Every Woman Dreams...

Use of “Marquess” vs. “Marquis” and My Newest Story, “Never Contradict a Lady” + the Release of “Regency Summer Melodies” + a Giveaway

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

In Great Britain and historically in Ireland, a marquess ranks below a duke and above an earl. A woman with the rank of wife to a marquess is a marchioness. The dignity, rank, or position of the title is a marquisate or marquessate. In France, they are marquis and marquise.

In Great Britain, and historically in Ireland, the spelling of this title is marquess. In Scotland, the French spelling marquis is sometimes used.

Until now, I have only written two heroes who were a “marquis” in my 70+ novels. The first was Gabriel Crowden, Marquis of Godown. Gabriel Crowden’s roots were from the French rule of England. He spoke French equally as well as most French men, and he is one of my favorite characters in my Realm series in Book 4, A Touch of Grace. Ironically (assuredly, not purposely), I named the marquess in Never Contradict a Lady “Gabriel” also. He was originally to be called “Andrew,” but “Gabriel” better fit a particular scene I included. The other marquis/marquess found in my books was an heir to a dukedom, not to a marquisate. His name was Huntington McLaughlin, the Marquess of Malvern. More irony here: Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep, of which Hunt is the hero, is the first book in a trilogy – followed by The Earl Claims His Comfort and Lady Chandler’s Sister. Perhaps, for me, a marquis only fits a series, not a stand alone book.

The British peerage system is a hierarchy of nobility. We who write historical novels often called them the “haut ton.” During the Regency era in England (approximately 1795-1837), “the Ton” referred to the upper echelons of British high society. The Ton was composed of the aristocracy, wealthy landowners, and prominent members of the social elite. Originally used in the context of upper class English society, ton meant the state of being fashionable, a fashionable manner or style, or something for the moment in vogue.

The second most senior rank in British peerages is a marquess, who is below a duke and above an earl. He oversees a marquessate. The title originated from the the word “mark” or “marsh.” In Great Britain, the title was first used to designate those who oversaw the “marshes” of Wales and Scotland.

In fact, throughout Europe, a marquess or marquis was to protect the frontier lands of the “march.” It was the duty of the lord to protect the country against enemy invaders. It is true that in some countries a “count” (equivalent to an English “earl”) and the marquess are equal in distinction, but a “count” was not charged with defending the borders, where his land customarily could be found.

Story Blurb: Ballerinas were never ladies in Regency London, but Miss Marian Cooper was different. She was a woman of substance, the type of female a miserable example of English “quality” required to make him man enough to inherit the title of Marquess of Coulter.

Marian and Gabriel’s story is part of the summer release of Regency Summer Melodies. PreOrder now. Releasing July 5, 2025 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD8FT6C4/

Giveaway: I have a total of 6 eBook copies of Regency Summer Melodies available to those who comment on the posts leading up to the July 5 release date. Winners will be chosen on July 7 and contacted by email.

Posted in Act of Parliament, book release, British history, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, England, Georgian Era, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, primogenture, publishing, reading, real life tales, Regency era, research, tradtions, writing | Tagged ballet, book release, British history, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, England, Georgian Era, history, marquess, novella, peerages, Publishing, reading, real-life tales, Regency Era, Summer Melodies, traditions, writing | Comments Off

Connection of “Rule Britannia!” to “Never Contradict a Lady” + the Release of “Regency Summer Melodies” + a Giveaway

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

A British patriotic song, “Rule, Britannia!” first came into print in the 1740 poem “Rule, Britannia” by James Thomson. It was set to music by Thomas Arne in the same year. Originally, the song was to be the final song of Thomas Arne’s masque called “Alfred.” The masque is about Alfred the Great. It makes more sense when one thinks not only about the name of the masque but the song title in the terms of Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886 and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899.

“Alfred” was first performed at Cliveden, the country home of Frederick, Prince of Wales on 1 August 1740. It was meant to commemorate the accession of Frederick’s grandfather George I and the birthday of the Princess Augusta. It was co-written by Jame Thomson and David Mallet.

This version is taken from The Works of James Thomson by James Thomson, Published 1763, Vol II, p. 191, which includes the entire text of Alfred.

When Britain first, at Heaven’s command
Arose from out the azure main;
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sung this strain:

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

The nations, not so blest as thee,
Must, in their turns, to tyrants fall;
While thou shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful, from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

Thee haughty tyrants ne’er shall tame:
All their attempts to bend thee down,
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

To thee belongs the rural reign;
Thy cities shall with commerce shine:
All thine shall be the subject main,
And every shore it circles thine.

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

The Muses, still with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair;
Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crown’d,
And manly hearts to guard the fair.

“Rule, Britannia! rule the waves:
“Britons never will be slaves.”

“Rule, Britannia!” developed a life of its own, separate from the masque where it initially found its footing. When it was first heard in London in 1745, it became instantly popular.

Have a listen:

Thomas Arne – Rule Britannia! – Tenor: Edmund Barham

British Patriot Song: Rule Britannia

‘Rule Britannia’ – Original 1740 Version of the song

Handel quoted it in his Occasional Oratorio in the following year, using the first phrase as part of the Act II soprano aria, “Prophetic visions strike my eye”, when the soprano sings it at the words “War shall cease, welcome peace!” [Scholes, Percy A (1970). The Oxford Companion to Music (tenth ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 898.]. Soon, the Jacobites took up the anthem to suit their own cause. [Pittock, Murray G. H (1994). Poetry and Jacobite Politics in Eighteenth-Century Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press. p. 83.]

