The Riddle of the Reluctant Rake
"I simply must break myself of this foolish habit of collecting notorious friends!"
Time: 1814
Synopsis:
In 1814, Colonel Hastings Adair faces a court martial board that accuses him of dereliction of duty for abducting an unmarried woman of quality, Miss Alice Pryor. The verdict of guilty is a forgone conclusion even though Adair vows he is innocent of any wrongdoing. Though he is not hung, he is drummed out of the service, leaving his family filled with dishonor and loathing towards him. Before leaving his family, he informs them he will uncover the conspiracy of lies that will prove his innocence.
He travels to Alice's home where he insists on speaking to the woman who failed to show up at his hearing. Alice's brother Rufus and her cousin Cecily Hall attack him, demanding to know where he hid Alice. As he continues to make inquiries with the help of his friends, he constantly runs into Cecily. However, as Hasty gets closer to the truth, Cecily starts to believe the aristocrat is innocent. They begin to work together and fall in love with one another. Still, Bow St. wants Adair to explain where he buried the still missing Alice, leaving his future very bleak.
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Alternate Synopsis:
Court-martialed after a night on leave lands him in bed with an unwed young lady of Quality, Lieutenant-Colonel Hastings Adair faces the ultimate disgrace and is dishonorably discharged from service. All the while, though, Adair proclaims his innocence, saying that he met Miss Alice Prior at a ball, and after a pleasant chat, she sent him a desperate note asking him asking him to see her home. He obliged, of course, and his last recollection of that evening was of getting into the carriage. Abandoned by his family and all but a few friends, Adair sets out to find the lady he is accused of having ruined. Mysteriously, though, Alice Prior has disappeared.
After a wild chase that has Adair fighting for his life more than once, Miss Prior is finally found-forcefully married to the rogue that abducted her. As his wife, she is unable to testify against him, but Adair and his faithful friends, Paige Manderville and Toby Broderick, devise a risky trap that not only catches the rogue, but foils a dangerous political plot as well.
This is the third installment in "genre master" (Publishers Weekly) Patricia Veryan's acclaimed Regency series, begun with THE RIDDLE OF ALABASTER ROYAL and followed by THE RIDDLE OF THE LOST LOVER, and her fans will instantly recognize her signature mix of heart-stopping suspense and delightful romantic adventure here.
Main Characters:
Colonel Hastings Adair
Cecily Hall
Rufus Pryor
Alice Pryor
Jack Vespa
Paige Manderville
Toby Broderick
Rating: (out of 5)
Reviews:
Quotes:
"I believe I am innocent, Mama. I cannot prove it. At the moment.
But ... it would have been nice if one or two of you could have stood by me."
Outraged gentlemen he could face. Angry termagants he could deal with - to a point.
Hysterically vengeful old ladies reduced him to a craven.
A fine pickle he would be in, thought Adair, to have to wrestle with two women.
"Then by all means permit me to explain," said Broderick grandly. "For your benefit,
I'll use very small words."
"Not if it's going to result in more assalt and battery on my very nice self.
I value this body almost as much as the ladies do."
"Your arm! Oh, mercy, I shall swoon! No - I haven't the time!"
Title Significance:
Doubtless it refers to the fact that Adair is a rake only by reputation.
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