The House in Grosvenor Square

by Linore Rose Burkard

  lorgnette--Used by ladies, the lorgnette was eyeglasses (or a monocle), held to the eyes with a long handle, or could be worn on a chain around the neck. The monocle used by a man was called a “quizzing glass.”

  link boy—A boy or man who would lead people to their desired destinations on dark nights, for money, by use of a bright torch.

  laudanum--A mixture of opium in a solution of alcohol, it was used for pain relief and as an anesthetic.

  livery--A distinctive uniform worn by the male servants in a household. No two liveries, ideally, were exactly alike. Knowing the colour of the livery of someone could enable you to spot their carriage in a crowd. The uniform itself was an old-fashioned style, including such things as a frock coat, knee breeches, powdered wigs, and a waistcoat.

  M

  Mayfair-- The most fashionable residential area of London, in the West End, and only about a half mile square in size.

  mews, the--Any lane or open area where a group of stables was situated. The townhouses of the rich often had a mews behind them, or close by, where they kept their horses and equipages when not in use.

  Monastery--(slang)—a brothel

  mort—a woman, a wench; a gentry mort—a gentlewoman; a bleached mort—a blonde-haired woman

  MP—Member of Parliament

  muslin--One of the finest cottons, muslin was semi-transparent and very popular for gowns; (beneath which a chemise would be worn).

  N

  nap—to steal furtively.

  Nimrod—the earliest recorded hunter in the Bible, Nimrod was described as a “mighty hunter before the Lord.”

  “not a feather to fly with”—bankrupt, broke

  “notoriously picksome”—fussy

  O

  old grim--death

  on-dit-- (French; literally, “It is said.”) In the Regency it was slang for a bit of gossip.

  P

  Pall Mall--A fancy street in the West End of London, notable for housing some of the most fashionable men’s clubs. Carlton House faced Pall Mall.

  pantaloons--Tight-fitting pants that were worn, beginning in the early 1800s, and which pushed breeches out of fashion except for formal occasions. They had a “stirrup” at the bottom to keep them in place.

  parlour--The formal or best room in a modest home. Grand houses often had more than one; a “first” or “best,” and a “second parlour.”

  peer--A nobleman, that is, a titled gentleman with the rank of either duke, marquis, (mar-kwiss), viscount (vy-count) or baron. The titles were hereditary, and the owners were entitled to a seat in the House of Lords.

  pelisse--An outdoor garment for women, reaching to the ankle or mid-calf; and often hooded.

  pet—a temper tantrum; a passion

  pianoforte--The piano. Genteel young women were practically required to learn the instrument.

  pin Money-- A colloquialism for a woman’s spending money. The allowance agreed upon in her marriage settlement, to be used on small household or personal (vanity) items.

  prime article—A handsome girl. Quite the thing.

  R

  Regent--A person who reigns on behalf of a monarch who is incapable of filling the requirements of the crown. When George III’s relapse of porphyria rendered him incapable of meeting his duties, his son, the Prince of Wales, became the Prince Regent. The actual regency lasted from 1811-1820.

  reticule--A fabric bag, gathered at the top and held by a ribbon or strap; a lady‘s purse. Reticules became necessary when the thin muslin dresses of the day made it impossible to carry any personal effects in a pocket without it seeming bulky or unsightly. The earliest reticules (apparently called ‘ridicules,’ as it seemed ridiculous to carry one‘s valuables outside of one’s clothing) were, in effect, outside pockets.

  rubber--In games like whist, a rubber was a set of three or more games. To win a rubber, one had to win two out of three or three out of five.

  S

  season--The London social season, in which the fashionable elite descended upon the city in droves. It coincided, not unnaturally, with the sitting of Parliament, though the height of the season was only March through June.

  smelling salts (smelling bottle)--A small vial filled with a compound that usually contained ammonia, to be used in case of fainting.

  spencer--For women, a short jacket that reached only to the high “empire” waist. For men, an overcoat without tails, also on the short side.

  squire--19th century term of courtesy (like “esquire”) for a member of the landed gentry.

  St. Gile’s Greek—Low class speech, specifically that from the parish of St. Gile’s, which is so thick in its accent that it’s unintelligible—. Ex., “I don’t know, it’s St. Gile’s’ Greek to me!”

  St. Gile’s Parish—the Parish belonging to St. Gile’s, in London, known for its large criminal population and poverty.

