Mask of Duplicity
In the first of The Jacobite Chronicles, we follow the fortunes and misfortunes of Elizabeth (Beth) Cunningham. Beth’s elder brother, Richard, a dragoon sergeant, returns to the small dilapidated country house following the death of their father. They had different mothers, Beth’s being a low-born Scottish woman and because of this (happy) union, the family had been disowned by their wealthy and haughty relations. When Richard comes to claim his inheritance he is sorely disappointed to find there is no money to support his military ambitions, although Beth has a handsome dowry in trust for when she marries. There is no love lost between brother and sister and Richard soon proves to be a cruel man. The only way forward for him is to have Beth marry a rich and influential man so manipulates both Beth and their family to be reconciled.
Beth goes to London where she encounters twittering ladies and misanthropic men as well as the foppish, face-painted, odious but witty Sir Anthony Peters who, much to Beth’s disgust, takes her under his wing. Of all her many suitors, only one seems to fit the bill and Beth falls deeply in love with him, but he proves to be unworthy after all. What will become of poor Beth? And is Sir Anthony the simpering fool he appears to be? Underpinning all of this, there is the threat of the Jacobite Risings and we meet a few of these characters.
I quite enjoyed this volume, however, most of the characters are rather stereotyped – swooning females and blustering, bullying males. I was also disappointed with the cover: very professionally produced but no different to so many others, a shame something eye-catching would have been nice.
Nevertheless, a good read and I look forward to further volumes.
