that his Grande Armée was enormous and would crush the ragtag allied army that Wellington was still assembling in Brussels. Frightened English citizens were fleeing to Antwerp to find a packet to England. Horses were scarce. Fear was running rampant through the city.

So why on earth would anyone decide to hold a ball that evening? Lady Richmond was the wife of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, who commanded a reserve force assigned to protect Brussels from a French invasion.

According to Lady Georgiana, a daughter of the Richmonds:
My mother’s now famous ball took place in a large room on the ground-floor on the left of the entrance, connected with the rest of the house by an ante-room. It had been used by the coach-builder, from whom the house was hired, to put carriages in, but it was papered before we came there; and I recollect the paper—a trellis pattern with roses. … At the ball supper I sat next to the Duke of Wellington, when he gave me an original miniature of himself painted by a Belgian artist.

Lady Louisa, another daughter of the Richmonds wrote this:
I well remember the Gordon Highlanders dancing reels at the ball. My mother thought it would interest foreigners to see them, which it did. I remember hearing that some of the poor men who danced in our house died at Waterloo. There was quite a crowd to look at the Scotch dancers.

Excerpts from Wellington: The Years of the Sword, Elizabeth Longford, 1969

The most famous ball in history was the climax of Wellington’s psychological warfare which always involved ‘pleasure as usual’. The question of holding it or not had first come up in May.
‘Duke,’ said the Duchess of Richmond one day, ‘I do not wish to pry into your secrets … I wish to give a ball, and all I ask is, may I give my ball? If you say, “Duchess, don’t give your ball”, it is quite sufficient, I ask no reason.’
‘Duchess, you may give your ball with the greatest safety, without fear of interruption.’ At that date, indeed, the Duke had intended to give a ball himself on 21 June, the second anniversary of the battle of Vitoria. Operations were not expected to begin before 1 July …
That very afternoon [the day of the ball] there had been a close run thing, though a small one, at Quatre Bras. Prince Bernhard of Saxe-Weimer with 4,000 infantry and eight guns had occupied on his own initiative the empty crossroads at Quatre Bras and had easily driven off 1,700 French skirmishers unsupported by artillery … Neither Ney nor Wellington knew anything of the crisis which had come and gone. Ney, only just recalled by Napoleon to his post from having been rusticated in the country, was still getting his bearings. All Wellington knew was that the Prince of Orange, who was now dancing at the ball, had reported all quiet on the Nivelles-Namur chaussée earlier in the day.
It has often been asked why Wellington did not cancel the ball at 3 p.m. instead of going to hear the fiddlers while Rome burned … Apart from Wellington’s extreme sensitivity to the chances of a stab in the back, his place was in Brussels. Having at last redirected his whole army towards Quatre Bras, nothing more remained for him to do that night. He was personally to lead out the reserve in the morning. Orders had still to be distributed among officers in Brussels and personal interviews held. Why not under the convenient camouflage and at the ready-made rendezvous of a ball? This was to be Wellington’s explanation to his friends during later post-mortems of Waterloo …
Morale-building, duty, convenience – they all played their part in getting Wellington at the ball. Why not admit that the Irish devil in him wanted to go? He would go; and see ‘those fellows’ damned …
The ball-room, situated on the ground floor of the Richmonds’ rented house in the rue de la Blanchissserie, had been transformed into a glittering palace with rose-trellised wallpaper, rich tent-like draperies and hangings in the royal colours of crimson, gold and black, and pillars wreathed in ribbons, leaves and flowers. Byron’s ‘lamps’ were the most magnificent chandeliers and the list of chivalry, if not beauty, was headed by H.R.H. the Prince of Orange, G.C.B. All the ambassadors, generals and aristocrats and dashing young officers were present …
Wellington arrived ‘rather late’ at the entrance, where streams of light poured through the open windows into the warm streets and over the thronged carriages. In the ball-room, those officers whose regiments were at any distance were already beginning to slip away quietly. The seventeen-year-old Lady Georgiana Lennox was dancing … She immediately broke off and went up to Wellington to ask whether the rumours were true …
‘Yes they are, we are off tomorrow.’ As this terrible news (Georgiana’s words) rapidly circulated, the ball-room was like a hive someone had kicked: an excited buzz arose from all the tables and elegantly draped embrasures.
… Lady Dalrymple-Hamilton, who sat for some time beside Wellington on a sofa, was struck by his preoccupied and anxious expression beneath the assumed gaiety. ‘Frequently, in the middle of a sentence he stopped abruptly and called to some officer, giving him directions, in particular to the Duke of Brunswick and Prince of Orange who both left the ball before supper’ [she later recalled to Sir Herbert Maxwell]. But even the lady on the sofa did not suspect the degree of drama with which the Prince of Orange’s departure was attended.
Shortly before supper … a dispatch was brought in … from Quatre Bras for the Prince of Orange. The message, dated about 10 p.m. that night, announced the repulse of Prussian forces from Fleurus on the road north-east of Charleroi, and less than eight miles as the crow flies from Quatre Bras. As soon as Wellington had read this enlightening but grim piece of news he recommended the prince to miss supper and return straight to his headquarters in the field.
… Wellington kept up an animated and smiling conversation for twenty minutes more, when a lesser man would have fled.
… At last, the necessary interval was up and Wellington turned casually towards the Duke of Richmond.
‘I think it is time for me to go to bed likewise …’ The party rose and moved into the hall.

