Lady Sally Blackrook, Victorian Adventuress
Author's Note: New heroine, short story Urging his horses on the coach driver steered the carriage through the stygian darkness of the forest. There was still snow on the ground and the gibbous moon shining from a cold cloudless sky helped the driver to find his way, the light from the carriage lanterns being pale and ineffectual. Behind the screens on the carriage windows sat a single occupant, a petite blond woman in her late 30’s with attractive but pointed features, she sat wrapped in a heavy travelling cape her gloved hands holding documents which she studied intently. This was Lady Sally Blackrook, an Englishwoman of some nobility. Widow of the late Lord Blackrook she was a woman of independent means despite her husband’s wealth. A famed beauty she had remained single since husband’s death however it was rumoured she had her choice of lovers from the great and good of the English and International élite. She was infamous in polite society as an unconventional woman who did not conform to the Victorian role of a lady, shooting, hunting and partaking of other hazardous pursuits not deemed suitable for a lady of her status. In fact she was an adventuress and explorer using her considerable wealth to fund her exploits, there were even rumours she occasionally took the pay of British Government as a spy. ...