First page of an 1890s edition of the sheet music ~ James Thompson (1700-1748) Thomas Augustine Arne (1710–1778) – The Songs of England, Volume I, Edited by J. L. Hatton, Boosey & Co, London (c. 1890s) ~ Public Domain ~ via Wikipedia

In 2000, David Armitage claimed the the song was a lasting expression of the conception of Britain and the British Empire as we think of it during the 18th and 19th centuries. “He equates the song with Bolingbroke‘s On the Idea of a Patriot King (1738), also written for the private circle of Frederick, Prince of Wales, in which Bolingbroke had “raised the spectre of permanent standing armies that might be turned against the British people rather than their enemies”. [Armitage, David (2000). The Ideological Origins of the British Empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 185.] “Hence British naval power could be equated with civil liberty, since an island nation with a strong navy to defend it could afford to dispense with a standing army which, since the time of Cromwell, was seen as a threat and a source of tyranny.”

“At the time it appeared, the song was not a celebration of an existing state of naval affairs, but an exhortation. Although the Dutch Republic, which in the 17th century presented a major challenge to English sea power, was obviously past its peak by 1745, Britain did not yet “rule the waves”, although, since it was written during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, it could be argued that the words referred to the alleged Spanish aggression against British merchant vessels that caused the war. The time was still to come when the Royal Navy would be an unchallenged dominant force on the oceans. The jesting lyrics of the mid-18th century would assume a material and patriotic significance by the end of the 19th century.” [Wikipedia]

Giveaway: I have 6 eBook copies of Regency Summer Melodies available to those who comment on the posts regarding this release. Winners will be announced on July 7, 2025, and contacted by email.

Regency Summer Melodies – Releasing 5 July 2025 – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD8FT6C4/

Posted in aristocracy, blog hop, book release, books, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, historical fiction, history, publishing, Regency era, research, writing | Tagged aristocracy, ballet, blog hop, book release, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, Georgian Era, giveaway, heroes, heroines, historical fiction, history, music, Publishing, Regency Era, Regency romance, research, writing | Comments Off

Charles Didelot and “Pointe” Ballet Shoes and “Never Contradict a Lady” + the Release of “Regency Summer Melodies” + a Giveaway

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

My story is the Summer Melodies anthology you may see below is called “Never Contradict a Lady,” and it is about a ballerina in the Royal Theatre during the Regency era. One of the first lesson I had to relearn was that ballerinas in the Regency did not have “pointe shoes.”

The “pointe shoe” is one of the first images that comes to mind when we consider a ballerina. My cover designer for this story and I were looking for something “authentic,” but, in reality, the few images available would not have convinced a modern reader to choose the book.

Images Can Be Found at https://pointemagazine.com/history-of-pointe-shoes/#gsc.tab=0

The long lines dancers attempt to display in the day is assuredly given “notice” when they rise up on their toes. It said that Charles Didelot first invented a pair of pointe shoes in 1795.

Marie Taglioni is often thought to be one of the first ballerinas to perfect the art of dancing on pointe. Her shoes were nowhere near as strong as today’s pointe shoes. She had to rely solely on the strength of her feet and ankles. The steps she performed on the tips of her toes where few and brief. As dancers strived to do more and more on pointe, the shoe evolved into something much stronger and more supportive. Anna Pavlova, a famous Russian ballerina, took it upon herself to create a better pointe shoe. She made the shank harder and flattened the box to help her balance longer and do more advanced steps on pointe. Her peers accused her of cheating but the audience loved her and her shoe became the basis for today’s pointe shoes. {Dance Talk}

The History of Pointe Shoes provides us this background information that goes with the image of Marie Camargo above. “During ballet’s creation in the courts of Europe, dancers wore heeled shoes in line with the era’s aesthetic. In the 1730s, Paris Opéra Ballet dancer Marie Camargo was the first to remove her shoes’ heels, forging the way for the soft slipper we know today. “Camargo is the transitional point between a heeled shoe and pointe shoe. She is the ballet slipper,” says Linda Murray, curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The slipper allowed Camargo to perform leaps and fast allégros that were not possible in heeled shoes, expanding movement vocabulary for ballerinas.”

Heritage Crafts tells us, “In the 1920s Mr Freed (a trained ballet shoe maker) and Mrs Freed (a milliner) developed a new approach to measuring and fitting ballet shoes. They also developed an approach to manufacturing that, by training workers to specialise in a particular technique, enabled the mass production of shoes at a reduced cost.

“Today, Freed of London remains one of the largest pointe shoe making companies in the world. They make all their shoes by hand and both their mass-produced stock shoes and bespoke shoes are made using exactly the same processes, meaning that both a beginner dancer and prima ballerina may be wearing shoes made by the same craftsperson. Each maker has their own cipher that is added to the shoe and many professional dancers will often develop a relationship with a particular maker. Freed has two factories in Hackney and Leicester, both of which make pointe shoes alongside other dance shoes and dancewear products.

“The Suffolk Pointe Shoe factory is located in Leicester. Suffolk is a family owned business operating in the village of Earl Shilton. Mark Suffolk, M.B.E. founded the company in 2000 after being in the pointe shoe industry for 18 years. Mark developed innovative making techniques to elevate a pointe shoe’s design while keeping classic making principles and traditional materials. Suffolk has become a full service ballet brand expanding into dance apparel and accessories, but is a pointe shoe company at heart. Suffolk shoes are best known in the US where they are a market leader. All Suffolk shoes are made by hand. Suffolk offers both stock shoes to dance retailers and bespoke shoes to professional dancers.”

Giveaway: I have 6 eBook copies of Regency Summer Melodies available to those who comment on any or all the promotional posts for this new book. Winners will be chosen on July 7, 2025, and contacted by email.

