In April, I’m posting 26 blogs, one for every letter of the alphabet. I write historical romance set in Regency England, and I’m offering a brief lexicon of words to help you understand the story world of my Regency characters. Follow the links for more in depth information.

Q is for Quarter Days:

In past times in England, accounts were settled four times a year. Thus, servants were hired and paid, and rents were collected on so-called quarter days.

Rowlandson: Register Office for the Hiring of Servants

Those four days were:

March 25, Lady Day (the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary)

June 24: Midsummer Day

September 29, Michaelmas (the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel)

December 25, Christmas

And Q is for Quizzing Glass:

The quizzing glass was a fashion accessory during the Regency period.

Basically a magnifying glass, ornamental quizzing glasses were carried by both dandified men and fashionable women.

Questions? Comments? Visit tomorrow for the letter R!

Images: badge, a-to-zchallenge.com; all others, Wikimedia