"A Lonesome Lord", (2023) by Gratiana Lovelace

Ch. 01: An interrupted sojourn home

"A Lonesome Lord" (Regency Romance), Ch. 01: An interrupted sojourn home, Rev January 22, 2023 by Gratiana Lovelace (Post #1507) (all rights reserved by Gratiana Lovelace; copyrighted 2023); [(1) Story Cover, above left]

Illustrations: I cast my stories as I write them. So from time to time, I will illustrate my story with actors or illustrations, including: Richard Armitage as Lord Pendleton MacKittrick, Justine Waddell as the widowed Corinne Carpenter, Noah Carpenter illustration, Bill Peterson as Dr. Finneas Lively, and others as noted.

Author's Notes: This original Regency romance is a work of fiction, and as such, any character names, scenes, locations, or other descriptions were made at the creative discretion of this author. And this is a gentle romance (G to PG-13), but with some frank discussions about love, marriage, and Regency society put to humorous effect. This is my disclaimer.

Chapter 01:  An interrupted sojourn home

Lord Pendleton MacKittrick, now the fifth Earl of Woodbury, leans back into the luxuriously softly cushioned black leather squabs of his large shiny black enclosed carriage as he travels back home to his Woodbury Castle estates that is about a one and a half hour carriage ride into the near London countryside—about 7 miles in total, which is just an hour's carriage drive South to reach Richmond, England, then one heads further South for half an hour more into the forested countryside village of Woodbury, England.

And Lord MacKittrick [(2) above] quite uncharacteristically for young men of the ton sports a neatly trimmed full beard with mustache as a youngish man of 30 years—since most young men are clean shaven, the better to display their handsome visages. Yet for him, Lord MacKittrick views his beard as his armour, almost a mask of protection from unknown others seeking to form an acquaintance with him. And his eyes have a guardedness about them—despite his casual traveling attire, with his cravat stuffed into his jacket pocket for now. Afterall, he is the Lonesome Lord, as he was euphemistically dubbed by some sympathetic noble mamas hoping to matchmake their daughters with him.


And Lord MacKittrick's Earldom's seat is the ancient Woodbury Castle [& Estate] [(3ab) above], two miles West of the adjacent and small Woodbury village that he also owns. And Woodbury Castle's surrounding productive agricultural estate and Woodbury Village are a green and soothing oasis for Lord MacKittrick away from the frenzy and tussle of London—and the stress of politics and government now that Parliament is not in session for the Summer on this fine early morning of June the first, in the year of 1820. And he cannot wait to return to his peaceful enclave of calm and quiet that is his Woodbury Castle Estate—with its castle's ancient fortified stone walls, stained glass windows, and lush rolling landscapes bordered by heavily [wooded] forests.

Then suddenly Lord MacKittrick's musings of home are interrupted when he hears a dog's snarling bark, and his carriage horses' reactions of snorting and distressed whinnying before his carriage lurches to a halt along the side of a narrow lane on the outskirts of London. Though he is tossed about a bit, he is more concerned for his horseflesh.

Lord MacKittrick: "Coachman! What is detaining us? Are the horses alright?" For horses and dogs do not always mix [well].

His four footmen outriders close ranks and surround Lord MacKittrick's carriage—each carrying their Woodbury castle issued ancient but still working 1720's blunderbuss guns [(4)]. Given that Lord MacKittrick's parents and older brother were killed by highwaymen, they are always at the ready to protect him—especially if this roadside delay should this be an attempt to rob their lord. Though only a single shot weapon, the blunderbuss is short and loaded with metal pellets that spray a wide area due to the flared end of the short barrel. So the blunderbuss has injurious and often deadly consequences when employed—especially at close range.