âIt was just like reading Jane AustenâŠI loved it.â - Peggy
A spirited young woman. A handsome Irish lieutenant. Has this lonely English girl found her unexpected match?
Rural Northern England, 1812. Kitty Otis longs to fulfill her destiny as a loving wife and mother. But as she cares for her disabled father in the countryside, the dark-haired beauty fears her chances of a proper London come-out are all but gone. So when a brash Irish Lieutenant shows interest, she canât help being fascinated by him.
Worried his vulgar nature makes him unsuitable, she quits him and journeys to London for her début. But when he proves his love by pursuing her there vowing to mend his manners, all that she desires seems possible. Until their families get involved.
With their love forbidden, can Kitty secure the happiness sheâs always desired?
Dauntless Hearts is a sweet standalone Regency romance novel. If you like strong-willed female protagonists, rich historical detail, and authentic period language, then youâll adore this tale by Lincoln Tuvelais.
Buy Dauntless Hearts to be transported to Regency England today!
âIt was just like reading Jane AustenâŠI loved it.â - Peggy
A spirited young woman. A handsome Irish lieutenant. Has this lonely English girl found her unexpected match?
Rural Northern England, 1812. Kitty Otis longs to fulfill her destiny as a loving wife and mother. But as she cares for her disabled father in the countryside, the dark-haired beauty fears her chances of a proper London come-out are all but gone. So when a brash Irish Lieutenant shows interest, she canât help being fascinated by him.
Worried his vulgar nature makes him unsuitable, she quits him and journeys to London for her début. But when he proves his love by pursuing her there vowing to mend his manners, all that she desires seems possible. Until their families get involved.
With their love forbidden, can Kitty secure the happiness sheâs always desired?
Dauntless Hearts is a sweet standalone Regency romance novel. If you like strong-willed female protagonists, rich historical detail, and authentic period language, then youâll adore this tale by Lincoln Tuvelais.
Buy Dauntless Hearts to be transported to Regency England today!
This account of my parentsâ courtship, published in their loving memory, is based on my motherâs extensive correspondence and diaries. I give my thanks to Miss Wallace and Mrs. Whitehead for providing copies of her letters in their possession. The story is further enriched by many interviews with my mother, her relations, and my father, embroidered with as little imagination as possible. My parents were such a remarkably happy couple that they seemed destined for one another. Yet, their fates were not so assured, and certainly did not seem so to them at the time. I hope, Dear Reader, that this account will prove as entertaining and instructive for you as it was for my siblings.
Mrs. Lane Phillips
London, 1888, Wilcox & Sons, Publishers
MISS OTIS FINDS A NEW HOME
Kitty had never shown any talent or inclination for patience. Most particularly now.
After weeks of fretful suspense, Kitty spied Uncle Tinsleyâs coach through the parlour window and threw open the door for him. He was a tall, handsome, impeccably groomed man. His black hair had dimmed to grey, but he still possessed the penetrating dark eyes and black brows of his youth. His parents had named him Pericles, which suited his appearance perfectly. After he put off his hat and gloves, she greeted him warmly with a peck on the cheek.
Once they were seated in the parlour, Uncle Tinsley began with, âI have received an encouraging reply from an agent regarding Dixon Cottage. It is only sixteen miles to the west of here, situated between Threlkeld and Keswick. They offer it for sale, complete with furnishings, for seven hundred pounds. That is a bit dear for its size, but it gives me hope that it is well fitted up. I have set an appointment for three days hence.â
âI have long dreamt of the day when I would manage my own household. But now that the necessity is thrust upon me, I find I donât want it at all! I am grateful to be your ward, but I find it impossible to be happy about leaving the rectory,â Kitty replied.
