Lady Winterbourne’s Entanglement
A Regency Romance
By
Miriam Rochester
Cover Design
By
Melody Simmons of eBookindiecovers A note from the Author
A note from the Author
All actual historical characters, real places and landmarks in this novel, are mentioned in a fictional setting. However, I have referred to a number of actual historical accounts. In order to help my readers, I have listed these references below.
PEOPLE
Lady Strathmore (The Unhappy Countess) Mary Eleanor Bowes, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne (24 February 1749 – 28 April 1800) was an 18th-century British heiress. She and the Earl are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth 11. After the death of her husband, she was tricked into marriage by a man called Andrew Robinson Stoney, who kept her imprisoned and tried to take over her fortune. She escaped and petitioned parliament for a divorce. The experience of Lady Strathmore is evidence that, although rare, it was possible, under exceptional circumstances, for a woman to divorce her husband. Andrew Stoney died penniless, hence the expression, ‘stony broke.’ The experience of Lady Strathmore provided the inspiration for the first two chapters of this novel.
William and Robert Oley. The Shotley Bridge Sword makers were a German family that fled from Solingen in the 1600’s. They were the primary provider of swords during the Napoleonic Wars. They became a sword maker to the King, and today a crown and crossed swords hang over the Inn they owned in Shotley Bridge, denoting their Royal Appointment. The account of the sword competition is purported to be true.
Lord John Eldon - Lord Chancellor of Britain 1801-1806. In 1800, he was Justice of the Pleas. He was the son of a coal merchant in Newcastle upon Tyne. He met and fell in love with Bessie Surtees, the daughter of a local banker, but her father disapproved of the relationship. In 1772, Bessie escaped from an Upper Floor window at their home in Sand Gate and the pair eloped amidst scandal. Bessie Surtees House still exists and is a famous historic house and a local museum in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Jack the Blaster- A lead miner from Allendale, who moved into the small cave at Marsden Rock so that he could live rent-free. He used explosives from a local quarry to blast the small cave into a much larger one, earning his nickname "Jack the Blaster" The cave is now used as a public restaurant and bar and is said to be haunted by the ghost of the smuggler, John the Jibber, who was murdered by his fellow criminals as a traitor. It is known today as The Marsden Grotto.
John Andrew- A well known smuggler in Saltburn who was a wealthy and much respected member of his community. He was the owner of the Ship Inn in Saltburn and he stored his contraband in a cellar beneath a stable stall, in which he kept a bad tempered horse.
PLACES
Charlotte Square - Built in 1770 by the eminent local architect, William Newton, responsible for the Newcastle Assembly Rooms. The square was named after Queen Charlotte; wife of King George the third, and it was built for upper class members of society.
All public houses and Inns mentioned in this story existed in 1800 and most still exist today.
The Swan Inn in Cleadon, however, in now called the Britannia Inn and is said to have a passage leading to a rear street that is now blocked up.
The Ham is now called the Alum, and is situated on what was then known as the Scullerman’s landing near the mouth of the Tyne River. It was known for prolific smuggling activity and had a passage leading up from the River to facilitate the receiving of smuggled goods.
The George Inn along with the Posada, are the two oldest public houses in Newcastle. King Charles the first was known to have frequented the George while in an open prison in the area.
Marsden Rock - A huge magnesium rock. Its famous arch (resulting from a collapse in 1911 so did not exist in 1800) was destroyed in the storms of 1996 and had to be demolished in 1997. It is still a local beauty spot.
Whitburn Mill- A mill has existed on this site for centuries, but was replaced by the current stone mill in 1796 after the wooden one was blown down by storms.
Marsden Beach, The Wherry and Frenchman’s Bay are all genuine landmarks along the North East Coast.
Penshaw Hill is a famous local landmark, on which stood an Iron Age fort. A huge folly in the form of a Greek Temple now stands there, and is dedicated to John Lambton, first Earl of Durham. (1792-1840). Built it 1844, the folly was not there at the time of this story. The legend of the Lambton Worm is still a part of the region’s folk law, the subject of which a famous song has been written. The National Trust now owns Penshaw Hill.
This Novel is a work of fiction with all main characters being a product of the author’s imagination.
All references to real characters and places are in a fictitious context and any resemblance to actual places, people or events is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication can be copied or transmitted without the author’s permission.
Text Copyright 2015
Miriam Rochester
All Rights Reserved
Blurb
‘I shall learn to shoot, fence and fight like the best of them!’ Being tricked into a disastrous marriage, Lady Penelope Winterbourne is determined never to trust a man again. Fleeing to London dressed as a boy, in order to petition Parliament for a divorce, she meets the amiable Lord Lyndhurst, Earl of Croxdale who penetrates her disguise and determines to find out exactly who she is.
Keeping the promise she has made to herself, Lady Winterbourne covertly enters the male domain of Angelos, the prominent fencing academy in London where she meets Lord Lyndhurst once again. Withholding the fact that he has discovered her gender, he teaches her to fence and finds himself enamoured of her unfailing spirit.
