Salt Bride (2012) (edit title/settings)

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• Jane, Jane Despard, Countess of Salt Hendon, Lady Salt: Full name: Jane Katherine Despard, only child of Sir Felix Despard of Despard Park in Wiltshire and Lady Katherine, youngest daughter of an Irish Duke. B. 1751. She has one stepbrother, Tom (Thomas Allenby, son of Jane’s stepmother). Breathtakingly beautiful, Jane has a kind and loving nature to match. Jane was banished by her father from the family home for allowing herself to be seduced in the Summer House at the Salt Hunt Ball on her 18th birthday. Given shelter by Jacob Allenby, a chair-ridden wealthy merchant, she lives under his control for four years until his death. The merchant’s strange will forces Jane to accept an offer of marriage from the Earl of Salt Hendon; a marriage neither she nor the Earl wants, despite Jane still being in love with the Earl. She must not only overcome her new husband’s dislike but the jealous opposition of the Earl’s cousin the malicious and manipulative Diana, Lady St. John who does everything possible to make Jane's life as the new Countess of Salt Hendon miserable. Yet, Jane believes love conquers all and in her quiet, courageous way manages to win over her noble husband.
• Salt, Earl of Salt Hendon, Lord Salt: Magnus Vernon Templestowe Sinclair, 5th Earl of Salt Hendon, 8th Viscount Lacey, 9th Baron Trevelyan. Born 1739. 34 years old. Has one much younger sister Lady Caroline. Salt has guardianship of twins Ron and Merry St. John, since the death of their father Aubrey St. John. His closest friend is Sir Antony Templestowe. Despite his extreme wealth and noble birth, Salt is instilled with a deep sense of duty to his country and works tirelessly as a member of the government on several important committees, including the Privy Council. Salt has an estate in Wiltshire, Salt Hall and various London townhouses, and sets up home with his new Countess in a Palladian mansion with Real Tennis Court attached in Grosvenor Square. He is a keen horseman and sportsman and has a reputation with the ladies, and although he has a mistress he is not faithful. He offers Jane Despard marriage, not believing she will accept. He is bitter and disillusioned with Jane (revealed in the story) and sees Jane’s beauty as deceptive and her kind nature a mask hiding a black heart. It is only when he gets to know Jane as his wife that he truly comes to appreciate her and ultimately falls in love with her. But with love comes some devastating truths.
• Diana Sinclair St. John, Lady St. John: Widow of Aubrey, Lord St. John. Mother of twins Ron and Merry. Sister of Sir Antony Templestowe. Cousin of the Earl of Salt Hendon. A leader of Polite Society, she sets the trends in fashion. Since the death of her husband four years ago she has acted as the Earl of Salt Hendon's political hostess at party political dinners and functions – increasingly taking on the role of Countess of Salt Hendon. Beautiful, intelligent and arrogantly self-assured of her place as one of Polite Society’s leading lights, Diana is hopelessly in love with Lord Salt. She was in daily expectation of becoming his Countess until the Earl secretly marries Jane Despard. Her bitter disappointment manifests itself in horrible ways and she does everything possible to make Jane's life as the new Countess miserable. Her methods of exacting revenge are heartbreakingly shocking.
• Tom Allenby, Tom, Thomas, Mr. Thomas Wilson Allenby: Jane’s beloved step-brother. Son of Lady Despard. Inherits his wealthy uncle Jacob Allenby’s fortune, his estate Allenby Park and his Bristol Blue Glass factories in Bristol. Tom loves his stepsister and is a good son and brother. Knows Mr. Arthur Ellis from their Oxford days. His uncle’s will stipulated he change his last name from Wilson to Allenby. When Jane marries Salt, Tom keeps a brotherly eye on the newlyweds. When inebriated he isn’t afraid to speak his mind to his noble relative the Earl.
• Sir Antony Templestowe, Sir Antony, Tony,: The Earl of Salt Hendon's first cousin and younger brother of Diana, Lady St. John. Uncle to twins Ron and Merry St. John. Sir Antony is a diplomat who tends to put his foot in it when talking with his cousin the Earl, who is his mentor. Employed by the Foreign Department he doesn’t seem to do much work! Recently returned from Paris where he was part of the Duke of Bedford’s political entourage sent to negotiate the Peace of Paris. A large handsome gentleman prone to fat he is unmarried, kindly and in love with the Earl’s sister Lady Caroline Sinclair whom he hopes one day to marry. He is an early champion of Jane, Countess of Salt Hendon and confides his feelings for Lady Caroline to Jane. Sir Antony is liked by everyone
• Lady Despard: Widow of Sir Felix Despard and Jane's stepmother. Mother of Tom Allenby and sister of deceased merchant Jacob Allenby. On the other side of 40 years, Lady Despard is on the look out for husband No. 3. A harmless social climber who is in awe of the aristocracy, in particular the Earl of Salt Hendon.