Regency Summer Melodies releases 5 July 2025. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD8FT6C4/

Posted in aristocracy, blog hop, book release, books, British history, dancing, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, hero, heroines, historical fiction, publishing, Regency era, Regency romance, writing | Tagged aristocracy, ballet, blog hop, book release, books, British history, dancing, Dreamstone Publishing, Georgian Era, giveaway, heroes, heroines, Publishing, Regency Era, Regency romance, writing | Comments Off

“Rosamond” by Thomas Arne in “Never Contradict a Lady” and the Release of “Regency Summer Melodies” + a Giveaway

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

In my latest story Never Contradict a Lady, my heroine is a ballet dancer in the Opera House in Regency London. Miss Marian Cooper begins as a minor dancer waving large feathers in the chorus, but her natural talent and athleticism leads her to one of the starring roles, along with the prima ballerina, Madame Caroline, and the French composer (what we now call a “choreographer”), Monsieur Rameau. Mademoiselle Marian has also drawn the notice of cousins: Mr. Patrick Isaac, the son of a baron, who is one of the opera’s patrons, as well as Lord Gabriel Bruck, the son of the Marquess of Coulter.

The theme of this summer’s anthology is Summer Melodies, and, in truth, I thought to write about a songstress or a heroine who played the harp or the pianoforte, but, you see, I truly no little about either. I am part of the Sputnik generation where we gave up the fine arts for advanced math and science. However, I do know something of dance, for I was crippled as a young child and dance was part of my therapy, so my heroine is a ballerina.

In my story, the final opera of the season is Thomas Arne’s “Rosamond.” This particular opera was first performed with a libretto by Joseph Addison at the Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre in London on 1 March 1733.

“Rosamund” was Arne’s first opera. He was 23 years of age at the time. It was a resetting of an earlier libretto Addison had written for the 1707 opera “Rosamund” by the composer Thomas Clayton. Arne’s sister and brother both made their opera debut in this work, with his sister Susannah playing the title role. The original cast include not only Susannah as Rosamund, but also Richard Leveridge, a singer, but also a composer of Baroque music, as Sir Trusty, Jane Barbier, a contralto best known for her performances of Handel’s operas, along with Isabella Chambers (Grideline) and Richard Arne (page). Its popular airs “Rise, Glory, Rise” was sung regularly for many years afterwards.

As a side note, Thomas Arne is well known in Great Britain for another accomplishment. He set to music James Thomson’s poem “Rule, Britannia”. The song was originally the final number in Arne’s masque, Alfred, about Alfred the Great. It was written to commemorate the accession of Frederick’s grandfather George I and the birthday of Princess Augusta. “Rule, Britannia” was the most lasting expression of the conception of Britain and the British Empire that emerged in the 1730s.

Giveaway: I have 6 eBook copies of Regency Summer Melodies for those who comment on the various posts regarding this release. Winners will be chosen on 7 July 2025 and winners will be contacted by email.

Regency Summer Melodies – releasing 5 July 2025 – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FD8FT6C4/

Posted in blog hop, book release, books, British history, dancing, Dreamstone Publishing, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, Great Britain, hero, heroines, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, Living in the UK, publishing, Regency era, Regency personalities, research, romance, theatre | Tagged aristocracy, book release, British history, dancing, Dreamstone Publishing, Georgian Era, giveaway, hero, heroine, historical fiction, opera, Regency Era, Regency personalities, research, romance, theatre, writing | Comments Off

Happy 249th Birthday America!!! Can You Answer the Questions All U.S. Citizens Should Know?

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

June | 2013 | What’s Happening @ ACPL
acplwhatshappening.wordpress.com

NEXT YEAR WILL BE 250 YEARS, BUT I THOUGHT I MIGHT RATTLE YOUR BRAIN A BIT BEFORE THEN.

Below is a sample of the types of questions one must master in order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States. Do you have what it takes??? On a recent survey, only 75% of those asked knew that the U.S. sought its independence from Great Britain. Only 53% knew in what year the U.S. declared its independence. The answerS follow each question, so do not cheat!

* If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that are marked with an asterisk.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Principles of American Democracy

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

A: The Constitution

2. What does the Constitution do?

A: sets up the government
A: defines the government
A: protects basic rights of Americans

3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

A: We the People

4. What is an amendment?

A: a change (to the Constitution)
A: an addition (to the Constitution)

5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

A. The Bill of Rights

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*

A: speech
A: religion
A: assembly
A: press
A: petition the government

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

A: twenty-seven (27)

8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?

A: declared our independence (from Great Britain)

9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

A: life
A: liberty
A: pursuit of happiness

10. What is freedom of religion?

A: A citizen may practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

11. What is the economic system in the United States?*

A: capitalist economy
A: market economy

12. What is the “rule of law”?

A: Everyone must follow the law.
A: Leaders must obey the law.
A: Government must obey the law.
A: No one is above the law.

System of Government

13. Name one branch or part of the government.*

A: Congress
A: legislative
A: President
A: executive
A: the courts
A: judicial

14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

A: checks and balances
A: separation of powers

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

A: the President

16. Who makes federal laws?

A: Congress
A: Senate and House (of Representatives)
A: (U.S. or national) legislature

17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

A: the Senate and House (of Representatives)

18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

A: one hundred (100) – 2 per each state

19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

A: six (6)

20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators?*

A: Answers will vary. [For District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories, the answer is that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.]

21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

A: four hundred thirty-five (435)

22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?

A: two (2)

23. Name your U.S. Representative.

A: Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress.]

24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?

A: all people of the state

25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

A: Number of representatives is based on the state’s population.

26. We elect a President for how many years?

A: four (4)

27. In what month do we vote for President?*

A: November

28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

A: Barack Obama

29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

A: Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

A: the Vice President

31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

A: the Speaker of the House

32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

A: the President

33. Who signs bills to become laws?

A: the President

34. Who vetoes bills?

A: the President

35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

A: advises the President

36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

A: Secretary of Agriculture
A: Secretary of Commerce
A: Secretary of Defense
A: Secretary of Education
A: Secretary of Energy
A: Secretary of Health and Human Services
A: Secretary of Homeland Security
A: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
A: Secretary of Interior
A: Secretary of State
A: Secretary of Transportation
A: Secretary of Treasury
A: Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs
A: Secretary of Labor
A: Attorney General

37. What does the judicial branch do?

A: reviews laws
A: explains laws
A: resolves disputes (disagreements)
A: decides if a law goes against the Constitution

38. What is the highest court in the United States?

A: the Supreme Court

39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

A: nine (9)

40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?

