“Your sister, my lady?” Hobbes eyed Kitty skeptically.
“Yes, this is Mrs. Hayes, my sister from America.”
“A pleasure to be of service, madam.” He sketched a small bow to her. “May I bring you some refreshment, my lady?”
“Thank you. Tea in my sitting room, please.”
“Coffee?” came a small voice.
“Oh, dear,” Eve whispered, “I’m sorry, no. Chocolate?”
“That will be fine,” the disheveled woman answered as she took the sleeping child from the ancient Chinaman.
“As you wish, madam.” Hobbes started to lead the old man from the hall as Eve steered Kitty into the drawing room, when Kitty suddenly remembered, “Eve! My driver! He needs to be paid.”
“I shall see to it, madam,” Hobbes assured and snapped his fingers to nearby servants.
Once up the stairs and inside the sitting room, Eve flung her arms around her sister, disregarding the grime covering her. “Kitty! Oh, my goodness. Kitty, dear! How I’ve missed you! Oh, what are you doing here? Did Mama come with you? Da?”
It took Eve a moment to realize that her sister’s shoulders were shaking. A moment longer to realize she was crying. “Kitty! What is wrong?”
“Evie!” Kitty cried, as she clung to her sister. “I thought I’d never make it here! I left him! I left him!”
Acknowledgements
I’d like to dedicate this book to my amazing friends and family who have encouraged me, urged me and even pushed me through the years to get this thing done. My lifelong friends, Lori, who sat by my side back in high school while I finally typed my first stories on an old Apple 2GS computer, and Thelma, that wonderful Nordic B*!%@ who inspires me to not even think about writing weak women. For my children, who never seem to feel ignored when I lose myself in “my bubble”, and my husband and best friend, Kirk, who gives me an amazing amount of encouragement even though I won’t let him read anything.
Author’s Notes
I’ve long been fascinated by the Victorian Era, when life moved pretty fast and changed constantly, with new inventions and innovations being offered every day. We can look back from where we are and see the things we have now in their infant state, from magazines to books to the theater and more practically, the light bulb and recognizable plumbing.
But at that point life hadn’t changed much for women. They were still subject to men when it came to their rights and money, and divorce was a difficult undertaking that could ruin a woman in the public eye. That is where I began, though it took me many other places.
Eve and her sister Kitty are both women who suffered under marriage with little recourse but who finally fight to stand for themselves. As a fan of Edith Wharton, I place them first in New York, in that Knickerbocker Society that included the Vanderbilts, Oelrichs, Goelets and Rockefellers and, with Kitty’s story, also in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island, home of some of the most amazing homes in America.
I’d like to also point out, given some questions I received, that earls were always referred to the Earl of Glenrothes in full title, rather than the shorten Earl Glenrothes that I use from time to time in conversation. Documents in the 19th century history shows earls using the shortened title and is used regularly, from former Prime Minister (and namesake of tea) Earl Grey, to the 5th Earl Russell and right up to Princess Diana’s father and now brother, Earl Spencer.
The sinking of the SS Utopia did take place as described, sinking off the coast of Gibraltar in March of 1891. The survivors bound for New York were carried on the SS Anglia and relatives of passengers in some cases did wait until the ship had docked to find out the fate of their loved ones.
Ravenscraig Castle (though I refer to it in my story as Raven’s Craig) still stands today on the northern coast of the Firth of Forth though it is largely in ruin, having been passed through many hands. Since 1971, it has been open to the public by its owner, Historic Scotland. It’s such a spectacular piece of medieval architecture that I wanted to bring it to life for Francis and Eve, imagining what it might have been. As Francis predicted, the nearby towns of Dysart and Kirkaldy have crept right up the drawbridge of the castle.
I have used many actual sights and locations in Scotland and Edinburgh as settings in my books, tweaking them to fit my story lines including St. Andrews. The Old Course at St. Andrews has been played since about 1400. The New Course was opened in 1895. Today St. Andrew’s consists of 7 courses while The Royal and Ancient Golf Club governs the rules of golf everywhere but in the US.
I hope you enjoy.
Collect the entire Question series by Angeline Fortin
A Question of Love – Eve’s Story
A Question of Trust – Kitty’s Story
A Question of Lust – Moira’s Story
And a prequel to the series
Abby’s Story
And still more to come from the MacKintosh clan in the future
Also Available
A Laird for All Time
About the Author
Angeline Fortin picked up her first romance novel in college and has never been able to put them down since. A life-long lover of history, she holds a BA degree in History from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and has worked at Colonial Williamsburg as a historical interpreter. Blending her two favorite things, she began writing her own historical romances for the enjoyment of herself and her friends ten years ago.
Angeline is a native Minnesotan, a fan of the Vikings and the Twins. As a former military wife, she has lived in many places but currently resides in the southeast with her husband and two children and misses the cold weather.
Your comments are always welcome! Please send Angeline an email to [email protected] or LIKE her or the Questions for a Highlander series on Facebook for information and updates.
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