A Lady in Disguise

by Sandra Byrd

  “Willingly.” He led me and we danced, and our friends joined us.

  I leaned toward his ear and whispered. “I have been reading Little Women with our daughter. I came across a passage which my mother had read to and wished for me, and that I wish for our girl. ‘To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman; and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience.’ ”

  “Do you believe your mother’s hope for you was realized?” For a moment, he looked apprehensive.

  I smiled reassuringly. “How could you even wonder? Better than she’d hoped.” I reached up and touched the beloved spray of freckles next to his eye, and then brushed his hair from where it had strayed on his collar. “Mother wouldn’t have dared hope for Prince Charming for me, but I did, and here you are.”

  The music slowed a little.

  “My life,” he said softly.

  I answered, “My love.”

  He kissed my forehead and then wound his fingers through mine. “As we happy ever after shall be.”

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  PANTOMIMES

  Theater is a big part of London. The Red Lion was the first theater built in London, in 1567, during the Elizabethan era. As theatrical entertainment grew to be popular not only with the masses but with audiences from all walks of life, more and more theaters were built, and the West End sprouted its theater district.

  Pantomimes grew to be increasingly popular and elaborate forms of theatrical entertainment in the Victorian era. The website Dictionary.com defines pantomime as “a theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, that involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and is based on a fairy tale or nursery story, usually produced around Christmas.”

  Because they were centered around Christmas and fairy tales, a visit to a pantomime around Christmastime became a popular form of entertainment for families with children. Often overlooked, though, were the children who performed in them.

  In an article found at the Victoria and Albert Museum website, one can learn that there were sometimes over six hundred actors in a given pantomime—all needing costumes—and that during the Christmas holidays sometimes two performances a day would be put on. That is a lot of work, especially for children. The V and A tells us that “The most elaborate Victorian pantomimes were at Drury Lane Theatre in London.”

  The Christmas 1883 pantomime really was Cinderella, and my son was able to locate a copy of the actual script so, for the most part, the words drawn from that performance are the ones that were spoken.

  About this same time, a woman named Ellen Barlee took up the cause of the Pantomime Waifs, as they were known, pointing out that they were often exploited as child laborers. She exposed that the children were not being educated, and given the negative public sentiment about actresses (who were thought to have low morals), the girls themselves had a difficult time finding employment when they were no longer children. Barlee worked tirelessly to help the girls develop wholesome domestic skills that they might use to find employment later, rather than being further exploited.

  There was a theatrical mission on King Street, in the theater district, during that era, that reached out to actresses, actors, and pantomime waifs. Because prostitution, including child prostitution, was common during the Victorian era, too, people of good heart sought ways to protect the vulnerable from exploitation.

  THE SALVATION ARMY AND CHILD TRAFFICKING

  There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations intent on doing good for others in the Victorian era; it’s heartening, and perhaps a little convicting, to see how many people were dedicated to lifting the misery of others. In this book, though, I focused not only on the Theatrical Mission but drew inspiration from the Salvation Army, a vibrant organization for good in London and, eventually, the entire world. All the best parts of the ministries of the Cause, in this book, were inspired by the work of the Salvation Army, a powerful tour de force for good in Victorian England. The news clippings I had Gillian read from her mother’s scrapbooks were nearly exactly reproduced from actual clippings about the Salvation Army during the mid- to late-nineteenth century.

  The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William Booth and his wife, Catherine. Both William and Catherine preached, though William generally reached out to the poor and undesirables they felt led to minister to, including prostitutes, alcoholics and morphine addicts, and the destitute, and Catherine raised funds from the wealthy. Their many children eventually joined them in ministry, and one son, Bramwell, was drawn to the cause of the exploitation of children. From the Salvation Army’s website:

  “The law, as it stood in the early 1880s, said that a girl of thirteen was legally competent to consent to her own seduction. Girls under the age of eight were not allowed to give evidence against those who had abused them, as it was thought that they were too young to understand the oath.

  “Josephine Butler, a campaigner for women’s rights, wrote a letter to Florence Booth, the wife of The Salvation Army’s Chief of the Staff, Bramwell Booth, concerning the sale of young girls into prostitution. We have this letter and other correspondence relating to the case, including letters written by Catherine Booth, The Army Mother, to Queen Victoria.

  “Florence Booth, as pioneer leader of the Army’s Women’s Social Work, had gained an insight into the lives of girls working as prostitutes. Through this work, the practice of trafficking girls to be used for immoral purposes, both in Britain and overseas, came to the attention of The Salvation Army.

  “Bramwell Booth had walked the streets of London, seeing for himself the desperate situations that many of the young girls found themselves in. What he saw prompted him to speak with W. T. Stead, Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette.

  “Stead was an admirer of The Salvation Army and was horrified to think that young girls were being bought and sold. He investigated the claims made by The Salvation Army and published his findings in the Pall Mall Gazette, 6–10 July 1885. The articles appeared under the title, ‘The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon,’ and Stead received much support. On 14 August 1885, the Criminal Law Amendment Act became law, raising the age of consent from thirteen to sixteen years.”

  Stead has been said to have been heavily influenced by his mother, an early crusader for the proper treatment of all women, including prostitutes. Sadly, after helping women and children into lifeboats and giving away his life jacket, Mr. Stead was among the victims of the sinking of the Titanic.

  I wish the Criminal Law Amendment had been the end of it, that the good work these men and women did put a stop to child trafficking, but sadly, the practice continues. During the time I wrote this book, my friend Tina went to India to minister to rescued, formerly trafficked girls through the Catalyst Foundation, and our local Taproot Theatre Company sponsored a fund-raiser for Hetauda House, which helps such children in Nepal. England had its own large-scale scandal as recently as 1999–2013, involving the grooming of teenagers for sex trafficking and exploitation. And in Seattle, my hometown, the mother of a fifteen-year-old was interviewed by the New York Times in an article titled, “Every Parent’s Nightmare,” to discuss how her daughter had been trafficked into the sex industry.

