“To whistle happiness down the wind for a scruple … “ That fate almost befalls twenty-five year old Venetia Lanyon in Georgette
Heyer’s historical romance of the same name. Left in charge of her lame younger
brother and her elder brother’s Yorkshire estates while Sir Conway is away fighting in the Napoleonic wars, Venetia has no misconceptions about her chances of meeting any eligible single men, despite being an uncommonly handsome girl. The neighbourhood holds but two suitors: nineteen year old Oswald Denny, full of silly romantic notions and the ambition to resemble Byron’s Corsair, and dull and prosy Edward Yardley, who is thirty going on fifty.
Venetia knows that, eventually, she will have to marry Yardley, because even that is a fate preferable to being ‘left on the shelf’, but her independent spirit rebels against the vision of such a joyless future and, in true Heyer-style, rescue appears in the form of the ‘Wicked Baron’. Lord Damerel, whose estates border Sir Conway’s land has a shocking reputation as a rake, ever since he eloped with a married lady when barely down from Oxford. His first meeting with Venetia is not propitious to future good
relations, but when her younger brother is hurt after being thrown from his horse, Damerel quickly proves himself helpful, compassionate, amiable and, to Venetia’s delight, extremely well read and with a wonderful sense of humour.
Glowingly happy, in love for the first time in her life, Venetia does not perceive the dark clouds gathering on the horizon. She cares nothing for Damerel’s reputation and cannot see why anyone else should do so. Moreover, she cannot understand the sudden change in Damerel, when he realises that his attachment to Venetia is stronger than mere flirtation. Matters come to a head when the new Lady Lanyon, a very young, insipid blonde who Sir Conway met and married in France, and her managing mother-in-law arrive at Undershaw. Attempting to oust Venetia from the place she had occupied all her life, Mrs Scorrier brings strife and vexation to the formerly so peaceful household and it is only Lord Damerel’s presence that stops Venetia from being driven completely distracted.
Before he can make her an offer of marriage, Venetia’s various neighbours and relations intervene to prevent so undesirable a match. And Damerel, with ‘idiotish nobleness’, tries to convince her that theirs was but a flirtation and the best thing for her to do is to stay with her uncle in London for a time. Venetia is at first severely put out, but with good sense, courage, and a great deal of determination, decides to fights for her happiness. And when, in London, she learns the shameful secret that has been kept from her all these years, she is even more determined to make her life a success.
This is a lovely, easy-going romance with beautifully drawn characters, sparkling dialogue, and a wealth of historical detail. Seeing the schizophrenic way women of the upper class were regarded in the early part of the 19th century: incapable of walking down the street unattended, but perfectly able to manage an estate when the male owner could not be bothered, bound by hideously strict conventions and judged on their ability to make a good match, I wouldn’t have wanted to be a woman in that time for anything. But it’s sure entertaining to read about them.