The House at the End of the Moor
Page 31
“Oui, madam. Merci.” Doffing his hat, J’Arney bypassed them and entered the house.
No sooner did he go than Maggie turned to Oliver—and all thoughts of politics and lawmaking fled, cast out by the love shining in her eyes. “Will you mind it very much, do you think?”
Grabbing her hands, he pulled her close. “Mind what?”
“Living here, in this house at the end of the moor, away from dinners and dances and society? Except for when Parliament is in session and we are in London, it will be a quiet life this far out.”
“It won’t be for long, not if I have my way.”
“Oh? And what way would that be, Husband?”
Tipping her face, he tasted her sweetness, kissing her lips and the curve of her neck until she weakened and leaned into him. Satisfied, he set her from him. “We’ll have this countryside ringing with children’s laughter in no time—our children. Would you like that?”
A wide smile flashed. “Very much.”
“Well then, Wife.” Bending, he swept her off her feet then straightened. “Let us begin our new life.”
Historical Notes
Dartmoor Prison
Situating a prison at the center of an unforgiving landscape really is a brilliant idea. So thought the creators of Dartmoor Prison—and they were right. Even after two hundred years, this fortress still houses convicts. The institution was originally built in 1806 to detain French prisoners of war, but with the breakout of the War of 1812 against the United States, the walls confined American prisoners as well. When things simmered down, the prison closed in 1816 but then reopened in 1850, coinciding with the passage of legislation against transportation. Since then it has and still does imprison a range of offenders such as gangsters, killers, and political prisoners.
Whist Hounds and Pixies
No, I’m not talking about card-playing dogs or sweet transparent-winged cherubs who fly around in tutus. These two creatures of folklore are a shade darker than that. A whist hound is a mythical red-eyed beast, doglike in movement, and about the size of a small calf. If you happen to see this black animal prowling the moor, run the opposite direction, for it’s said if you follow one, you’ll be led to your death with an accompaniment of sinister laughter and mournful baying. This hellhound legend inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Pixies, or fairies as they’re sometimes called, are mischievous to the point of causing harm. If you happen to get lost on the moor, especially in a mist, you can bet it was the pixies that turned you about.
Moors, Tors, and Quaking Bogs
A moor is a vast expanse of open, infertile land with low-growing vegetation that often contains rolling hills and outcroppings of rock, which are called tors. Bray Tor is a free-standing pile of rocks and is a real place located near Lydford, Devon. Dotting the Dartmoor countryside are quaking bogs. Think of them as great sphagnum moss and peat sponges, usually in the higher, central parts of the north moor. Those that are deep can be impossible to escape, so while hiking about in a moor, it’s best to carry a walking stick to test the ground when you see a suspicious patch of what could be a bog.
Lock-Up Keepers and Constables
Mr. Barrow’s position is a fictional mix of a constable and a lock-up keeper, but for the sake of modern sensibilities, I merely refer to him as constable because that’s a term most people recognize. A lock-up keeper guarded prisoners in a correctional institution, but other duties included transporting convicts between gaols (which is the British term historically used for jails), courtrooms, prisons, or any other number of places. Armed with this information and for the sake of continuity in the story, I took the liberty of extending Mr. Barrow’s duties to tracking down one of the prisoners for whom he was responsible.
The Theatre Royal in Bath
The Theatre Royal is one of Britain’s oldest venues that still offers quality entertainment today—plus it’s absolutely gorgeous inside. The building was originally constructed in 1805 but was rebuilt after a fire in 1863… from one of Wendell Groat’s vigil lanterns, perhaps? But no, Wendell Groat is a fictional character. The real manager at the time was James Henry Chute.
Victorian Weddings
Maggie and Oliver celebrate their wedding in much the same style as their peers. A traditional wedding kiss wasn’t so traditional back then, hence the omission of “you may now kiss the bride.” In fact, in the opening of chapter thirty-three, Oliver and Maggie’s wedding vows and the vicar’s prayer are taken directly from the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer. A change in this story is the church bells ringing after the ceremony. Traditionally they rang as the couple entered the church to make the villagers aware a ceremony was taking place and to scare away any lurking evil forces. It was an English custom to hold a noon ceremony with breakfast thirty minutes later at the bride’s home.
Sexton
Sextons are often thought of as grave diggers, but first and foremost they were employees or officers of the church. Their main responsibility is for the care and upkeep of church property. In smaller parishes their duties can and do stretch to ringing bells and digging graves. It was not necessary or traditional that Oliver left a small compensation for the sexton, but that’s just the nice kind of guy he is.
Bibliography
Amphlett, D. C. The Bath Book of Days. Cheltenham: The History Press, 2014.
Andrews, Robert. The Rough Guide to Devon and Cornwall. London: Rough Guides Ltd., 2017.
James, Trevor. Breakout! Escapes from Dartmoor Prison. Cornwall:
Orchard (Tor Mark), 2015. Knight, Jenny. Bath through Time. Stroud: Amberley Publishing, 2012.
Steedman, Carolyn. Policing the Victorian Community: The Formation of English Provincial Police. Vol. 9, Routledge Library Editions: The History of Crime and Punishment. New York: Routledge, 2017.
Tames, Richard, and Sheila Tames. A Traveller’s History of Bath. Moreton-in-Marsh: Chastleton Travel, an imprint of Arris Publishing Ltd., 2009.
Thomson, Basil. The Story of Dartmoor Prison. London: Forgotten Books, 2018.
Acknowledgments
So many people are instrumental in the birth of a new book baby. Though most of my time is spent shut in a room by myself, I am never alone in the storytelling journey. My list to thank everyone involved would be a novel in itself, so let these few mentions suffice as a small glimpse of who my team is…
Chawna & Jim Schroeder are the dynamic father–daughter duo who are indispensable when it comes to hatching intricate plot details, not to mention Chawna’s opera star sister-in-law, Barbara Quintiliani, who was willing to give me insight into a world with which I am not familiar.
Though I research like crazy, I couldn’t do without a final historically accurate once-over read from my author buddy Julie Klassen.
Speaking of author buddies, it’s Elizabeth Ludwig, Ane Mulligan, Shannon McNear, Sharon Hinck, and Tara Johnson who bear the brunt of my weeping and gnashing of teeth while I craft a story.
My books would never be on the shelf if it weren’t for publishing professionals Annie Tipton and Wendy Lawton. Plus a shout-out to editor Reagen Reed who catches my lapses in logic or repeated words.
My cheerleading friends Stephanie Gustafson, Cheryl & Grant Higgins, Linda Ahlmann, and Maria Nelson always stand at the ready with an encouraging word. So do my many readers, who make this writing gig all worthwhile and keep me going when I want to give up.
Last, but not least, I wouldn’t be doing this without the support of my long-suffering husband, who puts up with me day in and day out. Mark is my real-life hero.
About the Author
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the Christy Award–winning author of historical romances: Once Upon a Dickens Christmas, The Noble Guardian, A Tale of Two Hearts, The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, A Heart Deceived, and Gallimore; but also leap
ed the historical fence into the realm of the contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
And guess what? She loves to hear from readers! Feel free to drop her a note at michellegriep@gmail.com.
Other Books by Michelle
12 Days at Bleakly Manor
Brentwood’s Ward
The Innkeeper’s Daughter
The Noble Guardian
A Tale of Two Hearts
A Heart Deceived
Gallimore
The Captive Heart
The Captured Bride
Once Upon a Dickens Christmas
Out of the Frying Pan