Why do all your characters take tea the same way?

“Milk, no sugar.”

JQ: Yes, there is a reason almost all my characters take their tea this way, but my reason for this is far more mundane — in my opinion, anyway — than the numerous ways readers have asked me about it. For instance:

---

“Why do all your male characters take their tea with milk and no sugar?”

JQ: It’s not just all the male characters. It’s ALL the characters. Except Hyacinth. She takes hers with lots of sugar. Why? I couldn’t tell you except that when I was writing her tea scene it just seemed obvious.

---

“Is ‘milk, no sugar’ the most popular way the members of the ton took their tea, and if so, can you share your research for this?”

JQ: I don’t think there was a most popular way. I think people just took it the way they liked it.

---

“Was declining sugar for tea your way to show that your heroes weren’t foppish?”

JQ: Nope.

---

 

The reason is simple. My characters take their tea the way I take my tea.

Coffee, however… coffee needs sugar.