The tale of high-spirited Elinor and unflappable Carlyon

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How often have we heard of a lady who marries at midnight and becomes a widow by dawn? Not a very propitious start for a happy marriage ( not to mention brings to mind a certain murderous dark-hued spider ). Elinor Rochdale is no Black Widow. The daughter of a ruined gentleman, she accepts the role of a governess to sustain herself. Stepping into the wrong carriage at a Sussex village, Elinor finds herself transported into a seeming madhouse. A stern lord stands at the doors to greet her, the sensible, sophisticated Edward Carlyon. The man then immediately demands that she marry his profligate cousin, Eustace Cheviot ( not exactly in the specs for a would-be governess ) which stuns the hapless Elinor. The confused Elinor refuses and is all prepared to leave when her prospective bridegroom is found to have been stabbed by Lord Carlyon's younger brother, Nicky. In a somewhat dazed state, Elinor soons finds herself coerced ( charmingly persuaded.. ) into becoming the wife of a dying man, the mistress of a ruined estate and a partner in a secret conspiracy to save the family's name. And it all happens in only one night. In this extremely funny story, Elinor soon finds herself in more trouble as she gets involved with a ring of devious French spies, thiefs and murderers. Not discounting the fact that she has to turn the dilapidated, run-down estate into something worth selling - while trying to keep her head intact from would-be assassins... All under the watchful eyes of the incredibly practical, sensible Lord Carlyon. She began to draw on her gloves. "How odious it is in you always to be so precisely right! Do your friends in general feel themselves to be remarkably foolish when they are with you?" "As I am fortunate in having a good many friends I believe not," he replied gravely. As romance heroes go, Heyer has created another unusual hero in the cool, unflappable Lord Carlyon. Given the responsibility of raising a large family at a very young age, Carlyon has become quite used to disastrous happenings ( almost as if he expects it ). His younger brother almost killing his cousin, the Hall being broken into, a treasonous plot... nothing seems to faze him. He forced me to marry a creature given over to every form of vice; he brought me to this house where everything is in dust and tatters, mice run across my bedchamber floor, and French agents walk in and out at will, shooting at anyone who dares to say them nay; he discloses to me what I can only describe as the most callous unconcern imaginable that my late husband died apparently under a load of debt, which I shall no doubt be called upon to settle; and when I ask him what I am to do, all he can think of is to suggest that I should buy myself mourning-clothes! No, Carlyon definitely doesn't have any sensibility at all. And that personality trait drives poor Elinor up the wall. Even the charming, smooth way in which he persuades others into bending to his oh, so reasonable demands sends her into utterly unreasonable fits. And he is so logical that everyone finds it so terribly hard to disagree with one of Carlyon's edicts!

Arabella April Lady Bath Tangle Beauvallet Charity Girl The Corinthian Cotillion Cousin Kate Devil's Cub False Colours Faro's Daughter Frederica Friday's Child Powder and Patch Regency Buck Simon the Coldheart Sprig Muslin Sylvester Venetia The Black Moth The Black Sheep The Convenient Marriage The Foundling The Grand Sophy The Masqueraders The Quiet Gentleman The Reluctant Widow The Spanish Bride The Talisman Ring The Toll-gate The Unknown Ajax These Old Shades Emma Pride and Prejudice Scarlet Pimpernel