Lady Maybe (35 page)

I wrote the first draft of this novel before I ever visited Lynton & Lynmouth, twin villages in North Devon, England. I picked the area for its coastal setting within Exmoor National Park, and its steep cliffs along the Bristol Channel. In 2014, my old friend Sara Ring and I had the privilege of traveling there, and found the landscape, the villages, and the local people even more lovely than I’d imagined.

Sara and I hiked along the Lyn River, out to the scenic Valley of the Rocks, and along a carriage road hundreds of years old and dangerously close to the cliff’s edge near Woody Bay. Together we searched for the perfect spot to send a carriage careening down into the channel. Wind whipped hair in our faces, pulled hoods from our heads, and made it almost impossible to hear our voices in the video Sara shot. She also took many beautiful photos of the area (as well as one of me in ankle stocks as described in the book). Thanks, Sara! Visit www.julieklassen.com to see a sampling.

My thanks to Dick Croft and the other helpful volunteer guides at the Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, also in Devon. There I learned the difference between a landau, barouche, traveling chariot, town coach, governess cart, dogcart, gig, cabriolet, and more. How fascinating to see so many historic carriages up close and personal, to peer into the rich interiors and imagine my characters heading off on their life-changing journey.

Keen readers may recognize a certain “Jane and Mr. Rochester”
flavor to a few lines in Chapter 22. I humbly acknowledge the influence of Charlotte Brontë’s
Jane Eyre
, which I have adored since the sixth grade.

Warm gratitude to the two Wendys in my publishing life: Wendy McCurdy of Berkley Publishing Group/Penguin Random House and Wendy Lawton of Books & Such Literary, my agent, for their enthusiasm about this book. And also to my friends at Bethany House Publishers, who graciously gave me their blessing to test the waters of writing for two publishers. I appreciate your trust and support.

A grateful shout-out to talented reviewer and author Michelle Griep for providing such helpful feedback—again!

As always, thanks and love to my cherished friend and first reader, Cari Weber, who gave input on two drafts along the way, and who blesses me in so many ways. And to my beloved husband and sons. I’d be lost without you.

And finally, heartfelt thanks to you, my readers. I appreciate each and every one of you!

READERS GUIDE

Lady
Maybe

by Julie
Klassen

1. What did you think of the story’s protagonist? Did you admire her? Were you at times frustrated by her actions? Cite examples.
   
2. At the beginning of the novel, Sir John goes to great lengths to keep Marianna and Mr. Fontaine apart, even relocating his wife against her will. Ultimately, it is during one of these sudden moves that the accident occurs. Do you think Sir John was at all to blame for this calamity?
   
3. Marianna is the first character the reader meets and yet, for a significant portion of the novel, her personality is described to the reader secondhand. Did your perception of Marianna change throughout the novel. How so?
   
4. Hannah attracts the interest of several men in
   Lady Maybe
   . Which suitor, if any, did you hope she would choose and why? Did your choice change as the story progressed?
   
5. When considering what was at stake, do you think Hannah’s ruse was necessary, or was it entirely unethical? If you were in Hannah’s situation, what would you have done?
   
6. Did the identity of Danny’s father surprise you? Did it change your opinion of Hannah’s deceit?
   
7. Hannah’s relationships with both Mr. Lowden and Sir John significantly evolve throughout the novel. What were some turning points in her connection with each?
   
8. In the Regency-era world of
   Lady Maybe
   , divorce was viewed with much disdain. As Mr. Lowden states: “Divorce is nearly impossible to achieve, scandalous, and typically unconscionable.” Do you think divorce is seen in the same light today? If not, how have opinions changed?
   
9. In the time period of
   Lady Maybe
   , marriages were often more like business arrangements than affairs of the heart. What do you think of this custom? Would you marry for anything other than love?
   
10. When it’s a question of Marianna’s word versus Hannah’s in court, Marianna’s is held in higher regard—until Sir John gives his account and his testimony takes precedence. How do the power struggles of class and gender come into play in
    Lady Maybe
    ?
    
11. The magistrate, Lord Shirwell, asks in court: “Can reasons excuse deceit? Theft? Fraud?” How would you answer this question? Is it ever acceptable to commit crimes under certain circumstances? When considering the transgressions committed in
    Lady Maybe
    , should any character be excused of his or her misdeeds?
    
12. At one point, Hannah thinks,
    How had she allowed it to happen? That she, Hannah Rogers, should be guilty of more wrongdoing
    than the infamous Marianna Mayfield?
    Do you believe that this is true? While both women commit the same wrongdoings of adultery and lying, why do their crimes seem different?
    
13. At the novel’s end, Hannah goes to support Marianna at the stocks despite all Marianna had done and said against her. Did you pity Marianna in that moment or do you think she got what she deserved?
    
14. Eventually, Mrs. Turrill becomes much more than a nurse and lady’s maid. She becomes a source of guidance and comfort for Hannah. What do you think was the driving force behind this change?
    
15. Hannah’s father is the last to know the truth about her secrets. Furthermore, he is told via letter and by a third party (Fred), rather than by Hannah herself. Did you disagree with Hannah’s timing and method, or did you find it
    understandable?
    

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