Returning from the Duke of Wellington’s peninsular campaign and the battle of Waterloo, the new Earl of St Erth does not
regard his ancestral acres in Lincolnshire as dangerous terrain. But the welcome from his widowed stepmother and her spoilt, impetuous son soon make it plain to him that at least two people at Stanyon had hoped for his death on the battlefield. Only his cousin Theo, the estate’s steward, seems pleased to see him, but even he disputes the Earl’s wisdom in remaining in the country. Not deterred, Gervase St Erth re-acquaints himself with Stanyon castle and with his neighbours, among them the lovely Miss Bolderwood and the wonderfully matter-of-fact Miss Morville. It is Miss Bolderwood who first catches his eye, and his attentions to that damsel greatly upset his young half-brother who fancies himself in love with Marianne. But when curious, and
increasingly serious accidents start to befall the Earl, he turns increasingly to Miss Morville, who is not easily shocked, does not jump to conclusions, and can keep a secret. Gervase has to tread a careful path between hostile relatives and well-meaning interfering friends and retainers, to arrive at the uncomfortable truth and stop an innocent man from being accused of murder. That he still has time to fall in love and propose marriage just shows him, in true Heyer style, as a very seasoned campaigner.
The Quiet Gentleman is a classic Georgette Heyer story, brimming with wonderfully drawn, quirky characters and a wealth of
period detail. Comparing Miss Morville’s mother, a political activist and novelist, and her ruminations about the conflicts between theory and reality with the egotistical Dowager Countess’s overbearing manner is bliss as Georgette Heyer truly writes with her ears. The plot is creditable and skilfully laid red herrings keep the reader guessing through most of the twists and turns. Anyone who likes the Regency period and is looking for an enjoyable, relaxing read should pick up this book.