A few notable attendees
·         Prince of Orange, unsuccessful suitor of the Prince Regent’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, nicknamed “Slender Billy”
·         Prince Frederick of Orange, younger brother of the Prince of Orange, who had command of a fall-back position near Braine during the battle
·         Duke of Brunswick, brother of Caroline, estranged wife of the Prince Regent. He left the ball eager to show off his fighting ability and was killed the next day.
·         General Alava of Spain, who holds the distinction of having fought at Trafalgar (against Wellington) and Waterloo (with Wellington, as the envoy of King William I of the Netherlands
·         The Earl and Countess Conyngham and their daughter Lady Elizabeth (Lady Conyngham was George IV’s last mistress)
·         The Duke of Wellington
·         Mr. and Lady Frances Webster (who reportedly had a fling with the duke in Brussels)
·         Sir Henry and Lady Susan Clinton. Sir Henry’s father was commander-in-chief of the British forces during the American Revolution. Sir Henry was Lieutenant-General and commanded the 2nd Division.
·         The Earl of Uxbridge, second in command to Wellington, who commanded the cavalry. The leg he lost became somewhat of a tourist attraction.
·         The Earl of March, Charles Lennox-Gordon, son of the hosts of the ball, who was aide-de-camp to the Prince of Orange.
·         Lieutenant-General Thomas Picton, who commanded the 5th Division, killed at Waterloo.

Below: The Duchess of Richmond's Ball by Hillingford

Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles: A Celebration of Waterloo

June 18, 1815 was the day Napoleon Bonaparte's Grande Armée was definitively routed by the ragtag band of soldiers from the Duke of Wellington's Allied Army in a little Belgian town called Waterloo. The cost in men's lives was high—22,000 dead or wounded for the Allied Army and 24,000 for the French. But the war with Napoleon that had dragged on for a dozen years was over for good, and the British people once more felt secure on their island shores.

The bicentenary of the famous battle seemed like an excellent opportunity to use that setting for a story, and before I knew it, I had eight other authors eager to join me, and to make a long story short, on April 1, 2015 our Waterloo-themed anthology was released to the world.

You are all invited to
· our Website and Facebook Page
· our Rafflecopter (ends April 18th) -- Giveaway
1 Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles mug (above)

Our Stories:

Jillian Chantal: Jeremiah’s Charge
Emmaline Rothesay has her eye on Jeremiah Denby as a potential suitor. When Captain Denby experiences a life-altering incident during the course of events surrounding the Battle of Waterloo, it throws a damper on Emmaline’s plans.

Téa Cooper: The Caper Merchant
The moon in Gemini is a fertile field of dreams, ideas and adventure and Pandora Wellingham is more than ready to spread her wings. When Monsieur Cagneaux, caper merchant to the rich and famous, introduces her to the handsome dragoon she believes her stars have aligned.

Susana Ellis: Lost and Found Lady
Catalina and Rupert fell in love in Spain in the aftermath of a battle, only to be separated by circumstances. Years later, they find each other again, just as another battle is brewing, but is it too late?

