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Secrets at Thorncliff Manor # 1
By: Sophie Barnes
Releasing April 28, 2015
Welcome to
Thorncliff Manor, where London's elite mix, mingle, and may even find their
heart's desire...
There are
thousands of things Christopher, Viscount Spencer, would rather do than hunt
for a bride, especially since experience has taught him that women are not to
be trusted. Then he finds the intriguing Lady Sarah scrambling around in
Thorncliff's conservatory and he is instantly charmed by her passionate nature.
But why is she so intent on avoiding him?
Lady Sarah
would make the perfect bride for a peer—if not for a tarnished past that she's
hiding from the ton. A stay at Thorncliff Manor was meant to help her plan for
her future, not fall in love. Yet Christopher's kisses are irresistible, his
gallantry enticing. When her secret stands to be revealed, will the truth ruin
their dreams of happiness?
-Top Five CRAZIEST Facts I learned while researching for Historical Romances
1. Female duelists
Apparently not as uncommon as one might think. I did quite a bit of research on this when I wrote Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure. One of the most notable accounts, is probably the incident where Princess Pauline Metternich and the Countess Kielmannsegg came to arms because of a disagreement regarding a floral arrangement. This duel achieved particular notoriety because both ladies fought topless due to the danger of minor wounds turning septic as a result of fabric being driven into the wounds with the point of the sword.
2. Women could be sold at market by their husbands
Turns out that during the Regency period, a husband who wanted to be rid of his wife, could in fact lead her to market and officially sell her. Oftentimes, the wife would be in agreement, but due to the high expense/scandal of divorce, a transaction of this nature was a much cheaper and simpler option, though there were many people who disapproved.
3. Men wore unmentionables but women wore…nothing
I pretty much knew this after all the fashion history classes I took in college, but I didn’t realize that few women prior to the Victorian era had a solution to ‘that time of the month’. Menstruation belts were worn after 1800, but many women, especially those from the lower classes, would just refrain from leaving the house.
4. The flush toilet was an Elizabethan invention.
I’ve always thought that flushing toilets were invented during the Victorian era by George Jennings and somewhat later by Thomas Crapper, but apparently that’s not the case. The very first flushing toilet was invented by John Harrington in 1596, a prominent member of Queen Elizabeth I's court.
5. Hang him!
When we read Regency romances, the fairytale setting and plot distract from the more unpleasant aspects of that day and age. In fact, I don’t recall ever reading a romance novel in which a public hanging was mentioned, and yet they continued to take place until 1868 when Michael Barrett was hanged for his part in the Clerkenwell bombing.
Born in Denmark, Sophie
Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all
around the world. She's lived in five different countries, on three different
continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. She has
studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor's degree from Parsons.
But, most impressive of all, she's been married to the same man three times—in
three different countries and in three different dresses.
While living in Africa,
Sophie turned to her lifelong passion: writing. When she's not busy dreaming up
her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming,
cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She
currently lives on the East Coast.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