A: John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.)

41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

A: to print money
A: to declare war
A: to create an army
A: to make treaties

42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

A: provide schooling and education
A: provide protection (police)
A: provide safety (fire departments)
A: give a driver’s license
A: approve zoning and land use

43. Who is the Governor of your state?

A: Answers will vary. [Residents of the District of Columbia and U.S. territories without a Governor should say “we don’t have a Governor.”]

44. What is the capital of your state?*

A: Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]

45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*

A: Democratic and Republican

46. What is the political party of the President now?

A: Democratic (Party)

47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

A: John Boehner

Rights and Responsibilities

48. There are four amendments to the Constitution regarding who can vote. Describe one of them.

A: Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
A: You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
A: Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
A: A male citizen of any race (can vote).

49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

A: serve on a jury
A: vote

50. What are two rights only for United States citizens?

A: apply for a federal job
A: vote
A: run for office
A: carry a U.S. passport

51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

A: freedom of expression
A: freedom of speech
A: freedom of assembly
A: freedom to petition the government
A: freedom of worship
A: the right to bear arms

52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

A: the United States
A: the flag

53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

A: give up loyalty to other countries
A: defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
A: obey the laws of the United States
A: serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
A: serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
A: be loyal to the United States

54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*

A: eighteen (18) and older

55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

A: vote
A: join a political party
A: help with a campaign
A: join a civic group
A: join a community group
A: give an elected official your opinion on an issue
A: call Senators and Representatives
A: publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
A: run for office
A: write to a newspaper

56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*

A: April 15

57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?

A: at age eighteen (18)
A: between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26)

AMERICAN HISTORY

Colonial Period and Independence

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

A: personal freedom
A: political liberty
A: religious freedom
A: economic opportunity
A: escape persecution

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

A: Native Americans

60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

A: Africans

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

A: because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
A: because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
A: because they didn’t have self-government

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

A: (Thomas) Jefferson

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

A: July 4, 1776

64. There were 13 original states. Name three.

A: New Hampshire
A: Massachusetts
A: Rhode Island
A: Connecticut
A: New York
A: New Jersey
A: Pennsylvania
A: Delaware
A: Maryland
A: Virginia
A: North Carolina
A: South Carolina
A: Georgia

65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

A: The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.

66. When was the Constitution written?

A: 1787

67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

A: (James) Madison
A: (Alexander) Hamilton
A: (John) Jay
A: Publius

68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

A: U.S. diplomat
A: oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
A: first Postmaster General of the United States
A: writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
A: started the first free libraries

69. Who is the “Father of Our Country”?

A: (George) Washington

70. Who was the first President?*

A: (George) Washington

1800s in America

71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?

A: the Louisiana Territory

72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.

A: War of 1812
A: Mexican-American War
A: Civil War
A: Spanish-American War

73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.

A: the Civil War
A: the War between the States

74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

A: slavery
A: economic reasons
A: states’ rights

75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

A: freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
A: saved (or preserved) the Union
A: led the United States during the Civil War

76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

A: freed slaves in the Confederate states

77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

A: fought for women’s rights
A: fought for civil rights

Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information

78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*

A: World War I
A: World War II
A: Korean War
A: Vietnam War
A: (Persian) Gulf War

79. Who was President during World War I?

A: (Woodrow) Wilson

80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?

A: (Franklin) Roosevelt

81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?

A: Japan, Germany and Italy

82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

A: World War II

83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?

A: Communism

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

A: Civil Rights (movement)

85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr., do?*

A: fought for civil rights
A: worked for equality for all Americans

86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

A: Terrorists attacked the United States

87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

[Adjudicators will be supplied with a complete list. The one below is no exclusive.]

A: Cherokee
A: Navajo
A: Sioux
A: Chippewa
A: Choctaw
A: Pueblo
A: Apache
A: Iroquois
A: Creek
A: Blackfeet
A: Seminole
A: Cheyenne
A: Arawak
A: Shawnee
A: Mohegan
A: Huron
A: Oneida
A: Lakota
A: Crow
A: Teton
A: Hopi
A: Inuit

INTEGRATED CIVICS

Geography

88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.

A: Missouri (River)
A: Mississippi (River)

89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?

A: Pacific (Ocean)

90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

A: Atlantic (Ocean)

91. Name one U.S. territory.

A: Puerto Rico
A: U.S. Virgin Islands
A: American Samoa
A: Northern Mariana Islands
A: Guam

92. Name one state that borders Canada.

A: Maine
A: New Hampshire
A: Vermont
A: New York
A: Pennsylvania
A: Ohio
A: Michigan
A: Minnesota
A: North Dakota
A: Montana
A: Idaho
A: Washington
A: Alaska

93. Name one state that borders Mexico.

A: California
A: Arizona
A: New Mexico
A: Texas

94. What is the capital of the United States?*

A: Washington, D.C.

95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*

A: New York (Harbor)
A: Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]

Symbols

96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

A: because there were 13 original colonies

97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*

A: because there is one star for each state

98. What is the name of the national anthem?

A: The Star-Spangled Banner

Holidays

99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*

A: July 4

100. Name two national U.S. holidays.

A: New Year’s Day
A: Martin Luther King, Jr., Day
A: Presidents’ Day
A: Memorial Day
A: Independence Day
A: Labor Day
A: Columbus Day
A: Veterans Day
A: Thanksgiving
A: Christmas

NOTE: The questions above will be asked of applicants who file for naturalization on or after October 1, 2008.

