The English Manor House

I am a big fan of many non-British writers of Historical fiction, but certain things tend to niggle when one encounters them in an otherwise splendid tale. One of them is the use of the term Manor, as any large impressive aristocratic dwelling, either urban or rural. No! No! No! My brain screams. A manor is a RURAL historic administrative entity which came into being in medieval times. A Manor-house, is the house occupied by the Lord of the Manor within that entity, and the term manor encapsulates far more than a mere impressive house occupied by a medieval local magnate.

Owlpen Manor, Gloucestershire - owned by the Olepenne family from 1100 to 1462

The English country manor has occupied a central position in England's architectural, social, and economic history for many centuries. More than simply impressive rural residences, manor houses served as the administrative centres of landed estates and embodied the political authority, economic power, and social status of their owners. Their development over time reflects significant changes in English society, including the evolution of the feudal system, the rise of the landed gentry, agricultural reform, and the emergence of heritage conservation. Consequently, the English country manor is not only an architectural achievement but also an important historical source that provides insight into the cultural, political, and economic development of England. 

 The Gallery in the Cider Barn at Owlpen Manor

 

The origins of the English manor can be traced to the medieval manorial system established after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Under this system, the lord of the manor exercised authority over extensive agricultural lands worked by tenants and peasants, whose labour and rents formed the economic foundation of the estate. Early manor houses were designed primarily for administration and estate management rather than luxury. They functioned as centres of local governance, where legal disputes were settled, rents were collected, and agricultural production was organised. As England became increasingly prosperous during the late medieval period, manor houses gradually evolved into more comfortable and prestigious residences that reflected the growing wealth and influence of the nobility and gentry. Architecturally, English country manors display a remarkable diversity of styles that correspond to different historical periods. Medieval manor houses often incorporated defensive elements, including thick stone walls, moats, and gatehouses, although these features became less important as political stability improved.

But the end of the feudal system of government, which roughly coincided with the rise of the Tudors, largely brought an end to what we Brits think of as the quintessential English country manor. From the Tudors onwards, the country house or stately home rose in prominence amongst the aristocratic and monied classes. Country houses became symbols of a family's social and political prominence and their main function was to provide a suitably impressive 'family seat' to which it retired during the months when it was not conducting business elsewhere, be it government or managing vast financial empires.

But back to the Manor! The organisation of life within the manor reflected the rigid social hierarchy that characterised English society for centuries. The estate owner was not only a wealthy landholder but often an influential political figure with responsibilities extending beyond the boundaries of the estate. Indeed the Lord of the Manor was the only representative of the Crown in many areas. Many members of the landed gentry served as magistrates, County Sherrifs, or local officials, reinforcing the close relationship between landownership and political authority. In medieval times, almost every person within a manor came under the jurisdiction of the Lord of the Manor, even so-called free tenants. Daily life within the manor depended upon the labour of a substantial domestic workforce. Butlers, housekeepers, cooks, maids, footmen, gardeners, coachmen, and stable workers each fulfilled specialised roles that ensured the smooth operation of the household. Their lives contrasted sharply with those of the estate owners, illustrating the pronounced class distinctions that shaped rural England throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  

The Barn at Kelmscott. In medieval times buildings such as these would be vital for the survival of the manor and the people who depended on its efficient functioning.

Beyond the house itself, the manor estate played a crucial economic role within the surrounding community. Agricultural production formed the basis of the estate's wealth, with tenants cultivating crops, raising livestock, and maintaining woodland under the supervision of estate managers. Many rural craftsmen, including blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, and wheelwrights, relied upon the estate for employment, while village schools, churches, and charitable institutions often benefited from the financial support of the landowning family. In this respect, the manor functioned as both an economic enterprise and a centre of local governance, influencing the everyday lives of those who lived and worked on the estate.

Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire. Home of William Morris who was influential in the preservation of beautiful old English houses, textiles and a simpler way of life.

The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries brought profound challenges to the survival of many country manors. Agricultural depression, increased taxation, the financial consequences of two world wars, and rising maintenance costs placed immense pressure on traditional landed estates. As domestic service declined and inherited wealth diminished, numerous manor houses were abandoned, demolished, or adapted for alternative purposes such as schools, museums, hotels, conference centres, and wedding venues. At the same time, growing public appreciation of Britain's architectural heritage led to the establishment of conservation organisations and stronger legal protections for historic buildings. 