Uncle Tinsley gently patted her hand, âIt is far easier to be brave from the shelter of your parentsâ loving guidance and much more difficult without it, eh? Do not be anxious, my dear. I do not fear for you, for you are a remarkably clever young woman, and you still have me and Aunt Eliza for help.â
At the appointed hour, a sedate entourage of Kitty, Uncle Tinsley, and their servants, set out early on a bright, cold spring morning. Kitty and Uncle Tinsley isolated themselves in Papaâs conservative black coach drawn by Castor and Pollux teamed under Pikeâs expert driving. The servants trailed behind in Uncle Tinsleyâs equally conservative coach.
Kitty twisted the ends of her bonnet ribbons. âWell, Uncle, let us hope that Dixon Cottage suits. For if it does not, I do not know what is to become of Father and me. Although it will only be for three days, I am uneasy leaving him.â
Uncle Tinsley laced his hands together in his lap. âBiddle will take good care of Merit, so, I rate that as the least of my cares. I am more anxious about so great a burden being thrust onto your slender shoulders.â
Uncle Tinsleyâs speech only served to remind Kitty of every painful feeling. She still needed considerable time alone to heal, preferably on her favourite mount, Othello. So, she avoided thinking about her situation unless she was alone and could give full vent to her feelings.
She attempted a light-hearted response. âNow, Uncle, you know I believe that with thrift, I shall be able to keep Othello and my wheelers, Pollux and Castor, which is the crux of the matter for me.âÂ
Her Uncle frowned, âMy dear girl, even if you keep your horses, I worry for you. Oh, not the immediate housing problem, we shall solve that easily enough. But I find it difficult to believe that you will achieve a respectable marriage, much less a brilliant match, without your mother sponsoring you for a London season. Do not give up hope ...â
âGive up hope?â Kitty interrupted, âCertainly not! I will not be in danger of spinsterhood for another five years, at least. Surely, in all that time, we can contrive something.â
Their interest was then engaged by the wild beauties of the landscape. As they made their way west, the ground rose from hills to high mountainous fells. The carriage rumbled across uncounted ancient stone bridges. The giant broad-shouldered peaks were spectacular - almost level at the top, with cliffs plunging into narrow valleys. Dark swaths of still-bare trees marched along the valleys and gave way to gorse and heather on the wind-swept tops. The sky was the deep blue only achieved at the roof of the world. Innumerable little streams wound their way through the valleys, some still frozen to glittering immobility.
The villages they passed through were laid out along the road. They featured squat buildings with brightly painted trim, hard by the cobbles, with steep thatched roofs designed to defeat the snow. Kitty, enchanted, exclaimed, âHow charming!â or âHow quaint!â Soon they arrived at the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld, where they were to lodge for two nights before retracing their steps.
The innkeeper and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Brown, unused to trade from the Quality at that season, greeted them with enthusiasm.Â
Mrs. Brown ushered Kitty and her abigail, Betsy Taylor, to their room. Kitty endeared herself by announcing, âOh, how lovely. Taylor, you may have a bit of luncheon before unpacking my things.â
Taylor, who had been Kittyâs abigail for nearly seven years, said, âAye, Miss. Only let me shake out yer pink muslin, afore I go tâ kitchen.â
Mrs. Brown then ushered Kitty to the private dining room Uncle Tinsley had reserved. Mrs. Brown was well familiar with Dixon Cottage.
âOh, aye, Miss, I know it well. Mr. Dixon built it when â Lord! â I was but a lass. My sister kept house there for years. It has a fine prospect, but the lane to the property is sometimes made impassable in winter. It was well-built, that it was, but Mr. Dixon let it decay as he got older, moreâs the pity. His heirs have their own estates, and no-one wants the place. Ah, here ye are.â
Kitty said eagerly, âI should like to learn of the house from your sister. Is she near? Would you introduce her?â
Mrs. Brown chuckled, âNear? I should say so. She come to help me in kitchen since Mr. Dixon passed and is in this house even now.â Kittyâs stomach gave an audible growl, much to her chagrin.
Mrs. Brown smiled indulgently, âTea and bread and butterâs out, and the restâll be along shortly. Iâll send my widowed sister up,Â
Mrs. Abernathy she is, when yer done.â
As Mrs. Brown curtsied herself out of the room, Uncle arrived.
