Timelines in Regency Romance - Why Travel Impacts It

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I've got to pop to Auckland on Friday for a one hour meeting, it's a fifty-minute flight, or a five hour drive, from my home in the Hawke's Bay, or probably a 2 -3 day journey if I were living in the early 1800's.

When you think about traveling in the modern era you forget how easy it is. Even to visit someone fifty miles away, which would take about half an hour by car, would take a day, at least, in 1815.

 In my latest Regency release INVITATION TO PASSION (My Lord's) $2.99US, book #3 in my Invitation To series, the hero, Richard Craven, has to travel from London to Newmarket and back. What would take probably a two hour drive today, takes him all day in each direction.

As a writer, this means you have to be very careful with your timelines. Things don't often happen within a day, unless you base your story in one place. In addition, it would take several days or weeks to send and receive messages, depending on how far they needed to be sent. I find I am having to plot out my timelines very carefuly if my story involves any form of travel or distances.

Invitation To Passion involves travel between Newmarket, London, and Deal down on the coast in

Kent. Horses, therefore, are prominent in my story. I'm lucky I grew up on a farm and had horses so I know a fair bit about them, but I had to learn about all the different types of carriages and what they were used for. Travel coaches were larger and faster, given they were pulled by more horses, than day carriages like an open top Barouche pulled by may only one or two horses.

So, budding historical authors, one thing to always consider when you are plotting out a story—ensure you get your timelines right.

Invitation To Passion is a marriage of convenience/ Best friends story. Here's the blurb:

Consummate rake, Lord Richard Craven, has his heart broken when the woman he loves is forced into an arranged marriage to a violent brute. To make matters worse, circumstances force him to marry Lady Madeline Knight—a woman he views more like a sister-only for fate to play the cruelest of tricks. Shortly after his wedding his former lover is widowed, and Richard learns she could be pregnant with his child.

Madeline Knight thought she was doing the right thing when she saved Richard Craven from his lover’s irate husband. Now her silly schoolgirl crush has left her married to a man who’s in love with another woman. Consumed with guilt over trapping Richard, she tries her best to be the perfect wife and win his heart. Failure is not an option. For if she fails she loses everything, she loves him too much not to set him free…

While Richard and Madeline confront the reality of their marriage, Madeline’s life comes under threat. A family enemy is set on revenge. Will Richard learn the truth of his heart, and what is truly precious to him, before the unknown enemy destroys their world?


Here's a snippet, enjoy!

Richard moved back to his seat. “That’s my girl. Are you feeling up to discussing our situation?”

“I’m quite composed now, thank you.”

He nodded. “Good.” Sitting forward in his chair, he leaned his elbows on his knees and cupped his chin in his hands. Earnestly he spoke. “I will try to make the next few days as painless as possible for you. The wedding will take place here at Hascombe, in two days’ time.”

“So soon?”

“Rufus thinks that is best.”

“My brother is probably happy to see me wed and off his hands. Now he can have Rheda all to himself.”

Richard sighed. “That’s a bit mean, Mads. Rufus loves you and is only thinking of your reputation.”

“You must think me very ungrateful.”

“Not at all. You forget I know you very well. I’ve watched you grow into a beautiful young woman.” He heard her breath catch.

“Beautiful?”

He chuckled. “I remember telling you many years ago that one day I’d have to protect you from the males of the species. I just didn’t think it would be me.”

A gorgeous flush raced up her décolleté, but a frown clouded her lovely features.
“Hmmm, that leads me onto a question.”

He watched her fidget. This couldn’t be good.
 
“Go on. You know you can always ask me anything. Nothing will change our friendship. I won’t let it,” he added sternly.

“That’s part of the problem. Friendship. I am rather curious about how our relationship will be after we marry.”

“I suspect it will be much the same as it is now.”

Her pinkish flush turned into a full on blush. “Umm, I’m not sure you fully understand my concern. We will be husband and wife…Will you expect us to behave as such?”

Richard let a wolfish smile envelop his lips. “Are you referring to the fact that you will have to share my bed? I’m sure I’ll cope, Mads. I have had a bit of experience in this area.”

She raised an eyebrow. “A bit?”

He had to laugh at her affronted response. That’s what he loved about his relationship with Maddy. They had always been able to talk about anything. His laughter died away. He hoped their marriage would not change that. “I know you. You’re not one to hide your thoughts from me. What is it you’re really concerned about?”

Her eyes became pleading. “I want children. I want a lot of children.”

Richard shrugged. “I still do not grasp the problem.”

“You won’t expect the marriage to be in name only then.”

“Bloody hell. Where on earth did you get that idea? I suspect we will live as most husbands and wives do.”

She sat up straighter and looked him in the eye. “I don’t want to be bedded out of obligation or duty-”

“You think I’d bed you because you’re an obligation? A beautiful woman like you? Come now, Maddy. You know me better than that.” She remained silent. Where in God’s name would she have got this absurd notion from? “You’re very desirable. Bedding you will be no obligation. It will be my pleasure. Our mutual pleasure.”

“Mother and Rheda have already told me I’ll have nothing to worry about on my wedding night. That I should leave everything to you and that no doubt I’ll enjoy your attentions.” She wrung her hands. “But you mentioned that our marriage will be like most other marriages. What if I don’t please you?”

“Please me? As in the bedroom?”

She nodded seriously.

“I taught you how to shoot and ride astride. You’re better than most men I know. You’re a fast learner. How can you not please me when you’ll have the best teacher?” he hoped his teasing tone would allay her fears.

“I know your heart belongs to another. What if… what if you grow tired of bedding me?” She raised a hand at his sound of outrage. “Promise me one thing.”

“Mads, you are being silly.”

“I know your reputation, Richard. You have enjoyed a lot of women. I don’t see how I’ll hold a man of your—appetites—interested when I don’t own your heart. Promise me that when you no longer enjoy my bed that you’ll tell me. I couldn’t bear to hear from anyone else that you’ve taken a mistress. The one thing I’ve treasured most in our friendship is the fact you’ve never lied to me, or hidden the truth from me—even if the subject was unpleasant. Rufus would most likely want to skin you alive if he knew some of the things I’ve asked, and you’ve answered, with no hesitation. Being stuck in the country, growing up alone, I can’t tell you what your honesty meant to me. It gave me the world even if I couldn’t see it, or be a part of it.”

“I’ll show you the world if you’ll let me.”

She drew in a quick breath. “Swear to me that we will always be honest with each other, no matter how difficult our lives become.”

Richard was about to vehemently deny that he would ever take a lover but he couldn’t. He thought about the women he’d had relationships with and how those intense feelings had never lasted. He wanted to promise that he’d never take a mistress or another lover, but he’d never once lied to Maddy and he refused to start their marriage on lies. He didn’t know if he’d be strong enough to honor his word.

I hope you enjoy Invitation To Passion.