Practice to Deceive
"Life's a jest ... And Fate the Jester. You either laugh at it all--or wind up in Bedlam. I choose to laugh."Foreign Titles: Doch Alles Kam Ganz Anders German
Synopsis:
NO MASQUERADE CAN CONCEAL THE EYES OF LOVE.
It is 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion has been crushed, and his loyal followers, bound to recover a vast missing treasure, flee murderous soldiers and bounty hunters across strifetorn England.
At the center of this violent storm, the lovely Penelope Montgomery lives a virtual prisoner of her scheming uncle and his cruel wife. She knows nothing of their cold plot to make her innocence a gift to Captain Roland Otton, whose startling handsomeness barely conceals a ruthless villainy.
She dreams only of Quentin Chandler--the man who won her love in childhood, who now claims the awakening passions of her womanhood.
And soon destiny will surprise them both as they are reunited in a desperate flight to restore the missing treasure, bring honor back to England, and savor at last the sweet rewards of their longing, loving hearts.
Alternate Synopsis:
Foreign Synopses:
German
Der attraktive Quentin Chandler und die aparte Penelope, genannt Penny, lernen sich bereits in frŸher Jugend kennen und lieben. Doch das Schicksal trennt sie wieder. Als Pennys Vater stirbt, kann ihr Bruder aufgrund seiner Jugend den Titel der Familie nicht erben, und beide Kinder kommen in die Obhut des Onkels Joseph und seiner schšnen, aber intriganten Frau Sybil. Penny fŸhlt sich todunglŸcklich als Gefangene ihrer machtgierigen Ver- wandten, vor allem, als sie erfŠhrt, da§ sie einen mehr als zweifelhaften Gentlemen heiraten soll... FŸhrt fŸr sie jemals ein Weg zurŸck zu ihrer Jugendliebe?
Main Characters:
Penelope Montgomery
Quentin Chandler
Roland Otton
Thaddeus Briley
Rating: (out of 5)
Reviews:
"You will not be able to wait until the next book is released." Romantic Times
"This dramatic and romantic period of British History becomes the perfect milieu for the dazzling talent of Ms. Veryan, who is unquestionably the leading superstar of the genre." Romantic Times
Quotes:
"Well, of all things," exlaimed Trevelyan de Villars. "Here we ride all day, ventre a terre, trying to come up with you -- while you lounge about taking your ease!"
"Never mind that, woman. Kiss me!" Quentin
"... challenged to a duel ... Are you mad? With that arm?" Penny
"Well, I certainly cannot fight him with my feet!" Quentin
Title Significance:
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive!"
Sir Walter Scott, Marmion
Trivia:
- The Treasure: "The novels in The Golden Chronicles series
deal with the treasure gathered, too late, by Prince Charles Stuart
to finance his ailing Jacobite Uprising, circa 1745-46.
To the best of my knowledge, what actually became of that treasure is unknown to this day.
These books therefore present one writer's purely fanciful picture of a possible disposition, and are not intended to be interpreted as historical fact." Cherished Enemy
- General Background: In 1688, Charles II (a Stuart king of the Scottish-English Union) died
and was about to be succeeded by his Catholic brother James II. Anglican/Protestant
England had a horror of Catholic monarchs and thus invited an invasion by
Charles' and James' younger sister's husband, William of Orange (William and Mary
fame). After the last Stuart monarch (Anne) died childless in 1714, the next in line
for the throne became the Hanoverian Georges. Some people, Scottish and English alike,
had a greater horror of a German monarch then of a Catholic one. They supported the
claim to the throne of James II's son James, the Old Pretender and the first Jacobite
Uprising occurred in 1715 (a major battle took place in Kilekranky, Ireland). James Stuart's
defeat resulted in the Cause's hiatus. James' son, Charles, however, took up the banner once
again in 1745. Bonnie Prince Charlie's uprising was initially successful, mainly because
the English army was not at full strength (the War for Austrian Succession was taking
place concurrently). However, the fierceness of the Scots' fighting was such that George
II contemplated fleeing. The major battles of the Second Jacobite Uprising were
Prestonpas (Scottish victory) and the final battle at Culloden (English victory).
The English general was the Duke of Cumberland ("Butcher Cumberland"). Another interesting
general was an Englishman who fought on the side of the Scots, General Murray. However,
his failing was that Bonnie Prince Charlie did not fully trust him.
- This is Roland Otton's first appearance in a Veryan novel and he is presented to us
as a very beautiful but unmitigated villain.
- On the original paperback summary blurb, Roland Otton's name
was misspelled "Rolan Otton."
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