The Gentlewoman vs. Summer

The answer, dear friends, is summer.

Not the pleasant warmth of the sun driving away England’s famous rainclouds. No, I am currently subjected to a temperature roughly akin to the boiling lakes of the damned found in the devil’s realm. Mrs. Stephens assures me that the outside air is not as hot as all that. But she is wrong! The temperature as I write is expected to reach a full 100 degrees Fahrenheit today. How can humans exist in such conditions?

One can only lace one’s corset as loosely as one dares, dress in the lightest of muslin, and remain both supine and immobile in the shade. The addition of a parasol and wide-brimmed hat will further protect complexions from the blazing heat and light. Better yet, remain inside, in a darkened room until sundown abates the miserable temperatures.

To my additional horror, Mrs. Stephens is preparing to slake her thirst with — my heart grows faint — a beer. I am hardly one to point fingers at the consumption of alcohol, considering how fond I am of cold champagne. But never has a drop of so plebian a beverage as beer so much as touched my lips.

I have implored my hostess to try a cool beverage very popular in my own time and place, one that can be imbibed safely by everyone from infants to the elderly: barley water. There were as many versions as there were households — every household had their own preference. Mrs. Beeton included a recipe in her Book of Household Management. Even the Royal Family had a version.

For my fellow-sufferers, I have located a recipe closer to that used in my childhood home here. There is rather a lot of information, but the basic directions are not difficult. Do let us know if you try it!

In the meantime, move as little as humanly possible.

Beer and a finished first draft

Ann here. Days like this, I have to make a point of drinking of plenty of water. Even in my air-conditioned house, my office gets pretty warm. But on a hot, hot evening when work is done, there’s nothing like a cold, cold beer. It’s not like I can have more than one, or I’ll plop face down onto my keyboard, snoring away. (Yes, college me is making fun of present me right now.)

I do plan to try the simpler of the two barley water recipes, though. I’ll include my own results in the next newsletter.

Aside from staying cool, I’m happy to say that I just finished the first draft of my latest endeavor. It’s in a slightly different genre: historical women’s fiction. My heroine is a respectable widow in her mid-thirties who discovers that her niece’s fiancé is not what he’s cracked up to be. Before long, she’s embroiled in trying to sort out her brother’s marriage, breaking up her niece’s engagement, and engaging in a jewelry heist. All while trying to hide the fact that her late husband left her flat broke. It won’t be coming out till next year, but I’m looking forward to it.

What I’m Reading & Watching

I tried a different era of historical romance with EDITH HOBSON DECLARES INDEPENDENCE, by Alcey Stafford. It’s placed in the 1920s and set in my home state of Nebraska. I enjoyed the reunited lovers trope, the heroine who comes face to face with what she truly wants, and the hero with war injuries who doesn’t let them get in his way.

I’m spending a lot of time on Netflix this summer. Hubby and I are working our way through the latest season of Dark Winds, and I’ve watched Pursuit of Jade (Chinese) and Phantom Lawyer (Korean) and enjoyed them.

Drop a line and let me know what you’re watching and reading this summer.