Enchanting Stranger

Occasionally it's great fun to read a story that is, in essence, a fairy tale complete with some overdrawn characters and melodramatic action. On a lazy summer day, this very old Barbara Hazard novel fits the bill. Lady Patricia Westerly, the only daughter of a wastrel marquess, was sold to a vulgar, disgusting, avaricious Cit, Mr Alvin J Biddles. Alvin is by trade a moneylender and, to be sure, is unloved and despised by all and sundry. However, Patricia is determined to do her duty and stand by her marriage vows despite living with a nasty sort who chews with his mouth open and commits so many ghastly faux pas that no one in the ton will speak to her let alone befriend her. Alvin purchases an estate near Bath which he over-gilds to an unbelieveably horrifying degree and they are domiciled there when our hero, Guy Leighton, Viscount Reading comes on the scene. Guy sees her across a busy high street and is immediately struck by the proverbial coup de foudre and despite all obstacles, this pair manage to fall in love. However, it takes them two years of chaste and discreet behaviour before they are able to be together. During this time Guy leaves behind rakery in order to present to Patrica the man he feels she deserves by growing into his role as a landowner. We meet family members and friends from both sides who gently stir the plot and expedite the affair.It all comes to grief when Alvin is murdered and the finger of suspicion points to Patrica. Eventually, of course, for ths is a romance, it all comes out right in the end.Peopled by some rather unambiguous characters, the novel does have a dark side too for spousal abuse both mental and physical plays a role as does fidelity, personal growth and deep, abiding love. This is a good read and I recommend it highly if you like good, traditional regencies written with panache.