#london highwaymen

[readtilyoudie]

So far, he had avoided touching her unnecessarily, primarily because not everyone found touch comforting, but also he was afraid that all it would take would be a squeeze of her fingers and he’d tumble from admiring her to adoring her, or from adoring her to whatever was even worse. But by now he knew that if she didn’t want him to touch her, she’d move her hand away, and if he didn’t want to fall in love with her, he was already fucked.

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian

[desdasiwrites]

– Cat Sebastian, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb

[libraryleopard]

Adult historical romance novel (sequel to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb)

Marian Hayes, a duchess with a terrible husband, shoots her husband as part of a blackmail scheme gone wrong and must flee to the countryside to escape suspicion

Unfortunately, the only person she can as for help is Rob, the charismatic criminal who was blackmailing her

As they flee across the countryside, the two of them must confront secrets about Rob's past resurfacing and the feelings growing between the two of them

M/F romance between two bi characters

[ninja-muse]

I bought Evelina on Jane Austen's recommendation and barely a day into reading it I was torn between "yes, of course Austen liked this!" and "oh, this explains so much!" and by halfway through I was consumed with glee over what I'd picked up. This is essentially an Austen novel but with twice the ~*~drama~*~ and so at least in my mind, twice the fun. You get awkward interactions at balls, terrible and embarrassing relatives, multiple suitors, and a frantic carriage ride with fake highwaymen, it's a whole thing.

The forward in my edition said that Burney was trying to be realistic with her characters and situations, not to be dramatic for the sake of it, and I think she pretty much nailed it. Evelina is a very believable seventeen—shy, naive, socially awkward, impulsive, deeply embarrassed by the people around her and also her own actions. She's trying to navigate an adult, social world with no experience and little guidance and with the bonus of rock and a hard place options thanks to cultural misogyny. Most of the drama comes from situations that anyone might find themselves in even now—parties, family dinners, nights on the town, people inviting themselves over because they "were in the area", visiting people you dislike out of obligation. Are some of the supporting characters a little larger than life and some of the situations the same? Sure, but I've read modern romcoms that needed more suspended disbelief, and I've read eighteenth-century novels that needed more too. Burney's ability to hit the ups and downs of emotions per the tropes of the sentimental novel while sticking to everyday topics and characters is commendable. Marvelous, even.

So yeah, I see why this caught Austen's attention. It's got a relatable teen girl doing "modern" teen girl things, it spoofs Georgian society in the excitingly foreign location of London, it's got enough going on between the personal growth and the suitors and the awful relatives and the problems with Evelina's parentage and inheritance that there's always something happening and always something to keep reading for. It's a novel about a female life by a woman who was reacting to the over-the-top novels and characterizations she saw around her. And I think if you're familiar with Austen at all, you can see what she took from it too? There were definite resonances with Northanger Abbey but also with Fanny Price and Catherine de Bourgh and there is literally a cad named Willoughby.

In other words, I had a lot of fun reading this and I've yet to finish another book this month that I wanted to talk up more. (The Demon of Unrest is also very good, but do I want to be discussing the American Civil War? Not really.) This is definitely a classic I think more people should read, especially if those people like modern Regency romances and/or Austen herself. Can't recommend it enough!

[geryone]

What’s in your romance recs right now?

I’ve read all of these recently and enjoyed them!

1. Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

2. Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

3. Night Shift by Annie Crown

& I always recommend The London Highwaymen Series by Cat Sebastian!!

[etymology-of-the-emblem]

Duvall /ドバール and Pizare / ピサール

Duvall and Pizare are members of the Orgahil Pirates that stage a mutiny against their captain, Brigid, in Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. Duvall likely gets his name from famed highwayman Claude Du Vall (more commonly Duval). Born to a family of French nobility stripped of their title, Du Vall was in service to English royalists in exile during the English Civil War. He joined his lords in crossing the English Channel after the ascension of Charles II. It would be in England that Du Vall's criminal record began; tales spread of a well-dressed man of politesse snatching riches off the stagecoaches of London. Yet all accounts claimed this rogue never resorted to violence, and was quick to give in to the will of women. These stories serve as the foundation of many fictitious highwaymen written around the time, and was possibly one inspiration of the gentleman thief trope. It's possible a reference to Du Vall here was intended to contrast the well-mannered thief with the Fire Emblem character's foul personality, his penchant for violence, and his ill treatment for his boss—the only woman he is seen interacting with.