Having found a woman he can truly love he determines to win her, only to lose her as she returns to Newcastle to finalise her marriage annulment, but also to an uncertain life.
After searching the whole of the North East Coastline, Lord Lyndhurst finds her again, caught up in a highly organised smuggling ring and in constant danger of discovery from her former husband, the notorious Captain Blackmore.
Can Lord Lyndhurst extricate her from this dangerous entanglement before she is caught, shot or even worse, killed? The task is a difficult one because although attracted to him, Lady Winterbourne, plagued by issues of trust, is determined to keep him at a distance.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Chapter 1
Lady Penelope Winterbourne stood in her drawing room in Charlotte Square and blinked away the tears as she perused the flyer that had been posted through her letterbox. ‘Not again!’ she exclaimed in despair. For the third week in a row, some unknown contributor had linked her name with the notorious rake and libertine, Captain Blackmore, questioning her morals and defaming her good reputation. The reports were sordid and graphic and most of all, they were untrue. It did not help matters that the Captain had asked for her hand in marriage many months ago as it only lent credibility to a possible liaison. It was shortly aft
er the death of her first husband, Lord Neville Winterbourne, the 7th Earl of Rosslyn that the Captain approached her, but she had steadfastly refused him. She certainly spent no time in the Captain’s company. At most, they occasionally rubbed shoulders at the Newcastle Assembly rooms, the Theatre Royal or exchanged an occasional word on the busy thoroughfares of Newcastle.
Who hated her so much that they would spread such lies? Who could be so vindictive as to cast aspersions on her character and ruin her reputation? She thought long and hard, but to no avail. As the young widow of the Earl of Rosslyn, and with her long auburn locks and emerald green eyes, the Countess was always a popular and a welcome addition to any soiree or garden party, and she had many friends and acquaintances.
Her husband had died one stormy night eighteen months previously whilst rescuing the survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Scotland and had left his wife a young widow at only nineteen years of age. As the Earl had no direct heir, the Earldom along with all its estates had gone to a cousin, relegating the young Lady Winterbourne to Dowager Countess in one swift stroke. Fortunately, she was not dependant on the current Earl as her late husband had bequeathed his Countess a considerable personal fortune, enough to leave her independent, and she moved to Charlotte Square in Newcastle upon Tyne with a handful of servants, in order to pave out a new life for herself.
Lady Winterbourne had made many friends, but lately her ‘friends’ had deserted her one by one as the current scandal took hold of their imagination. When Lady Crompton gave her the direct cut at the Newcastle Assembly rooms on Saturday last, Penelope thought it was her imagination, but it was just the first of a series of similar occurrences during the following week. A few days later she had attended a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’ at the Theatre Royal and the atmosphere had been totally leaden as scornful ladies glanced curiously over to her box and whispered behind their fans. Last night had been the final straw. Lady Winterbourne had attended a compelling recital of Newcastle’s late composer, Charles Avison in St Nicholas’s Cathedral, when a group of Society ladies turned their backs on her, whispering amongst themselves and casting reproving glances. She felt totally humiliated and left the cathedral early, walking the short distance to her home on Charlotte Square in a state of great agitation. She had to discover who was spreading this poison, because much to her dismay, people were beginning to believe it.
Shortly after her arrival home, Mallory her butler appeared at the drawing room door with a calling card on a silver platter. ‘My Lady, Captain Blackmore is in the hall and is desirous of speaking with you.’ Lady Winterbourne was hesitant. The gossip was bad enough and it would not help her defence if she were to be seen entertaining the fellow. Mallory discerned her uncertainty and added. ‘It is about the flyers people have been receiving through their letter boxes, My Lady. He is wishing to discuss a solution.’
Lady Winterbourne reasoned that the matter could not get much worse and relented. ‘Oh, very well Mallory,’ she agreed. ‘You had better see him in.’
Captain Blackmore entered. He was a man of medium height and a sturdy build. The title of Captain was somewhat of a misnomer. No one had been able to identify his regiment, and some of the more astute in society suspected that his title was self appointed. He was certainly not handsome, but he had a presence. His black hair and black bushy brows were as dark as his reputation, and his deep brown eyes were as hard as flint. His manner, however, belied his appearance as he gave Lady Winterbourne a warm and friendly greeting. He bowed and kissed her hand. ‘I have come to talk to you about the rumours that are abounding. My dear Lady Winterbourne, I can only imagine how much distress this dreadful business has caused you, and I can only apologize sincerely. Tell me, have you any idea who could be the instigator of these malicious lies?’
Lady Winterbourne’s features were strained and she sadly shook her head. ‘I really have no idea, Captain. I do not know of anyone who hates me enough to do such a thing, no one at all. I have not an enemy in the world.’
Captain Blackmore frowned. ‘I appreciate that my being here is not particularly appropriate and I shall not take up too much of your time, but as I am at the centre of such rumours, I need to investigate and wondered if you could shed any light on the matter.’
Lady Winterbourne struggled to hold back the tears and almost choked with frustration. ‘Believe me, Captain Blackmore; I have done all I can to get to the bottom of the matter, but to no avail. I do not know what you can do in addition to what I have done already. The situation appears hopeless.’