Restoration projects have enabled many surviving manors to preserve their historical integrity while remaining economically sustainable through tourism, education, and cultural events. Today, the English country manor continues to occupy a prominent place in both historical scholarship and popular culture. Frequently portrayed in literature, film, and television, these estates provide a valuable lens through which themes of class, identity, power, and social change can be examined. The magazine, Country Life, first published in 1897, prospered on reporting the transformation of derelict old Manor Houses to desirable rural residences in the early twentieth century, and continues to do so today.

Asthall Manor- this beautiful old house was the inspiration for Norcombe Abbey Old Hall which features heavily in both Lady Isabel's Inheritance and at the end of Lady Rosamund's Recluse.

So that's what I imagine when I am writing about a manor. I know this post won't make a blind bit of difference, but I feel better for writing it!

Detta

FREE on Amazon!

 

Just a heads-up! Lady Rosamund's Recluse - Book 4 of the Brockworth Chronicles will be free this Friday (7th August) and Saturday (8th August) as an e-book on Amazon.

It's my favourite book in the series so far - Enjoy!

Lord Felix and Miss Fraser - Book Five

Lord Felix Brockworth

So, I've started writing 'Lord Felix and Miss Fraser', and just like when I was writing 'Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis' I'm not finding it easy. Perhaps, being a female, it's harder to get into a male character's mindset. But I'm plodding on, and ideas are beginning to come in a lot faster and funnier. I do like to have a bit of light relief in my novels, though it's sometimes quite hard to find the appropriate situation and repartee.

Catriona - still reserved and worried

When I first started writing this novel, it was planned to be a simple, straightforward romance, with a bit of drama, and the requisite happy ending. However, as I progressed, I realised it's really about how Felix, the drop-dead-gorgeous, devil-may-care, blonde Adonis of the Brockworth family, matures from a 'Rakeling' (a term coined by Septimus Maitland as someone who is not a truly committed rake), into a truly admirable mature man.

Felix has finally tracked down Catriona to Strathlochy Castle

Of course it takes a woman of real backbone to prompt this transformation, and the mysterious Miss Catriona Fraser (really Lady Madeleine, Anne Catriona, de Hauteville, Fraser, Vaisey), is just the woman to do it, however reluctantly! Catriona has been living a double life, first as an unusual orphan who has found her way into Lady Mary's Charity School, where Lady Serena, Felix's eldest sister, develops a special interest in her, and then as the star seamstress at Madame Tiffany's fashionable modiste's in London's elite West End.

Despite the fact that Catriona has denied any detailed knowledge of her past, both Serena and Felix feel that Catriona is hiding a very mysterious past, and wonder what could possibly keep her so determined to keep quiet about it. And they are right. Since being whisked away at the age of four when both her parents were killed in a carriage 'accident', Catriona has been told that she must remain anonymous in case the people who arranged her parents' demise seek her death too. She blocks their path to the property and title that she stands to inherit outright when she reaches her twenty-first birthday.

And those are enough spoilers for now! 

So the action in this novel starts in London, moves to Wales for a very short period, but the  meat of the story takes place in Scotland, finally ending up back in London (well, that's the plot at the moment. But then stories have a habit of changing direction all on their own!)

Felix and Catriona at the Duerr's Ball

Now Scotland holds a very special place in my heart. When my children were a lot younger, we spent a lot of time there - so much so that my son, when asked at Disney World in Florida, where he came from, he promptly answered 'Scotland' despite being English born and bred (he still likes Scotland, and I suspect may end up living there!). 

So why do I like Scotland so much? Well, it's different - very different to England, and despite the three hundred years+ since the Act of Union, there are many there who would still like to sever the knot with London completely and become a truly independent nation. They are in a minority, however, and so the slightly tricky union continues.

And a tricky union forms a key element in this story. I'm not going to reveal more than that, but I will just say that the difficulties that arise from it are the making of Felix! More updates, as I progress.

