A side-story to A Gentleman's Honour
A Note from the Author
Henry Fitzwilliam, Viscount Milton, enters my novel A Gentleman's Honor about halfway through the story. He is the older brother of Colonel Fitzwilliam and the cousin of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and readers eventually learn that Henry's outlandish dress and behavior disguise the rather serious work in which he is engaged. Henry does not achieve a happily-ever-after in A Gentleman's Honor, but many readers wanted that for him. This is Henry's story. Other than Henry's title of Viscount Milton and the mention of George Canning and Marquess Wellesley, the titles and names in this story are invented. Canning and Marquess Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington's older brother) were a part of a fragile political alliance in support of the Roman Catholic Relief Act. When the Act was defeated, the alliance dissolved in May of 1813, a month after the main events of this story. The Roman Catholic Relief Act (also known as the Catholic Emancipation Act) did not go away, however. A version of it was finally passed in 1829. "A Gentleman's Justice" refers rather liberally to characters and situations from A Gentleman's Honor. You will not understand the nuance of what is happening in this short story if you haven't read the novel first. (Points to you if you figure out who Lady Grimstone is without having to refer to the original!)