I Am
asked
Elizabeth Hoyt:
I've just reread Duke of Midnight for the gazillionth time which I absolutely adore but there's one thing that's been bugging me: why is Maximilian so set on marrying Penelope? He says he owes it to his forefathers and father, yet Craven says his father would never have made him marry Penelope (to which Max whispers "which is why I shall"). Could you please explain this? thanks :)
Elizabeth Hoyt
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[This is a SPOILER answer so don't read unless you've already read Duke of Midnight--you've been warned!
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So this all comes down to human psychology, yes? Maximus is guilty because he saw his parents brutally murdered at the age of fourteen. You know and I know that he was only a child (I consider fourteen a child still) and therefore he couldn't--and shouldn't--have done anything to save his adult parents, but he didn't know that. He didn't know that at fourteen and even though he's grown now and in his thirties he's emotionally still stuck in that spot. And--double emotional whammy!--he attained the dukedom at the same moment his father died, didn't he? In his own mind he can never live up to his father, no matter how much he tries.
Now Craven actually knew Maximus's father as an adult and knew his father wouldn't have put all this on the son he loved. (Actually anyone who is a loving parent knows this. Loving parents would much rather die for their children than have their children die for them.) But Maximus is doing penance for his "wrong" of having not rescued his parents. Not only is he going to be a good duke, he's going to be a super duper perfect duke. So he's going to marry the most perfect wife possible which, on paper, is Lady Penelope: money, looks, & bloodline. She's the total package, never mind that she's also a total dingbat. (hide spoiler)]
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So this all comes down to human psychology, yes? Maximus is guilty because he saw his parents brutally murdered at the age of fourteen. You know and I know that he was only a child (I consider fourteen a child still) and therefore he couldn't--and shouldn't--have done anything to save his adult parents, but he didn't know that. He didn't know that at fourteen and even though he's grown now and in his thirties he's emotionally still stuck in that spot. And--double emotional whammy!--he attained the dukedom at the same moment his father died, didn't he? In his own mind he can never live up to his father, no matter how much he tries.
Now Craven actually knew Maximus's father as an adult and knew his father wouldn't have put all this on the son he loved. (Actually anyone who is a loving parent knows this. Loving parents would much rather die for their children than have their children die for them.) But Maximus is doing penance for his "wrong" of having not rescued his parents. Not only is he going to be a good duke, he's going to be a super duper perfect duke. So he's going to marry the most perfect wife possible which, on paper, is Lady Penelope: money, looks, & bloodline. She's the total package, never mind that she's also a total dingbat. (hide spoiler)]
More Answered Questions
Violet Bilbao
asked
Elizabeth Hoyt:
And yes, another question, but what books [historical, critical, whatever] can you recommend for research on writing historical romance novels, especially those set on the Georgian/Regency/Victorian era? [It's a dream of mine to make a romance novel set on one of these eras, and I've outlines concerning this, but most research books I have about romance novels are contemporary]. Thanks a lot for answering this.
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