Posted in America, American History, citizenship test | Tagged American government, geography, integrated civics, Naturalization Test, Principles of Democracy, U.S. Citizenship | Comments Off

Celebrating the Release of “Lyon in the Way,” Book 1 of My New Regency Romantic Suspense/Mystery Series from Dragonblade Publishers

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

Meet Lord Richard Orson, the oldest of the five “sons” of Lord Macdonald Duncan. None of the men are Lord Duncan’s real sons, for Duncan’s wife, Lady Elsbeth, died in child birth with their son. The two of them readily selected three boys: Lord Richard Orson, Lord Aaran Graham, and Lord Navan Beaufort. After Lady Elsbeth’s passing, Duncan claimed custody of two others: Lord Alexander Dutton (Lord Marksman) and Lord Benjamin Thompson. Each young lord came into Duncan’s household somewhere between the ages of 9 to 13.

Duncan is an elected Scottish lord to the British Parliament and leader of the Scottish delegation. He is also heavily involved in the Home Office for the English government, working to prevent sedition and various other crimes plaguing the populace. All the stories are set in 1812 and the early part of of 1813. He has trained each son to be an agent for the Home Office.

The first we will meet is the oldest, Lord Richard Orson. Remember, each youth who comes to live with Duncan has experience an attack on his person and their family unit. The young lords survive with the assistance of Lord Duncan, who insures that they will not only inherit, but they will be powerful lords of the Realm.

What might I tell you about Lord Orson? First, at age 26, he is the eldest of Duncan’s sons. As you can view for yourself, he is exceedingly handsome. He has an interest in studying the galaxy and the stars. He was very resentful of having been placed under Duncan’s guardianship, but that was because he did not not understand his uncle’s desire to kill him. His parents died within a year of each other, but neither was particularly involved in his life as a child; in fact, it was when he came to stay with Duncan and Lady Elsbeth that he finally recognized the intrinsic value of “family.”

Our Lord Orson holds a distinct interest in Lady Emma Donoghue, even before he actually meets her, not that he will admit it to anyone, not even to himself. Lady Emma’s father is a diplomat on the Continent, and she lives alone in the Donoghue House, with only servants for company. She, along with several other bluestockings, have become quite outspoken in their beliefs regarding female disenfranchisement, going so far as to block gentlemen from entering their social clubs. Lady Emma is ALL that is WRONG for Richard, who holds aspirations of one day holding a prominent place in government, but …

Each of the five books of this series begins with the same scene outside of the infamous Lyon’s Den. The scenes are told from the point of view of the hero of that particular book. With each new book, the reader will learn more and more of the details of the attack on Lord Duncan.

Each book in the series can stand alone as a romantic suspense, but there is a mystery that overlaps all five that will culminate in book 5.

The year 1812 was chosen as the backdrop for all these tales, for it is the year in which Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is shot in the halls of Parliament. Moreover, the United Irish Men were active, as well as the Luddites, and a few other less well-known “uproars” were brought to justice, just the kind of thing a group of men associated with the Home Office would wish to see settled.

So, meet Lord Richard Orson!!! Is he not dreamy?

One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.

For over a year, Lord Richard Orson has been quietly captivated by the unconventional Lady Emma Donoghue. Headstrong, brilliant, and unapologetically involved in causes that rattle Society’s comfort, Emma is nothing like the debutantes he’s expected to court.

But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.

Someone wants Emma silenced. And now, Richard has only moments to uncover the truth, protect her from harm, and keep her out of scandal’s reach. But staying focused is harder than he imagined—especially when every glance, every accidental touch, reminds him how perfectly she fits in his arms.

Tropes you’ll love:
Protective hero / damsel in distress (with a twist)
Bluestocking heroine
Rescue & recovery romance
Unlikely match / opposites attract
Slow burn with rising suspense
One bed (forced proximity)
Hero falls first

As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.

A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.

Purchase Link:

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Enjoy book one in a new series within The Lyon’s Den Connected world by Regina Jeffers.

Book 1 – Lyon in the Way
Book 2 – Lyon’s Obsession
Book 3 – Lyon in Disguise
Book 4 – Lost in the Lyon’s Garden
Book 5 – Lyon on the Inside

Posted in blog hop, book release, books, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, giveaway, hero, heroines, historical fiction, peerage, publishing, reading, Regency era, suspense, writing | Tagged book release, books, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, Georgian Era, giveaway, hero, heroines, historical mystery and suspense, Lyon in the Way, mystery, peerage, Regency Era, Regency romance, Romantic Suspense, suspense, writing | Comments Off

Claridge Hotel + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishers

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

It is only two more days until the release of the first book of my mystery/romantic suspense series for Dragonblade Publishers releases. The series, which I have nearly finished writing are in different stages of production. They will release three months apart beginning today, June 18 (Lyon in the Way), September 17 (Lyon’s Obsession), December 17 (Lyon in Disguise), and then in 2026, March 18 (Lost in the Lyon’s Garden) and, finally, June 20 (Lyon on the Inside). The first three are finished. I am currently working on book 4, though it is nearly finished. Book five has been in my head for MANY months now. If you do not know of Dragonblade Publishers, they are an author-owned group and specialize in historical romance (meaning pre 20th Century).

In this tale, part of the action takes place at the Claridge Hotel, an actual hotel, still in existence. The History & Heritage of Claridge tells us, “It started life as a single house, but Claridge’s was soon transformed into an art deco masterpiece favoured by royalty and the most distinguished figures of every generation.

