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jaceyOkay, I admit it, I've just binge-read three Heyers in a row. It must be the after effects of finishing my own historical fantasy and sending it on its way to the publisher.
On the death of their father, Judith and Peregrine Tavener, rich but underage, are left to the guardianship of Julian Audley, Lord Worth, someone they have never met and know nothing about. They decide to leave Yorkshire and set themselves up in London. Worth, their guardian, turns out to be not much older than they are and, after the unfortunate circumstances of their first accidental meeting, dislikes the guardianship arrangement as much as they do. Judith is contrary and independent. Worth is overbearing and domineering and Heyer pretty much tries to set him up as the villain of the piece to begin with. (Heyer readers will, of course, realise this is a false trail of breadcrumbs.) Apparently this was Heyer's first Regency Romance. It contains real historical characters (Beau Brummell, the Prince regent, the Duke of Clarence etc.) mixed in with fictional ones. Judith is contrary and occasionally downright stupid. Audley is arrogant and annoying beyond belief, but (contrary to Judith's belief) has their best interest at heart. I'm inclined to think that these two characters deserve everything they get. The best character is Worth's brother, Charles Audley, who will reappear as the main male character in This Infamous Army. I wondered how the Alastair-Audley books linked up, but apparently the female protagonist in Infamous Army, is the granddaughter of Dominic, Duke of Avon from Devil's Cub.
On the death of their father, Judith and Peregrine Tavener, rich but underage, are left to the guardianship of Julian Audley, Lord Worth, someone they have never met and know nothing about. They decide to leave Yorkshire and set themselves up in London. Worth, their guardian, turns out to be not much older than they are and, after the unfortunate circumstances of their first accidental meeting, dislikes the guardianship arrangement as much as they do. Judith is contrary and independent. Worth is overbearing and domineering and Heyer pretty much tries to set him up as the villain of the piece to begin with. (Heyer readers will, of course, realise this is a false trail of breadcrumbs.) Apparently this was Heyer's first Regency Romance. It contains real historical characters (Beau Brummell, the Prince regent, the Duke of Clarence etc.) mixed in with fictional ones. Judith is contrary and occasionally downright stupid. Audley is arrogant and annoying beyond belief, but (contrary to Judith's belief) has their best interest at heart. I'm inclined to think that these two characters deserve everything they get. The best character is Worth's brother, Charles Audley, who will reappear as the main male character in This Infamous Army. I wondered how the Alastair-Audley books linked up, but apparently the female protagonist in Infamous Army, is the granddaughter of Dominic, Duke of Avon from Devil's Cub.