Bye for now, Detta

P.S

My plant of the week (nothing to do with The Brockworth Chronicles, by the way!) : Eryngium giganteum 'Miss Willmott's Ghost for more info go to my personal blog dettasdiary.blogspot.com 

Primogeniture and why it is important - a taster

Bagot gentleman from Levens Hall

When I read any historical romance set before the end of the 19^th century, the importance of siring a male heir is constantly reiterated. This is because most titles and quite a lot of property could only pass from father to a legitimate son. The rules of inheritance of titles hark back to ancient times (with a few exceptions, here and there) – certainly before the arrival of William the Conqueror on England’s shores.

So the basic rule is that,  where peers of the realm are concerned: Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts or Barons, (and Baronets who are not peers and do not sit in the House of Lords), the title always passes to the eldest legitimate male heir. Now by a title I mean people like the Duke of Devonshire or Earl Spencer (Princess Diana’s brother) and so on. Only their eldest surviving legitimate sons will inherit the title, or the nearest legitimate male relative in the direct male line..

There are also things called courtesy titles, which these days means that the eldest son of a Duke, Marquess or Earl can use one of his father’s lesser titles. The younger sons of Dukes and Marquesses are also addressed as Lord, whereas the younger sons of Earls are addressed The Honourable. (This is why Theo Brockworth’s (Marquess of Norcombe) brothers are all addressed as Lord in the Brockworth Chronicles. Younger sons of Earls are 'Honourable' as are the sons and daughters of Barons. However, the daughters of Dukes, Marquesses and Earls are all addressed as Lady.

Confusing, isn’t it? I'm not even going near Royal titles, which have a whole set of rules of their own!

It gets even more confusing when the primary direct male line dies out. If the Duke of Anywhere has no surviving male children or grandchildren, the College of Arms will look to see if he has any brothers. If they are living, then the eldest will become the heir presumptive; if the eldest brother is dead, then their sons, if any, come into the line of succession. It can get very complicated. The College of Arms keeps pedigrees of all the noble families, and will go back many generations to locate a valid direct male line ancestor from which there is still a line that has legitimate male descendants.

Lady Amelia Byron, Baroness Conyers by François-Hubert Drouais, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

However, there are certain old titles that can be inherited by females (which is a crucial factor in Lord Felix and Miss Fraser, which I am writing now). These usually date back to Tudor times or even earlier. Where there are no males in the direct line, the title may be inherited by females in the direct line. One of these is the Baronetcy of Darcy de Knayth, which was inherited by AmeliaByron, Baroness Conyers in 1778, although this was only confirmed after her death.  Again, it’s complicated. 

So, normally, the surname of a noble family will not change, as females usually adopt their spouse’s surname on marriage, and they are usually ineligible to inherit. So I suppose females who inherit a noble title do not NOT adopt their husband's surname and follow the conventional manner in these circumstances. I will investigate further.

If no legitimate heir, male or female, could be found, then the title could become defunct.

There are good sources that you can read that help expand most of which I have given above. There is a good article on Wikipedia that points out some other wrinkles that I have not gone into here, including the modern travesty perpetrated by misguided politicians, which now means that there are no hereditary peers in the House of Lords: Hereditarypeer

Harewood House

If you are not confused enough by now, I should add a word about entails. Whilst titles largely followed the rules of primogeniture, money, property and estates were inherited according to whether an entail was in place or not. An entail was a legal device that usually tied up most of a family's property, estates, and money, leaving it, once again, to the eldest legitimate son in the direct line. Other non-entailed property or money could be distributed at a person’s will, as it is today. In the case of entailed estates, if no legitimate heir could be found, then the entailed estates and properties became forfeit to the Crown.

A family with a problem if an entail was in place - wives and daughters did not usually inherit under entails and could often be left penniless or poorly provided for.

Unfortunately, this meant that women could be left with very little – hence the urgency in many families to marry their daughters off as quickly and as favourably as possible. Pride and Prejudice is the prime exemplar of this, where the Bennet home will go to Mr Collins on Mr Bennet’s death.

Entails were seen increasingly as a problem and were weakened in the 19^th century by successive Acts of Parliament, but were not completely abolished till 1925!

I will not go into settlements and dowries – that’s a whole different can of worms!

Probably only the Heralds at the College of Arms understand this all completely, so perhaps we should all pass swiftly on when we encounter a mistake in this area. I’ve probably made a few bloopers myself!

Happy reading, Detta.

Published - Lady Rosamund's Recluse

Kothgorr Castle

 

Lady Rosamund's Recluse is now live on Amazon. I've dragged myself away from constantly tweaking it here and there, as the next book in the series 'Lord Felix and Miss Fraser' is pestering me to get started on it.

