Welcome back to the blog everyone! It’s been quite a hiatus, but we’re thrilled to announce that we’re back and we’re ready with tons of great Writerly Wednesdays headed your way. Today’s guest is Misty Urban, writer of The Forger and the Duke. She’s brought along with her a sneak peek into the life of one Malden Grey, the book’s hero. This is set before he meets the heroine, Amaranthe.
But before we jump to that, we wanted to quickly let you know about a fun little addition we’ve brought to the blog. We started a Substack! This means that, on top of posting these blogs here, they will also live over there, and if you follow us on Substack, you can get these sent directly to your email each week. We do not currently have a paid tier, so if you do know about Substack, you don’t have to worry about that. And if you don’t want to follow us there, that’s quite alright. We’ll still continue posting these here as we always have. Nothing changes for you. We just wanted to give you extra options.
Phew. We’ll hush now and let you get back to the scene at hand!
On a gloomy day in London, early spring 1776, Malden Grey walks from his favorite coffee shop to the bank to collect his quarterly allowance. He is met with some rather unpleasant news.
TC: Mr. Grey, thank you for doing business with Coutts & Co. of London. I am Thomas Coutts, at your service. Your first name, I see here, is Malden? A family name?
MAL: My mother gave me the name, but as she is unfortunately deceased, I cannot ask her how she came by it.
TC: Deceased of…?
MAL: Tuberculosis. I was quite young.
TC: My condolences.
MAL: Thank you.
TC: Fortunately, you seem a strapping fellow. Quite in good health. May I ask how the bank can serve you today, Mr. Grey?
MAL: I would like to inquire what reasons the Duchess of Hunsdon gave for withdrawing all of the second quarter income from the Hunsdon estates and its assets.
TC: Oh. I see. It appears that she did indeed withdraw all the available monies.
MAL: Including my allowance from the late duke.
TC: I believe the duchess means to set up her household in France. She says England will become quite dreary now that this war with the American colonies is underway.
MAL: I find it strange she did not take her three stepchildren with her. Nor consult with me if she intends to remove them from England, as they are my wards.
TC: [with some surprise] The duke left you in charge of his heir?
MAL: My father’s will stated that I am to be guardian to all three children, though the duchess has chosen to bring a suit in Chancery challenging my right.
TC: Oh, I see. So the young Duke of Hunsdon and his siblings are—your half-sister and brothers. Do you live with them?
MAL: I have quarters in the Strand to be close to the Inns of Court. I am waiting to be called to the bar.
TC: Ah. Quite gentlemanly pursuit, that. Barrister.
MAL: I hope to do some good in it. I have been waiting for some time to be called.
TC: Looking at this, it would appear your father sought to help establish you in a career. Sending you to Winchester, then Cambridge…paying your fees to the Middle Temple…
MAL: Trying to make up, too late, for abandoning his lover and her bastard son.
TC: [coughs] Well. Ahem. It is indeed a sad moral stain, passing from the mother to the child—
MAL: My mother always insisted he married her, sir. She was deceived. Let us return to the matter of the money.
TC: Er, yes. The bank would be happy to offer a loan if you could supply collateral. Any properties, assets, so on?
MAL: None. What I do not spend on my own maintenance I send to my Aunt Beatrice and her husband, Littlejohn. They run an inn in Bristol, and they raised me after my mother fell ill.
TC: Any friends who can vouch for your character?
MAL: Viktor Vierling of the Horse Guards—will he do?
TC: Hmmm. A Hessian, one of the King’s mercenaries, and, I’ve heard, rather a man-about-town. Any enemies?
MAL: Only the boys at school and back in Bristol who taunted me for being a bastard. It seems rather more accepted here in London, where every noble or two has a by-blow.
TC: [coughs again] Ahem. Do you have a young lady you are courting, perhaps? One of good family, who could stand you a loan?
MAL: My affections are not currently engaged. Ladies do not set their cap for a bastard, but that suits me, as I seem to be immune to the allure of domestic life.
TC: Yes, well, we all say that, and then we meet the one who turns our head. That neat, tidy, managing sort of woman who shows herself to be extraordinarily clever, with a spark of humor to her, and kindness, too. The sort you never think you’d look twice at, but once you get to know her, you can’t imagine going on without her in your life.
MAL: I felicitate you on your marital happiness, Mr. Coutts.
TC: Thank you. I am sorry to say we cannot forward you monies at this time, Mr. Grey. You will have to wait until third quarter to claim the incomes, and in the meantime look elsewhere for ways to support the children and Hunsdon House. I wish you luck.
MAL: Luck has never been a defining characteristic of mine, Mr. Coutts. Good day.
Misty Urban is a fiction writer, medievalist, essayist, editor, and college professor. She likes to write contemporary and historical romances about headstrong women who pursue their ambitions and win a worthy mate along the way. She holds an MFA in fiction and a Ph.D. in medieval literature from Cornell University and lives in the Midwest in a little town on a big river with a handsome park ranger, two budding authors, and an ever-expanding collection of books. Visit her website and sign up for the newsletter to get news of publications, giveaways, and free stories: http://www.mistyurban.net
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