Because this is BOOK TWO of Saber Dance, I highly recommend that you begin with En garde, Milady since it is Book 1. However, my books are standalone novels without cliffhangers, so you do as you wish. I have tried to make it clear if someone does begin with this book.
The Historical Regency Period
The Regency in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled in his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George the IV. The term Regency (or Regency era) can refer to various stretches of time; some are longer than the decade of the formal Regency which lasted from 1811–1820. The period from 1795 to 1837, which includes the latter part of the reign of George III and the reigns of his sons George IV and William IV, is often regarded as the Regency era, characterized by distinctive trends in British architecture, literature, fashions, politics, and culture. The Regency era ended in 1837 when Queen Victoria succeeded William IV.
The Regency is noted for its elegance and achievements in the fine arts and architecture. This era encompassed a time of great social, political, and economic change. War was waged with Napoleon and on other fronts, affecting commerce both at home and internationally as well as politics. Despite the bloodshed and warfare the Regency was also a period of great refinement and cultural achievement, shaping and altering the societal structure of Britain as a whole.
Society was also considerably stratified. In many ways there was a dark side to the beauty and fashion in England at this time. In the dingier, less affluent areas of London, thievery, womanizing, gambling, the existence of the slums, and constant drinking ran rampant.
The squalor that existed beneath the glamour and gloss of Regency society provided sharp contrast to the Prince Regent's social circle. Poverty was addressed only marginally. The formation of the Regency after the retirement of George III saw the end of a more pious and reserved society, and gave birth of a more frivolous, ostentatious one. This change was influenced by the Regent himself, who was kept entirely removed from the machinations of politics and military exploits. This did nothing to channel his energies in a more positive direction, thereby leaving him with the pursuit of pleasure as his only outlet, as well as his sole form of rebellion against what he saw as disapproval and censure in the form of his father.
"The ton" is a term commonly used to refer to Britain's high society during the late Regency period during the reign of George IV, and later. They were also known as the 'Haute Ton'. In French, the word means "manners" or "style" and is pronounced as in French, tone. The full phrase in French is le bon ton meaning "good manners" or "good form" – characteristics held as ideal by the British beau monde.
Note from Author:
The custom of the times always honored a titled gentleman by using the title--not his given name. Such was reserved for close friends.
** I have taken liberties as to the time period and chose to not sound archaic. My style of writing would be related to that of Julie Garwood, Johanna Lyndsey, and a number of other authors who do this.
*For your information, I have used the British spelling for few words, such as 'grey' instead of 'gray', to keep to the time period and location. But whether or not I should write the entire book as if I'm British would likely be a mistake and an insult to them. Let's hope that my word choices will be enough to set the mood.
Thanks for reading,
Sue Ann Hart, author
YOU ARE READING
Scars of a Hero, Saber Dance, book 2 (Now on Amazon) (sample only)
Historical Fiction(Sequel to En garde, Milady) He saved her once, however, danger still lurks. Lord Chadwick survived his burns thanks to his nurse, Prudence Stanford, but now she needs his help. His secret tender for her makes him desperate to keep her safe. When h...