Captain Blackmore just smiled sympathetically. ‘I will repudiate the reports in the next edition of the Newcastle Journal. I hope that it will put an end to this nonsense, but if not, it will at least give me time to find and expose the perpetrator. Leave it to me Lady Winterbourne; I shall make it my mission to find out.’
Penelope Winterbourne was taken aback at Captain Blackmore’s concern, but she could only be grateful for his help. The Captain must have mellowed in these last few months, as his consideration seemed to be very much out of character, even if he were the source of all her troubles. She had always thought him austere and self-centred, but he displayed a concern that none of her so-called friends had demonstrated. She managed a brief smile. ‘I shall be grateful for anything you can do, Captain Blackmore, for frankly, my life is becoming impossible.’
Captain Blackmore bowed and kissed her hand. ‘I shall leave you now. I made sure no one saw me arrive and I shall take care on leaving. Leave it with me, Lady Winterbourne. I shall do what I can.’
Lady Winterbourne felt heartened. If Captain Blackmore could find out who the perpetrator was, she would be able to clear her name. Goodness, she had tried herself, but had failed miserably.
Captain Blackmore was true to his word and the next morning he put a scathing denial in the next edition of the Newcastle Journal. He challenged the person responsible for the flyers to come forward and substantiate their claims, and labelled them the worst of cowards. However, the persecution did not stop and Lady Penelope Winterbourne, increasingly finding herself outcast, was at the end of her tether.
*****
The whole thing came to a head one Friday afternoon when Lady Winterbourne, accompanied by her maid Hannah, was walking through Newcastle’s Cloth Market and past the Old George Inn. Once again, she had confronted the local printer to request him to reveal his source, but the clerk only advised her that a very reliable person had ordered the flyers and he dismissed her with obvious disdain. He clearly believed the reports and had no desire to be helpful.
As Lady Winterbourne entered the Cloth Market, a stranger emerged from the Old George and walked straight into her. He was just about to apologise for his clumsiness when he realised who he was talking to. ‘Well, who have we here?’ he smirked insolently. ‘Newcastle’s newest courtesan, I see!’
Lady Winterbourne was mortified. ‘How dare you, sir! You are a fool if you believe all the gossip you read and you certainly are no gentleman.’
‘And you Lady Winterbourne, are no Lady,’ he mocked as he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her toward him. He planted a kiss full on her lips before she knew what he was about and before she could extricate herself from his firm grip. Pushing him away, she slapped him with full force across the face and he stumbled back into the courtyard of the George. Hannah her maid added to the scuffle by kicking him fiercely in the shins and the stranger winced with pain. It was at that moment that Captain Blackmore emerged from the Inn with his friend Mr. Perivale to witness the altercation and stopped short. ‘What is going on here?’ he demanded with a voice of arrogant authority. Lady Winterbourne was distressed. ‘Oh, Captain Blackmore, thank goodness, this dreadful man has insulted me in the most outrageous fashion. Oh, I have never been so mortified in my entire life.’
Captain Blackmore stepped forward. ‘Apologise to Lady Winterbourne or you will have to answer to me,’ he growled. The stranger just sneered at him. �
�Apologise to a Doxy. I do not think so. A woman like her must be used to such treatment.’
Captain Blackmore stepped forward and slapped the man clean across his face with his glove. ‘You will answer for your insults. Name your friends, Sir.’
The man only sneered and retorted. ‘Do you realise who you are speaking to. I am the Viscount Brackenbury and I only duel with gentlemen. Your station is far too beneath me to contemplate a challenge from you, so take yourself off if you know what is good for you.’
Captain Blackmore was enraged. ‘Your insults are intolerable sir. First you insult the lady and now you dare to insult me!’ The Captain’s arm snaked up to catch the Viscount by the throat and squeezing mercilessly, he backed him against the wall. His friend Mr. Perivale tried to pull him back, but to no avail. Captain Blackmore was filled with too much anger to listen and ruthlessly continued his assault. ‘I do not care who you are,’ he snarled. ‘You will apologise to the lady or you will breathe your last.’
Viscount Brackenbury, struggling to gain control, reached into his pocket. Before Captain Blackmore was aware, the Viscount raised a knife plunging it into the Captain’s stomach and he fell to the ground in gut wrenching agony. Blood soaked through his silken shirt onto the surface of the pavement forming a sticky pool. By this time, a crowd had gathered on the pavement outside of the Old George Inn. Lady Winterbourne stepped forward in order to render her assistance, but Mr. Perivale held her back. ‘No my Lady, this is no place for you. We need to get you and your maid away from here and quickly. Mr. Perivale signalled to a man of his acquaintance in the crowd. ‘Farnham, quickly, come over here. Can you please escort these ladies home?’ He turned to Lady Winterbourne. ‘Do not fear, I shall call on you later to let you know how Captain Blackmore goes. Meanwhile, we really must get you away from here, before you are recognised.’
Lady Winterbourne's Entanglement: A Romantic Regency Adventure Page 1
