The tale of volatile Anthea and placid Hugo
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From a glance, Major Hugo Darracott would fit in perfectly in the generic hero's mould with his superior height, his classic features and his husky physique except for one thing. Behind that handsome, fresh face, it seems as if there was nothing but the mind of an innocent simpleton. Coupled with that bovine wit, Hugo also carries himself like the veriest commoner and talks broad Yorkshire at the earliest provocation.
It is with this unlikely premise that the Unknown Ajax begins.
The whole Darracott clan is suitably appalled when the heir apparent to the family title arrives on their ancestral grounds. Cast out by the family and then brought up by his common mother's side, a family of weavers, it seems as if Hugo wasn't fit to be seen anywhere near polite society. From their first impressions of him, most of the family believe him to be a naive, clumsy clod... all except for his austere aunt Aurelia and his cousin, the quick-eyed, intelligent Anthea.
Before his arrival, Anthea had practically been ordered by her irascible grandfather, Lord Darracott, to marry his new heir. Outraged, our high-spirited heroine gives Hugo the cold shoulder, depressing any and all pretensions. The nasty jibes and taunts aimed at Hugo by the family ( mostly by his cousin, Vincent ) doesn't seem to faze the gentle giant and Anthea is persuaded that the new heir is a lackwit with little will.
But as their relationship grows closer, Anthea is quick to revise her opinion of Hugo. A second look at him tells Anthea that she had indeed misjudged the giant man. Hugo's childlike behaviour and his innocent-looking face belied the quiet confidence that she sensed in him. And for all his gentle amiability, he wasn't in the least lacking in intelligence. Anthea has a growing suspicion that her cousin, far from being weak-spirited, was actually hiding a reprehensible sense of humour ( and possibly having a laugh at their expense ). Hugo didn't fool her in the least. "Wouldn't a paste one do as well?" he asked, in a voice of great uneasiness.
Obviously smitten with her, Hugo sets out to woo his lady with his shameless wit and his winning charm. To get close to her, he even invents a charming, nonexistent fiancee, the unforgettable Amelia Melkinthorpe. It doesn't take that long for Anthea to succumb to his advances for who could resist his teasing smile and that devilish sense of humour.
Quick-witted and educated, our hero had purposely pulled the cunning ruse when he noticed that the Darracotts had held him in contempt since his arrival. Knowing that the Darracotts had expected a common weaver's brat, he had played the role to the hilt.
As romances go, Hugo manages to gain the family's respect when he proves his worth to them in the later part of the story. It turns out that Anthea's younger brother is involved in a nasty smuggling ring. An overzealous Exciseman tracks him down to the Darracott home and almost exposes the scandal if not for Hugo's timely intervention.
Hugo Darracott has to be one of Heyer's most interesting heroes yet. The physique and the looks are the same as any hero of a romance. But no one else shares Hugo's love for the ridiculous. He is, as the Darracotts call him, a complete hand. While other heroes do daring, intrepid deeds to win their bride, Hugo charms, teases and tricks the lovely Anthea into his arms.
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