“A great many changes have happened in the neighbourhood, since you went away. Miss Lucas is married and settled. And one of my own daughters. I suppose you have heard of it; indeed, you must have seen it in the papers. It was in The Times and The Courier, I know; though it was not put in as it ought to be. It was only said, ’Lately, George Wickham, Esq. to Miss Lydia Bennet,’ without there being a syllable said of her father, or the place where she lived, or anything. It was my brother Gardiner’s drawing up too, and I wonder how he came to make such an awkward business of it. Did you see it?” – from Chapter 53 of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice
Often times when reading a Regency era book, one will find where there is an upcoming wedding announcement in the newspaper. Unfortunately, such was not the usual way it happened. I have digital copies of several newspapers from the time period, and only once did I see a mention of an upcoming marriage, and it was handled as part of the “gossip” column, along with who was seen at a particular event, etc. I do understand that The Herald carried more gossip about balls and fashionable gatherings, but I have never seen an actual copy of The Herald to know whether that is true.
Newspapers of the time period might mention a betrothal, but not the wedding itself. That duty was left to the vital statistics column, along with matters such as births and deaths, as well the weddings.
Taming Lord Truist: Book 2 of the Strong Regency Women Duo
“The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrecoverably gone.” – Jane Austen
Miss Eleanor Wilder has admired Lord Augustus Truist since she was a young girl. He had once protected her from an older boy who had meant to strike her. Now, she requires his protection again: This time, it is from her guardian, a cousin who means to marry Eleanor off to a man more that twice Ella’s age in order to keep Eleanor’s fortune in the family. As she will soon be one and twenty, Eleanor must convince Lord Truist to marry her himself, rather than see all her fortune go to a ne’er-do-well.
Lord Truist must save his family from disgrace and a touch of poverty by marrying an heiress of whom his mother approves, but he finds repugnant. However, when Miss Wilder offers him her fortune with no strings attached—a marriage of convenience—how can he refuse? As his countess, the lady would have the protection she required, and he would have the freedom to enjoy his long-time mistress, Miss Sarah Darling, without complaints.
How was he to know that the new Lady Truist not only loved him but was quite perfect in ways he did not realize he required?
PreOrder Purchase Links:
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYLPJ72C
Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D93SZ418?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
Excerpt from Chapter Five:
“What did you wear for the wedding?” Julia asked as Mr. Speaks wheeled in a tea cart.
“Nothing fashionable,” Eleanor said. “At least, not by today’s standards. My grandmother still had my mother’s dress from when she married my father. It was my grandmother’s request that I wear it. I am confident August despised all the lace, but I could not deny Grandmother Reynolds’s request. Surprisingly, the dress fit quite well.”
“I think it sounds romantic,” Julia said. “Might we have champagne with supper, Mama?” his sister asked.
“Should we not be asking Augustus’s wife?” his mother responded.
“I would be grateful, ma’am, if you would continue in your role as mistress of the house. Though I tended my father’s home after my mother’s passing, as we were in mourning, we did not entertain. I still have much to learn of the task, and August has praised your service to both him and his father. I have no desire to replace you. In fact, as my own mother is no longer on this earth, I had hoped, though you may not think of me as a daughter, that you might consider me . . .”
“What?” his mother asked.
“In honesty, I have not a name for it,” Eleanor admitted. “Not a student, and, most assuredly, not a protégé. I suppose ‘friend’ will have to suffice.”
August watched his mother’s expressions. Eleanor had quite successfully befuddled Lady Lorraine Truist, backing her into a corner with a cup of “sweetness.” He thought he would never see such a day, but it had come. His wife wielded her “gentle” nature as if it were a heavy sword.
The rest of the evening had gone better than August could have hoped, as they likely had chronicled their coming together a half dozen times. He had spoken to the quality of the estate belonging to Eleanor’s father. “Perhaps, you might travel with me when I inspect the home farms at Wassar Hall,” he told Octavius. “We might consider some of the successes from Wassar to instill at Franklin Place and vice versa. Herts and Cambridge generally share the same type of weather. The Wilders’ land agent, a Mr. Centwell, spoke of a special sheep breeding plan they had developed on the estate.”
“I would be delighted,” his brother said. “Thank you, Eleanor, for opening new doors to us. It is difficult for August and me always to know what is best for Franklin Place, when we are accustomed to Lincolnshire climate and land. Our father only used Franklin Place as a summer estate, but, some day, it will be my home and the place where my family will reside.”
“I did nothing but pronounce my vows to your brother,” Eleanor protested. “Yet, I can honestly say my father would be excited to hear your hopes to learn from his beloved estate and for you to share what you have learned elsewhere to keep Wassar Hall prosperous. Thank you, August, for doing more than selling my father’s life’s work.”
“What shall the Hugos say of this marriage?” his mother asked the question August knew most pressing on her mind.
