Rogue's Reward (28 page)

There was a real trial during the Regency that provided me with the details for Lee’s demand for trial by wager of battle. It occurred in April, 1818, three years after my story takes place. A Mr. Ashford accused a Mr. Thornton of murder, and the latter demanded trial by combat. After extensive research in the law books, the judges decided that trial by battle had never been repealed. Only a technical flaw prevented the fight from being conducted. As Richard Rush, the American Minister at the Court of St James, reported in his diary, the case caused a sensation in society, and a statute was soon passed which finally repealed this ancient right.

The news of Waterloo did indeed disrupt Mrs. Boehm’s ball, just as I have described. She was most put out at the ruin of her plans and the waste of her “splendid supper.” A guest reported that the Prince Regent in a “womanish hysteric” had to be revived first by water and then by wine.

The next book in this series is
Valor’s Reward
, where Michael, Lord Deyncourt, makes the mistake of shooting Miss Jessica Whinburn.

I hope you enjoy their adventures.

Please visit me at www.jeanrossewing.com or www.juliaross.net.

Thank you, readers!

Copyright © 2015 by Jean R. Ewing

Originally published by Zebra Books (ISBN 978-0821751466), October 1995

Electronically published in 2015 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are

fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is

coincidental.