Percy Wainwright

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

The following was posted at Amazon if you want to know more about Percy without having to read the LJ books. 

For those who wanted to know about Percy, he was a significant character in "Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade," which took place around 1758, or about 20 years before the events of "Echo." The circumstances were this: Percy's father and Grey's mother married, and when Grey met his new stepbrother, their mutual gaydar went off. Pretty soon they were in a (rather sweet, very affectionate, also graphically sexual) relationship. They were both commissioned officers in an ongoing war in Germany (I forget which one, sorry) and one night, in an inn where all the officers were staying, Grey and a few others walked in on Percy and a German officer, in flagrente. Sodomy being a capital crime, this put Grey in a verrrry tricky position. First, at his brother's suggestion, he tries to get Percy to commit suicide rather than submit to a trial; he even contemplates shooting him himself. If it came to a trial, Grey would have to be a witness - does he lie to save his stepbrother and former lover, or condemn him to die? Percy, meanwhile, is laying a major guilt-trip on him, saying that he only went with the German because John didn't love him enough. There's also a serious threat to Grey himself, if Percy got desperate and told everyone about their relationship. In the end, John decides he can neither lie nor allow Percy to die, so he arranges for his escape instead. The book ends with Grey getting an unsigned note, presumably from Percy, indicating that he is alive and well (and still thinking about Grey).

[PraiseGod13]

Thanks so much for this, Gertie!!  I was trying to figure out the whole relationship that seemed to hint at being "romantic" between them in Echo and it was confusing.  Now, this makes much more sense.... and since I won't be reading the Lord John books.... it wouldn't have ever been clear to me.

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Thanks so much for this, Gertie!!  I was trying to figure out the whole relationship that seemed to hint at being "romantic" between them in Echo and it was confusing.  Now, this makes much more sense.... and since I won't be reading the Lord John books.... it wouldn't have ever been clear to me.

Me, too.  I'm so glad I came across it. 

[Anju No. 469]

Thanks Gertie - I never could figure this out.  I have a couple of LJ books, but didn't care for them, no real story.

[PraiseGod13]

And.... as if I wasn't confused enough about Percy Wainwright.... I was also getting him confused with Percy Beauchamp.  Obviously, not so much when their full names were used..... but there would be a reference to "Percy"...... and I was struggling.  I keep thinking of DG saying that she doesn't keep note cards/biographies of all of these characters.  Her mind is unbelievable......
     

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

And.... as if I wasn't confused enough about Percy Wainwright.... I was also getting him confused with Percy Beauchamp.  Obviously, not so much when their full names were used..... but there would be a reference to "Percy"...... and I was struggling.  I keep thinking of DG saying that she doesn't keep note cards/biographies of all of these characters.  Her mind is unbelievable......
     

They are the same person, but I agree, it is so confusing.  The whole thing with Percy and Ian with the spirit child ...  If that wasn't enough, just when you get into one part of the story and think maybe you've figured something out, she switches to another part of the story.  By the time you get back to it, you've forgotten what you figured out. 

With all its flaws, I still enjoyed the book ... except for the LJ parts.

[PraiseGod13]

They are the same person, but I agree, it is so confusing.  The whole thing with Percy and Ian with the spirit child ...  If that wasn't enough, just when you get into one part of the story and think maybe you've figured something out, she switches to another part of the story.  By the time you get back to it, you've forgotten what you figured out. 

With all its flaws, I still enjoyed the book ... except for the LJ parts.

 

Mercy!!  I hadn't returned to this discussion yet.... and last night as I was reading, I finally figured out that Percy Beauchamp and Percy Wainwright are the same person.  All the brain cells I have harmed trying to keep these two names straight... and figure out who they are and what they're up to.... AARRGGHH!  I understand that the characters have multiple names... but why in the world is DG referring to them by one shortened name one time and a different one the next???  Couldn't she either have used the full name each time or use only one shortened name for each character??  I found myself feeling really upset..... felt like DG was trying to make the reading more difficult and the story harder to follow for us, her faithful readers. 
     I am feeling exactly like you said, Gertie..... every time I have a glimmer of new understanding... or a mental connection/link made, DG switches the story line.... and by the time she returns to where I was finally getting it..... it's been so long and there were so many new things/characters to sort out.... that I've lost ground instead of gaining it.  I'm still glad that I'm reading this book (except for all the LJ and William blather) but I can't remember another book in my whole life that I had to struggle with like this one.  It's exhausting IMHO!!

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

 

Mercy!!  I hadn't returned to this discussion yet.... and last night as I was reading, I finally figured out that Percy Beauchamp and Percy Wainwright are the same person.  All the brain cells I have harmed trying to keep these two names straight... and figure out who they are and what they're up to.... AARRGGHH!  I understand that the characters have multiple names... but why in the world is DG referring to them by one shortened name one time and a different one the next???  Couldn't she either have used the full name each time or use only one shortened name for each character??  I found myself feeling really upset..... felt like DG was trying to make the reading more difficult and the story harder to follow for us, her faithful readers. 
     I am feeling exactly like you said, Gertie..... every time I have a glimmer of new understanding... or a mental connection/link made, DG switches the story line.... and by the time she returns to where I was finally getting it..... it's been so long and there were so many new things/characters to sort out.... that I've lost ground instead of gaining it.  I'm still glad that I'm reading this book (except for all the LJ and William blather) but I can't remember another book in my whole life that I had to struggle with like this one.  It's exhausting IMHO!!

I had to smack myself upside the head when someone asked for Ian Murray, and I couldn't remember who he was for a minute.  That's bad. 

[PraiseGod13]

I had to smack myself upside the head when someone asked for Ian Murray, and I couldn't remember who he was for a minute.  That's bad. 

I've had the same thing happen to me.  I think I have a "clogged heid" with too many characters and too many details in it!  I can't imagine that I'll retain much of it for the next four years..... I'll definitely have to re-read the series before #8.

[imallbs]

That explanation helps.  I knew from this book that there had been a relationship between Percy and Lord John but I never made a stepbrother connection.