Additionally, the county of Duval (JP: デュバル; rōmaji: dyubaru) in Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes likely is named after Claude Du Vall as well. This likely is meant to relate the chivalrous bandit with the ideals of Faerghus.

Pizare's name is likely derived from Pizzare: a French adaptation of the Spanish surname Pizzaro. The name was seemingly created for the purpose of the opera of the same name based on the life of conquistador Francisco Pizarro. He began his career exploring the New World with the first European exploration of the Isthmus of Panama alongside Vasco Núñez de Balboa and became the alcalde of the newly-founded Panama City. Rumors of a city of gold hidden in South America motivated Pizzaro to venture further south. His third journey to make contact with the Inca Empire, Pizarro came on orders from the King of Spain to conquer Peru. In the peace following his conquest, Pizarro's fellow conquistador Diego de Almagro II would have him assassinated.

In Japanese, both of these Orgahil scoundrels have names derived from The Tragedy of the Sons of Tuireann, an Irish mythological tale following the brothers Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba. Pizare is called ピサール (rōmaji: pisāru), in reference to King Pisear of Persia. In the story, Pisear possesses a poison-tipped spear (debated as to being the Gáe Assail or the Areadbhair) that is kept in a vat of water to prevent its heat from setting the capital of Persia ablaze. Brian attempts to convince Pisear to hand over the weapon under the guise of a bard singing the king's praises. However, Brian is incapable of telling a good poem. When Pisear refuses to humor the brothers, Brian chucks a magic apple through his head. The trio then slaughters the entire city.

In Japanese, Duvall is called ドバール (rōmaji: dobāru), from the King of Siogair (Sicily), Dobar. He is the owner of two great steeds and a chariot that can ride over the water as land. After their trial in Persia, Brian decides that to get in good favor with Dobar, the sons of Tuireann would serve Siogair as mercenaries. The brothers pledge an oath to the king and act under him for a month and two weeks—not once in that time do they see the horses. The three then confront Dobar, swearing to end their service to him if they are not allowed to bear sight of them. Dobar, understandably, is disappointed to hear their loyalty was so fragile, especially when he would have brought the brothers to the vehicle if they just asked day one. Soon after the horses and carriage are brought out, Brian strikes down king and the sons of Tuireann bring ruin to the court before setting off for their next destination.

In both scenarios, the kings and their people are assailed by the Irish outsiders and their valuables stolen. It may be that the use of the names Pisear and Dobar are less meant to invoke the largely nonexistent personalities of the kings and more to reference the theft of items and lives by Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba. Befitting of the trouble caused by the pirates. In fact, the noble goals of the Orgahil Pirates' two known captains being betrayed by Duvall and Pizare could reference how the Sons of Tuireann themselves are gods that commit such foul acts. That, or that the eight-step fetch quest the brothers are sent on in the story is punishment doled out by the god of light and one of the most important Irish deities, Lugh.

In a tangential advertisement: I had the privilege of cooperating with the lovely folks behind the recently released Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War Spanish fan-translation! They brought me onto the team to research and provide localizations for the names that currently lack anything official. If you've ever wondered why so much of this blog is biased towards the Jugdral duology, that's 50% of the reason. But I digress; in this translation project, Duvall, Pizare, and many others have their names changed to be more accurate to the mythology and history they pull from. To any Spanish-speakers who follow my work: I highly recommend giving it a go! And I don't just say that because I worked on it!

[connectparanormal]

Most Haunted Forests in the World

For a long time, stories about the paranormal have found their ideal setting in forests, with their thick canopy and eerie depths. Some of the world's most haunted woodlands are particularly notable because of their spooky reputations and the eerie folklore surrounding them. Japan's Aokigahara, sometimes referred to as the Suicide Forest, is located at the foot of Mount Fuji. This forest has a sordid past because so many suicides have taken place inside its boundaries. The thick layer of volcanic rock, which absorbs sound and creates an unnatural silence, makes the dense woodland strangely quiet. Both locals and visitors describe experiencing a heavy sense of impending doom and seeing restless ghosts known as yurei—the spirits of people who committed suicide—wandering among the woods. This forest's eerie reputation serves as a gloomy reminder of the difficulties encountered by many who venture into its depths.

