THE LION’S LAIR is a work of fiction. But in my quest to stay true to history and to flesh out the characters to make them products of their time, not ours, I wish to pass along a few words to the reader. During my research, it came as quite a surprise to discover that the idea of chivalry as we know it was primarily fabricated during the Victorian era to further Victorian ideals. Also, during the medieval period, if you were a Christian, you were Catholic.

With that said, this novel takes place during the Scottish Revolt of 1173–4, a time of turbulence, brutality, and war. It was the time of Henry II, father of Richard the Lionheart, and it was very much a man’s world. My main male character, Sir Morgan, answers only to the king and is the leader of an elite force of knights. Oftentimes, he does not explain his actions—men didn’t have to! However, because he had been made worldly by his travels, Morgan is, by medieval standards, a Renaissance man. And while I did push the limits with Katriona, making her bolder and more assertive (this is fiction, after all), there was no women’s lib during this period of time. Women had little or no say about anything, and were very much at the mercy of men.

It wasn’t called the Dark Ages for nothing!