Kitty began, âUncle, I made several important discoveries.â
Uncle Perry smiled and shook his head, âYou are so like your mother.â
A servant entered with ham, pickles, boiled eggs, and dried fruit tarts. Once the girl had departed, they resumed their conversation.
âHow so, sir? Everyone says I resemble my father.â
âWith your brunette curls and dark eyes, you are assuredly your fatherâs daughter. But in mind and spirit, I hold you most resemble your mama. God pity the tradesman who tried to overcharge Mrs. Otis! Your father was a brilliant man, but not at all practical. It was your mother who managed the rectory with economy.â
Kittyâs eyes filled with tears, âOh! Uncle, you cannot imagine what comfort these simple reminiscences afford me. No one â almost no one â I know, wishes to speak of her for fear of giving me pain, or because they have no idea what to say. But these little stories of her are what I most particularly wish to hear.â
Mrs. Abernathy arrived shortly thereafter. She was tall, raw-boned, and ruddy, with the first strands of silver showing in her brown hair. After a very productive half-hour interview, Kitty rented two hacks from the inn so she could explore the surrounding town. Kitty exchanged her pelisse for a more practical riding coat, Pike was mounted, and off they set.
Kitty discovered a tolerable milliner, implying there was enough trade from the Quality to warrant such a shop. She found a lovely ancient church and the road to the property. She also stopped downstairs at the pub where she discovered that Mr. Peale, the agent for Dixon Cottage, was known as a âsharp âun.â Three people advised her to get a good solicitor to examine any papers drawn up by Mr. Peale. Meanwhile, Mr. Tinsley also made pertinent inquiries about Threlkeld. They spent all evening exchanging their respective discoveries.
After an early and excellent breakfast, they set out to inspect the property. The agent, Mr. Robert Peale, was in his mid-twenties, sandy-haired, freckled, and somewhat stout. He was pretentiously dressed in a startling green waistcoat.
He kept up a paean of praise for the village of Threlkeld to the east, the beauties of Keswick to the west. He described the house and its home farm in glowing terms. Kitty could barely restrain from rolling her eyes. Even Mr. Peale was hard-pressed to extol the excellence of the interior after they startled some bats out of the library chimney, though.
Dixon Cottage, although smothered in weeds, was built of the native buff-coloured stone. It was less than half the size of the rectory but was well proportioned with excellent prospects. Uncle Tinsley noticed the gravel approach was more weeds than gravel, the chimneys needed pointing up, three windows were broken, and an enterprising oak had sprung up through a crack in the front flagstones.
The trio returned to the Horse and Farrier, entered a private parlour, and ordered tea. Uncle Perry and Kitty were seated, and Mr. Peale stood in eager attendance. Mr. Peale seemed somewhat flustered when Kitty, instead of Mr. Tinsley, began negotiations. âMr. Peale, what is your principal expecting from the sale of the property?â
With his smile now more blinding than ever before, Mr. Peale made a slight bow. âMy principal set the price at seven hundred pounds, entire, to include all the furnishings.â
âNo doubt in ignorance of its true value!â Uncle Perry scowled.
âAye, it has a bonnie prospect, and weâve had many inquiries, sir.â Mr. Peale replied, deliberately misunderstanding him.
Uncle Perry leaned forward and tapped the table with his forefinger. âHowever, it is located between Threlkeld and Keswick, not in Grosvenor Square.â
Kitty turned to Mr. Peale with a mischievous smile, âHow odd! It is widely known in town that Dixon Cottage has stood vacant for over two years, and no one else has been to see it.â Mr. Pealeâs smile became more fixed.