Known as the "Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania," the Hoia-Baciu Forest in Romania is notorious for paranormal activity. In the 1960s, the woodland became well-known after a scientist took a picture of what appeared to be an unidentified flying object above it. Visitors have since claimed to have seen ghostly apparitions, odd lights, and mysterious disappearances. Hoia-Baciu's trees grow in strange, twisted shapes that add to the eerie aura of the woodland. Others believe that the forest is a doorway to another realm where the boundaries of reality are slender and the paranormal is readily apparent. There are many myths and legends surrounding Germany's Black Forest. This deep, dark forest has influenced numerous fairy tales, particularly those authored by the Brothers Grimm. There are many ghost stories, werewolf stories, and witches in this area. One of the most famous tales is the headless horseman who rides through the forest at night to find his head. The dense canopy and old trees of the Black Forest foster ghost stories and otherworldly experiences, blurring the boundaries between myth and reality. Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire, England is another forest with a reputation for hauntings. The most well-known ghost rumored to haunt Wychwood is that of Amy Robsart, Queen Elizabeth I's favorite and Robert Dudley's wife. People who stroll the forest paths claim to occasionally see Amy's spirit, who passed away inexplicably. According to legend, coming across Amy's ghost portends your death within a year. Because of its history and spooky aura, the woodland is a popular spot for paranormal encounters and ghost sightings. The famed Bridgewater Triangle, an area noted for paranormal activity, includes the Massachusetts state forest of Freetown-Fall River. There is a history of unusual happenings in this woodland, including reports of Bigfoot, ghosts, and UFOs. Occult practices and dark rituals further cement the forest's reputation as a haunted place. People who visit the woodland report feeling uneasy, seeing shadowy figures among the trees, and hearing sounds that don't belong to them.

England's Epping Forest, which is outside of London, has a long history of hauntings. The forest used to be a well-known haven for highwaymen, including Dick Turpin. Many people think that these criminals' ghosts still prowl the forest, waiting to trap gullible tourists. Epping Forest is home to several old burial mounds, heightening the feeling of lingering ghosts and restless souls. The woodland is a well-liked but unsettling place for people looking for an encounter with the paranormal because of its closeness to London and its dense, expansive character. These eerie forests are located all over the world and have a lot in common, including lots of ghost stories, historical significance, and dense greenery. They serve as a poignant reminder of the hidden mysteries within the natural world, and the enduring impact of mythology and the paranormal on human society. Regardless of their belief in ghosts, the legends surrounding these woodlands arouse curiosity and fear in individuals, luring them into their enigmatic and sinister depths.

[dragons-bones]

I'm looking at my current to-do list for Fallen London and feeling a bit like Charlie Day in the Pepito conspiracy scene with just how absolutely unhinged it looks:

hunt three Seven-Throated Warblers to steal three Hillmovers from their nests

pop out of Parabola and into the University Laboratory, do the experiment to raise Kataleptic Toxicology Studies to 2

stay at the lab to do analyze the False-Snake I picked up back during the railway extension to Jericho Locks, then extend that study in order to acquire a copy of A Complete Account of Toads, Frogs, and Other Croaking Beasts

stumble out of the lab, take the train to Ealing Gardens, and throw self into Helicon House to get Shapeling Studies to 2, then grind up Shapeling Arts so it's at unmodified 7

take the train back to London, fall into the Bone Market, badger best buddy the Bohemian Sculptress to make me some ivory femurs in exchange for all these Parabolan Orange-Apples I have

add some more joints to my current skeleton frame, stick the femurs on it, declare the abomination An Amphibian, and go sell it to Mrs Plenty for a disgusting amount of Hinterland Scrip which will hopefully cover most of my railway building needs for the next few station builds

think for half a minute about switching Ali's profession to Licentiate for free headless skeletons and just stick Bright Brass Skulls on them to sell to the Constable instead, but the Midnighter's bribery ability is currently too useful for me during Railway Board meetings to keep the Bishop of Saint Fiacre in line

is any of this efficient? probably not. do I care? also no.

also in the meantime as I wait for my reactions to refresh, I'm writing about how when the Clay Highwayman asked Ali if she would like to take a ride around his hideout on The Best Girl (AKA The Beast), she looked him dead in the instead and said, "I'd rather ride you," and this is how the highwaymen all discovered their seven-foot tall boss could, in fact, blush.

