Compromised with Her Forbidden Viscount
At Vauxhall Gardens, Viscount Willburgh rescues a young woman from a rake attempting to molest her. Willburgh discovers that she is Anna Edgerton, a member of the Dorman family, with whom his ancestors have had a long-standing feud. Anna’s cousin Lucius discovers the pair in what he thinks is a compromising position, and tells Anna she is no longer welcome in the Dorman home. After gossip about them begins to spread, Anna and her rescuer conclude that they will have to marry to save their good names, and set out for Scotland to accomplish this. But once they return, the Dowager Lady Willburgh makes life difficult for Anna. A dispute over hiring Anna’s former maid from the Dorman household (she might be a spy!) brings further conflict. Can this star-crossed pair find a way to make their marriage work?
This is a well-researched Regency romance; Gaston explains historical details which readers new to Regencies might not understand, without being pedantic. I enjoyed it up until the last three chapters. The denouement is somewhat disappointing, since the resolving of the couple’s obstacles happens a bit too abruptly for believability. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it enough for its other qualities to recommend it.