Uncle Perry turned to Kitty. âDixon Cottage appears to be a property whose owner has set too optimistic a price, does it not?â
Kitty drew a pencil and small notes-book from her reticule and began figuring, âYes, it certainly does. Upon my word, a reduction is required for the repairs. Mr. Tinsley, what do you think repairs will amount to?â
Eyes sparkling, lips twitching in a poorly suppressed smile, Uncle Perry responded, âRemember Kitty, whatever repairs you can see are accompanied by at least two others you cannot see. I advise you to set aside at least a hundred pounds for repairs.â
Mr. Peale interrupted, âNay! Repairs will not come to anything like a hundred pounds!â
Kitty ignored the interruption and went on pointedly, âThank you, Uncle, I rely entirely upon your judgement in these matters.â Simultaneously excited and nervous, Kitty was determined to live up to Motherâs example.
She took a deep breath and turned back to Mr. Peale. âI do not wish to wound you, Mr. Peale, but you led me to believe the home farm consisted of twenty-four usable acres. However, with the steep bits and the boggy bottoms, there are less than twenty usable acres.â Kitty appealed to Uncle Perry, âSurely that discrepancy requires a reduction. Say, fifteen pounds per acre or sixty pounds. Does my calculation seem correct to you, Uncle?â
Mr. Pealeâs smile became more wooden.
Uncle Perry reminded Kitty, âBut you forgot the problem of the furnishings.â
Kitty smiled, âWhatever would I do without your sage advice, Uncle? From your description, the house was offered fully furnished.Â
But the best of the furnishings are gone.â
Mr. Peale went a little pink in the face. âBut nobody expects to find everything to their liking in a furnished house!â
Kittyâs voice became sarcastic, âEverything? The dining room has no sideboard, the library no desk, the bedrooms only have Dutch presses, not wardrobes. Most of the upholstered furnishings should be burned, and all the linens will be consigned to the fire.
Whilst I never expected to find everything to my taste, I did expect to find it fully furnished. A farther fifty pounds will be necessary to provide furnishings.â Kittyâs palms began to sweat as she felt she was acting the shrew. But she also felt oppressed by the urgency of saving the settlements she inherited from mama. So, she straightened her back and held her head high.
Uncle Perry shook his head, now openly amused. âNo, my dear. I cannot quite agree with you. You should allow at least seventy pounds for furnishings. The kitchen ovens are in such poor repair that you need to install a modern closed stove. Does that not bring the total down to four hundred and seventy pounds?â
Kitty checked her numbers. âYes, sir, it does. Howsoever, we forgot the chicken coop is a menace and must be torn down. Most of the fences and all the gates need repair. The well lost its roof, and no doubt the waters are fouled.â
Mr. Peale wrung his hands, âNay, Miss! The waterâs as clear and as sweet as can be, and thereâs a pump for drawing off water tâ thâ beastie troughs.â
She smiled sweetly up at Mr. Peale, âYes? Well, I will only deduct fifty pounds for those repairs. But there is also the matter of the road which I have on good authority is often impassable in winter. That should reduce the value of the property a farther one hundred pounds. That brings the total to three hundred twenty pounds. Do you agree, Uncle?â
Mr. Peale, quite red in the face, was reduced to spluttering. âImpassable! But ... but, Miss, if ye like the cottage so little, are ye even goinâ to make an offer?â
Uncle Perry intervened, âOh, yes, my niece cannot resist a bargain. And a bargain this must be if you are to sell it to anyone in its current state.â
Mr. Peale went pale about the mouth. âBut, sir, I cannot present my principal with such a paltry offer!â
Kitty realised that beneath the bluster, Mr. Peale was very close to panic. Seized by compassion, she said, âVery well, Mr. Peale, I do not wish to be unjust.â
Uncle Perry smiled proudly at Kitty, âVicarâs daughter.â
Kitty returned his smile, âYes, indeed. We shall add thirty pounds to the offer price. Do you approve of offering three hundred fifty pounds for Dixon Cottage, then, Mr. Tinsley?â
Her uncle considered carefully. âUpon my word, that seems a fair figure to both parties.â
Mr. Pealeâs brows shot up, âTo both parties? How is that fair to my principal, sir?â
Uncle Perry adopted his most authoritative solicitor voice. âYour principal will have sold Dixon Cottage instead of letting it decay until it is impossible to sell. I believe, on good authority, the heirs wish to be shot of it at whatever price. You should present this offer. After all, your principal may still choose to reject it or make a counter-offer.â
Mr. Peale ran his hands through his hair and then resumed wringing them. âWhat a good for nought agent my principal will think me if I bring him this offer.â
Uncle Perry drew out five ten-pound notes and laid them on the table. âNot at all, Mr. Peale. It is not your fault that the value has fallen so far. Produce a receipt for the fifty pounds and draft an offer for the property for the remaining three hundred pounds, entire. I shall sign it today, so you may post it to your principal straightaway.â
Apparently mesmerised by the money, Mr. Peale nodded mute agreement. When he had written out and handed the receipt to Mr. Tinsley, he bowed himself out of the room.