[luvfy0dor]

The Guild and Music!! ♬

╰─▸ Fitzgerald, Alcott, Lucy, Poe, Steinbeck, Hawthorne

CW: None besides probably slightly poor explanations.

Description: The Guild and music I think some of the characters would like.

F. Scott Key Fitzgerald $

╰─▸ Classical & Jazz ☑

I really want to say he likes country, but I don't really see him regularly listening to it. We know Fitzgerald is rich and stuck up, which is why I think he prefers "classier" music. Classical piano music was the first genre that came to mind. He likes how elegant it sounds, and he would probably get some sort of superiority complex for liking it.

"Hmm, I couldn't imagine listening to pop music, it's all the same. Classical music, however-"

For the exact same reason, he definetly likes Jazz. He would most likely avoid music he finds fake or electronic. The sounds of saxophones and pianos are literally and metaphorically music to his ears.

Ex; Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Bach, Mozart.

Louisa May Alcott $

╰─▸ Folk & Classical ☑

I don't want to sound repetitive but I really do think Alcott would like classical music, too. She would play some on vinyl as soft background music while she strategizes for the guild, preferring instrumental music as it's less distracting than music with lyrics.

She seems like she would enjoy the softness of folk music, matching her timid personality we often see in the show/manga. There's something, to me at least, that makes folk music seem more hollow than pop or rock. That's definitely something I can see her enjoying when it comes to music.

Ex; Mozart, The Highwaymen

Lucy Maud Montgomery $

╰─▸ Pop Punk & Indie ☑

Look at me and look at Montgomery and tell me she wouldn't like Avril Lavigne. She definitely likes pop punk love songs. She longs to feel that kind of connection with someone, especially after leaving the guild thinking she had absolutely nowhere to go.

On a different note, her softer side of that desire would probably be the reason she would enjoy indie music. She likes the softer vibe that contrast her strong emotions, but put those feelings into words as well.

Ex; Avril Lavigne, Blink-182, Bon Iver, The Neighbourhood

Edgar Allan Poe $

╰─▸ Goth & Horrorcore ☑

I think these two are pretty connected to Edgar Allan Poe's real world writing and the aesthetic of the bsd Poe. I think he would like romantic Goth music, songs that go into detail on emotion. He also really enjoys the unique style of instrumentals, lyricism is probably the most important thing in a gothic song to him, though.

However, I think he would enjoy horrorcore, too. This one is specifically because of his writings (real world), and also his seven-year obsession with killing Ranpo. On the contrary to softer goth music, I think he wouldn't mind horrorcore rap/hip-hop. (?) He would like the intensity and boldness of the lyrics.

Ex; London After Midnight, Bloody Dead and Sexy, Twiztid, Insane Clown Posse

John Steinbeck $

╰─▸ Old Country ☑

There's not much to say about him, but I think old country would remind him of his family back home. He would listen to it whenever feeling spiteful towards Fitzgerald because of his greed.

Ex; Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Dolly Parton

Nathaniel Hawthorne $

╰─▸ Gospel Music, Christian Rock ☑

Obviously because Hawthorne is quite religious, he definitely listens to gospel music. When he's not and he's angry or upset over something (probably Mitchell) he would listen to Christian rock. Even while upset or mourning, his religion is still important to him and his music taste highly reflects that.

·˚ ₊·› ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ A/N - Thank you so much for reading! I'm so sorry if I poorly described any of the genres i mentioned or used incorrectly labelled artists as examples. I'm gonna be completely honest, I didn't put much research into this and I don't really know all too much about some of the genres, so I hope I did them remote justice lol

Ex; Shirley Caesar, Skillet

[theologicalphysics]

Ok, actually, I have an idea! What if the ghosts are bound to the boundaries of the place where they died WHEN they died. So Robin's territory mostly overlaps with Button House, but is actually bigger than the rest of their territories? And Mary and the Plague ghosts who were from the Village can go all the way to the village? Plague ghosts stay where they are because thats where their pit is, and Mary hasn't gone back to the village since they killed her. The German pilots died in a plane and they stay where that plane was when they died.

