Marrying Winterborne (The Ravenels #2) - Lisa Kleypas Page 0,133

need? Should you be standing on this hard floor? You’re wearing a corset—won’t it squash the baby?”

“Not this early,” she said, tenderly amused and a bit surprised as she felt a tremor run through him. “There’s no need to be anxious. I’ll manage this new project brilliantly, I promise. The baby and I will both be strong and healthy.”

Rhys drew back until his face was over hers, his breath rushing against her lips with peppermint coolness. “I’ll need your word on that,” he said huskily. “Because you’re my entire world, cariad. My heart only beats as an echo of yours.”

“Don’t doubt it for a moment, my dearest love.” Standing on her toes, Helen touched her lips to his. “After all . . . I am a Winterborne.”

Author’s Note

WHILE RESEARCHING FASHION (always one of the most fun parts of writing historical romance) I learned that there were two periods of bustle-dom in the late 1800s. The first version of the bustle, lasting from 1870–1875, consisted of a massive bag stuffed with straw or horsehair. I imagine it felt like wearing a sofa cushion tied around one’s backside. For a few years after that, bustles disappeared and a woman’s fashion silhouette was as slim and straight as possible, with very narrow skirts. This is referred to as the “natural form” period, which I would dispute in light of the fact that you still needed a corset to achieve it. However, it was probably preferable to the return of the bustle from 1883–1889, in a new and exaggerated shape. Although the bigger bustle was designed to be lighter and collapsible to allow the poor wearer to sit in a chair, it still doesn’t sound all that comfortable!

The torpedo shape of soda water bottles (patented by William Hamilton in 1809) ensured they would be stored on their sides, keeping the cork stoppers from drying out. Also, unlike champagne bottles that were usually made of better quality glass, the cheap glass used for soda water bottles was more likely to shatter from the pressure of carbonated liquids. The torpedo structure was stronger than a flat-bottomed one.

I gave Dr. Gibson the first name of Garrett in homage to Dr. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first woman to qualify as a physician and surgeon in England. She joined the British Medical Association in 1873, and was the only female member for 19 years, after the Association voted to exclude any other women from entering their all-male institution. Eventually Dr. Anderson was elected as the mayor of Aldeburgh, making her the first female mayor in England.

Here’s a mini glossary of Welsh words and phrases used in the book:

Bychan: little one

Cariad: sweetheart, beloved one

Annwyl: dear

Iesu Mawr: great Jesus

Hwyl fawr am nawr: good-bye for now

Diolch i Dduw: Thank God

Dw i’n dy garu di: I love you

Owain Glyndŵr: a Welsh ruler, a figure of Welsh nationalism, and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales. He lived from 1349–1416

Eistedfodd: a festival of Welsh literature, music, dancing, and acting

Winterborne’s Peppermint Creams

AFTER READING ABOUT THE beloved Victorian-era sweets, peppermint creams, I couldn’t find any available for purchase. Alas! However, my daughter and I tried different recipes and modified one slightly until we came up with the easiest and best version. Most recipes called for real egg whites, but we got better (and safer) results by using meringue powder, which you can find in the grocery store baking section. If you’re not a fan of peppermint, you can substitute any flavor you prefer. Vanilla works beautifully!

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon meringue powder

1 pinch salt

1 tsp. peppermint extract (or more if you like a lot of flavor)

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

1.Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the peppermint extract and the milk. Stir and mash with a spoon until the mixture has the consistency of Play Doh. You may need to add a tiny bit of milk if the mixture is too dry, but add just a few drops at a time.

2.Roll the dough into tiny marble-sized balls, and roll each one in some extra powdered sugar. Put them on waxed paper to dry and set for at least 15 minutes. At this point we like to re-roll them in powdered sugar to give them a nice “floury” appearance, but it’s not necessary.

3.Make certain to test your Winterborne-fresh breath by kissing someone you love!

An Excerpt from the Ravenel Series

If you enjoyed Marrying Winterborne,

keep reading for a sneak peek

of the next novel in the Ravenel series

EVANGELINE, THE DUCHESS OF Kingston, lifted her infant grandson from