Dancing the Maypole
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The wealthy Miss Juliana Browne has a number of problems; she’s twenty-five, her hair is red, she’s on the shelf, life is hateful and her only known admirer is Hervey De Vere, a freckled orange haired fortune hunter who looks eighteen. After three years of continuous snubs, he’s still chasing her with endless offers of gallantry and proposals of marriage. When Juliana’s mother suggests she solve her problems by marrying the said Hervey, Juliana is revolted until her mother reveals that Hervey has a reputation as a charming, attentive and discreet lover. Assured that her married friends will turn green with envy Juliana impulsively weds the man. She quickly discovers her boyish looking husband is more than man enough to tame her contrary heart.
Background of Taming the Shrew
Taming the Shrew was born from a conversation. Some acquaintances were discussing red hair and how they’d never want a child with red hair. I was taken aback. I had no idea that people with red hair faced such overt discrimination. I’ve known various people with red or orange hair throughout my life and I’ve never thought more or less of them because of their hair colour. Some I really liked, some I thought were annoying. I started thinking about red hair and staring at red haired people. I was in the shop this morning and saw a boy about fourteen with cinnamon-orange hair. He looked like a nice lad and his hair was lovely; I can’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want a child with orange hair!
So my obsession with red hair gave birth to Hervey and Juliana. They stepped out of my brain fully formed. The scene in the library was the first time I heard them speaking and thankfully I had a pen and paper handy. I didn’t know how the story started, but I knew Hervey had wagered his heart on a vixen. Juliana makes me laugh; she isn’t stupid, though she sounds stupid at times. No one has ever cared about her; the concept is foreign, so when faced with Hervey’s adoration she’s blind to the obvious. Unlike most traditional ‘taming the shrew’ plots, Hervey only wants to tame her heart. He doesn’t want to extinguish her flame or beat her into submission. That isn’t love, nor is it healthy to pretend that anything like it is.
This is the first proper short Regency Romance story I wrote, and I really enjoyed writing it. It’s about a third the length of a novel, but only took me about a month and a half to write I hope you enjoy Taming the Shrew as much as I enjoyed writing it!