I fully support this theory and in that case I'm going to explain the bit in 3x06 where the main cast ghosts are all blocked at the gates as being that all the different generations' boundaries end at the gates on that side of the property.

In Robin's day there was a river there, which formed the natural boundary to his hunting grounds. The river itself dried up as the climate changed, but the river bed cut a straight line through the landscape and got used as the basis of a Roman Road from leading from London to Verulamium. (Since we know from 02x01 that Button House is canonically in Hertfordshire.) The road fell into disrepair after the fall of Rome, but it was still the quickest way to London. In the early Middle Ages it received a royal pavage grant and funds were raised for the road to be restored using taxes gathered by the bailiffs and goodmen of the neighbouring village. The additional taxation wasn't popular, but the road was in decent condition again by the time Mick the plague ghost takes for his ill-fated trip to London in 02x02. Of course post-plague the road started to become worse for wear again. Road repair was typically funded by taxation within nearby parishes, which meant a lack of funds when the pit crew's village disappeared. When populations began to rise again in the centuries following the black death, there was a lot of resentment by those living on the Bone estates (echoing similar resentments throughout England) that local residents were entirely on the hook for the upkeep of roads which were being damaged mostly by intercity travellers who were just passing through.

Good guy Humphrey decides to try and fix this by getting a special permission to levy a toll on usage of the road. If he invites Henry VIII to Bone House, the king will have personal experience of the poorly maintained road outside the house. If everything else about the visit goes well, then the king will be in the mood to grant favours - like an act of parliament allowing the Bone family to administer a special toll relieving the financial burden on the local residents and therefore also on the Bones themselves.

Humphrey spends loads of money on making the visit as lavish as possible, only to be stymied by a particularly indigestible swan which meant there was never a good time to ask about the road, as the king spent most of the visit in the privy as mentioned in 01x04.

In Mary's time, the road had become a full-fledged turnpike and it was a great relief to her and her husband that what had previously been funded by local taxation was now being funded by the travellers themselves. (Although, in later years, the sharp-tongued Annie would point out to Mary how the grift and hypocrisy of the various toll farmers had contrived to make big profits for a few wealthy men, at the expense of locals attempting to take their good to market.) In Kitty and Thomas's day the more wooded areas of the road are used by highwaymen who will rob travellers in secluded areas then make off across open country to avoid being identified or apprehended at the toll gates. There's a certain amount of tension about this between Thomas, who believes the highwaymen to be unscrupulous ruffians and Kitty who has a more romanticised view. They spend quite a lot of time arguing about it, despite neither of them having any personal experience with highwaymen and being forced to rely on the same second-hand accounts to give weight to their arguments.

Meanwhile Robin learned early on that a far corner of the Higham House grounds adjoins the woodland area where the highwaymen operate. He, Mary and Annie spend time watching the highwaymen operate and get to know them quite well. They'll critique the delivery of the line "your money or your life" and sometimes place bets on the success of the various stick-ups. (These two plot threads are woven together when one of the highwaymen tries to avoid detection by taking a shortcut across the Button House grounds. Robin, Mary and Annie chasing after him on foot, while Kitty and Thomas come out of the house to see what all the fuss is about. Subsequently, Thomas begins looking more kindly upon highwaymen after learning that this one had successfully robbed his killer. Meanwhile Kitty sours on them after having one callously ride his horse directly through her.)

In Fanny's lifetime, the laws change so that English roads begin to be funded by a tax on individual vehicles rather than local residents or tolls. We know from 03x07 that she's got a good head for business and despite disapproving of these newfangled motorcars, she can see there's a profit to be made. She urges George to invest in the new motorcar manufacturer, Daimler, but he doesn't act on her advice in time to turn a profit. Fanny's annoyance about this is increased tenfold when she discovers, post-mortem, that the reason that dreadful Chetwynde family from next door had been doing so well financially was that they'd overheard her advice back then and had - unlike her useless lump of a husband - actually listened to her.