“1800s, Small beginnings: William and Marianne Claridge are running a hotel in a single house at 51 Brook Street. In an ambitious move to expand their business, they buy the adjoining five buildings in 1854. Claridge’s opens in its own right in 1856.”

https://alinakfield.com/from-the-historical-research-files-regency-era-hotels/ ~ “I don’t want to go to heaven, I want to go to Claridge’s” said actor Spencer Tracy. Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0
File: Claridge’s Exterior with people.jpg

The Claridge was originally known as the Mirvat (which is what it is called in my tale). Mivart’s was known as London’s most posh hotel and was founded in 1812 in Mayfair. The original Regency rooms were situated in five sites of traditional terrace housing. At the corner of Brook and Davies streets, the location could not be beat for visitors to Town and the Season. [Regency Reader]

What becomes a bit confusing is that the Mirvat Hotel and the original Claridge Hotel were once side by side in terrace homes. Claridge’s was founded in 1812 as Mivart’s Hotel, in a conventional London terraced house, and it grew by expanding into neighbouring houses. In 1854, the founder of the Mirvat (the father of biologist St. George Jackson Mivart, who attempted to reconcile the theory of evolution as propounded by Charles Darwin with the beliefs of the Catholic Church, but was condemned by both Darwin and the Church) sold the hotel to a Mr and Mrs Claridge, who owned a smaller hotel next door. The Claridges combined the two operations, and after trading for a time as “Mivart’s late Claridge’s”, they settled on the current name.

Alina Fields has a description of hotel rooms that she found in a book about another famous hotel, the Clarendon. It is a travel diary, London Observed, A Polish Philosopher at Large, 1820-1824, by Krystyn Lach-Szyrma, tutor to two Polish princes. Here are some of the excerpts Ms. Fields shared from the book:

It is available for $51 on Amazon, but it was too much for my purse right now, as I am paying for three recent cancer surgeries. [Shoulder shrug!!!]

First, something of the authentic French cuisine shared by Ms. Fields:

On entering a hotel a traveler will be met by a fat doorkeeper, carrying a large silver-plated staff as a symbol of his position, who will tell him if there are any rooms available.

You go through halls and stairs covered with carpets which are so beautiful and clean that it is a pity you have to walk on them. Bedrooms are usually situated on the second floor and a drawing room on the first one… On a bed they use mattresses and one or two flannel blankets, under which they put a sheet, so that they do not rub the body…

The coffee was already made and placed on the table, but it was not good. English coffee is weaker than Polish and its taste is different because they do not roast it for long. So we could do nothing else but start to drink tea.

This image is 1898 (long after my story takes place), but I thought you might find it as interesting as did I. It is a menu from the Claridge Hotel for that year. I used it as inspiration for what my characters chose from the menu for their meal.

Other Resources:

Claridge’s (History of …)

Regency Reader

Laurie Benson’s A Cozy Drawing Room

British History on Line

The Shady Old Lady’s Guide to London

One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.

But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.

As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.

A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.

Purchase Link:

Posted in blog hop, book release, British history, buildings and structures, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, publishing, reading, real life tales, Regency era, research, writing | Tagged book release, British history, buildings and structures, Claridge Hotel, Dragonblade Publishers, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Mirvat Hotel, mystery, Publishing, real life tales, Regency Era, Regency romance, research, suspense, writing | Comments Off

Palmer’s Village? Where is it in Relation to London? What is its significance to “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishers

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

When I write a story, I love to add little “tidbits,” which, first, make the tale more interesting, and, secondly, adds to the reader’s knowledge. In my tale, Taming Lord Truist, I introduced my readers to a place a bit north of London, where Truist kept his long-time mistress. played a big part in a section of that tale.

A bit farther north of London, one finds Palmer’s Village. First, let us discover something about Palmer Street.

Nowadays, Palmer Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London that runs between Petty France in the north and Victoria Street in the south. It is crossed by Caxton Street and Butler Place. The lower half of Palmer Street, below Caxton Street, is pedestrianized. Of course, none of this was true for my tale. London was just beginning its scrawl. Palmer Street and Palmer Village were outside of London proper by several (meaning 10+) miles.

via Wikipedia ~ Palmer Street, London This otherwise unremarkable street is where the west exit from St. James’ Park station on the District and Circle Lines emerges, and as every London Geographer should know, it’s a very short walk to the National Map Centre, very probably the best map shop in the world. ~ CC BY-SA 2.0

The street is named after the priest and philanthropist James Palmer whose almshouses stood on the east side from 1654 to 1881. In the 19th century the lower part was known as Palmer’s Passage and the upper part as Gardner’s Lane.

The Abandoned Communities Website tells us, “In 1853 Charles Manby Smith wrote a quite wonderful description of “A Deserted Village in London”, a place known as Palmer’s Village. He tells us that he had lived in the village during many happy years of his youth, some twenty or thirty years earlier. He deplored the way that the village had been swallowed up by the expansion of London and then disappeared altogether when Victoria Street was created between 1845 and 1851.

“A Deserted Village in London” is a chapter in Charles Manby Smith’s “Curiosities of London Life”. You can read it on the Victorian London website.

“The story of Palmer’s Village begins in 1656 with the founding of a school for 20 boys and almshouses for 12 elderly people by Rev. James Palmer. I am going to take the liberty of quoting in full the tribute to James Palmer that formed part of his memorial when his remains were buried in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster:

“Heerunder is interred ye body of James Palmer Batchelor in Divinity borne in this parish of St Margarets in July 1595. A most pious and charitable man exprest in severall places by many remarkeable actions & particularly to this parish in building fayer almes houses for 12 poor olde people with a free school and a comodious habitation for the scoolmaster and a convenient chappell for prayers and preaching where he constantly for divers yeares before his death once a week gave a comfortable sermon. He indowed ye same with a competent yearly revinew of free hold estate comitted to ye trust & care of 10 considerable persons of ye place to be renewed as any dye. He cheerfully ended this life ye 5 of January 1659.

