In which the Lady remembers how much she longed for excitement as a tomboy, and takes on the mantle of Adventuress.
In which the Adventuress, flushed with her early success, takes on a much more perilous tasking that would have been far beyond most ladies, or men, of her day.
In which the Adventuress adopts a new disguise, experiences failure, and out of necessity acts most unladylike.
Kate had just come into society, not yet sixteen, the daughter of an Earl, when she unknowingly became a courier for the British Secret Service. Then, through circumstances and desire, their first Lady operative, carrying out clandestine taskings from 1849 to 1855.
Discover a little about those missions of high adventure. Join Kate as she uses her intellect, charm, and aplomb, and her brother's fantastic inventions, to work her way through each desperate situation.
Similar to the lavishly illustrated and sensational Penny Dreadfuls of the Victorian era, these adventures contain mature themes and violence. We recommend them as suitable for young adults, and adults of all ages who are young at heart.
When examining duelling during the 19th Century, a clear division must be made between sabres and pistols. When it came to swordplay, combatants could agree to first blood, or to the death. Pistols, on the other hand, immediately indicated a desire to kill your opponent, as any wound was more likely to become septic and the infection fatal.
Combat between gentlemen, following a formal code of rules, harkens back to the judicial duel (trial by battle, trail by wager) of mediaeval times….
During the Regency and into the Victorian era, the London social season was particularly busy from April to June, but events were held throughout the winter, starting when Parliament returned in late January and included military reviews, dinner parties, and charity events. Débutante (French for female beginner) balls were a highlight, hosted at the grand houses of the aristocracy. Lord Byron referred to these galas as marriage marts. There were very few upper-class public social venues in London open to both sexes. An exception was Almack’s Assembly Rooms, which opened in 1765, and admitted both men and women. Other popular meeting venues included the…
Often when people write about fashion they will quote one source and seem to think there were hard and fast rules followed. In truth, the artwork of any era reveals multitudes of styles, unlimited variety, and a great deal of tastes catered to for all walks of life. Again, the wealthy were best able to satisfy their desires and vanity in regards to clothes, and certain headdresses came and went in popularity but, rather like today, the early Victorian lady could wear what she pleased.
[caption id=”attachment_2909″ align=”aligncenter” width=”860″ caption=”In this 1859 study of Pegwell Bay by W. Dyce we see ladies out collecting seashells wearing a short brimmed bonnet, a plain black felt hat with large rounded brim, and a flat brimmed…