Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Sheila Bishop: The Rules of Marriage


The Rules of Marriage was authored by Sheila Bishop and published by Fawcett in 1978. It is the story of the marriage of Charlotte and Lord Brancaster. They marry young and when handsome Gerard, Lord Brancaster's best friend begins paying attention to Charlotte, sparks begin to fly.

Allan Kass illustrated an interesting picture for this cover. We see our hero and heroine sitting outside near a little pond in an idyllic setting. She is leaning back against him and he hovers close to her. She is wearing a purple day dress with a darker sash and straw hat. Note her jewelry! He wears a red coat and buff trousers. I like the swans in the background.

Infidelity was common during the regency times. Many men kept mistresses, even after their marriages. Most women stayed faithful, but some did stray from their marriage vows. The Prince Regent led the way in this behavior. Queen Victoria set a better example after the regency and certain behaviors are still known as "victorian"!

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