Aileen Fish: Captain Lumley’s Angel
Charged with the duty of keeping his friend’s widow safe, Captain Sam Lumley watches over Ellen Staverton as she recovers from her loss, growing fonder of her as each month passes. When Ellen takes a position as a companion, Sam must confront his feelings before she’s completely gone from his life.

Victoria Hinshaw: Folie Bleue
On the night of the 30th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Aimée, Lady Prescott, reminisces about meeting her husband in Bruxelles on the eve of the fighting. She had avoided the dashing scarlet-clad British officers, but she could not resist the tempting smile and spellbinding charm of Captain Robert Prescott of the 16th Light Dragoons who— dangerously to Aimée— wore blue.

Heather King: Copenhagen’s Last Charge
When Meg Lacy finds herself riding through the streets of Brussels only hours after the Battle of Waterloo, romance is the last thing on her mind, especially with surly Lieutenant James Cooper. However, their bickering uncovers a strange empathy – until, that is, the lieutenant makes a grave error of judgment that jeopardizes their budding friendship...

Christa Paige: One Last Kiss
The moment Colin held Beatrice in his arms he wanted one last kiss to take with him into battle and an uncertain future. Despite the threat of a soldier’s death, he must survive, for he promises to return to her because one kiss from Beatrice would never be enough.

Sophia Strathmore: A Soldier Lay Dying
Amelia and Anne Evans find themselves orphaned when their father, General Evans, dies. With no other options available, Amelia accepts the deathbed proposal of Oliver Brighton, Earl of Montford, a long time family friend. When Lord Montford recovers from his battle wounds, can the two find lasting love?

David W. Wilkin: Not a Close Run Thing at All
It had been a decade. Now, Robert had come back into her life, shortly before battle was to bring together more than three hundred thousand soldiers. They had but moments after all those years, and now, would they have any more after?

Excerpt from "Lost and Found Lady"
by Susana Ellis

September 14, 1793
A beach near Dieppe, France

“I don’t like the look of those clouds, monsieur,” Tobias McIntosh said in fluent French to the gray-bearded old man in a sailor hat waiting impatiently near the rowboat that was beginning to bob more sharply with each swell of the waves. “Are you sure your vessel can make it safely all the way to Newhaven in these choppy seas?”

The old man waved a hand over the horizon. “La tempête, it is not a threat, if we leave immédiatement. Plus tard…” He shrugged. “Je ne sais pas.”

“Please, mon amour,” pleaded the small woman wrapped in a hooded gray cloak standing at his side. “Allow me to stay with you. I don’t want to go to England. I promise I will be prudent.”

A strong gust of wind caught her hood and forced it down, revealing her mop of shiny dark locks. Tobias felt like seizing her hand and pulling her away from the ominous waves to a place of safety where she and their unborn child could stay until the senseless Terreur was over.

“Justine, ma chère, we have discussed this endlessly. There is no place in France safe enough for you if your identity as the daughter of the Comte d’Audet is discovered.” He shivered. “I could not bear it if you were to suffer the same fate at the hands of the revolutionaries as your parents did when I failed to save them.”

She threw her arms around him, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. “Non, mon amour, it was not your fault. You could not have saved them. It was miraculeux that you saved me. I should have died with them.”

She looked up to catch his gaze, her face ashen. “Instead, we met and have had three merveilleux months together. If it is my time to die, I wish to die at your side.”

Tobias felt like his heart was going to break. His very soul demanded that the two of them remain together and yet… there was a price on both their heads, and the family of the Vicomte Lefebre was waiting for him in Amiens, the revolutionaries expected to reach them before midday. It was a dangerous work he was involved in—rescuing imperiled French nobility from bloodthirsty, vengeful mobs—but he had pledged himself to the cause and honor demanded that he carry on. And besides, there was now someone else to consider.

“The child,” he said with more firmness than he felt. “We have our child to consider, now, Justine ma chère. The next Earl of Dumfries. He must live to grow up and make his way in the world.”