“First, I never offered Miss Hugo anything beyond the two times I danced with her. I never asked if I might call on her. Never rode out with the chit in the park. I have not even spoken to Lord Hugo in the House of Lords in the short time between the ball his wife hosted and today. I held no obligation to Miss Hugo. In fact, I believe the chit preferred Mr. Cardea to me. She assuredly did not wish to leave his side to dance with me the first time. She would have preferred to be Lady Truist rather than Mrs. Cardea, or I should say, her mother would have preferred a title for her daughter.”
His wife added meekly, “As for me, I am assuming, by today, the Hugos will have discovered I am no longer in the house.” Eleanor played with her fingers and her head was down in a submissive gesture, of which August did not approve.
“Would they not have known yesterday?” his mother asked in incredulity.
August reached for Eleanor’s hand and rested it gently in his lap. He meant to defend her. “You saw the gown in which the Hugos clothed Eleanor at the ball. Surely you noted, at the break for supper, Lady Hugo banished Eleanor from the ballroom, while using part of my wife’s inheritance to pay for, not only the food, but also the orchestra and the gown for Miss Hugo and the flowers.” He purposely brought the back of his wife’s hand to his lips to present her knuckles a gentle kiss.
“On the day of our marriage, Eleanor snuck out a small trunk with a couple of simple dresses and her feminine wear along with her mother’s jewels, which she has kept hidden from the Hugos for nearly two years. As Lady Hugo had ordered her to her room on Sunday evening to wait for Mr. Westlake’s arrival, we have no idea when they will realize she is no longer under their roof, but I am confident it will be sometime tomorrow when I demand a return of her personal belongings, those she did not bring to the marriage.”
“Such is not necessary,” Eleanor pleaded. “Our marriage will be shocking enough.”
“It is necessary, my dear. No one abuses my family. We cannot begin a lifetime together by permitting those of the nature of Lord and Lady Hugo to benefit from your good fortune. Nor should we permit them the upper hand in spreading rumors that I was caught seducing you or some such nonsense to save face, for Lady Hugo has spread the word that she expects me to propose to her daughter some time this week.”
Ignoring what he said, his mother said, “We should send around a notice of your marriage to the Times. With your permission, Augustus, I would send it over this evening. I am confident it could be in tomorrow’s edition under the section chronicling such events. In that manner, we may be ahead of the onslaught of insults we are likely to hear from the Hugos.”
“Lindmore and I mean to silence his lordship’s objections in the House of Lords. If Hugo does not take his family in hand, it will be a cold day in the Devil’s realm before he passes another bill in the Lords or finds even one member of his club with whom to play a hand of cards. Lady Hugo may find her husband spending more time with his . . .” August broke off rather than to embarrass his mother, sister, or Eleanor, though he suspected his wife knew something of the matter, nevertheless.”
“It is not necessary for you to take such measures. I promised not to be a trial on your time,” Eleanor begged.
“You are not a trial on my time,” he said emphatically. “Our agreement is not all for my benefit. I wish my wife to have what she deserves, and that is a voice in her future. In our future.”
You might also enjoy Loving Lord Lindmore: Book 1 of the Strong Regency Women Duo, which is on sale for $0.99 on Kindle until August 12.
LADY CORA TAKES SOCIETY BY STORM . . .
Lady Cora Midland, a highly-spirited country beauty, offers no pretensions, which wins many admirers, despite her lack of knowledge on how to manage the beau monde. However, Matthew Harrington believes she is taking advantage of his elderly grandmother, and he means to put a stop to the girl.
LORD MATTHEW LINDMORE IS IN DENIAL . . .
Lindmore reluctantly assists his grandmother in bringing Lady Cora out in Society. Yet, what appeared to be a daunting task becomes a transformation the earl does not expect. He finds the woman as delightful, as do others in the haut ton. Yet…
When Lady Cora is on the the verge of marrying another, Lindmore fears time will expire before he can speak his own proposal.
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTFSRB7R?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100
Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTLY847C?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
Audible (Virtual Voice Narration) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4WLKGZ
GIVEAWAY: I have 5 eBook copies to give away to those who comment on any or all the promotional posts for TAMING LORD TRUIST‘s release. The eBooks will be presented on August 12, the release date.
Every Woman Dreams... 
Congratulations! Taming Lord Truist sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to see how Eleanor comes between Lord Truist and his mistress!
She simply put him first, where Sarah puts herself first. Amazing how that works.
In the 1960s and 1970s where I grew up, engagements were published in the local newspapers. There was a nice article about who the happy couple was, who their parents were and when the wedding would take place. Originally the article had a lovely photo of the bride, but that eventually morphed into a picture of the couple. But the article wasn’t free. The bride paid for it.
I still have my wedding announcements from the newspapers at that time. Birth announcements were also there. They were submitted by the hospitals. Now, with all the at home births with a nurse, I wonder how that works.
Wonderful excerpt! I am looking forward to reading!!!! Congratulations
I like this book more than the one with Lady Lindmore.