  T

  tag, rag and bobtail—An expression meaning an assemblage of low people.

  ton, the--(pronounced “tawn”’) High society; the elite; the “in” crowd; Those of rank, with royalty at the top. To be “good ton” meant acceptance with the upper crust, and opened most any door in fashionable society. Occasionally, those without fortune or pedigree could enter the ton--if they were an Original, for instance, having something either sensational or highly attractive about their person or reputation; or could amuse or entertain the rich to a high degree.

  transportation—Banishment from England to particularly unsavoury penal colonies where hard labour could be expected. Botany Bay was one such place. Transportation was a dreaded sentence, but better than hanging.

  V

  valet--The “gentleman’s gentleman.” The male equivalent of a lady’s maid, his job was to keep the wardrobe in good repair and order, help dress his master, stand behind him at dinner if required, and accompany him on his travels.

  W

  wainscoting--Wainscot was a fancy, imported oak. The term ‘wainscoting’ came to mean any wooden panels that lined generally the top or bottom half of the walls in a room.

  waistcoat—Vest

  winged—injured in the arm, especially the shoulder.

  .

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  Continue the Fun with

  The Country House Courtship

  Book Three of Linore Rose Burkard's

  Regency Trilogy—Coming April, 2018

  Five years after Ariana Forsythe married the Paragon,

  Miss Beatrice Forsythe is ready for a romance of her own. Who better to help her get it than her fashionable elder sister? When two eligible gentlemen appear on the scene at the Mornay estate in Middlesex, can a country house courtship be far behind?

  Did You Catch Book One in the Regency Trilogy?

  Before the Season Ends

  Don’t Miss the Exciting Start to the Series

  See how country girl Ariana Forsythe captures the heart of London’s most famous bachelor, Phillip Mornay!

  http://amzn.to/2H7eTLI

  About the Author

  A longtime fan of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, Linore Rose Burkard dreamed of bringing the Regency to life in a distinctly Christian fashion for readers of faith. She wrote Before the Season Ends, which, published by Harvest House, opened the genre for the CBA. Two sequels quickly followed, and now, happily, regency romance is an established genre in Christian publishing.

  Married with five children, Linore is a homeschooling mother, and enjoys cooking, hiking, painting, and period films. Raised in NY, Linore graduated magna cum laude from CUNY with a degree in English Literature. She gives workshops for writers, and writes Young Adult Suspense as L.R. Burkard.

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  Linore Rose Burkard

  c/o Lilliput Press

  Box 674, Waynesville,

  OH 45068

  Discussion Questions for

  The House in Grosvenor Square

  Book Club Leaders: You may want to print out a copy of these questions to bring to your meeting, saving you the trouble of keeping a page open in the book.

  Questions to Consider:

  What was the most pleasant surprise for you in The House in Grosvenor Square? When did you guess what would happen only to be surprised by a twist or turn in the story?

  Which character is your favorite, and why?

  Whose struggle did you feel was greater in this book? Mornay’s, as he strives to keep his hands off the woman he loves, and to keep her safe from harm; or Ariana’s, as she deals with twice being abducted, as well as insubordination from servants?

  Many of the characters are given opportunities to act heroically in this story. Which character is most heroic? Talk about what makes him or her most heroic.

  How are the qualities of the most heroic character godly? Name a character quality in this person that you would like to have more of in yourself.

  Ariana says she would have had a much worse time during her abductions if not for her faith. How did her faith help her to cope with the dangerous situations? If you were in her place, would you have fared as well? Why or why not?

  Mrs. Bentley turns to “the prayer book” (the Book of Common Prayer) for comfort after her niece has been abducted. She asks Mr. Pellham to pray with her and then feels better afterward. Do you feel better after praying about something that’s been bothering you? Explain to someone else what it is about praying that makes you feel better (God’s faithfulness, your trust in Him, your experience in the past, etc.)

  Lord Antoine repents of his foolish past even before he has any idea of becoming “religious.” Can right living be its own reward? How so?

  Mr. Whiddington has no doubt that God exists. He even has a sore spot in his conscience when he thinks about God. Why hasn’t this caused him to give up his low ways and make an honest living? Is there an area of your life where you have a “sore spot” before God? If you gave it to the Lord in prayer, asking forgiveness, can you believe Him to help you turn a new leaf?

  Lord Wingate is turned over to justice, but Mrs. Hamilton and Whiddington find mercy. If you were Mr. Mornay, would you have handled these characters differently? [Let’s go deeper: The Bible says that “mercy triumphs over justice.” (James 2:13) Does that mean people should never get what’s coming to them?]

  [add your own discussion questions here]

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  Download the discussion questions as a PDF

  http://www.LinoreBurkard.com/Questions_THIGS.pdf

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