Category: Teatime Tattler Page 1 of 134

Ladies and Gentlemen, sharp your quills and lend me your ears, for the Teatime Tattler has acquired the most delectable morsel of scandal to grace our esteemed society in many a moon. Yours truly, the venerable Dowager Carol Bustle-Smith, shall waste no time in bestowing upon you the tantalizing tidings that have the tongues of the Ton a-wagging.

It has come to my attention, through reliable and discrete sources, that the elusive haute-couture jeweler and esteemed golden boy of the Ton, Mister Fave Pearler, has entangled his heart in the most enigmatic of betrothals. The object of his affections remains shrouded in mystery, an unfathomable shadow play to even the most discerning nobles among us.

But fear not, dear readers, for I have my ways to uncover the identity of this clandestine rose among thorns and reveal all in due time. For now, let us bask in the glow of the gossip and revel in the speculation that flutters like butterflies through our parlors.

Whispers pour forth from the corners of every ballroom—what secrets do the Pearlers harbor in those vaults as impenetrable as their famed gemstones? Mrs. Eve Pearler, Matriarch of the house, guards her lips with silence as cold and unforgiving as marble. Fear not, for your loyal Carol has devised a brilliant plan. I will host a magnificent house party and invite the Pearler clan to uncover the elusive bride-to-be from her hidden lair.

Will there be a slip of the tongue, a glance too tender, an intimate gesture caught betwixt the greenery? Will the Pearlers’ secret tumble forth like so many pearls scattered from a broken string? Such delicious anticipation sets my heart all aflutter!

Forthwith, I present to you the bountiful backdrop against which this drama shall unfold. In mere days, my opulent estate in Sommerset shall open its doors, thronged with dandies, duchesses, and dignitaries clamoring for a single, life-altering revelation! Speculation abounds that this unknown damsel may be neither a highborn lady nor a fixture of our beloved Almack’s. Could it be a love match that flouts the very conventions upon which our society is built?

The scandal! The sheer audacity of a union formed not from duty, nor advantageous connection! Our Fave Pearler, who could command the hand of any maiden in the land with but a smile, surrenders to heart’s capricious whimsy—a romantic gesture that flares brightly as a beacon of passion against the rigid mores of propriety.

I execute each stroke of this missive with a hand trembling from eager anticipation of the revelations to come. Prepare yourselves for an assembly such as never before witnessed; where the unveil may indeed prove to be the most scintillating, enlightening, and—dare I prognosticate—lucrative moment of our gilded age if the Pearlers open their accounts to reimburse me for my silence once I find out who Fave Pearler’s bride-to-be is?

Until we next convene, I remain the keeper of society’s conscience and the mistress of its most deliciously dark secrets,

The Dowager Carol Bustle-Smith

About The Margins of Love:

Lady Bustle-Smith is the villain in the first book of the Infiltrating the Ton series by Sara Adrien. In Margins of Love, we meet the Pearlers, a Jewish family of jewelers hiding in plain sight among the Ton. He’s indeed trapped to attend Lady Bustle-Smith’s houseparty and he won’t be able to keep his hands off the beautiful Rachel. But what about he girl he’s supposed to marry? How can he reconcile the duty to his family and the love in his heart? Find out how the Pearlers fare in the face of blackmail as they embark upon the Competition for the Crown Jewels that spans this trilogy and brace yourself for a happy ending like no other. Watch the book trailer and get 20% off the trilogy at www.SaraAdrien.com.

About Sara Adrien:

Bestselling author Sara Adrien writes hot and heart-melting regency romance with a Jewish twist. As a law professor-turned-author, she writes about clandestine identities, whims of fate, and sizzling seduction. If you like unique and intelligent characters, deliciously sexy scenes, and the nostalgia of afternoon tea, then you’ll adore Sara Adrien’s tender tear-jerkers. She is the author of the series Infiltrating the Ton, Diamond Dynasty, Check Mates, and Miracles on Harley Street.

Sign up for Sara Adrien’s VIP Newsletter and get a free book from the Infiltrating the Ton series at www.SaraAdrien.com or visit this site to claim your free book now.

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ASara+Adrien

Heiress Jilts Earl’s Son to Wager on Lame Fiddler

By Bluestocking Belles

On April 6, 2024

In Jude Knight, Teatime Tattler

From those who have much, we ought to be able to expect much. Thus, it is all the more outrageous when a well-born and wealthy maiden–if, indeed, she is a maiden–sets an example, not of prudence and propriety, but of recklessness and scandal.