Daimler was subsequently sold to the Birmingham Small Arms company and the Captain's work on weapons development introduced him to a variety of their engineers as the company diversified into everything from bicycles to machine guns to aeroplanes. He used to ride a BSA motorcycle along the road outside Button House. (One of those old Roman roads, you know? Straight shot practically to Saint Albans, so you could really open up the throttle and see what the old girl was capable of. Terrific stuff!) Obviously, this simple pleasure is taken from him after his untimely death means that both his beloved BSA Gold Star and his ability to access the road in question are permanently beyond his reach.

Pat died during a time of historically high vehicle ownership, historically low fuel prices and worrying news reports about what the lead in petrol might be doing to the health of the nation. Japan had just passed a law banning its use and there are rumours that Britain might follow suit. Obviously Pat wants Daley to grow up healthy in a world where he can enjoy the outdoors, but bleeding Nora, he's not long bought a new car! Getting a catalytic converter added to the Datsun and then having to pay for fancy petrol... well it's not going to be cheap, is it? He's not sure about the price implications for multiseater vehicles and whether the scouts would be better off buying or renting for future outings if the new laws come in. He had a post-it on the dashboard of the minibus reminding him to look into the costs. It's in his line of vision as he dies. Just one more task he never got done.

The new laws are fully in place by Julian's time, albeit breathtakingly unpopular with his constituents. BSA sold Daimler to Jaguar in 1960 and are now responsible for Julian's most treasured possession. Like the Captain, Julian enjoyed pushing his vehicle to the limits on the old Roman road outside of Button House. It's a shared commonality they might have bonded over, except Julian decides to share that his drive had been enlivened by a line you could have marked the pitch at Wembley with and a mid-journey blowie from a blonde named Antonia.

[prvtocol]

Gardening is a mainstay of every verse for Bri:

In Cyberpunk 2077, when Bri is dismissed from Arasaka, changes her identity, and moves estates to go into hiding from corp retribution, the little built-in greenhouse in her new backyard becomes her haven to grow and heal from the loss of family and self. It remains a beloved hobby for the rest of her life in France.

In Far Cry, gardening is her hobby but her busy schedule and constant travel away from her London home means her garden is neglected. She ends up building a small garden on Rook Island, tucked away safe by Santiago’s abode, to tend and pass the time while there on extended layovers. 

In Far Cry New Dawn, her hobby pre-Collapse becomes her specialty in the new world. She is trained in horticulture to be a contributing member of the community and French convoy to North America. With her Highwaymen chapter, she manages their gardens, growing herbs for healing and produce for consumption and winter storage.

In Avatar, post-surrender, Brianne is at times given the task of tending the Resistance's gardens, helping with planting, tending, and harvesting the plants deemed fit for human consumption.

[readtilyoudie]

“It’s getting late,” he said.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Of course I do,” he said immediately. “I think I’ll always want you to stay. I think that, given a choice between more time with you and almost anything else in the world, I’ll always choose more time with you.”

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian

[notasapleasure]

The Beaux' Stratagem, National Theatre (2016)

A performance of George Farquhar's 1707 play - there's song and dance, mischief and mayhem, a few tenuous jokes about the Irish, sumptuous costumes, feisty women and so so many Schemes. It's one of three plays Joplin's in that are on NTathome, and as you'll see, it's well worth the £9.99 for a month's subscription.

Two posh-boys, Tom Aimwell and Frank Archer, who've lost all their fortunes in London rock up in Lichfield to try to find a rich county girl to marry and share her fortune between them. They're pretty much immediately clocked as sus because Archer, playing Aimwell's footman, is terrible at pretending to be in service.

The keeper of the inn they're at, Boniface, and his daughter Cherry, believe they're highwayman. They're going to get their own tame highwayman to check them out...

Enter...Mr Gibbet! David Gibbet.

The coat. The boots. The unhinged shouting. The audience tittering in nervous delight every time he bellows something otherwise innocuous. GLORIOUS.

The treasures get drawn out of every conceivable pocket. Sorry, I had to combine some images because. So many.