With a chuckle, Uncle Perry turned to Kitty, âJust like your mother!â Kitty laughed, alive to the full force of the compliment.
He grinned, âIf you are as thrifty restoring the cottage as you were buying it, your income will exceed five hundred pounds per year. And thatâs not including any profits from the home farm. With half the house and fewer staff to support, you shall be quite plump in the purse, my dear.â
Mr. Peale returned with an offer letter that evening. Uncle Tinsley corrected the document so that the three hundred fifty pounds included all agentâs fees and transfer stamp taxes. He signed it and bade Mr. Peale a polite adieu. The next morning, the entourage arrived back at Crosthwaite and awaited developments.
Reading Dauntless Hearts by Lincoln Tuvelais is akin to taking a ride in a time machine back to Northern England cerca 1812. When we step out at our desired destination we meet Miss Kitty Otis. Kitty will be our host for this journey as we're plunged into this delightful victorian era.
Miss Kitty herself is a paragon of virtue. She's young, just 18, and like most women her age yearns to have a proper London coming out. She very much wants to one day be a wife and mother. She has been caring for her disabled father, like a good daughter, and is looking to purchase her own home.
One day while out riding on her newly purchased property, Kitty is thrown from her horse and lands in the mud. Disheveled and quite muddy, Kitty is eying her poor drenched skirts and she sits down to compose herself. Just then a young gentleman on a bay horse comes riding up and kindly returns her runaway horse to her.
The newcomer, one Lieutenant Joseph Mclaughlin of the Royal Irish Fourth Dragoon Guards, at your service. He's a man in uniform and no less handsome. He's described as just a little over six feet tall, has shoulders a yard wide, could pass as an understudy for Atlas, wears well-tailored breeches, has heavily muscled thighs, black curly hair, and dark eyes.
Joseph bows to Kitty and introduces himself and before you know it has asked for her hand in marriage in exchange for returning her horse. Could this be true love? Is he her knight in shining armor? Only time will tell.
While reading Dauntless Hearts I was tickled pink by the witty, dry, tongue-in-cheek humor scenes depicted in the book. Such as when Marianne ( Kitty's best friend) discourages a suitor from getting fresh by accidentally flipping a plate of sweets onto his waistcoat and breeches.
I was also enthralled by the picturesque descriptions of the English country side such as when Kitty's carriage is rumbling across an ancient stone bridge and the view is of broad-shouldered peaks and spectacular dark swaths of trees. The author simply captivates her audience on both an auditory and visual scale. Tuvelais has obviously done her due diligence and paints a historically accurate and vivid account of English society during this time period.
I love reading about the ladies having to iron their hair and the descriptions of the hairstyles and dresses that are worn to balls. Even the mentality of a society that doesn't recognize women in male-dominated roles like running a farm and the attitude of the men being bossed around by a woman are spot on.
I give Dauntless Hearts by Lincoln Tuvelais a 5 out of 5 stars. It reminds me so much of the push and pull between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. For lovers of historical romances everywhere, this one's for you.