The old
adage that a well-bred Victorian lady rarely drank “the devil’s brew” is an
utter fallacy–nothing could be farther from the truth!! And the higher up the
economic scale one traveled, the more allowable a lady’s indulgence. Indeed,
ladies of means, when visiting, even took to toting their own spirits in
elegant cut glass ‘flasks’ and adding their whiskey, or other stout brew, to
the customary afternoon tea — In fact, the oft-attended soiree which included ‘taking
a wee nip’ rose in number, along with a lady’s social standing.
According to
the Victorian Church of England when speaking of the fairer & wealthier
sex, “worry is what they suffer from, rest and hope what they want. Thereby, drunkenness
gives a rosiness to what is to come. But these fine ladies do not get unsightly
drunk, unless on Bank Holidays or at marriages or funerals.” Indeed!
And it is
said to be “the regular occurrence for a wealthy lady to slip into a neighbor’s
parlor for a drink of whiskey while out shopping.” And yet, another male clergy
remarked, “there is an increase in the number of respectably dressed young
women given over to drink.”
But the
lower the working class a woman belonged, the more chastisement was tossed her
way when she popped open a bottle and indulged: “They drink worse than ever,”
we are told; and “these women drink to excess more than men. They take to it
largely to carry them through their drudgery.” And yet again: “The women are
worse than the men, but their drinking is largely due to their slavery at the
washtub. Nearly all get drunk on Monday for they only live on four-ale and
fried fish.” So now you all know the
truth. And oh my, baby…we HAVE come a
long way in the ‘spirit-taking’ practice.
Hmmmm, I do believe I’ll have another glass of wine…after all, ‘tis a
fruit serving AND five o’clock somewhere! CHEERS!!
Long live historical
romance!! And the joy of reading about our oh-so-wily foremothers! For more fun, historical tidbits pop on over
and sit-a-spell… ☺ ~ Cindy
An Unlikely Hero
by Cindy Nord
Available on: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Itunes
He’s a
hard-as-stone man with a broken past…and she’s a reminder of all he’s lost.
Rugged army scout Dillon Reed has met his match in spoiled
Boston debutante Alma Talmadge, but an unwanted assignment escorting the beauty
across the wilds of America soon evolves into a journey of monumental change
for them both. With killers hot on their trail, the odds of staying alive are
stacked against them…and yet, falling in love was nowhere in their plans for
survival.
EXCERPT:
Washington D.C.,
May 1873
Who in the hell came up with this asinine plan?
Dillon Reed grimaced at the
stench of burning coal as he jammed the colonel’s telegram into his coat
pocket. He cut his gaze across the station platform to the nearby locomotive.
In a deluge of color, passengers descended the railcar’s iron steps; he kept
his attention riveted on the opening.
An exasperated sigh escaped from
between clenched teeth. He’d delivered the governor’s territorial reports to
Washington in just under three weeks, a remarkable time, and he looked forward
to a swift, unencumbered return home. But, when he’d checked the telegraph
office for messages before heading out, this newest malarkey of an assignment
waited. He’d also been instructed to shave and freshen-up prior to meeting this
train from Boston, but Hell’s chambers would freeze solid before Dillon would
make the effort. I’m an army scout, for
Christ’s sake, not some damn nanny.
A grating responsibility rolled
into focus when a peach-colored parasol, the signal he’d been awaiting, popped
open to fill the train’s doorway. Dillon shoved from the depot’s wall and
straightened, the crown of his slouch hat bumping a sign that read Washington, District of Columbia – The
Capitol of Your Country. The plank swung back and forth on squeaky hinges.
Heat fused with anger when his contact’s traveling boot glided to the first
iron step. Good God, her entire foot could fit in his right hand. His gaze
climbed a dark-green dress rigged with a ridiculous bustled contraption, raked
over a fur encircling slender shoulders like a buffalo mane, then finally came
to a stop on golden curls swirling upward into a tarnished knot. Atop the
silken mass, a scrap of hat perched at a cockeyed angle. A dozen blue and green
ribbons fluttered in the afternoon breeze with all the spectacle of a peahen.