Not to mention the fact that Tobias was human enough to wish to leave a child to mark his legacy in the world—his and Justine’s. He felt a heaviness in his heart that he might not live long enough to know this child he and Justine had created together. He could not allow his personal wishes to undermine his conviction. Justine and the child must survive.

Justine’s blue eyes filled with tears. “But I cannot! I will die without you, mon cher mari. You cannot ask it of me!”

“Justine,” he said, pushing away from her to clasp her shoulders and look her directly in the eye. “You are a brave woman, the strongest I have ever known. You have survived many hardships and you can survive this. Take this letter to my brother in London, and he will see to your safety until the time comes that I can join you. My comrades in Newhaven will see that you are properly escorted.”

He handed over a letter and a bag of coins. “This should be enough to get you to London.”

After she had reluctantly accepted and pocketed the items beneath her cloak, he squeezed her hands.

“Be sure to eat well, ma chère. You are so thin and my son must be born healthy.”

She gave him a feigned smile. “Our daughter is the one responsible for my sickness in the mornings… I do not believe she wishes me to even look at food.”

She looked apprehensively at the increasingly angry waves as they tossed the small boat moored rather loosely to a rock on the shore and her hands impulsively went to her stomach.

“Make haste, monsieur,” the old sailor called as he peered anxiously at the darkening clouds. “We must depart now if we are to escape the storm. Bid your chère-amie adieu maintenant or wait for another day. I must return to the bateau.”
thanks “Tobias,” she said, her voice shaking.

He wondered if he would ever again hear her say his name with that adorable French inflection that had drawn him from their first meeting.

“Go, Justine. Go to my family and keep our child safe. I promise I will join you soon.”

He scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the dinghy, trying to ignore her tears. The old sailor held the boat as still as he could while Tobias placed her on the seat and kissed her hard before striding back to the shore, each footstep heavier than the last.

He studied the darkening sky as the sailor climbed in the boat. “You are sure it is safe?”

“La Chasseresse, she is très robuste. A few waves will not topple her, monsieur.”

“Je t’aime, mon amour,” she said to him plaintively, her chin trembling.

“Au revoir, ma chère,” he said, trying to smile, although his vision was blurring from tears.

Will I ever see her again?

He stood watching as the dinghy made its way slowly through the choppy sea to the larger ship anchored in the distance, grief-stricken and unable to concentrate on anything but his pain. When the ship finally sailed off into the horizon, he fell to his knees and prayed as he had never done before for the safety of his beloved. He remained in that position until drops of rain on his face reminded him of the Lefebre family waiting for him in Amiens.

With a deep breath, he rose and made his way to the nearby forest, where his horse waited, tied to a tree.

“Come, my friend. We have a long, wet journey ahead of us.”

Setting foot in the stirrup, he swung his leg over the saddle and urged the horse to a gallop, feeling his heart rip into pieces with every step away from his beloved.

About the Author

Susana has always had stories in her head waiting to come out, especially when she learned to read and her imagination began to soar. Voracious reading led to a passion for writing, and her fascination with romance and people of the past landed her firmly in the field of historical romance.

A teacher in her former life, Susana lives in Toledo, Ohio in the summer and central Florida in the winter. She is a member of the Central Florida Romance Writers and the Beau Monde chapters of RWA and Maumee Valley Romance Inc.

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Victoria Hinshaw, Author

Here I will share some of my articles on favorite topics, such as English Country Houses, the Regency Royals, Jane Austen, and the like. Some of these articles have been published elsewhere, probably on the blog I share with Kristine Hughes and Louisa
Cornell: numberonelondon.net

Enjoying Georgette Heyer, Doyenne of the Regency Romance

MEMOIRS OF AUTHOR FANNY BURNEY OF BRUSSELS IN THE TIME OF WATERLOO, PART II

AFTER THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO...

A ROYAL DAY OUT

On a sunny day last August, 2014, we had pre-booked tickets for a combined visit to the Royal Mews, the Queen's Gallery, and Buckingham Palace...that's about as Royal as it gets!

REVERBERATIONS FROM WATERLOO

WATERLOO: TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

A VISIT TO KENWOOD...

The Ringling Museum's British Treasures

At Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon 4/25/15 in Milwaukee

SUSANA ELLIS: THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND'S BALL

Victoria Hinshaw, Author

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