Sadly, the latest news about a formerly well-respected lady of one of the country’s foremost families is just such a case.

Some five years ago, Lady L. B. entered into a most appropriate betrothal with a gentleman of similar standing—she, the daughter of an earl; Lord T. H., the younger son of a duke. It proved to be a long betrothal. Five times, the wedding has been postponed. The Teatime Tattler understands that the gentleman was the initiator in each case.

When Lord T. attempted to postpone for the sixth time, Lady L. had had enough. She declared the betrothal at an end.

Thus far, the sympathies of our readers—particularly our lady readers—will perhaps be with the lady. Or perhaps not. After all, for a lady to break off a betrothal is scandalous. Not just because of the assumption made by those with prurient minds that the couple have taken advantage of the looser supervision afforded to those who are affianced, but also because, and we dare to say it, the end of a betrothal is almost always held to be the lady’s fault.

If she is the jilt, the assumption is that she is too picky, or too demanding, or too nice in her expectations. If the gentleman refuses to wed, onlookers will seek the reason in the character of the lady, and the results of such a search will not rebound to the damsel’s credit.

Lady L.’s next move might clarify questions of fault. No sooner had she given Lord T. his quittance, that she approached a well-known personage whose income derives at least as much from her matchmaking services as from her gambling hell.

Yes, dear reader, Lady L. sought to purchase a husband through Mrs. D.L.

We understand Lady L. was offered four choices and asked to select two. Offered three gentlemen who are upstanding members of London society, and one violinist who works for Mrs. D.L. in said gambling den, Lady L. rejected the two men from aristocratic families and chose the remaining gentleman and one fiddler. A fiddler who cannot, furthermore, walk without crutches. Does this suggest that the lady has low tastes.

The two successful candidates will compete for the lady’s hand within the next few evenings. We wait with bated breath to discover the outcome. As, we are certain, does Lady L.

Will Lady L. be glad, in years to come, that she rejected Lord T. and gambled with her future happiness, placing it all on a long shot at a gambling den? Or will she have cause to remember the old saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

Hook, Lyon and Sinker

When Lady Laureline Barker asks Mrs. Dove Lyons to find her a husband, she does not expect one of her choices to be the man she admired years ago, when she was still a schoolgirl—the man who rescued her from drowning. He is also a war hero, famed for trading his own freedom and health for the safety of others.

Laurel is committed to a contest, with the winner taking her and her dowry. Can she back out? And will he still want her if she does?

Angelico Warrington doesn’t expect Laurel to remember him. Even if she does, why should she favor him over other suitors? She is the respected sister to an earl, the only flaw on her reputation that she refused to marry a jerk who has been putting off the wedding date for five years.

Angel is a musician in a gambling den, unable to walk without crutches, and with no place in the Society to which Laurel belongs.

This apparently ill-assorted couple are a perfect match, but history must repeat itself and secrets be revealed before they can win their happy ending.

https://www.amazon.com/Hook-Lyon-Sinker-Lyons-Den-ebook/dp/B0CSF79RMD

Hook, Lyon and Sinker is part of the Lyon’s Den Connected World, and also a book in Jude Knight’s A Twist Upon a Regency Tale series. It is inspired by The Little Mermaid, with the roles of hero and heroine reversed.

Lady hatmakers have joined the shopkeepers in London!

By Rue Allyn

On April 3, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

Dear Readers,

It has come to this editor’s attention that the formerly vacant shop on the road off of New Bond Street has now become occupied by two lady milliners, a Mrs. Harcourt and a Miss Emmeline Harcourt.

They proudly share that as the proprietors of Harcourt’s Hats, they sell sashes, cravats, gloves, hatpins, and even umbrellas to curious passersby. In silks or satin, brocade or linen, the ladies offer bonnets, caps, and turbans for the stylish women of London.

However, the owner of the shop, Mr Bryant, may not take kindly to entrepreneurial women invading his street. But rumour has it he is spending his time with his new bride, the former actress, Lucinda Cross.

It is said that Mr Bryant’s former best friend, Mr Whittaker, has already crossed paths with the beautiful and taciturn Miss Emmeline Harcourt, who is known to speak her mind and show a willful independence, which may be off-putting to potential suitors.

