An extraordinary book in three different ways. Firstly, it’s set in the middle of the famous Congress of Vienna in 1814, when most of the crowned heads of Europe gathered to celebrate the downfall of Napoleon, to squabble gently and outdo each other’s glittering social occasions. Secondly, it features one of the most fascinating heroes I’ve ever encountered. And thirdly, if, as seems likely, this is Mary Lancaster’s first published book in this genre, then it’s a veritable tour de force. I wish my own first steps had been half so accomplished.
Here’s the premise: Lizzie Gaunt is the eldest of several siblings, orphaned and abruptly turfed out of the family home by the new heir, a distant cousin. In desperation, they throw themselves on the mercy of their aunt, whose husband is part of the British diplomatic effort in Vienna. Lizzie herself is past the age of looking for a husband, but her beautiful younger sister should make a good match, if only they had a little money to launch her into society. There’s just one hope – the last remnant of the family wealth, an expensive necklace, is being used by her aunt to bolster the family’s position in Vienna. Eventually, it will have to be given back to the new heir – but not if Lizzie can get her hands on it first. And when she sees a man daring to steal a necklace at the theatre, she knows she’s found the thief who will help her.
So far, so preposterous, but never mind. There’s no law that says a Regency romance has to be plausible, which is just as well, because most of them would be illegal if there were. So the mysterious thief sets about finding out more about his task and finding himself inexorably drawn to the lively Gaunt family (shades of Frederica here). And for their part, they soon see ‘Johnnie’, as he calls himself, as a comfortable friend.
But Johnnie is also Vanya, a Russian aristocrat with a murky history, involving women, booze, duels, the Tsar and (possibly) spying. It’s a testament to the skill of the author that she successfully conveys just what a dangerous man Vanya is in a multitude of ways. He seems to be coiled like a spring, ready to unleash his power at any moment. And yet, he’s as sweet as pie to the Gaunt family, acting like an affectionate older brother, and he’s soon feeling true affection for Lizzie, which she, in her self-effacing way, is completely unaware of, thinking herself to be no sort of draw to a man.
I won’t go into the details of the plot which get delightfully complicated. All I can tell you is that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. I liked the whole political shenanigans going on in the background, and the inclusion, sometimes in starring roles, of real historical figures. And the romance comes slowly to the boil, the very best kind (in my view). An excellent story, beautifully written and highly recommended. Five stars.
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