“Palmer’s almshouses were built at the western end of Westminster, adjacent to the burial ground for the parish of St Margaret’s. They occupied a strip of land at the north eastern corner of Tothill Fields, a large area of scattered market gardens among waste ground that became marshy during wet weather. A lot of shooting went on in Tothill Fields. Men would go there to practice shooting, an activity still commemorated in the name of Artillery Row. Those who lacked peaceful means of dealing with disputes would go there to resolve their quarrels by duelling.”

http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/palmer’s%20village.html

One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.

But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.

As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.

A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.

Purchase Link:

Posted in blog hop, book release, books, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, Living in the Regency, mystery, publishing, Regency era, Regency romance, research, suspense | Tagged almshouses, blog hop, book release, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, Georgian Era, historical fiction, history, London streets, mystery, Palmer Village, Publishing, Regency Era, Regency romance, suspense, writing | Comments Off

Robert Hodgson, Rector of St George’s of Hanover Square: Small Facts to Make a Story Realistic + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishing

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

“St George’s Hanover Square,” aquatint, by T. Malton. Dated 1787. Courtesy of the British Library, London. ~ Public Domain ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_George_Hanover_Square#/media/File:St_George’s_Hanover_Square_by_T_Malton._1787.jpg

St George’s of Hanover Square Website provides a short bio for all its rectors. For Robert Hodgson, it says:

1803
Robert Hodgson, M.A.

He was also Vicar of Hillingdon; 1810-40; Archdeacon of St Alban’s, 1814-16; Dean of Chester, 1816-20; Dean of Carlisle, 1820-44. Through the marriage of his granddaughter to the Earl of Srathmore, he was an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II and, obviously, to King Charles III.

Having this man’s name correct is the kind of thing Regency writers stress over. Though Robert Hodgson’s part in the tale is pronouncing the vows of the hero’s best friend and the woman Lord Richard Orson does not think is good enough for Sir Hunter Wickersham, it is important for the details to be accurate. [Please do not say this is a spoiler, for we only read Regency romances for that purpose, and Sir Hunter only plays a small part in maneuvering the hero and heroine together.]

Though Robert Hodgson plays only a small part in this series, he will make repeat appearances. Hodgson was born in 1773 to a father with the same name. His mother Mildred (née Porteaus) saw that young Robert was baptised on 22 September 1773 at St Peter’s Church in Congleton. Hodgson was a close relative (by marriage on his father’s side and by blood on his mother’s side) of Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London, about whom he wrote a biography. [Anthony R. Wagner, “Queen Elizabeth’s American Ancestry and Cousinship to George Washington and Robert E. Lee”, Genealogists’ Magazine, 8 (1939):368-75.]

On his mother’s side, he was a descendant of Augustine Warner Jr., who presided as the Speaker of the Virginia House of Burgesses during Bacon’s Rebellion (Warner served before the Rebellion in 1676, and after the Rebellion in 1677.), and through him a relative of America’s first president, George Washington.

Hodgson was educated at Macclesfield School and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated BA as 14th Wrangler in 1795. [“Hodgson, Robert (HG791R)”. A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.] For those of you are not familiar with the term “wrangler,” which I used in my yet to be published, Lady Glynis and the Earl, a “wrangler” is a term used at the University of Cambridge, for a student who gains first-class honours in the Mathematical Tripos competition. The highest-scoring student is the Senior Wrangler, the second highest is the Second Wrangler, and so on. By contrast, the person who achieves the lowest exam marks while still earning a third-class honours degree (that is, while still earning an honours degree at all) is known as the wooden spoon.

Robert Hodgson was rector of St George’s, Hanover Square for over forty years, from 1803 until his death in 1844. [The Gentleman’s Magazine, n.s. 22(Jul-Dec 1844):651.]

One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.

But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.

As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.

A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.

Purchase Link

Posted in blog hop, book release, British history, Church of England, Dragonblade Publishers, Georgian England, Georgian Era, historical fiction, mystery, publishing, Regency era, Regency romance, religion, research, romance, suspense, writing | Tagged book release, British history, Church of England, clergymen, Dragonblade Publishers, Georgian Era, historical fiction, mystery, Regency Era, Regency romance, religion, research, St George of Hanover Square, suspense, writing | Comments Off

Whaddon, Bletchley, and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishers

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Regina Jeffers

Part of my story has the heroine hiding out in a hunting lodge in Buckinghamshire. At this point, I shan’t tell you why. You must read the book to learn something of her motives and mine. LOL! However, as she journeys to this place of hopeful safety, she passes through the villages of Whaddon, Bletchley, and Milton Keyes. I thought I might share a bit about each so you would have a lovely picture in your mind of the places she saw.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaddon,_Buckinghamshire#/media/File:2020-07-24_Whaddon_photo_number_21.jpg ~ Houses in the village of Whaddon (Q2074399), in Buckinghamshire, England ~ CC0

Whaddon is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits just outside of Bletchley, which is a constituent town of Milton Keynes. This connection is the reason I mention all three in the tale. The name “Whaddon” is Anglo Saxon in origin and means “hill where wheat is grown.” The village is referred to several times in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle generally in the form of Hwætædun.

The village is at the centre of the ancient Whaddon Chase, which is a Royal hunting forest. Whaddon Chase is designated an area of ‘Special Landscape Interest’.

https://bucksmknep.co.uk/boa/whaddon-chase/

Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, in the south-west of the city, split between the civil parishes of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford and West Bletchley, which in 2011 had a combined population of 37,114.

Interactive Map of Milton Keynes, which shows Bletchley’s location ~ https://archive.ph/20120907121530/http://www.mkweb.co.uk/mkmap/?Y_Coord=236666&X_Coord=485075&Xpt=485075&Ypt=236275&Scale=1&bgimage=1&selectedgroups=8

Bletchley is best known for Bletchley Park, the headquarters of Britain’s World War II codebreaking organization, and now a major tourist attraction. The National Museum of Computing is also located on the Park.