There's no way to convey in images that he uses chairs Riker-style. But just. uh. jot that down, I guess?

Other highwaymen?? Muscling in on his patch?? Not happy.

He and Boniface decide to go...pump 'Mr Martin' (Archer) for info. Gibbet doesn't like being sauced...

No info there: on to try to get Aimwell to confess his sins over a spot of dinner!

"SIR! I...am....yours."

"'Tis more than I deserve, sir, for I don't know you."

Gibbet's about as good at playing captain as Archer is at playing footman.

[BOTH LAUGH POLITELY]

No info so...."Deploy the priest!"

Unfortunately, the priest and his wildly inconsistent French/Irish accent just scare off Aimwell.

Meanwhile many ~~strategies~~ come into play that essentially mean every single character will end up in the same house - committing robbery, getting into beds they oughtn't etc etc...

Scrub (aka Russell from Detectorists): "First, it must be a plot, because there's a woman in it. Secondly, it must be a plot because there's a priest in it. Thirdly, it must be a plot because there's French gold in it. And fourthly, it must be a plot because I don't know what to make of it."

Allegedly that last line alludes to getting someone drunk. The more you know!

While Gibb and Boniface are planning the theft, Gibb's goons get uppity about payment...

I LOVE how he swings between huge and menacing and...mincingly camp and menacing.

Cherry IS the goddess he adores

"But, it is a maxim that a man and wife should never have it in their power to hang one another."

Now bear with me: Mrs Sullen's husband the squire is a drunk and so not in bed with her at 4am. The Irish priest and the chambermaid took a bribe to let the French count, a prisoner of war, into Mrs Sullen's chamber (she was leading him along in the hope of making her husband jealous). But her footman, Scrub, overheard the plot and told Archer because he hates the priest for fornicating with his love, the chambermaid. Archer and Aimwell exposed the priest as a spy and blackmailed him into helping them instead. So Archer is in the bedchamber trying to seduce Mrs Sullen when Scrub comes in yelling "Thieves!"

So this is about the precise moment where I was murdered

In any case, form beyond the grave I can inform you that when he turns his back, the door clicks -

...and Scrub gets under the covers instead of Mrs Sullen.

I wish I could share with you the spectacular grunts he makes as he shrugs off his coat. Then he takes a whiff of his pits, realises he smells of the road, and helps himself to the lady's perfume. And for good measure:

Mrs Sullen doesn't want him killed at least

Pure and delightful chaos soundtracked by manic fiddles ensues <3

You'll be pleased to know that Archer flinches and shakes his sore fist when he tries punching Gibb in the abs. But then here comes Mrs Sullen with the chair!!!

In the end, things work out - no one dies! (yet) I tried to get some pictures of Gibbet dancing in the final ensemble piece, but you can judge my success for yourself. There's also a nice touch with the villains trying to go off stage different ways after the curtain call.

The End!

---

Rating

Dead? No, I'm sure he'll bribe his way out. The fact he managed to get himself untied before leaving the stage gives me hope!

Evil? Who cares, have you SEEN him??

Affects the plot? While in cahoots with others, yes!

God this is just. A solid, perfect 5/5. No criticism. The physicality! The delivery! The effortless switch between mincing and looming. He's a fucking delight, and so is the play.

[bookbaran]

Listened to A Thief in the Night and was enjoying it when Toby mentioned Rob and Marion and it took me a second, probably because I was thinking about Cat Sebastian's London Highwaymen, to realize this was Rob's long lost brother in The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, which, I would desperately love to see their reunion.

[robertleechestateagents]

Amazing Facts About Reigate

We may all think that we know Reigate like the back of our hand but maybe not… here are a few interesting, if not surprising, facts about our beloved town.

On the Rocks

If you were a teenager in the 80’s, Reigate was the not the hub of excitement that it is today. There was no Mishiko’s or Joules but if you were in the know the place to go was On the Rocks, a subterranean nightclub in caves beneath the one-way system – where the Reigate Kebab Shop now stands. The entrance was to a small wine bar but it gave no clue to what was going on below. My own, vague, memory is watching a band while drinking Singapore Slings, it was dark and musty but quite an experience! The club later became Batchelors but sadly was shut down in 1994 due to health & safety reasons and it is believed that these particular caves had to be filled due the traffic going up to the M25.

