Hold My Hand

Regency era, alternative story about Charlotte Heywood and Sidney Parker.

Sidney's mother is pushing him to marry and marry well to save the family from ruin. His pursuit is Mrs. Campion, a wealthy widow with a horrible personality. On the verge of asking her to marry him, he goes on a hunting trip to clear his head. What happens on this hunting trip changes his path in life forever.

Sidney POV

When I first had the idea for this story, I pictured a bear attacking Sidney. But doing research I found that bears are not common wild animals in England. I'm American and live in a state where bears are common. In doing research, I found that in the regency era there were wild cats that were referred to as phantom cats, panthers, jaguars, or leopards. Although, some accounts claim there is no such thing and stories were exaggerated. Anyway, for story purposes, this phantom cat exists.

I know it may not sound realistic, but as I said before, there were stories about these wild cats in some of my research. I also came across stories of the aristocratic and higher class bringing these exotic animals to England to show off and look grander to others. It reminded me of someone purchasing a dog as a puppy, thinking it'll be great. Then months later realizing these cute puppies grow up and destroy your home and chew everything up. I pictured a rich woman insisting she have one of these pure black cats on one of her many voyages to far off lands and her rich husband buying her the exotic animal. Then as this cat grew and suddenly the realization that it's a wild animal and could potentially kill someone, these high society people may just decide to let the animal go in the woods to fend for himself. Now this cat is alone in a land he doesn't belong and trying to survive, perhaps resenting man for the cruel way he was treated. Now I feel sorry for the panther. Anyway, that's the backstory on the panther and why it may be in a place it's not supposed to be.