Her Unsuitable Match by Sally Britton

Notes & Acknowledgements

This is the part where I get to explain myself - and thank everyone who helped with this story.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea is an incredible institution, founded in the seventeenth century as a place for British veterans to be cared for from the time their service ended until the end of their lives. It was meant mostly for officers or for those who didn’t have jobs, homes, or families to return to after battle. However, the hospital wasn’t meant to hold large numbers of pensioners. There was also a naval hospital that performed the same services for members of the Royal Navy—but that also wasn’t built for the numbers of men coming in after the war with France.

By 1815, there were 36,757 men collecting military pensions. The hospital could only hold the smallest fraction of this number: 476 residents, plus staff.

There were many private donors who offered military veterans work and places to live, but there were more homeless soldiers standing on street corners in the large towns than we can possibly number. Because most of them were lost, forgotten, and buried in paupers’ graves.

The government of England was quite forward thinking, in terms of caring for its veterans, but I wanted to do more for the soldiers in my fictional world. Thus, the Gillensfords came into play with their enormous fortune, inherited by Mrs. Gillensford in my book His Unexpected Heiress. What better way to bring back my characters from that story than to show how they used that fortune to help others?

PTSD isn’t a modern problem. It’s only a modern name. Soldiers throughout history have returned home from war scarred in more than physical ways. I encourage my readers to look into ways you can thank the soldiers of your country—wherever you may be—for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for others. Write letters. Donate to legitimately helpful organizations. Be kind. Just because the men and women of our military come home, doesn’t mean they are finished with the battle for their health and hearts.

Now, to thank those helped in this latest endeavor! As always, many thanks goes to my editor, the fabulous Jenny Proctor (go read her books, she’s an excellent author). Jenny helped me polish this story so you could enjoy it.

I must thank my Regency author friends, though I cannot possibly mention them all. They put up with a lot of questions, late-night writing rants, and me pulling my hair out. But then, that’s just what we do for each other.

Thank you to Ashtyn Newbold for designing a gorgeous cover for this story. Her talents are many. Her books are awesome.

And the most gratitude of all goes to my family, for their love, support, and patience. Every book I write is for them. For my husband who inspires the strength and compassion of my heroes, and for my children who remind me what joy and love look like in their purest forms. Thank you, darlings. I love you all.