I travel. Sometimes I travel by boat, plane, or automobile. Sometimes I travel by book. Sometimes I explore the real world. This week I wandered off the beaten path and spent some time in hedge inns with Ella Quinn and the characters of The Marquis and I.
I’ve read my way through many historic inns and stayed in quite a few. Usually the fictional ones have been coaching inns on main routes, the sort frequented by the upper classes. I never encountered hedge inns until I read this book. The word hedge in this context is a synonym for third-rate or inferior. There were also plenty of hedge taverns, frequently but not necessarily associated with the inns.
According to Franzeca Drouin’s “Romance University” they happily accommodated anyone, including foot traffic, and those turned away from the better inns–whether due to crowding or because the better inn found them disreputable.
Quinn describes the innkeepers as decent simple folk who were unfortunately duped by a respectable appearing woman, unfortunately a procuress, who was unfortunately using them to stash victims of trafficking! At one point she has a crowd of characters ferrying between a higher class coaching inn and two hedge inns… But you’ll have to read the book for that.
About the Book
Lady Charlotte Carpenter’s brother-in-law has put an infamous brothel owner out of business—yet it is Charlotte who suffers the consequences. Abducted by thugs and held at an inn, she is plotting her escape when she’s suddenly rescued by a dashing gentleman. Only afterward does she realize she’s seen him before—with two courtesans! Unwilling to tarry with such a man, Charlotte makes her second escape. But it is too late to repair her reputation…
A known gossip has spied Charlotte’s movements, and his report is speeding through the rumor mill. Soon, everyone knows that Charlotte spent the night with Constantine, Marquis of Kenilworth. And everyone agrees the only answer is marriage, including Constantine himself, his overjoyed mother—and his mistress! But Charlotte’s abductors aren’t finished with her yet. Now Constantine will do anything to protect the spirited woman he loves and win her heart…
From a variety of vendors. https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/book-marquis-and-i.html