Judith Nelson

Margaret Tolliver was at twenty-nine a happy spinster, that is, unless she had to deal with her peevish brother Charles. Not even Aunt Henrietta's pet rooster pecked more on Margaret than her stuffy brother. The Earl of Manfield was yet another stuffy brother, or so his younger brother Gillian thought. What was so bad about hiding a pig in his teachers bedroom even if it wore his nightshirt? No, thought Gillian, his brother was suffering from unrequited love to Vanessa, his former mistress and he, Gillian, would restore her to him, thereby winning his undying gratitude. With the help of his younger brother Peter and his trusty servant Jem, Gillian set out to kidnap the fair Vanessa. Was it Gillian's fault that all carriages looked the same?

The three ladies at Morningdale Manor may have their differeneces but were as one in deploring their mushroom relatives who were ready, no eager, to oust the ladies and take over. The only sure way to stop them, as Aunt Hester unfailingly told Drusilla, was for her unnatural niece to marry somebody, anybody! What was not needed was for Dru to invite her even more unnatural cousin Mathilde, who, at thirty was surely a confirmed spinster. But Dru thought she deserved some support through the ball her mother and aunt were throwing. It didn't help that Morningdale had a new neighbor, the most unpleasant Cranston Pettigrew, who rescued Matty from her accident and also had to be invited. How anyone as boorish could have a friend as nice as the Duke of Ratchford Dru couldn't fathom.

At twenty-three Julianna was still unmarried, by choice. Rich and attractive, she had received her share of proposals although nobody was more persistent than her cousin Jonathan who had proposed twelve times. Julianna truly loved Jonathan but as a brother and was seriously concerned about his gambling debts yet it was no basis for marriage. And then what would her Great-Aunt Elizabeth do but push an ingenue goddaughter on Julianna that she was sponsoring. It didn't help that Miss Marley was as innocent as she was mysterious and in dire need of Julianna's worldly wisdom. Particularly when it came to the rakish Earl of Marleton. Julianna could not trust the man and was more than a little suspicious about his motives.

That Anthony became the Sixth Marquess of Hamperston was no surprise but that he had inherited two female wards shocked him. He was no more pleased when his younger brother Robert, who had met them, described Patience as one who wasn't and her sister Constance who wasn't either, then added that their aunt Felicity, who lived with them, was no such thing. As to Patience Witherton, who had run Withy for years, taking over the management from her alcoholic father long before his passing, the news that she now has a Guardian came as a most unpleasant discovery. The haughty, not to say high-handed letter he sent her announcing his visit didn't help one bit. Patience knew what to think of men and she shall have none of him, no matter what he said.

The Farthington sisters loved The Hall and now their uncle and guardian, who had never paid them a scrap of notice, had written that he would be visiting the estate with two friends in view of selling it! Elizabeth was distraught but Katherine vowed to do something about it. They would show off the Hall, not as it truly was but in all the delerinct glory as they could muster. Hence the removed slats so the roof leaked, mad chimneys smoke, and the stables were uninhabitable. Katherine even conjured up a ghost which she promised only to let loose in the direst of circumstances. But how their horrid uncle could claim friendship with these two society lions none could understand.

After yet one more escapade the Earl of Forkham gives his daughter Fredrica an ultimatum: Marry her childhood friend Anthony or be banished forever to the care of Great Aunt Honoria who lives in Bath and keeps thirty-seven cats and a pug. Frederica is certain Anthony will not offer marriage but that is until his father 'leans' on him. Anthony is made to understand that either he offers for Frederica or he is banished to live with his do-gooder uncle in Brazil. Reluctantly betrothed to each other, Anthony and Frederica cast about for a way out of the engagement that doesn't mean either Bath, Brazil or marriage.

Suddenly aware of what was certainly a young damsel in distress, Charles Carlesworth rushed to the rescue, only to become the victim of a virago, whom, upon closer inspection turned out to be his godmother's long lost granddaughter. Before he knew it he was coerced into the office of dancing master, riding instructor and finishing school to the maddening yet beguiling Arabella as well as the less than proud owner of a white kitten with one orange and one black ear. And that was just the beginning.

Ten years ago when her brother was met with an untimely accident, Eugenia Winwright had been on the cusp of marrying Marcus, Lord Luckthorpe. Joined in the guardianship of his daughter and son, she had not set eyes on Marcus since the funeral; all contact between them carried out by mail. It was therefore rather a shock to Eugenia on arriving home after a three week absence to find the earl firmly ensconced in her home and in a pitched battle with his ward. Unbeknownst to her aunt, Cecille had done her own writing to her guardian in a bid for him to consent to her marriage before she even had her come-out. Lord Luckthorpe's solution is simple - Cecille shall have her come-out now and Eugenia will accompany her. With dismay Eugenia faces not only her return to society but the prospect of several months of Marcus company.

Viscount Chalmsy, Jack to his family, had enough of his sister in law's matchmaking. The limit was reached when she tricked him to rush to her rescue only to find himself surrounded by a dozen pretty young things all on the catch for a husband. With a small case strapped behind he left both his valet and groom behind as he dashes out of town. An unfortunate encounter with a ditch landed him in Miss Carrington's charge. Since her father's death, and even for some time before that, Julia had run the household, cared for her younger siblings and overseen the cash strapped estate. What was a rather spoilt and snappish viscount to her? As time passed each found much to admire in the other yet in the eyes of the world they were poles apart. Could love truly conquer all?