Aloha to Ella Quinn and THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE

I am envious of Ella Quinn.  From her bio (link),

Ella Quinn lived all over the United States, the Pacific, Canada, England and Europe before finally discovering the Caribbean. She lives in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands with her wonderful husband, three bossy cats and a loveable great dane.

I will be very envious when the temperature drops in Maryland ... and the Virgin Islands will be welcoming warm!   No doubt Ella welcomes the buzz about her new series, The Marriage Game, and Book 1, THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE. Ella prepared a special post to celebrate Release Day here at SOS Aloha!

I love to explore, and I know Kim does as well. Much of my travel was with the Army, but not all of it. I’ve never taken a tour, because I like to do it myself. In my debut novel, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, I had to have to on the move. Fortunately Phoebe likes to travel and plan her own trips. That of course led me the question, how would one take a land journey during the Regency?

There were actually several different modes of transport.

The most basic was on foot. It could be for this very reason the English are so fond of hiking, even today. By horse. One horse could travel about thirty miles a day. Fortunately, England had a great number of inns.

If one didn’t wish to walk, or ride, there was always the stage coach. The conditions were crowded, but gentry did travel by stage. Jane Austen’s brothers traveled this way. If you were unlucky, a young blood, i.e. a well-bred young gentleman intent on mischief, who’d had a bit too much too much drink, would bribe the coachman to allow him to take the ribbons. As you can imagine, it many times led to disaster. My hero admitted to doing this when he was young. 

Stage Coach, "Behind Time"

Public Domain (link)

A bit higher on the traveling scale was the mail-coach. Mail coaches were faster than ordinary ones, though no less crowded, the rules were obeyed, and they were so timely towns set their clocks by them. As they frequently changed horses and drivers, the journey from London to Edinburgh could be made in two days. The man in the back had “the piece of tin” which was blown when approaching a toll, so the gatekeeper would open the gate.

The mail coach in a thunderstorm on 

Newmarket Heath, Suffolk, 1827

Public Domain (link)

But let’s say you don’t have your own coach, but wish to travel in a bit of comfort. Why in that case, you could hire a carriage and horses. They also came with a driver who rode on a lead horse. Called Yellow Bounders, because of their color, each time one changed horses, one also changed the driver.  The best and most expensive mode of transport was by private coach. One usually had one made to specification, or bought a used one. Occasionally, you might find one that had been ordered and not picked up. If you had the funds to set up your stable, then you’d have your own horses. You might even have the funds to keep your own horses at inns on the major posting roads so that you would not have to wait or be given inferior beasts. 

How would you like to travel?

May Morning in Park by Thomas Eakins
Public Domain (link)

Mahalo, Ella, for sharing tidbits from Regency England!  I am giving away an ecopy of THE SEDUCTION OF LADY PHOEBE to one randomly selected commenter:

LADY PHOEBE STANHOPE, famous for her quick wits, fast horses, and punishing right hook, is afraid of nothing but falling in love. Fleeing a matchmaking attempt with the only man she despises, Phoebe meets a handsome blue-eyed stranger who sends her senses skittering. By the time Phoebe discovers the seductive stranger is the same arrogant troll she sent packing eight years ago, she is halfway to falling in love with him.

LORD MARCUS FINLEY last saw Phoebe striding regally away, as he lay on the floor with a bruised jaw and a rapidly swelling eye. Recently returned from the West Indies, Marcus is determined to earn Phoebe’s love, preferably before she discovers who he is. Determined to have Phoebe for his own, Marcus begins his campaign to gain her forgiveness and seduce her into marriage.
Can Phoebe learn to trust her own heart and Marcus? Or is she destined to remain alone?

To enter the giveaway, 

1.  Leave a comment to Ella's question - how would you like to travel in Regency England?

While it would be lovely to have a private coach, imagine the adventure on a mail coach!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 21, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Ella and her books, check out her website at ellaquinnauthor.com.  Look for more books in The Marriage Game series, coming November 4, 2013 and January 14, 2014.