Author's Notes
Hello and Welcome to An Inconvenient Arrangement! If you are an old reader from AMMI, welcome back! If you are a new reader, do not worry, this book is entirely a standalone and you do not need to have read ‘A Marriage Most Inconvenient’ in order to understand it. That being said, I do recommend reading the books in order, this will enable you to better understand the image the MMC presents to the world.
Note that this book is not told in chronological order, so keep an eye on the dates!
A brief history of divorce in the Regency Era:
Divorces in this period of time were both very expensive and very difficult to obtain. One of the most common reasons for divorce was in the event of adultery from the woman’s side. The man had to bring a civil suit against his wife’s lover, then if the lover was found guilty, the husband could bring a suit against his wife which was overseen by the Bishop. If the divorce was granted, neither party could remarry unless there was an act passed in Parliament that permitted them to remarry. This included a third and equally lengthy trial. A divorce was also a sure way to social ostracism for both husband and wife as it was a mark of great shame.
As I strive to use era-appropriate language, I understand that people who are not already familiar with Historical Romance, particularly Regency Era HR may not be familiar with all of the phrases that I use. This is a brief explanation to make reading easier if you are new to HR! Of course, I would be completely okay with answering any questions you may have. Moving forward, I will also add any new terms at the beginning of each chapter.
Peerage:Titled nobility of England
Duke/Duchess:Title of highest rank following royalty.
Dowager:A widowed woman who obtained her Title from marriage.
His/Her Grace:Used when speaking of a non-royal Duke or Duchess.
Your Grace:Used when directly addressing a Duke or Duchess.
Lord/Lady:Used to address any man or woman with a title lesser than Duke/Duchess.
Blue-blooded:Having aristocratic lineage.
In his/her/your cups:A euphemism for being drunk.
Wastrel:One who expends resources foolishly and self-indulgently.
Toff/Nobb:Degrading way of referring to the nobility.
Use of title in lieu of name:It was common practice to refer to titled nobility using their titles instead of their Christian names. For example, our male lead is named Raphael, however, the title he holds is The Viscount of Carlisle. You will see his friends and acquaintances often refer to him as Carlisle, rather than Raphael.
Courtesy Title:This is a title held by heirs to dukedoms and marquessates that does not come with any land or holdings. In this book, Raphael is the heir to the Marquess of Lindsey, upon his father’s death he will become the Marquess. His first-born son will be given the title of Viscount Carlisle.
The Home Office:British Governmental Organization related to homeland safety. This involved crime, prisons, probation, courts, and public order.
Hierarchy of British Titles:
Duke - Duchess
Marquess - Marchioness (Title currently held by Carlisle’s father.)
Earl - Countess
Viscount - Viscountess (Title currently held by Carlisle)
Baron - Baroness
Content/Trigger Warnings:
Here’s what you can expect going forward that warrants the mature tag:
Eventual smut
Cursing
Dirty dreams and fantasies
Mild kinks
Trigger Warning for:
Alcoholism
Minor character deaths
A generally murder-happy MMC.
Torture
PTSD from war.
Happy Reading!