Will the Bryants be open to the new shopkeepers in town? Will Miss Emmeline Harcourt meet her match at Harcourt’s Hats?

I leave to you, dear reader, to find out.

About A Lyon to Die for: Emmeline Harcourt fell in love with the wrong man and now is paying the price.

Crossed in love and sent to London for almost ruining her reputation, Emmeline is the only female proprietor in an exclusive row of London shops whose owners aren’t the most welcoming. But with a sharp tongue and fiery temper, Emmeline can deal with her unfriendly neighbors, even Mr Horatio Whittaker, an arrogant, reserved, opinionated young man with fixed opinions and cold manners.

Horatio Whittaker has given up on happiness. Abandoned at the altar for his scheming best friend, he never expected to find love again. He hardly notices women until he crosses paths with Miss Emmeline Harcourt.

Emmeline hopes to never encounter Mr Whittaker again, but when she accepts an invitation to the Lyon’s Den, they find themselves at the heart of a mystery, entangled with Horatio’s former fiancee and deceitful best friend.

From false accusations, rumored affairs, and even a deadly party game, Emmeline and Horatio must work together to prove their innocence and find the culprit. Pretending they are courting should make investigating easier, so long as they don’t fall in love.

All’s fair in love and war at the Lyon’s Den, and this is a Lyon to die for.

Preorder link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXBN5L89/

About the author: E. L. Johnson writes historical mysteries for Dragonblade Publishing, the #1 ebook publisher of Historical Romance on Amazon. A Boston native, she gave up clam chowder and lobster rolls for tea and scones when she moved across the pond to London, where she studied medieval magic at UCL and medieval remedies at Birkbeck College. Now based in Hertfordshire, she is a member of the Hertford Writers’ Circle and the founder of the London Seasonal Book Club.

Social media links

Twitter: @ELJohnson888

Insta: eljohnson_writes

Facebook page: @theELJohnson

Tiktok: @alecto99

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Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/e-l-johnson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calipers

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A marquess, an heiress, and a marriage most secretive!

By Rue Allyn

On March 27, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

Dear reader,

Is scandal brewing in the dark?

This author has it on good authority that an heiress has married a certain marquess in secret. Is something afoot? This author thinks so! Why? News has reached my wandering ear that not one, not two, but three special licenses were issued to the same lord (this author shall not name him to protect his wavering dignity). But you, dear Marquess, know who you are!

I shall leave it up to you, dear reader, to guess the pair.

