The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.
Dear Friends
I think this is my all-time favourite first line from a novel.
‘The Go-Between’ by L.P. Hartley was published in 1953. It's a compelling story set in the early 20th century, narrated by a man named Leo Colston reflecting on his experiences as a young boy during a hot summer in rural England. Leo is invited to stay with the wealthy Maudsley family at Brandham Hall. While there, he becomes the unwitting messenger, or ‘go-between,’ for Marian, the daughter of the house, and Ted Burgess, a local farmer.
As Leo becomes entangled in the clandestine romance between Marian and Ted, he’s drawn into a world of adult emotions and complex relationships. Leo's innocence and naivety make him a perfect conduit for the messages between the lovers, but he gradually begins to understand the gravity of the situation and its tragic outcome.
‘The Go-Between’ is a poignant coming-of-age story and a tale of how a young boy's life was forever changed by the choices he made during one fateful summer.
It’s a perfect example of why I love writing historical novels
My novels are set in an earlier period – what is now commonly called the British Regency. They definitely did things differently there – it was a time when humanity mostly relied on harnessed horses and hard-working labourers to sustain life. But whether struggling poor or elegant aristocracy, the challenges people faced under these conditions still resonate with us. The past is a foreign country, but we can yet see parallels to our own time and the choices we make in the lives of those different others.
Interesting fact: Energy expert Vaclav Smil has estimated that in the late 19th century at the peak of horse-drawn transportation, it would have taken around 100 million horses globally to match the power output of our current energy consumption.
When Belle Met Grey
In my book A Suitable Lord, my two star-crossed lovers meet on a stormy night. A carriage breakdown, a silly prophecy, a mysterious character emerging out of the rain, and Belle and Grey are off on a romantic adventure.
But Belle was promised to the Earl of Allendale as a young girl, and despite the fact that they’ve met only once since then, she’s on her way to join the earl for the likely announcement of their betrothal. The mysterious stranger is also on his way to see Lord Beau. He’s been given a secret mission that seems safe enough, but which might end in disaster for a number of innocent souls.
Like many British officers of that time, Grey fought in the Peninsular wars, only to end up as a prisoner of the French. Now the fighting’s over he’s become a valuable go-between for those who want to profit from the spoils of war.
Amid the chaos of battle and shifting alliances, victorious armies resorted to plundering towns, cities, and cultural institutions. With their historical and artistic value, Spanish and Portuguese treasures were tempting targets for the invading forces. The Louvre in Paris famously became a repository for numerous stolen artworks during this period.
The pillaging wasn't limited to art; valuable goods, gold, and other treasures were seized, leaving lasting scars on the affected nations. The post-Peninsular Wars era then became a time of reckoning, with efforts made to recover and restore the looted artworks. But at the same time rich collectors were busily adding to their stash of stolen goods. This is the background and the era that inspired A Suitable Lord. I’ve recently made a new cover that hopefully evokes something of the time and the character.