 

The novel's cover

 

 

 

 

I'm sure I've written an outline of Rosamund's and Petroc's story previously, but here is what I've put on Facebook about the novel:

    " ....I have to say that writing this book has been a wonderful experience - Rosamund and Petroc are the perfect protagonists, and the grim granite Kothgorr castle is ideal for a gothic romance. The story is set in Cornwall, where Lady Rosamund arrives incognito, as Mr. Ross Fothergill, to act as temporary secretary and amanuensis to Petroc Tregannon, Viscount Kothgorr. Petroc has been a recluse since Waterloo having suffered disfiguring and disabling injuries. Rosamund has dubbed him 'the rudest man on the planet' but is willing to put up with him to get access to the family records and continue her research into her colourful ancestor, Lady Thomasina. As they learn to work and live together, Petroc is intrigued by his clever assistant, and Rosamund finds herself relaxing with this surprisingly interesting man. However, servants notice everything, and ..... Well that's enough spoilers for now!"

Lady Thomasina - Rosamund's ancestor and role model!

 

 

 It is my favourite book in the series - I just love Rosamund and Petroc, they are funny, clever and endearing (without being mawkish). John says the book is spooky, especially near to the end (which is good because it is supposed to be a 'Gothic' Romance, but we are not talking anything that will keep you awake at night!)

 So, a couple of days rest and then serious writing starts on Felix. It's a tale of a very bored Felix accidently getting involved in bringing justice to Catriona Fraser, who has been robbed of her brithright by unscrupulous relatives. However, Catriona wants nothing of it - pursuing justice may cost her her life, so she sets about thwarting the plan hatched by her Grandmother, Lady Diane de Hauteville Vaisey and Felix. Mayhem ensues! I'm not saying much more as plots invariably change as you write them, and in the numerous revisions made later. I think it should be good, and hope to publish by Christmas.

 

Propinquity and Historical Romance

Propinquity - it's a good word, though don't try to say it if you've had one glass of wine too many! It is defined by Oxford Languages as 'the state of being close to someone or something; proximity.

And Lady Rosamund incognito! 

  It's also a very relevant word when it comes to personal relationships, and writing romance novels in particular. If your protagonists never meet, then how are they going to form any relationship? I've read a couple of novels, where they meet via correspondence initially, but even then there had to be some connection initiated by some sort of third-party agency, e.g. they have a common interest in say growing orchids, or Greek History. Even these circumstances require that both parties have the education and the leisure time to pursue such common interests.

So when one reads of Lady or Lord somebody having connections, (or few as in the case of the errant Lydia in Pride and Prejudice), it was no light matter. Making connections by marriage, common business of social interests, was a very serious business. And your ability to make connections via marriage was heavily dictated by your status (tilte or family history important here), your wealth, your respectability and finally your connections. 

So, your likelihood of meeting that Duke (why are American writers obsessed with Dukes - one would think they were scattered like confetti throughout the British Isles, while the truth is and always was, that they are nearly as rare as hen's teeth in reality?) was dictated by your ability to be accepted into the highest echelons of Society. Now, there was always the possibility (the odds were about as high as winning the lottery, I suppose) that you might stumble across the noble love of your life in the country, but it was highly unlikely. The more likely way was to take part in the London Season, and hope to be accepted and invited to attend the social functions governed by the elites.

Almack's by George Cruikshank (Wikimedia Commons)

And that's why getting vouchers for 'Almacks' was considered crucial for aspiring debutantes, and a reasonably safe, if chilling, place to look over prospective brides, if a gentleman was in the market for a wife.

No one was admitted to Almack's unless they had been vetted by the Patronesses of that Institution. If you were admitted, you were considered to be respectable enough to enter into the hallowed halls of the highest echelons of Polite Society. The system wasn't infallible, of course, but it worked for most. Here, debutantes could meet gentlemen who were looking for a wife, in a relatively safe, if slightly boring environment. 

And whilst the young people were tripping the light fantastic, the chaperones would be discussing all the other important stuff: dowries, annual incomes, lands, property, connections, gossip, scandal and worst of all: rumours!

