If you’ve been in my world for a hot minute, you might have realized I’m an escapist.
I just returned from my first trip to London in what feels like donkey’s years. I’ve travelled to the U.K. at least a dozen times in the last [redacted number] of years. But this was the first trip I’ve spent more than a day in city since I lived there [also redacted number of years] ago.
London’s changed. A whole lot. But it’s also surprisingly familiar. Not quite home, but something close, and I wasn’t expecting it. It took me a full day to realize that I’ve spent so much time immersing myself in the atmosphere of Victorian London while writing Damsels in Disguise, that revisiting the locations that inspired so many scenes from my first two books was like walking through my memories and my imagination.
This post is your Runaway Rogue behind-the-scenes pass. If you haven’t yet — consider this your invitation.
The Back Lanes of Mayfair: Diana’s Home
Mayfair, to put it simply, is money.
Georgian architecture abounds. The streets are surprisingly wide and despite the insane pace of central London real estate development, you can still find trees and park squares and quiet lanes. It’s one of a precious few residential neighborhoods bordering Hyde Park, which was and still is, one of the most delightful places to walk in the city.
Today, the most elite luxury brands line Mayfair’s sidewalks. You can expect to see six-figure F1 sports cars parked on the sidewalk (footpath). And beautiful people, beautifully dressed.
That’s one similarity today’s Mayfair shares with Victorian Mayfair. And why, in Runaway Rogue, it’s so compelling that Diana’s beauty is so extraordinary, as to stand apart amongst a cadre of glittering things.
Soho: Where Devils Used to Roam
I attended graduate school at The London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE), which is a stone’s throw from Soho and Covent Garden, so I have a particular nostalgia and fondness for it.
Frankly, I have some mixed emotions about how gentrified Soho has become. When I lived in London, it still had a bit of an edge, there were still traces of its Red Light district heritage, avant-guard galleries and shops, hidden speakeasy clubs. And some truly ancient watering holes that probably wouldn’t pass a health inspection by today’s standards.
It’s still lively, though. While the narrow, crowded streets hold more tourists than residents, it collects people from all walks of life who come to Soho for a good time. We passed a slew of pubs that were exactly the type I modeled The Swan after. And a few buildings that most assuredly started life as the kind of establishments Ian and Diana visited searching for what happened to Jared.
I confess, it’s something of a mental lift to imagine how dangerous Soho and neighboring St. Giles and Covent Garden were when you’re strolling past macaron shops and Michelin starred restaurants. But what hit me on this trip was just how close the walk between Soho and Mayfair was–and the areas were even closer together in the nineteenth century. We often write about the gulf between the classes in historical romance, but in reality, the physical distance between those worlds was small. And why characters like Ian and Diana learned to play in both spheres.
Romancing the Stones of Kensington: In Search of Emeralds
When I first lived in London, the Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A) in South Kensington, was one of my favorite places to visit. It’s easily accessible by the Tube, open every day, and best of all, FREE to all visitors.
The V&A has an entire half of a floor dedicated to gems, and years ago, they had a special exhibit that included Queen Victoria’s jewels. I remember standing in front of a suite of emeralds (necklace, earring, tiara) that Prince Albert gifted The Queen (p.s. he DESIGNED it too. I just moaned faintly, did you?)
For years, that necklace lived rent-free in my head, and when I started weaving together the plot for Runaway Rogue, it was the inspiration for the Holt emeralds.
In Victorian England, emeralds carried specific symbolic weight. They were associated with romantic love, eternal devotion, as well as hope and prosperity. Which were all of the things I wanted to explore in Runaway Rogue. And to do that, I had to pose them against some of their greatest threats; suspicion; shame; and power.
You won’t find Queen Victoria’s necklace at the V&A presently. Instead, you’ll need to visit another landmark in the neighborhood, Kensington Palace. Which, thankfully, I had booked tickets for this trip.
Reader, the emeralds were just as stunning as I remembered.
Your Runaway Rogue London Itinerary
If you’re planning a London trip — or simply want to wander the city through the pages of Runaway Rogue — here are the locations that shaped the book, and what to look for when you get there.
Hyde Park (nearest tube: Hyde Park Corner) — Walk the paths closest to the eastern edge of the park, near the gate. Best in early morning or late afternoon when it’s less crowded. If the sun’s shining, grab an overpriced ice cream at one of the kiosks and picture yourself promenading on the arm of someone dashing.
Mayfair (nearest tube: Marble Arch, Bond Street or Green Park) — Walk south from Oxford Street toward Berkeley Square. Stop in for a glass of wine or decadent slice of chocolate cake at the Mercato Mayfair Market, a posh food hall in the converted St. Mark’s church on South Audley Street.
Soho & Covent Garden (nearest tube: Covent Garden or Leicester Square) — Best experienced in the late afternoon and evening when it’s lively. Find a pub and roll from happy hour into dinner or check and see what’s on at the Royal Ballet and Opera.
Victoria & Albert Museum (nearest tube: South Kensington) — The jewel exhibit and England in the nineteenth century exhibits will give you a flavor for what inspired the setting of Runaway Rogue. Make sure you save time for tea, scones and clotted cream at the cafe and the gift shop is a great place for souvenirs.
Kensington Palace (nearest tube: High Street Kensington or Queensway) — Queen Victoria’s emerald necklace set is on display in the Jewel Room (along with other gems) . Book tickets in advance online.
And if you can’t make the trip yourself, you can escape between the pages of Ian and Diana’s story.