Your faithful correspondent.

~~~

About By No Means A Gentleman

If he intends to fight dirty, so will she . . .

Lady Harriet Hillstow never imagined even in her wildest dreams that she’d discover her father had arranged a marriage for her with the wicked and wily Marquess of Leeds on the very day he shows up with a special license! Never mind the man’s unnerving handsomeness, Harriet made a vow to her mother that she would never marry a man who would not fight for her. Can she allow such injustice to occur all because the men are worried about of a few silly wagers circling about town? Certainly not! Leeds is about to discover she is not so timid as the gossip rags claim.

William Fitzgerald Hamilton, the Marquess of Leeds, has never been an opportunist. Until the moment a chance to marry the woman of his dreams falls into his lap. There’s only one problem. For some reason, Harriet loathes him. William has no choice but to go all in to discover why and win her over, lest the spirited beauty slip through his fingers forever.

Will this proposed arrangement become the source of their greatest misery or the surest passion that might just set their marriage aflame?

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Means-Gentleman-Ladies-Dare-Book-ebook/dp/B0CTSPKGTH

Wallflower Sister of London’s Famed Golden Sisters Ends Fourth Season Following Incident with Duke’s Daughter

By Susana Ellis

On March 23, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

7 May 1817

Almack’s Assembly Rooms

King Street

London

Rebecca MacPherson took a step back to avoid the couple waltzing perilously close to her refuge near the potted palm outside the refreshment room. If her mother hadn’t insisted on attending the assembly rooms tonight, she could be at home re-reading her favorite of Mrs. Radcliffe’s novels, A Sicilian Romance. Instead, she had been duly dressed in her least-favorite gown, the pink silk with the pintuck bodice that made her bosom seem even larger than it was, and the white embroidered overdress with three rows of pink flounces sprinkled with rosettes that made her feel like an overgrown ten-year-old at a birthday party.

“You must make the most of your assets,” her mother had fussed, not for the first time. “You don’t have your sisters’ height or elegant figures, but some men prefer ladies of more generous proportions.”

Did they? Rebecca doubted it. After four Seasons, she was the only one of her presentation group who hadn’t married. Or even come close. Well, there had been Tommy Huddleston, who had paid her some attention two Seasons ago, but dropped her like a hot potato when he fell in love with a lovely singer at Covent Garden. Rebecca, who couldn’t sing a note, and learned more Italian from her music teacher than how to play the pianoforte, had only her connections and fortune to recommend her. The fair Bianca, the daughter of a butcher whose career was pushed forward by her late protector, an Italian conde, had neither, but Tommy wed her in spite of it.

Rebecca fanned her face to hide the flush she felt creeping up over her cheeks. Everyone knew Rebecca’s connections, being the daughter of a wealthy Scottish father and a mother distantly related to the Duke of Devonshire. They also knew that she had two older twin sisters, Arabella and Alice, both considered diamonds in their presentation year, who had each snapped up an earl before the end of the Season. “Poor Rebecca” was a phrase she should be accustomed to hearing, after failing to “take” four Seasons in a row.

Her mother insisted that she should “put herself out more” for the older gentlemen, widowers in need of mothers for their children. Rebecca was fond of children—she was an indulgent aunt to her own niece and nephews—but she wanted more than that from marriage. Perhaps love was too much to expect for someone like her, but surely there should be some affection between a husband and wife. Trust as well, since marriage was for a lifetime, and one didn’t wish to be married to a monster, after all. The fiasco of the Prince Regent’s marriage should serve as a lesson to all, she thought.

The music stopped and a mob of overheated dancers made a beeline to the refreshment room. Rebecca found herself pressed backward by them until she collided with someone behind her.

“Look what you’ve done! My gown is ruined!”

Rebecca whirled around, only to see the haughty Lady Alicia Howland with a sizable stain on the bodice of her ivory taffeta gown, an empty glass in hand. Her escort glared at Rebecca as he pulled out a handkerchief and made a move to use it to mop up the liquid before the impropriety of doing such a thing occurred to him.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you there… I was pushed, you see, and… Here, allow me to help you, my lady,” Rebecca stammered, seizing the handkerchief and making a move toward the angry duke’s daughter.

Lady Alicia drew back. “Don’t touch me! Haven’t you done enough damage already?”

A maid appeared to escort her to the ladies’ withdrawing room, but her next words could be clearly heard by all in the vicinity.

“Such a nuisance, that girl. Not at all like her charming sisters. Someone should tell her to hold back on the bonbons, for the safety of us all!”

If she could have dropped through the floor, Rebecca certainly would have done so. A tingling swept across her face and the back of her neck. For a long moment the room was quiet, and she looked around to see a sea of faces directed at her, some showing sympathy, some disapproval, and some—including her own sister Alice—with pursed lips, apparently trying not to laugh.

And that was the end of her fourth Season.

The Third MacPherson Sister is a wallflower story that first appeared in Sweet Summer Kisses, a 2014 anthology. The story of Lady Alicia Howland, the duke’s daughter whose scathing remarks effectively ended Rebecca’s fourth London Season, can be found in the Bluestocking Belles’ most recent Christmas anthology, Christmastide Kisses.

The Third MacPherson Sister

Christmastide Kisses

About Susana Ellis

Susana Ellis is a retired teacher, part-time caregiver, sewist, cook, and fashion print collector. Lifelong reading and a fascination with history led her to writing historical romances. She is one of the original Bluestocking Belles and a member of Regency Fiction Writers and the Maumee Valley Romance Authors Inc.

Social Media

You can contact Susana Ellis at these social media links:

Because history is fun and love is worth working for

Category: Teatime Tattler Page 1 of 134

Who’s waiting at the “Margins of Love?”

Heiress Jilts Earl’s Son to Wager on Lame Fiddler

Hook, Lyon and Sinker

Lady hatmakers have joined the shopkeepers in London!

A marquess, an heiress, and a marriage most secretive!

Wallflower Sister of London’s Famed Golden Sisters Ends Fourth Season Following Incident with Duke’s Daughter

CHRISTMASTIDE KISSES

UNDER THE HARVEST MOON