Fine Feathers: The Makeshift Marriage (Signet Regency Romance)

Rating:
Summary: Twenty years of excellence ==
Review: Since their very first such release, I've been a big fan of the Signet Regency two-fers, or two books in one volume. Most of them have been re-issues of very popular stories from the past, sometimes of two different authors, sometimes two stories by the same author. This new edition, however, with two stories by Sandra Heath, takes the previous concept one better'one old 'beloved' story (indeed!) and one new one. What a perfectly splendid idea.

A successful Regency novel may have many ingredients. Among the plot elements are: love at first sight, love unrequited, marriage of convenience, mistaken identity, wealthy marrying not-so-wealthy (either sex in each category) and titled personage marrying a commoner. Necessary characters are a handsome hero, a winsome heroine, a charming pair of secondary characters, of the same sterling quality as the main pair, and at least one villain or villainness of superlatively menacing manner. A pet or two certainly adds to the mix. Finally, the writing must be better than good, preferably careful to the times depicted, free of anachronisms, and hopefully with an abundance of wit.

It's hardly a secret that I find these quantities to be present in the works of many of today's authors, but most especially prevalent in the works of Sandra Heath. Her newest title, FINE FEATHERS, is no exception, and neither is the older book'THE MAKESHIFT MARRIAGE'that Signet has paired with it as their current two-fer. (I love this concept: I hope it continues forever!)

The two Miss Marriots in the first story'cousins Margaret (known as Molly) and Delphine'provide nothing but trouble for the twelfth Earl of Bardolph, Rupert Drysden, and believe me, no one is more deserving of such a fate. Eventually, after a near-kidnapping, an unsuccessful switch of look-alike racehorses, and a severe case'or two'of mistaken identity, all ends well. The Earl is vanquished and indeed banished from England by the cleverness of the hero Hal Cordrey, a widower and wealthy landowner, as well as magistrate for the area. The wealthy marquess ends up with Margaret, while Delphine secures the love of her life, Neville Botting, curate of Coln Cordray.

Set in Gloucestershire, in and around the then famous Bibury Club Races at Seven Downs, the lush June setting comes alive by the wondrous descriptive passages by the author.

THE MAKESHIFT MARRIAGE, on the other hand, is much more complex (as well as nearly twice as long) and demonstrates in very subtle fashion, the consistency of the author in writing style, research and character development. First published twenty years ago, The Makeshift Marriage has remained atop the favorites list of many devoted Regency readers, which is no mystery whatever. Whether reading it again, or for the first time, the story is satisfying in every possible way.

When Miss Laura Milbanke splurges her entire small inheritance for a dream trip to Venice, she has no idea that her life will take a drastic turn-about. She'd seen a picture of the famous Hotel Contarini, and had dreamt of little else since then. Anticipating a lifetime of boring service, she believes the trip will provide dreams enough for a lifetime. In short order, she meets two gentlemen: the Englishman Sir Nicholas Grenville, and the Austrian Baron Frederick von Marienfeld. After Laura spurns his advances, the Baron challenges Nicholas to a duel. In spite of her protests, Nicholas proceeds, and is later brought back to the hotel, nearing death.

Even though he is certain to die, Nicholas asks Laura to marry him, and somewhat reluctantly, she agrees. However, Laura is a faithful and caring nurse, and so they return to England and his Somerset estate, King's Cliff.

While Laura had traveled to Venice to live out a dream, Nicholas traveled to get away from his home, and ponder the necessity of killing a dream. For centuries, King's Cliff has been an opulent host to royalty and other aristocrats; ruinously so. Now, if the estate is to continue at all, severe changes must be made, and unable to think clearly at home, he'd come to Venice to think.

With the care of Daniel Tregarron, the local physician-as well as an old friend-Nicholas slowly gains back his health, only to discover even more danger'in his own household. More in love with the house than its new owner, his former fianceé, Augustine Townsend, has no patience with illness or anything that comes between her and her dreams. She flitters between Nicholas and his heir, who is also his cousin, James, the earl of Landford, who has his own dreams.

If you like terrific plotting, excellent writing, and perceptive character development, all combined with descriptions that take you to the very scene, you'll certainly enjoy THE MAKESHIFT MARRIAGE. It's a classic for all time.