Wait! We’re reading about a woman who collects carriages—so why, of all coaches, would she take a lightweight phaeton, which was not equipped to carry lanterns, and which was pulled by a team of ponies, not nearly as sturdy as larger horses, on a night flight where time was of the essence? And why, even at three miles an hour, which would have to have been the appropriate speed of travel to ensure the safety of both human and horse, would she have stopped twice during a journey of less than six hours—to dine, she says—when she’s in such a hurry?
But there you have it.
More than two hundred years later, from the safety of our history books, and our knowledge of horses and carriages, and research into eighteenth-century travel times, it might not make much sense. Perhaps it didn’t even happen the way Mary and I described it. Perhaps it couldn’t have happened that way. But Mary Robinson, given her background as one of the most-talked-about celebrities of the day, and herself the author of what today we call “spin,” was keener than just about anyone of her era never to let the truth stand in the way of a good story!
So, why did I write a novel about Mary Robinson—why did I choose to “play” her in print? As a redheaded actress-turned-author who still enjoys a career on the stage as well as on the page, and who has counted twentieth-century “celebrities” among her acquaintances, I found Mary’s allure, and her life story, irresistible. I identified with her ambition early on for a career in the Theatre, with the tension she faced from parents who did not support that choice. I related to Mary’s struggles to be taken seriously in certain circles and with her rage to be recognized for her talents. And I sympathized with her seemingly constant struggle to make ends meet, no matter how much she economized and how prolifically she wrote. Periwigs, panniers, and patches have given way to blue jeans and T-shirts, but from century to century, some things never change.
—Amanda Elyot
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my editor, Claire Zion, whose always incisive comments are precise enough to fully illuminate my way through the labyrinthine revision process, yet broad enough to allow my imagination free rein; to my agent, Irene Goodman, who never pulls her punches while always believing in my talent; to Michèle LaRue, who offered late-night copyediting reassurance; to my amazing husband for always being so understanding, patient, and kind; and to the members of RWA’s beau monde, whose wealth of knowledge and lightning-quick response time to any question posted to the loop never cease to amaze me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Elyot has written several works of historical fiction, and is a pen name of Leslie Carroll, a multipublished author of contemporary women’s fiction. An Ivy League graduate and professional actress, she currently resides in New York City. Visit www.tlt.com/authors/lesliecarroll.htm to meet the author online.
READERS GUIDE
AllFORLove
THE SCANDALOUS LIFE AND TIMES OF
ROYAL MISTRESS MARY ROBINSON
AMANDA ELYOT
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. When she was only seven years old, Mary Darby’s father abandoned his family. How much of her life do you think was shaped by this event?
2. Mary’s parents, particularly her father, were very much against her ambitions for a theatrical career. Do you agree with their decision? How much of what Mary experienced do you think was due to the fact that she became a celebrated actress, and how much was due to other factors? If you think the latter plays a part, what other factors do you think shaped her destiny?
3. Mary’s mother was keen to see her enter a respectable marriage, regardless of Mary’s own desires, marrying her off when she was in her mid-teens, young even for the Georgian era. Given the period in which these women lived, and the maturity level of a relatively sheltered fifteen-year-old girl, was Mrs. Darby right? Was Mary right? What would you have done if you had walked in either of their shoes?
4. In order to become the prince’s mistress, Mary gave up a lucrative career and a financial independence that was very rare for a woman of her day. Do you think she was justified in insisting on an annuity after he ended the relationship?
5. Mary lived at a time and in a society where a member of the gentry and lower classes could not get a divorce. Clearly she endured countless humiliations from her wayward husband, but was bound to him for life. Do you blame her or applaud her for seeking—and finding—love and happiness in the arms of other men? What would you have done if you were in the same situation?
6. Smart women, foolish choices. Or not. Why do you think Mary remained with Tarleton for the better part of fifteen years? What did each of them get from the relationship? Have you ever been there yourself?
7. In a letter written to William Godwin toward the end of her life, Mary referred to Maria as “my second-self.” Maria stuck by her mother for all the days of her life. What do you think of this decision? Why do you think Maria never married? Contrast that to why Jane Austen never married.
8. In the last year of her life, Mary was jailed for debt. By law, a husband was financially responsible for his wife, including paying her debts, whether they resided together or not; yet Mary, who was ill and in pain at the time, chose imprisonment rather than involving Mr. Robinson (whom she hadn’t seen in years) in her predicament. What do you think of this decision, given Mary’s complicated relationship with her husband and debts?
9. Mary is considered
