Question N

[Lauren]

Unplanned pregnancies seem to plague the women in Sebastian's family. Thoughts on Sophia, Amanda, Stephanie and even Hero.

[Veronica]

A brief internet search indicates that there was very limited birth control for upper class women outside of abstinence. Early forms of condoms were used but only in brothels and with mistresses. They were not considered appropriate for wives of high social standing. Breastfeeding was another method. It didn't help that a woman's fertility cycle wasn't fully understood until the following century.

I was surprised to learn that Stephanie was a product of an affair. That some man wanted to have sex with Amanda is hard to imagine. What a hypocrite she is.

[Phrynne]

Lol! Amanda is an amazing piece of work isn't she!

[Lauren]

Amanda is a total hypocrite!

The image of Amanda and some man gives me the shudders as does the fact that Stephanie slept with Ashworth - argh!

[Charlene]

I agree with you all. Unfortunately, I don't know how many upper class women in the Regency aristocracy breastfed their babies. I know at some point, that was considered animalistic and wet nurses were employed.

[Jonetta]

The fallacy is that most women were virgins at marriage during this era. Seduction of young women was no different then than it is today. Unfortunately, they lacked the birth control methods we have and women were caught unprotected. What's that saying that applied in the "olden days?" A baby takes nine months but the first one can come at any time.

[Angela]

Thanks for the great historical background on this question. You can see how clearly an unplanned pregnancy could occur. That being said part of me thinks that Stephanie being pregnant might not be unplanned in that her mother was motivated to ensnare Ashworth any way possible.