CARO, GEORGE AND PEARL (includes book excerpt)

Allow me to introduce myself: I am Lady Caroline Lamb, born in 1785 to an Irish peer. My friends call me Caro. Because my mother suffered poor health, I was raised and educated at Devonshire House by Aunt Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, a lively center of Whig politics.

It was at Devonshire House that I met William Melbourne and fell madly in love. We were married when I was a mere chit of seventeen. My dear William found me beautiful beyond words. He worshipped me, adored my lisp and loved me to climb into his lap and cuddle, like the child I was. But true love is rarely constant, a bitter lesson that I have learned.

When Willie began to ignore me in favor of pursuing a political career, it drove a wedge between us. When he was elected to parliament, I sought other amusements. I began to have affairs, for I could not live without the love, attention and admiration I had become accustomed to. My mother-in-law chastised me often for my lack of discretion, but I cared nothing for her pompous opinions. Instead, I shocked society by dressing in my page’s uniform and openly scorned convention.

One might say I was reborn in 1812, the year I turned twenty-seven. It was then that I met the great love of my life, the magnificent Lord Byron. This twenty-four year old had just begun to mesmerize society. Having just published CHILDE HAROLD'S PILGRIMAGE, George was lionized everywhere. I called him, ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’--an epithet that amused society. Indeed, I was flattered to learn that many thought it applied to me as well.

Our stormy affair lasted only four months, a lifetime to me. When Byron ended it, I was devastated and made mistakes that would plague me the rest of my life. I became obsessed with him and pursued him for four unhappy years. It was then that I wrote GLENARVON, a novel about my lover. It took the ton by storm, since I didn’t bother to conceal the identity of society members except to change their names. Many felt scalded by my satire. I meant the novel as an expression of my love for my poet, but he took offense, poor boy. Byron married William’s cousin and spent the rest of his life living abroad, perhaps to escape me.

As to William, my husband, his political passion led to becoming Prime Minister and advisor to young Queen Victoria. After we separated in 1825, he never married again, though when I died in 1828 at the age of forty-three, the dear man was at my bedside.

I am happy to inform my readers that I was reincarnated as historical romance author, PEARL WOLF. You will notice a good deal of wit and passion in her works when you read her novels. She learned that from me, I assure you.

Allow me to introduce my protégé *Pearl Wolf—or my reincarnation, if you prefer. Whatever. She was not born to wealth as I was, but she was well brought up during the great depression by a struggling single mother. Not that she chose to obey society’s rules, for like me, she has little patience with propriety. She was the youngest of four children, tortured by them beyond belief. All things have a purpose, however, and it was in combat with her siblings that she learned essential survival skills. Need I add that her escape was in writing fiction?

Her first submission, a short work published by Reader’s Digest, earned her $5.00 when she was fourteen years of age. She writes full time now, having published three children’s books and four novels for adults. Her latest, TOO HOT FOR A RAKE (Kensington, April 2010) is a historical romance set in Regency England. Visit her web site at: http://www.pearlwolf.com/ for a sneak preview of all her works.

Pearl loves to write historical fiction. “History informs us,” she says. “People are the same no matter the historical times in which they live, but their emotions, their reactions to life’s constraints stay the same.”

Here is an excerpt from her latest novel, TOO HOT FOR A RAKE, which illustrates this point.  The setup:  heroine Lady Helena Fairchild, daughter of the Duke of Heatham, nervously awaits her father’s approval to her marriage. Impatient, she bursts into the library hoping to force her stubborn father’s hand.

“Have you decided my fate, then? How kind, Father. How very kind. With all due respect, I beg to differ. No matter what you have to say to it, I am determined to marry Lord Waverley. I am well aware of the fact that his reputation is less than sterling, but that is my own affair. If I don’t care one whit, why should . . .anyone?”

“I see, but . . .”

Her eyes blazed. “Rake or no, this man was prepared to die to save me from ruin! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Noble of him, but I’m trying to . . .”

"I might have died when that horrid Harry Trasker locked me in the old cellar. Indeed, I might not be here if the Earl of Glynhaven had his way. I’d be in France suffering the humiliation of being wed to the worst scoundrel in the world. Lord Waverley risked life and limb to save me.”

“So you’ve said, Helena. However, . . .”

“If you think to throw up in my face once again the fact that the man I love is a rake, you may save your breath because I know all about his past and I don’t care! I love him and I’ll never give him up.”

Exasperated, her father put his hand up and thundered, “Be silent, daughter! Yes, he is a rake. He’s known all over Paris as . . .”

“Le roue’ Anglais!” She folded her arms in defiance. “What difference can it make to you, if it makes none to me?”

Provoked beyond endurance, the duke was roused to anger. “And if you find he hasn’t reformed his ways after you marry, what will you do then, daughter?”

“He wouldn’t be the first man to do such a thing, would he? Are you not the perfect example of such a case?”

The duke turned beet red. “Don‘t force me to change my mind, Helena, a thing I can bloody well do even though I’ve just given my blessings to this marriage!” ♥



*My muse Caro Lamb and I are currently collaborating on another historical romance set in the Regency period. THE HIGHWAYMAN’S LADY involves a beautiful but headstrong young lady who yearns to be a highway person. The London Underworld plays a large role in this one.