And so we authors of historical romances spend a lot of time working on how our heroes and heroines meet, and continue to be able to meet in a reasonably open manner. They have to get to know each other and have sufficient opportunity to fall in love, tackle some obstacles that threaten their happiness, and finally overcome all other obstacles (competition from other ladies or gents, fortune hunters etc) thrown in their way, and live happily ever after.

So, in the famous words of the old song "Getting to know you", it requires quite a lot of thought to make a love story both entertaining and believable! So dances, house-parties, and riding in public places such as Hyde Park, were incorporated into the rituals of the Season, or just following it, to ensure everybody had the opportunity to meet a suitable parti, with some time, almost alone together; and therefore these situational tropes will be found in many historical romances! Putting an original spin on these rituals is the hard bit!

A young lady riding in Hyde Park, pursued by intrigued gentleman?

I hope to publish 'Lady Rosamund's Recluse' in the next few weeks. As might be expected with Rosamund, the whole doing 'The Season' does not go down well with her - she has resigned herself to luxurious spinsterhood, and goes off to find adventure instead! Which is when things get interesting! Look out for news here and on Facebook.

Enjoy the joys of Spring! 

Detta

Lady Rosamund's Recluse

Well, we've got to the editing and proof-reading stages - hoorah! As you probably know, I wrote the first draft of Lady Rosamund whilst I was grappling with the storyline of Lord Nathaniel - Rosamund's storyline was just there, ready to go, fully formed in my head. 

However, the downside of such a situation is that though it appears to be a more than satisfactory story to oneself, it may not be crystal clear to a reader. This means that the editing process can be a little more painful, as you realise that though your main characters are fine, the backstory and the heft of the plot may need a little filling out.

But I'm getting there, and I have to say that I love the two main protagonists in this story - Rosamund and Petroc. They are the most 'real' to me of all my characters. Yes, my friends will realise that there is quite a lot of the young me in Rosamund, but she is cleverer and far braver than I ever was.

Those of you who have read the first three books of the 'The Brockworth Chronicles' series will know that amongst Rosamund's many interests, she has developed a bit of an obsession about one of her ancestors, Lady Thomasina Brockworth (nee Tregannon). However, she has reached the limit of what information she can source at home or in London (see the Chronicle), and her attempts to elicit some information from the current Keeper of Kothgorr Castle (the Tregannon's ancestral home), Petroc Tregannon, has met with absolutely no success.

Petroc Tregannon on the beach below Kothgorr castle.

But then, whilst enduring 'The Season' she comes across an advert in the Times inviting
applications for the post of temporary assistant over the summer season at Kothgorr Castle, acting as assistant to the Viscount and helping sort documents in the muniments room. Despite the fact that Rosamund has labelled Petroc Tregannon 'the rudest man in the world', she knows that this is the perfect, and perhaps only opportunity that she will get to riffle through the Tregannon's records at her leisure!

The fly in the ointment is, of course, that they will be expecting applications from males only, and how on earth could she persuade her family to allow her to work in a single gentleman's home? Mmm - a conundrum.

But Rosamund isn't going to allow such trifling considerations get in her way, is she? Certainly, her feisty ancestress, Lady Thomasina, would not! So Rosamund sends off her application, posing as Mr Ross Fothergill, never for one moment anticipating all the scrapes and dangers she might encounter in the rather forbidding granite pile of Kothgorr Castle.

A vague idea of how imagine Kothgorr Castle to look on a stormy day.

Hopefully 'Lady Rosamund's Recluse will be published sometime in May. Of all the four books, I've written about the Brockworth family so far, this is, by far, my favourite. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.  Detta 

Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis is published!

Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis book cover,  where he is looking quite austere. This reflects his character at the beginning of the story. However, dealing with Rebecca Northley forces him to come out of his rather stodgy shell, and the man who emerges is far more attractive.

Yes, I'm finally happy with 'Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis (or at least happy enough - you can tweak things forever and never get anything completed), and have published it as a Kindle e-book on Amazon. Yes, this one has been ten months in gestation, with three very different plotlines, the first two having to be discarded as pretty boring! John, husband and proofreader, says it's the best of the three novels I've published so far, so that's promising, at least. It's hard for me to be objective, so at the moment I have to believe him.