• Elizabeth, Lady Outram, Lizzie: Twice widowed, Lady Outram is on the other side of 30. A beautiful voluptuous blond, she is Lord Salt’s mistress until his marriage to Jane Despard. She has other "admirers" and is occasionally unfaithful to her lover, as she is on the look out for husband No. 3. Friend of Diana St. John. Lives in a townhouse in Half Moon Street at Lord Salt’s largesse.
• Pascoe, Lord Church, Church: Friendly rival of the Earl of Salt Hendon. Best friends with Hilary Wraxton Esq. When rejected as a suitable suitor for the Lady Caroline Sinclair, Pascoe Church has his revenge when he sends Jane, the Countess of Salt Hendon an unusual wedding gift guaranteed to upset her noble husband. Debonair and handsome, he is unmarried. He is the occasional lover of Elizabeth, Lady Outram.
• Rufus Willis, Mr. Willis, Willis: Under-butler at the Grosvenor Square mansion of the Earl and Countess of Salt Hendon. Assigned by the Earl to provide advice and help ease the new Countess into her role as mistress of a great house. His late father was steward of Salt Hall. Rufus Willis was educated and went to Oxford, sponsored by the previous Countess of Salt Hendon. He is ambitious and utterly loyal to the Sinclair Family. He is secretly engaged to Anne Springer, personal maid to Lady Salt.
• Ron: Full name: The Honorable Aubrey Vernon Sinclair St. John. Ron is eight and three quarter years old. Twin brother of Merry. Son of Diana, Lady St. John and nephew of Sir Antony Templestowe. Godson of the Earl of Salt Hendon, who is also his guardian. Grave and sickly. Wary of strangers and very aware of his godfather's nobility. He and Merry meet Jane under the Earl’s dining table while playing hide and go seek with the Earl and their Uncle Antony.
• Merry: Full name: The Honorable Magna Diana Sinclair St. John. Eight and three quarter years old. Twin sister of Ron. Auburn hair and looks like her mother. Full of health and vitality, which is in contrast to her sickly brother, of whom she is protective. She and Ron meet Jane under the Earl’s dining table. Merry warms to Jane at once and calls her Aunt Jane.
• Anne, Anne Springer: Personal maid to the new Countess of Salt Hendon. Previously an upper maid in the household of Diana, Lady St. John. Secretly engaged to Rufus Willis, under butler at Lord Salt’s Grosvenor Square mansion. Father is the butler at Lord Salt’s Arlington Street townhouse. Very happy in her new position to the young Countess and protective of her.
• Hilary Wraxton, Mr. Wraxton, Hilary: Hilary Wraxton Esq. Boon companion of Pascoe, Lord Church. Gentleman of independent means who aspires to being a poet. Wears outrageous wigs and is vague one minute, and astute the next. Falls in love with Jane as his muse and writes her sickly poetry.
• Lady Caroline Sinclair, Caroline, Caro: The Earl of Salt’s much younger sister. Still in the schoolroom, she lives at Salt Hall and is yet to have her Season. Vivacious and headstrong. Pretty red head. Sir Antony is in love with her and tells Jane that Caro loves nothing better than to muck about with her horses and dogs on the estate. She teases her elder brother but she loves Salt dearly.
• Mr. Arthur Ellis, Arthur, Art: Lord Salt’s freckle-faced and conscientious private secretary. Oxford educated. Friend of Tom Allenby.
• Jacob Allenby, Mr. Allenby, Jacob: A chair-ridden wealthy merchant who made his fortune in the manufacture of Bristol Blue Glass. Brother of Lady Despard and guardian of Jane Despard until his death. Allenby Park, Wiltshire adjoins the Salt Hendon estate. He left his estate to his nephew Thomas (Tom) who under the terms of the will had to change his name to Allenby.
• Lord Bute: First Lord of the Treasury. Friend and mentor to George the Third.
• Springer: Lord Salt's butler at his Arlington Street Townhouse.
• Aloysius Andrews: Valet to the Earl of Salt Hendon
• Lady Porter: Friend of Diana, Lady St. John
• Elisabeth Bute Sedley: Daughter of Lord Bute. friend of Jane's
• Billy Church: Friend of Arthur Ellis. Works for Sir Antony in the Foreign Department
• Viscount Fourpaws: Jane's kitten - given as a wedding present from Pascoe Lord Church
• Lord Waldegrave: Add a description of this character.
• Lucinda Brant Books
• Rachel
• Jenny Dalrymple
• Clary
• Felix Despard
• Susannah
• Nurse
• Beresford
• Earl Waldegrave
• Dr. Barlow
• Abigail Allenby
• Hilary Wraxton Esq.
• Taylor
• Mr. Jenkins
• Jane Katherine Despard
• Rockingham

First Sentence edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Followed by Salt Redux: Sequel to Salt Bride (Salt Hendon).

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Lucinda Brant (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Australian Romance Readers Award (Finalist, 2011: FAVOURITE HISTORICAL ROMANCE, Top 10)

Notes for Parents edit see section history

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Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Romance › Regency
• Books › Romance › Historical
• Books › Literature & Fiction

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Lucinda Brant: Salt Bride webpage + reviews
• Pinterest: Salt Bride visual reference library