  There’s more to do. If we each do for one what we cannot do for many, we can make a difference.

  WINTON PARK

  Winton Park was lightly based on Uppark, a country house in Hampshire, which suffered a catastrophic fire at one time. It’s interesting to note that the writer H. G. Wells spent part of his boyhood at Uppark, where his mother was a housekeeper.

  SPLICING FICTION AND FACT

  It’s such a pleasure for me to mix and mingle fictional characters (which I work hard to keep of the era) with people who actually lived. In this book, the most important “real” character has very little time on the page, but he had the most influence in history: Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury.

  Lord Shaftesbury came from an old, storied, an
d moneyed family, but he took up the cause of the underdog at nearly every turn. He used his influence to help reform the lunacy laws, put in protection for child labor laws, and introduced laws protecting miners and especially climbing boys, better known as chimney sweeps. Those boys were often illegitimate children, or otherwise cast aside, and they suffered diseases of the lungs, eyes, and scrotum from being pressed up against sooty, hot chimneys so often.

  Shaftesbury walked the talk. Georgina Battiscombe, in Shaftesbury: A Biography of the Seventh Earl, tells us that when Shaftesbury found a chimney sweep living behind his house in London, he rescued the child. He sent him to “the Union School at Norwood Hill, where, under God’s blessing and special merciful grace, he will be trained in the knowledge and love and faith of our common Saviour.” From this, I drew the inspiration for Thomas to take one wounded veteran and give him a warm home and employment as a driver.

  Thomas’s friend and barrister, H. A. Colmore-Dunn, was a real barrister practicing law at the time and was a fencing expert who went on to write books on the sport. His real wife was a progressive who was involved in suffrage—and writing novels.

  Augustus Harris was the long-standing and famous manager of the Drury Lane Theatre, and was knighted in 1891. A gentleman of the era would belong to a club, and I find it amusing that Mr. Harris was the chairman of the Eccentric Club. The Garrick and the City of London Club, clubs to which Thomas, Lord Lockwood, belonged, are both still in existence. It’s interesting to note that A. A. Milne of Winnie-the-Pooh fame bequeathed a large portion of his estate to the Garrick.

  C. Wilhelm, the son of a shipbuilder, began work creating costumes at Drury Lane in 1877 and continued until 1897.

  WHITE-COLLAR CRIME

  The Victorian era was an age of expansion and capitalist fuel. Every decade brought new technological wonders. Because of the opportunities to make a lot of money, quickly, there was also an increase in white-collar crime and fraud. I was able to locate a court case involving a tin mine scheme upon which I based my false transfer shares crime. Then, as now, there were good investors and those willing to defraud, honest policemen and those who fell to their temptations.

  This book is a tribute to all those who invest in the lives of others, whether it be by providing means for them to escape the human misery that is trafficking, by providing jobs and a future through employment, or by protecting the public well-being as police officers.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I hardly know where to begin to thank the many people who sustain me with their love and affection, encouragement and exhortation, as well as bring their considerable talent and skills to assist me with the books.

  Dr. Alex Naylor and Finni Golden are truly golden to me in the research, preparation, and editing of the books. They assist me as I research the dozens of threads that must be sounded out before being admitted into a book that I desire to be historically rich and accurate. Along the way they answer questions, prod me, and disallow me from putting a foot wrong, all with utmost intelligence and grace. When the manuscript is complete, these residents of Portsmouth, England, edit the work to ensure the characters sound English and not American, Victorian and not twenty-first century.

  Jenny Q. of Historical Editorial is an amazing editor, friend, and sounding board. I would never write a historical novel without her assistance, and I offer my utmost gratitude and admiration for her skills, talent, and abilities. Plus, she is a wondrously smart, kind, and good person.

  Sarah Gordon, Resident Costume Designer and Costume Shop Manager, or better known as Grand Empress of Costumeland, was a super help to me as I sought to understand theater costumers then and now. She showed me around her theater (Taproot) and her workshop, explained how costumers and dressmakers work, and answered my many pesky questions. You’ll notice her little cameo—well-deserved!

  I have so many friends willing to read the book and offer repeated professional insight: among them are Debbie Austin, Dawn Kinzer, Serena Chase, and Cindy Coloma. I am so grateful for their wisdom, friendship, and time.

  My fabulous agent, Danielle Egan-Miller at Browne & Miller Literary Associates, along with fabulous co-agents Joanna MacKenzie and Abby Saul, did an amazing job not only offering editorial insight, but helping me navigate the complicated world of publishing. I’d be lost without them.

  The final stop on this editorial journey is Beth Adams, senior editor at Howard Books. Her encouragement, plus on-point insightful edits, have made this book much stronger, cleaner, and engaging than it ever would have been without her, and I’m so grateful for her attentions.

  Above all, I’m grateful for my husband, Michael, to whom I will have been married for thirty years when this book is published, and my amazing children, to whom I grow closer every year.

  Thank you, God, for allowing me to join You in Your important work!

  © STUDIO B PORTRAITS

  Award-winning and bestselling author SANDRA BYRD has published four dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including Mist of Midnight and Bride of a Distant Isle (A Romantic Times Book Reviews Top Pick). For nearly two decades, Sandra has shared her secrets with the many writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle area.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Sandra Byrd

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Howard Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

  First Howard Books trade paperback edition March 2017

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  Interior design by Jaime Putorti

  Cover design by Georgia Morrissey

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

  ISBN 978-1-4767-1793-7

  ISBN 978-1-4767-1796-8 (ebook)

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  Sandra Byrd, A Lady in Disguise