Churchill Loved Reigate

Throughout history, Reigate and the North Downs have played an important part in the defence of Great Britain. Just 20 miles south of London, this stronghold has the strategic advantage of extensive views southwards, stone, chalk and sand quarries, underground tunnels and hidden byways disguised by plenty of tree cover. This was all familiar territory to Winston Churchill, who became Prime Minister soon after the start of World War II. Over several decades he visited the town, including the grand Georgian manor house on Church Street which is now home to Jack Wills and his signature can also be seen in the guest book of Reigate Priory. The Churchills were often weekend party guests at the Priory, then owned by the former Admiral of World War One, Earl Beatty and his wife.

After the war,m Winston left his legacy in the form of his pet blue & gold macaw Charlie, who rumour had it; lived in an aviary off Flanchford Road until the ripe old age of 105!

The Unusual Church on the Heath

The iconic windmill on Reigate Heath is actually a church. Part of At Mary’s Parish the windmill is thought to be the only one in England consecrated as a church. Regular monthly services are held in the Mill Church during the summer months on a Sunday evening, as well as occasional services throughout the year. The church also holds a popular afternoon Christmas Carol Service each December.

Reigate Heath’s Murky Past

Reigate Heath has had an eventful history; 200 years ago it was a wild unfriendly place, covered with gorse and heather. Woe betide the hapless traveller who ventured into the area on their way from Reigate to Dorking. Highwaymen and brigands lay in wait and it is rumoured that the chimney of a local tavern, ‘The Skimmington Castle’, was used as a look-out post by the robbers to spot their victims approach.

But anyone who was caught and convicted as a highwayman was guaranteed to meet their end on the Heath too. A gibbet was erected at a site now called ‘Galley Hill’, which was named after the gallows which once stood there. Local legend has it, a former landlord of the nearby Black Horse pub in West Street, was hung there after being convicted of highway robbery.

Reigate’s very own Natural History Museum

Behind a wall at the beginning of Croydon Road is one of the UK’s oldest natural history societies. Founded in 1857 the Holmesdale Natural History Club holds a fascinating collection of natural history, archaeology, local history and geology collections. Exhibits range from medieval drainpipes and giant fossil ammonites to an extensive collection of Victorian and Edwardian stuffed birds and locally produced Roman tiles – complete with the footprint of a local Roman dog.

For more information including opening times visit www.hnhc.org.uk

Reigate’s 13 Most Famous Residents

Dame Margot Fonteyn – prima donna ballerina, was born in Reigate in 1919

Spike Milligan – writer and comedian, used to live at Woodhatch in Orchard Way

Norman Cook – Superstar DJ raised in Reigate and attended Reigate Grammar School

David Walliams – TV personality, Author attended Reigate Grammar School

Guy and Howard Lawrence, together as a band known under the alias Disclosure, both born and live in Reigate

Newton Faulkner – English singer-songwriter and musician born in the town

George Best – Manchester United and Northern Ireland football player lived his last years near Reigate

Melvyn Hayes – aka Gloria in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum was a resident of Glovers Road

Cliff Mitchlemore – presenter of the BBC Holiday programme,

Jane Slaughter – Tracey the barmaid from Eastenders.

Phil Tuffnell – Cricketer lives near Reigate

Max Chiltern – British racing driver born and lived in Reigate

Ray Mears – English woodsman, author and TV presenter attended Reigate Grammar School

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[geryone]

hii hannah i hope you’re doing good!! i was wondering if you had any book recs? i kind of already have insight into your poetry bc you post that daily, but i’m v curious about what books resonated w you :) i’m down for fiction / nonfiction / etc etc! whatever genre works! thank uu

Hello Cianna!! ❤️ I’m happy to recommend some books!!

Some all time favorites are: Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson, Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood, and Dumb House by John Burnside!!

More recent favorites have been: My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell, Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield, Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge, and The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein!

Don’t believe in guilty pleasures but these I’ll recommend & say that while they’re my favorite book series they aren’t for everyone: The Captive Prince series by C.S. Pacat and The London Highwaymen series by Cat Sebastian