A Suitable Husband
Oliver Mayhew, a soldier returning from the Peninsula Wars and penniless third son of an aristocrat, finds himself in need of a rich widow to marry. How convenient then that Sarah Haverstock, wealthy widowed mother of one son, finds herself in need of a suitable tutor, someone to teach her son gentlemanly habits. Our hero and heroine accordingly meet. Oliver is hired without more ado. Then the thorny problem of a murderous plot to kill Sarah and her son Edward arises. Of course, we cry, a soldier is just the very person to cope with such a situation. Sarah certainly thinks so and readily turns to Oliver for support. Alas, their future happiness proves much more problematic. Particularly since Sarah is not capable of keeping the same mind on any subject for more than a paragraph or two. I found myself in sympathy with Oliver’s frustration at his lady love’s frequent dithering. Moreover, a heroine who faints at the slightest mischance, regularly falling into the hands of the oh so handy hero, did begin to grate a little. Fortunately Oliver has an altogether splendidly determined character, if in very muscular fashion. A lightweight Regency, charming and insubstantial as gossamer.