Miss Rebecca Northley- rich, beautiful, and intelligent, she holds a long standing grudge against Nathaniel Brockworth, which she vents in her political pamphlet Nemesis, anonymously. But then dramatic events make her reassess his character, and she finds that, quite against her preferred attitude towards him, she starts to find him quite attractive. Annoyingly, very attractive.
But it's all quite impossible - she is a rich middle-class Cit's daughter - he is the brother of a Marquess, no less, part of the nobility and therefore, far beyond her expectations as a possible match. And then there are all those embarrassing things she wrote about Nathaniel and his family. No! Any deeper relationship between them is impossible! Or is it?

Certainly, Nathaniel emerges as a much more rounded and interesting character than in the first two novels - quite the commanding figure (something I had not quite realised when I started writing). But that's the strange thing about creating a story - after a while, your characters start taking on a life of their own. 

In this particular case, you know that, without having to deal with the ups and quite dramatic downs of his relationship with Rebecca, Nathaniel would have plodded along in a nice, safe rut for probably the rest of his life. But when the chips are down, Nathaniel steps up manfully and not only takes on the challenge, but triumphs.

I have to admit I hadn't seen him as the knight-in-shining-armour type, but as I said before, sometimes your characters just do their own thing; and sitting back pondering the outcome, you see that yes, it's a logical development of the character. And so much more romantic than your original concept!

Rebecca's vineyard in sunny Hampshire - a key part of the final part of the novel.

And I have not one, but two villains in this novel - one truly dastardly, and the other just a little bit sad. Naturally, the real baddie gets away (not totally without punishment - to be fair), whilst his more sympathetic co-conspirator is not so lucky. Sorry, no more spoilers.

Sir Harold Skeffington - a suitably repellent villain! 

This novel, in line with the previous two books in the Brockworth Chronicles series, has a completely different plot line, with perhaps a little more comedy, and some rather unexpected plot twists. I like to think it's a bit edgier than the other two, but my readers will decide.

If you would like to read Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis, it is now available on Amazon as an e-book, here.

Now for a short holiday, and then onto re-writing 'Lady Rosamund's Recluse', the first draft of which I finished quite a while ago.

Regards, Detta

Portraits

 

'Beau' Lascelles by John Hopper 1797

When I’m writing, I like to have a mental image of my characters, and though I don’t go in for heavily detailed descriptions, I hope I write enough to give my readers a vague idea of what I’m thinking. Part of the inspiration for these is just drawn from the type of character I am portraying in words – so a strong, silent type of male is synonymous with tall, dark and handsome in my head. That still leaves a lot of wiggle room for variation on the theme.

Hew d'Arras, Earl of Blencathra

For example, both Hew d’Arras, Earl of Blencathra (Lady Serena’s Secret) and Lord Nathaniel Brockworth (Lord Nathaniel’s Nemesis) are the strong, silent types, but their appearances are quite different. Yes, they are both quite tall, but whereas Hew has jet black hair and green eyes, Nathaniel has chestnut brown curling hair and grey eyes – so quite distinctive from the appearance point of view, as well as in personality traits.

Lord Nathaniel Brockworth

But then there are the other sources of inspiration – the ones that stimulate not only physical descriptions but plot lines too. So about the time I was completing Lady Isabel’s Inheritance, we visited Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire – a wonderful medieval fortress turned stately home. I loved it, and it has become a favourite place of inspiration for my writing. One of the portraits that grabbed my attention, shortly after entering the castle, was an unusual picture dating from the seventeenth century of a lady called Teresa Sampsonia, Lady Shirley. She and her husband are wearing the Anglicised version of Persian costumes of the time. They are stunning portraits, but what caught my attention was the fact that Teresa was happily toting a flintlock pistol. Obviously this was a lady to take note of – and she really has quite an interesting story, travelling widely with her husband on diplomatic missions, but then retiring to a convent in Rome after his death!

Lord Shirley and Teresa Sampsonia in Persian costume.

But that one picture opened up quite a few story line possibilities, and also reassured me that Lady Isabel toting her own pistol around on a daily basis, wasn’t a ridiculous idea at all. More importantly it fed an idea that had been with me from the beginning of starting the Brockworth Chronicles – a subject for Lady Rosamund to obsess over in Lady Rosamund’s Recluse (Book Four, to be published in 2026). In this Lady Thomasina Brockworth nee Tregannon, a Tudor ancestor of the Brockworths, is believed to have been a lady privateer (an officially sanctioned sort of pirate), before her marriage, during the reign of Elizabeth I. A mysterious, swashbuckling, female ancestor whose story has to be some sort of adventure – how could the ever-inquisitive Rosamund resist such a challenge?

