Interview of Sylvia Frosbisher

This afternoon we are honored to be in the company of two distinguished ladies. Sylvia Frobisher, the sister to our friend, Caroline Heywood, is being interviewed by Suzanne Shaw, the author of Of Ships and Sealing Wax. Sylvia, we thank you for hosting us here in Chatham, Kent, at your lovely home, Bridge House.

Suzanne, we will now turn the floor over to you!

Good afternoon! Allow me to introduce a character from Of Ships and Sealing Wax, Sylvia Heywood Frobisher.

Q. Sylvia, if I may call you that, you do not appear until later in the novel, although we hear from you early on through your letters. You are quite an important person in your sister Caroline’s life. Do you correspond often?

A. Oh, weekly at least. I suppose you may use my given name. Such seems to be the fashion in the extraordinary century in which I find myself for this interview. I prefer the year of the novel, 1795, mainly because there are so many conventions for me to flout in that time. If you want to talk to someone who sticks to the rules, I refer you to Caroline.

Q. That’s not entirely true, is it? Would you not agree that Caroline crosses a few lines in the course of this story?

A. Let us not get into that or we will be in the realm of what I believe are called spoilers. I can tell you, though, that there is more to my sister than might first be apparent. She is the one who never left home, you know – disappointed in love. No, bereaved rather than disappointed. She nevertheless found purpose in looking after Whitborne and dear Papa. But she is so bright, you know. She has such a lively wit and she is still young enough to feel – well what ladies often feel but are not supposed to admit to feeling. Let us say the heart still swells at the sight of a well-filled uniform coat. You know the sort of thing I mean.

Q. I am afraid I do. You regard Caroline as somewhat susceptible to masculine charms.

A. Is that a question? Susceptible to masculine propinquity and force of character is more like it. Once Captain Trewin had taken up residence at Whitborne and Caroline began writing letters about his eyebrows, I was not required to read between the lines. She needed to be warned off and quite sternly, too.

Q. Somewhat later in the story, you must have felt that letters alone – your eloquence and sage advice notwithstanding – might not have the desired effect.

A. Again, is there a question? Did I arrive at Whitborne posthaste to take matters in hand? I certainly did. There is no substitute for experience and Caroline basically has none. The sudden death of her young sweetheart was truly sad. They were much in love. Since then, however, she has done nothing more daring than dance in excess of two dances with the same insipid solicitor. On the other hand – as is well known – I had a most adventurous girlhood (to my mama’s despair) and am now a happily married woman and the mother of three darling boys. Very happily married, if you follow. me. And of course my judgment is excellent. I was already making plans for Caroline when my coach left Chatham for Hampshire.

Q. Forgive me, you do sound a trifle conventional yourself.

A. Conventional?! Moi? Just by way of example, you have no idea what Henry and I still get up to after twelve years, do you? I would not call our private lives conventional. Besides, the wife of a magistrate in a port town has no end of opportunities to learn pretty much everything there is to know about certain aspects of the human condition. Perhaps I may even do a bit of good for others from time to time. All of which is to say –

Q. All of which is to say, you know what is best for Caroline better than she herself does.

A. Exactly.

Q. It seems we are at the point where discussion of your sister’s future would lead us to disclose more than is wise, at least for now. Perhaps we should draw this conversation to a close.

A. If that is your wish, my dear. You must know that I will always do my best for her. Now, do put away your pen and let us ring for tea.

There you have it ladies and gentleman, but I must admit, the author has given me much to ponder. Are you as curious as I am to discover what might have been disclosed about Caroline’s future if the interview had not stopped? To find out the answer to that question and more, I suppose we will have to wait until Saturday!

October 12th is the date the eBook will be available for purchase! Get your copy at Amazon. com and read this touching story.

Giveaway

Thank you to each and every one for stopping by. We hope you will leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of Suzanne Shaw’s eBook, Of Ships and Sealing Wax. Giveaway ends October 14th at midnight. Good luck!