“The town name is Anglo-Saxon and means Blæcca’s clearing. [“Key to English place names: Bletchley”. Institute for Name-Studies, the University of Nottingham.] It was first recorded in manorial rolls in the 12th century as Bicchelai, then later as Blechelegh (13th century) and Blecheley (14th–16th centuries). Just to the south of Fenny Stratford, there was Romano-British town, MAGIOVINIUM on either side of Watling Street, a Roman road.

“Bletchley was originally a minor village on the outskirts of Fenny Stratford, of lesser importance than Water Eaton. [“Parishes : Bletchley with Fenny Stratford and Water Eaton”. A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 4. Victoria History of the Counties of England. 1927. p. 274–283.] Fenny Stratford fell into decline from the English Civil War (17C) onwards. The arrival of the London and Birmingham Railway (now part of the West Coast Main Line) from 1838, and particularly of the branch lines to Bedford (1846) and Buckingham (1850) (that together subsequently became the Oxford – Cambridge “Varsity Line”), made the station at Bletchley a substantial one. Bletchley grew to eclipse both its antecedents.”

A view along Queensway, the principal shopping street in Bletchley, Milton Keynes. ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bletchley#/media/File:Bletchley_Queensway.JPG ~ CC BY 3.0

Milton Keynes is a city in Buckinghamshire, England, about 50 miles (80 km) north-west of London. The River Great Ouse forms the northern boundary of the urban area; a tributary, the River Ouzel, meanders through its linear parks and balancing lakes. The area that was to become Milton Keynes was relatively rich: the Milton Keynes Hoard is one of the largest (by weight, 2.2 kg or 4.9 lb) hoard of Bronze Age jewellery ever found in Britain: the British Museum described it as ‘one of the biggest concentrations of Bronze Age gold known from Britain and seems to flaunt wealth’. [“The Milton Keynes hoard”. British Museum/Google Cultural Institute.] It was discovered in September 2000 at Monkston (near Milton Keynes village) and consists of two Bronze Age gold torcs and three gold bracelets in a datable clay pot.

“Most of the eighteen medieval villages in Milton Keynes are still extant and are at the heart of their respective districts. But some, such as Old Wolverton, remain only as field patterns marking a deserted village. The desertion of Old Wolverton was due to enclosure of the large strip cultivation fields into small ‘closes’ by the local landlords, the Longville family, who turned arable land over to pasture. By 1654, the family had completely enclosed the parish. With the end of the feudal system, the peasants had lost their land and tillage/grazing rights and were forced to find other work or starve. Thus Old Wolverton was reduced from about thirty peasant families in the mid 16th century to almost none, within the space of a century. There are also deserted village sites in Tattenhoe and Westbury (Shenley Wood).” [History of Milton Keynes]

High Street, Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, England. Stony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes but it was once an important town in its own right, a coaching stop a day’s journey from London by stage-coach on the London-Birmingham Turnpike ((Watling Street, later to become the A5). The legacy of this role is two coaching inns on the High Street, the Bull (seen here in the foreground), and a little further along the Cock. They were known for the tales that travellers would tell and, it is said, gave rise to the expression ‘Cock and Bull story’. ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes#/media/File:Stony_Stratford_-_the_Cock_and_the_Bull.jpg ~ CC BY-SA 4.0

Short Excerpt from Chapter Eight:

She glanced to where Lord Beaufort stirred. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her. As she had noted previously, the man was quite a handsome young man with dark blonde hair that shone with bits of copper highlights. His large brown eyes widened beneath darkly arched brows. “We are nearly to Whaddon,” he said as he looked around to know his bearings. “You should not have permitted me to sleep so long,” he chastised as he pushed himself up in the seat.

“You obviously required your rest,” she remarked.

One could easily view his Norman ancestors in the man’s features. He was taller than Lord Orson, by whom Emma had come to judge others. When had that happened? She could not say with any confidence, but it was true.

Even after riding for hours in a cramped carriage, Lord Beaufort could walk into any house in Mayfair and not be shunned for his untidiness. He wore a rust-colored jacket with dark brown lapels and a white cravat and a dark green waistcoat.

The carriage turned onto an access road. “What should I expect from this ‘lodge’?” she asked.

“It is not as rustic as you may have imagined,” he said in honest tones. “Not too small nor too large. Imagine a farm house with a half dozen bed chambers, a small kitchen and morning room, and a few sitting rooms. I employ more than a handful of staff to maintain it. A woman will come in each day to cook and two others to clean. Its main advantage is it sits upon a hillside so it will be difficult for anyone to approach without our knowledge.”

One man wants her dead. Another may love her forever.

But when he finds her bruised, confused, and alone in Covent Garden after midnight, Richard is thrust into a far more dangerous game.

As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Richard must decide whether he’s willing to risk his life—and his heart—for a woman who’s always been worth the fight.

A suspenseful, slow-burn Regency romance where danger ignites desire, and love must outpace the clock.

Purchase Link:

Posted in blog hop, book excerpts, book release, British history, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, England, Georgian England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, hero, heroines, historical fiction, history, Living in the UK, mystery, publishing, real life tales, Regency era, Regency romance, research, romance, suspense, travel, writing | Tagged book excerpt, book release, British history, Buckinghamshire, Dragonblade Publishers, eBooks, England, Georgian Era, Great Britain, hero, heroines, historical fiction, history, mystery, Publishing, real life tales, Regency Era, Regency romance, research, suspense, travel, writing | Comments Off

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Robert Hodgson, Rector of St George’s of Hanover Square: Small Facts to Make a Story Realistic + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishing

Whaddon, Bletchley, and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire + the Upcoming Release of “Lyon in the Way” from Dragonblade Publishers

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