(no subject)

[avrelia]

I haven’t read any regencies in a very very long while. Why the hell I dreamt one today? It featured an Almack's ball, a rented ball dress (muslin in black and white printed pattern), and me starring as Mary Sue. Thankfully, no dashing rakes.

Comments

[jonesiexxx.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, no dashing rakes.

Why "thankfully"? Surely dashing rakes are what make Regency dreams worthwhile.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

They are not my type. I am not unsusceptible to a bad boy charm, but dashing rakes bore me silly. I prefer a “proper” type that is fun to seduce.

[jonesiexxx.livejournal.com]

I prefer a “proper” type that is fun to seduce.

Aha! The truth comes out. You don't want a dashing rake because you ARE a dashing rake.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

::looks demurely::

[spikewriter]

Ah, but how about the rake who isn't actually a rake, just has the reputation and really has a good sense of personal honor, ie, no sleeping with well-bred virgins. Now, if a very determined young lady set out to get herself ruined by said rake...

No, I do not need another plot bunny.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

Okay, but why does he have this reputation? By accident? He was seen in a wrong place in a wrong company? Or by effort – his or the third party? What are the reasons behind the effort then?

And the young lady – why would she want to be ruined in the eyes of the society? To avoid marriage? A specific arrangement or marriage in general?

[spikewriter]

Hmmm. Let's start with the young lady. Orphaned, with a guardian who has plans for her she finds quite odious -- sell her off to the highest bidder or some such. She has to have some kind of plan for how she's going to live after she's ruined because otherwise she's just stupid. (Need to look in "Laws Concerning Women" to check some things on this.)

As for him -- a youthful indiscretion that got blown out of proportion or -- better still, he was actually trying to protect someone and it rebounded on him due to malicious gossip.

He'd probably be horrified at this girl trying to seduce him into ruining her.

This could work. Maybe once the wangst finishes eating my brain.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I don’t want to distract you from wangst, but I keep thinking on this, too.
The young lady. What does she have to attract the bidders? Is she an heiress of a large estate? But if the bidders are in it for money only they wouldn’t be discouraged by her indiscretion, I think. Does she have a moderate income then, but there is something else? A good name? An indescribable beauty? Something else entirely?

If a guardian has a power over her, does it mean that she is around twenty years old and will have more control over her life and property as she comes of age?

I wonder what plausible plan could she have. As far as I know women didn’t have many options.

Regarding the young man: a youthful indiscretion will add credibility to a malicious gossip, and the possible conflict.