Lady Thomasina

The rather shocking lengths that Rosamund is prepared to go to, is, of course, one of the main themes of that particular story. She has, of course, the intrepid Lady Thomasina as her role model, so it’s not surprising that her plan is rather daring and potentially scandalous. I have to say that Rosamund, though rather the plain Jane (relatively speaking) of the Brockworth family, is one of my favourite characters. She’s clever, daring, and funny – she makes me smile.

And then there are those portraits that just stop you in your tracks when you see them, and you just know that they are going to inspire a plot line somewhere in one of your books. ‘Aurora’, Lady Harrington by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1775, was one such picture. I was wandering around Harewood House in Yorkshire (another must-visit house if you are within a hundred miles), when this beauty stunned me into awed silence. A large, impressive picture, the beauty of the subject and execution was excelled by the charisma of the lady herself.

Aurora, Lady Harrington by Sir Joshua Reynolds 1775

I wasn’t sure how such a lady would be woven into the plot of one of my novels, but I knew she would be. She will appear with slightly altered looks in book five, in which the ever mercurial Lord Felix finds himself on a quest to solve a rather sinister mystery, and bring justice to a young lady whose life might have been totally blighted by her ambitious and greedy relative. Sorry, no more spoilers – though the rough plot line is in my head, I have yet to start writing!

One of the alternative images generated in Ai
which is a key point in the plot of Lord Felix's Fate

And finally, thanks to Ai I can now get something close to the images that come purely out of my head. Though not as easy a process as some would have you think, with thought and tenacity, you can get somewhere close to the perfect portrait of your imagined heroes, villains and supporting cast. I may have been thrown out of the Art class aged fifteen or so, for conspicuous lack of talent, but I still can claim to have come top in Art when that particular term’s result was based on a project on ‘The History of Art’.

So, thank you Miss Noblett – you may have made my life miserable for a few terms, but you sowed the seeds of a lifetime interest in Art, and that has been an enduring source of joy!

Copyright © 2026 Detta Adams

Rebecca and dyeing!

 

Whilst doing some re-writing on the second draft of Lord Nathaniel’s Nemesis, I got to thinking about Rebecca’s life quite a bit, and how much she would be involved in the family businesses. As there is only really her father and herself running the whole mega-empire of business and investment portfolios (when does she get time to write, I ask? – but then there was no TV or Internet in those days, and she is not involved with the Season – so it is likely that she will have time on her hands!), I suppose it is not unrealistic to assume that, as she is set to inherit the whole shebang, her father will have made it his business to ensure that she is fully prepared for the task.

So we know that Rebecca has written on subjects as diverse as fabric dyeing and brewing – both family businesses, one perhaps should assume. Certainly an interest in fabric dyeing would not be considered unladylike.

A still from the BBC's 1995 Version of Pride and Prejudice. Miss Bingley (with the dark hair) might be wearing a version of Scheele or Arsenic green.

And then as I was scrolling down Facebook today (Boxing Day) – there was a mention of arsenic green and a connection with the BBC 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice, and my antennae popped up. Apparently arsenic green was all the rage from the beginning of the 19^th Century, and despite the fact that there were serious risks attached to the use of the dye (it gave off poisonous arsine gas when damp), it was still used widely, including in clothes.

Women working in factories using arsenic green dyes would probably have developed sores on their hands and died young from the effects of arsine gas.

Now Rebecca, being a redhead, wears quite a bit of green, and for a moment I was quite worried for her. Ridiculous I know, but one gets attached to one’s characters! But then I remembered that Rebecca is a very bright girl - she even attends lectures at the Royal Institution! She is the sort of lady who would make it her business to read scientific papers, and is bound to be completely familiar with the problem. She would, of course ensure that the fabrics used for all her clothes and in their household were manufactured with ‘safe’ materials (well, believed safe at the time). She could, after all, afford the best. In fact, she has probably written a very interesting and informative article for ‘La Dernier Cri’ on just that very subject.

Phew! The relief.

MY preferred image of Rebecca!

