Page 26 of The Scandal of the Season (Fairfax Sisters #2)

Addle-pated – air-headed

Adventuress – Regency slang for prostitute

Bag of moonshine – Regency slang for lot of nonsense

The British Institution – Founded by a group of aristocratic connoisseurs in 1805 and preceded the National Gallery (1824)

Buffle-headed – Regency slang for stupid and dull, confused

Dunderhead – Regency slang for dunce, numbskull

Gaspard Bouis (1757-1781) – French highwayman renowned in Provence for his donations to the poor

High-stepper – Regency slang for a horse trained to lift its feet high off the ground when walking or trotting

King’s route (or Rotten Row) – a route for fast riders through Hyde Park

Ladybird – Regency slang for prostitute

Libertine – person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary

Meddlesome tabby – Regency slang for interfering woman/spinster

Paris to Versailles – the great distance of 17km (10.5 miles) was covered by coaches travelling at the rattling speed of 8mph, hence the typical journey time was between 1-2 hours.

Pigwidgeoned – Regency slang for a contemptible or stupid person; small or petty

Pyrexia – also fever (historical)

Single-Shot Flintlock – Typical duelling pistol in 1821 which fires a lead ball

Tap-hackled – Regency slang for drunk

Tinker’s damn – Regency slang for not give a care

Psyche knot – a loose, Roman-influenced Regency hair-bun often accented by a ribbon tied around the head

Tiger – a smartly liveried male acting as groom or footman, formerly provided with standing-room on a small platform behind the carriage, and a strap to hold on by; or an outdoor boy-servant. Not in popular usage until 1817

The Arrow & The Dasher – The first cross-channel steam packets run by the Post Office from 1821

Thunder an’ turf! – Regency exclamation