Many of Society’s finest will recognise the Redepenning boys, the three fine young sons of one of the Nation’s Heroes. Captain Richard Redepenning, second son of that well-beloved patriarch known to us all as Lord Henry, is deservedly renowned his courage and dashing.
His lovely wife, daughter of another Naval hero, was seen yesterday in Hyde Park with her three sons, accompanied by her sister-in-law, Mrs Julius Redepenning.
The fourth son of Lord Henry also serves his country as Captain in His Majesty’s Royal Navy. We regret to remind our readers that this gentleman’s reputation is not as sterling as that of his close male relatives.
You may recall his close brush with a court martial less than ten years ago, his hasty marriage in scandalous circumstances seven years ago, and his immediate departure to flee his brand new bride to the other side of the world, to return to his mistress and children.
This is old news, you may say, but this newspaper regrets to say that the man’s effrontery has no equal. We have it on good authority that the dusky complexioned boy and two little girls playing with Captain Richard Redepenning’s children were, in fact, the son and daughters of the very mistress for whom Captain Julius Redepenning left his unfortunate bride.
What pressure was brought to bear on Mrs Julius to force her to not only acknowledge these offspring of a kept woman — and a coloured kept woman, at that — but to take them into her care? This newspaper shudders to think!
The story took on an even more dire aspect when we learned that the boy who was being treated every bit as if he were the equal of Captain Richard’s sons has no Redepenning blood at all! Indeed, he is a child of a previous lover, whom Captain Julius permitted, undoubtedly motivated by lust, to remain with the seductress who drew him from his marriage vows.
We register our protest, as all right-thinking people must, at the probable contamination of three such fine young men as the Redepenning boys by the casual offspring of a harlot. May the Redepenning family come to their senses before too much harm is done.
Naval captain Jules Redepenning has spent his adult life away from England, and at war. He rarely thinks of the bride he married for her own protection, and if he does, he remembers the child he left after their wedding seven years ago. He doesn’t expect to find her in his Cape Town home, a woman grown and a lovely one, too.
Mia Redepenning sails to Cape Town to nurse her husband’s dying mistress and adopt his children. She hopes to negotiate a comfortable married life with the man while she’s there. Falling in love is not on her to-do list.
Before they can do more than glimpse a possible future together, their duties force them apart. At home in England, Mia must fight for the safety of Jules’s children. Imprisoned in France, Jules must battle for his self-respect and his life. Only by vanquishing their foes can they start to make their dreams come true.
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Rue Allyn
Dear Mr. Clemmens, you should be ashamed of yourself for publishing such tripe as the feature about the Julius Redepenning family. Of course, perhaps you are ashamed for neither you nor your correspondents lay claim to being author of such nonsense. Whoever wrote the article does have his or her facts correctly, but I cannot understand why the skin colour of these children should be cause for any anxiety, least of all “contamination.” If the children’s mother (a mistress) is objectionable to the author of the article, then hypocrisy must be added to that person’s shame. Half the children of noblemen and gentry alike have been born on the wrong side of the blanket so to speak. Any thinking person must recognize that only for legal purposes should one consider bastardy as an issue. I do not ask you or the author of the article to agree with me. However, if such prejudice must be published, I do demand equal time for the opposite point of view.
With kind regards,
A loyal reader.
Dee Foster
Mr. Clemmens (I refuse to start this letter with “dear” as there is nothing dear about someone who publishes such tripe about innocent children), it continually amazes me that society (specifically the ton) continually spew such venom about those they do not know while thinking themselves above reproach. I would highly suggest you and the author of this letter take a good look at your own bloodlines before condemning another. I adore Mrs. Julius for bringing those children into her heart and standing for what she believes and for giving Captain Julius what he didn’t even know he needed – love.
Regards,
A loyal fan
Bluestocking Belles
Dear Mr Clemens
You have my full support for the stand you have taken, and that of all right-thinking people.
If the greatest in the land set such a poor example as to litter the landscape with half-breed base-born children, how can this great Empire survive?
We have lost our American colonies. We have fought a war against the French at great cost. We have seen the pernicious doctrine of republicanism and votes for all men — and even, some suggest, all adults, men and women alike.
The idea that all people are created equal is all very well for wishful thinking from the pulpit, but this great nation is founded on quite different principles. The rich man in his castle; the poor man at his gate. Difference is ordained by the Almighty himself, and to fly in the face of that is to step into muddy waters indeed.
We must call a halt before it is too late. Already, one of this kingdom’s greatest ladies is, this very year, presenting two wards whom all the world know to be the unwanted and unrecognised by-blows of her own husband by low-born women. Thus are the mighty dragged down by what appears on the surface to be kindness.
The lady in question, and the lady who is the subject of your article, will find that blood outs. In years to come, the vipers they have taken to their bosoms will turn and bite them.
Stick to your guns, Mr Clemens. You are on the side of the soldiers of righteousness.
Yours sincerely
An admiring fan.