Lady Vice (25 page)
Authors: Wendy LaCapra
Tags: #Vice, #Decadence, #Murder, #Brothels, #The British East India Company, #Historical Romance, #Georgian Romance, #Romance, #scandal, #The Furies, #Vauxhall Gardens, #Criminal Conversations, #Historical, #Scandalous, #Entangled
Author’s note
The character named Vaile was inspired, loosely, by the real-life Lord Worsley as portrayed in Hallie Rubenhold’s gripping historical accounting of the Worsley scandal titled,
Lady Worsley’s Whim
. Monte is entirely my own creation. But, for use of his name, I owe an apology to David and Greg’s dog Monte. You’re a good dog. The Monte in this book was in no way influenced by your occasional spazzy-freakout-heroic-defense of your David.
Acknowledgments
For their help creating this book and the world within, I’d like to say thank you to:
My agent Rebecca for believing in the book and series, and editor Erin for finally making it click.
Sue McGee, Carolyn Martin, and Kiersten Krum for their enthusiasm and feedback in the conceptual stages.
Bill Haggert and Nancy Mayer for help with research on (respectively) flintlocks and coroner’s courts.
Miranda Laisson, Sarah Jane Stone, Anke Fontaine, Madeline Iva, Becca St. John, Joanne Lockyer, Inara Scott, Kirsten Koster and Mary Behre for in-depth critiques on the full, and for so much more.
Sally MacKenzie for too many reasons to list.
The Beau Monde and my early volunteer friends Sharon, Ann, Megan, Carolyn, Isobel, Pam, and Janet.
The LaLaLas for being there every day.
The 2012 GH Class, the Firebirds, especially Tamar and Alison.
The ladies of LSFW whose amazing energy and generosity have taught me so much…especially Caridad.
The NYC locals: Tamar, Stacey, Katrina, Kwana, Kate, Lynn, Nisha, Lisa, and Sarah.
Finding Romance Novel Writers of America was like coming home. But no book can come to life if the author does not have support in her daily life.
For helping me achieve my dream, I’d like to thank:
The family of my birth, the Gavels (especially my sisters Jo and Charlotte), who cannot get through a gathering without a pun, rhyme, alliteration, and guffaw.
The family of my heart, the La Capras, whose hard work and focus are matched only by their celebratory joy.
The nieces and nephews from both sides (looking at you Bart, Tali, Ethan, Luc, Q & Mik)—being your aunt is my favorite thing.
The girls who acted out my first stories on the press dumpster, in the attic, and in the barn: Samra, Leilani, Carol, and Amy.
The teachers who remain an inspiration: Dwight Wilson and Mark Goodman. And ‘Doc’ LaVia, resting in peace. Also Mary, Shannon, and my small MFS class which was blessed with a disproportionate number of excellent writers.
Aunt Hazel and Aunt Alta for letting me find and enjoy your Regencies when I was young. And Aunt Roo, too.
Alice and Buddy for sharing my love of historical romance novels.
Bob, Henry, Nadine, Marilyn, Helen, and David for woo-hooing at every turn.
Mom, I love you. Dad, I miss you. Thank you for the stories and the wonder and the laughter.
And lastly, to Richard and Debbie, to whom this book is dedicated. You both believed I could do this before I did. Plus, you know what a PIA I am, and you love me anyway. I love you both.
About the Author
Wendy LaCapra
has been reading romance since she discovered Victoria Holt on her first old-enough-to-go-alone bicycle trip to the library. From that point on, she has dreamed of creating her own worlds of historical richness, intrigue, and pleasure. She lives in NYC with her husband and can occasionally be found gossiping about history and romance with the
Dashing Duchesses
or burning up the web with those mystical mistresses of resilience, the GH class of 2012 aka
the Firebirds.
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