Dillon’s throat tightened as the
woman descended to the platform, radiant among the other travelers. Her ability
to stand out in a crowd added another sting to the onerous assignment. For a
full minute, he waited while she scanned the throng, anxiousness shadowing her
face. Narrow of waist, she stood barely five feet tall…a good stiff wind would
blow her over.
Another curse welled inside him.
The urge to walk away warred
against every ounce of military commitment he possessed. What did he do to the
colonel to deserve such wretched torment? Dillon straightened, then stepped
from the shadows of the depot to collect his damnable…assignment.
Boots thumped against weathered
wood as each stride echoed his resentment. How could this slip of lace endure
the miles they’d have to travel, or the harsh sun of the desert? Christ
Almighty, she’d end up sick or dead and slung over his saddle in no time. As
his shadow darkened the woman’s diminutive form, he retrieved the telegram from
his coat pocket, then tightened his jaw.
“Alma Talmadge?” he snapped.
She swung to face him, her eyes
widening.
Dillon thrust the telegram
forward, his words cleaving the air. “Per these instructions from your uncle,
I’ve been assigned as your escort on the trip westward to Fort Lowell.”
A well-shaped brow arched with
suspicion. Her mouth tightened as she abruptly scanned the words, her
golden-tipped eyelashes raising and lowering with each haughty sweep. A moment
later, her gaze lanced back to his. “I was told to expect a proper attendant.”
“Proper?” he snorted. “I’m as
proper as you’re gonna get.”
Her attention riveted on his
sweat-stained Stetson, then slid all the way down him to his scuffed-up cavalry
boots. When their gazes reconnected, disgust dulled the spark in her indigo
eyes. “But … you’re no gentleman.”
“Where we’re going, lady the last
thing you’ll need is one of those dupes who can’t find his ass with both
hands.”
Repulsion cascaded scarlet across
her face. She pressed a dainty, lace-edged hankie to the column of her throat.
“I cannot possibly travel with the unkempt likes of you. Y-You’re not even
clean.”
The insistent urge to walk away
blistered deeper. “The job is to deliver you safely to the fort…which I intend
to do. Cleanliness does not increase my skill.”
~ Pop over for an
even closer peek on Amazon
Say hello to Bestselling Historical Romance writer,
CINDY NORD...author of NO GREATER GLORY, book one in her bestselling,
award-winning four-book ‘The Cutteridge Family’ series, as well as a USA Today
Lifeblog ‘Recommended Read’, & the #1 Civil War Romance at Amazon for over
one full year. WITH OPEN ARMS, book two,
is also a #1 bestselling western historical romance. And book three, ANUNLIKELY HERO, just debuted on July 1st, & by that evening had surged onto
the coveted ‘Top 100 Romances at Amazon’ list thxs to her beloved readers.
She
is now hard-at-work crafting BY ANY MEANS, book four in her series, which is
set to debut the winter of 2017. Cindy is also honored to be a contributor
alongside many NYTimes writers in the delightful non-fiction anthology
SCRIBBLING WOMEN & THE REAL-LIFE ROMANCE HEROES WHO LOVE THEM [all proceeds
from the sale of this book go to the ‘Women In Need’ shelter in NYC].
A member
of numerous writers groups, Cindy’s work has finaled or won countless times in
competitions -- including the prestigious Romance Writers of America National
Golden Heart Contest. A luscious blend of history and romance, her love stories
meld both genres around fast-paced action and emotionally driven
characters.
Please join Cindy at her very
popular Cindy Nord Facebook site for her delightful Monday-Friday ‘Coffee
Klatch’ postings. She loves all her
‘Klatchers’, as she affectionately says.
Upcoming Events Cindy Will Be Attending:
** September
21st – 25th, Spokane, Washington – National HistoricalRomance Retreat – Keynote historian
speaker & program, plus book signing event.
Website ~ Amazon Author Page ~ Facebook ~ Google+ ~
Thanks so much for the warm invitation to visit, Brenda! You know me, I love all things historical...even 'TIDBITS'!! Kindest regards, ~ Cindy
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