All Comments on 'Unwelcome Inheritance'

Liked the story. Easy read. Will their be more?

Ogg,

your stories are a lesson for the rest of us.

Thank you

HP

Fantastic, sweet story that depicted the realities of the time. Thank you.

Appreciated.

Cheers

of telling a realistic story in a variety of settings. Your stories set in the two World Wars, and in past centuries, smack of solid research into the societal norms of the times.

I really feel that this story could quite easily be the first of a series following Ruth and Rupert, perhaps for the rest of the war, then developing the estates afterwards, through the Depression and into WW2. (You haven't given Ruth's age, but I imagine she is in her late 20s in this story).

I check this site every morning, usually in the Romance category - any new story from you (and a couple of others!) get read immediately.

Thanks for writing this, it was really quite touching, and despite all the sadness, the end made me smile. On the white feather issue, I recall reading the harassment of returned soldiers became such a problem by mid-war, right across the British Empire, that a badge was issued to discharged personnel. A quick search of the internet tells me it was called the ‘Silver War Badge’, though first issued in September 1916, so after your story was set (and of course your characters were still in military service anyhow).

An interesting and well-developed story, and very well told! Thank you.

Now - what is a Ha Ha? :)

A Ha Ha is a particular style of retaining wall - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha-ha for a fuller explanation!

Interesting story and well told. I’m not sure that Ruth would have used the expression "OK" prior to 1917 as it is an Americanism and not commonly used in the "UK" as an a;ter native to "all right" until the end of the following world war.

One reader mentioned a "Ha Ha", this was a hidden sunken ditch which separated the far edge of the lawn to a large country house from the livestock fields, which prevented livestock from climbing up the side of the ditch and therefore wandering onto the lawn, yet provided a continuous unbroken vista to observers from the main house.

I, too, thought "OK" was out of place, so I looked it up, to find that it originated in the mid-1800s. I agree with you that it is not likely to have been used by a lady like Ruth in 1917, but Oggbashan is usually pretty good at matching dialogue to period and class.

A wonderful outstanding story of a very difficult time in British history. Miss Ruth is a wonderful character, and a credit to her upbringing by her parents. I for one would like to read about Miss Ruth, and her new husbands' future. Just think, in just 21 years they will have Hitler to contend with!

I immediately connected the White Feather ladies to Carrie Nation, and Her band of zellots! They should have been publicly flogged, and then sent to the hospitals to clean Bed pans! Five Stars!

Miss Ruth's use of OK?

OK was first used n print in Boston (US) in 1839. It was popular across the US by the mid 19th century. In the 1890s many US millionairesses came to the UK husband-hunting titled Englishmen. The interaction between the US and UK high society in the 1890s to 1910s meant that the use of OK (and other American expressions) were common in the sort of circles in which Miss Ruth would have moved. It even spread to Europe. From 1900 to 1914, Greek immigrants returning to Grecce from the USA were known as Okay-boys. It might not have spread into common usage until the arrival of the doughboys in 1917/18 but it was used.

A nice romance. Interesting characters during an interesting time. It feels unfinished. I understand why. Thank you for publishing this. A very pleasant read.

Well written, very pleasant read. Thanks for sharing.