So the re-writing is going well. There are a few areas that need filling out, and a few refinements to be made, but on the whole I’m really happy with how things are turning out. Things started to improve when I switched my mental image on how Rebecca looks. Unwisely, I took notice of what my husband John said when choosing which image to use for Rebecca. Presumably there is something more appealing to the male in his choice, than the one I favour. My choice for Rebecca is a more classic beauty in my opinion, and I think Nathaniel is the type to go for the classic type. He is, after all, conservative in his tastes, and would probably be scared off by someone too obviously ‘sexy’.

John's preferred image

Anyway – they are my characters, and I get to choose my mental image of them.

On a totally separate issue, I must apologise to anyone who has bought the first edition of ‘Lady Serena’s Secret’. Unfortunately, somehow or other the penultimate version got uploaded for publication – the one still full of typos and other errors. Fortunately, a lady from Italy pointed this out in her review, and so I went and had another look. Oh dear – it was a bit of a mess typographically (the plot is essentially the same) – so it has now been dealt with. So, the moral of the story is that an honest review is always welcome – even the negatives. Hopefully, the version now available is relatively error free. Please do email me, if you find any glaring errors.

In the meantime, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and I send you all my good wishes for 2026.

Detta

For more information the arsenic green dye, you may find this article at ‘The American Duchess’ quite interesting – please click here. Their shoes are quite interesting too!

Update - LNN - first draft completed!

The seemingly dour (but is he?) Nathaniel Brockworth

Well, Yes, it's taken forever, but the first draft of 'Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis' is complete, and I'm happy with it. Getting to know the two lead characters has taken a while, because, it turns out, that they are a lot more complex people than those in the first two books: 'Lady Isabel's Inheritance' and 'Lady Serena's Secret'. I think that it was always inevitable that characters who do not conform to the standard male and female tropes of romantic fiction, were going to be harder to write. The usual simple formula of historical romances (strong overbearing, gorgeous male; beautiful, but tricky, aristocratic female - and Rebecca isn't even aristocratic!) would not be enough to explain why these two very different people would meet and fall in love.

Rebecca Northley - beautiful, rich heiress, but an outsider as far as High Society is concerned.
She is a commoner associated with business and trade, and is therefore only valued by many for her fortune.

I probably should have realised that long ago when I was finding it hard to find an interesting story line which would fit the characters I wanted to portray. So I found myself going down pathways that had definitely not even occurred to me when I started writing this novel. But slowly and surely Rebecca and Nathaniel's story unfolded - with forays into places I knew from my University days, and very unladylike occupations for Rebecca. But at least the story held together as a plot!

Yes! A roman mosaic and vineyard producing English sparkling wine - how on earth do those fit into the plot? They do, I assure you!

 You know the old saying 'still waters run deep' - that is certainly true for Nathaniel, who superficially comes across as a bit bland. Not so, under his dour frowning façade, lies a passionate man, who is not quite so comfortable expressing himself on a personal level as the rest of the Brockworths, and therefore takes a little more time to get to know. However, fate intervenes and faced with the possibility of losing the love of his life, Rebecca, Nathaniel finds himself playing the unexpected role of knight in shining armour. Despite these heroics, all still does not go well in his pursuit of his soul-mate, and drastic methods have to be contemplated by a man happier standing in the shadows, than taking overtly bold steps to avert disaster.

The magnificent frontage of Harewood House

Without giving too much away, the plot shifts around quite a lot in this novel, including London, Oxfordshire and finally to Seth Northley's (Rebecca's father) imposing mansion in Hampshire. I have unashamedly based this over-the-top Palladian pile on the wonderful Harewood House, near Harrogate Yorkshire, which we visited in September. I just loved this house - so beautifully kept and built by the nouveaux very riche of the mid-eighteenth century Lascelles family (though the Lascelles family, had been in fact, respectable gentry in the area since early medieval times. My story story does not relate to them other than referencing the gorgeous house).

The fabulous Gallery which appears as Chicheley Place's ballroom in 'Lord Nathaniel's Nemesis'

So now I have to sit down and start the second draft, and fill out the story to make it a riveting read. I just hope hope that is a smoother process than developing the first draft!

I'm hoping to finish the second draft by the New Year, but a publication date in 2026 is probably a realistic prediction, and I'm not even going to speculate on which month!

In the meantime, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!