Love's Duet

Lady Sophia Drayton had planned a clever revenge against the Marquis of Damon, who had helped send her brother to the battle of Waterloo that had sent him home a cripple. (Yes, due to the high level of melodrama in the book there are no simple conspiracies but ones that lead to long, drawn out sentences.) Sophia has quietly refused to sign papers selling property critical to the Marquess (and his plans to build a spa) and instead ... but this could go along for a fairly long time. Suffice it to say, Sophia goes tearing up to keep her brother from visiting the Marquis and ends up on the other side of a fallen bridge, ahead of her brother, and mistaking the Marquis for an impertinent servant the first time she meets him. Cliches fly left and right, but the main characters are surprisingly realistic and sympathetic. Sophia realizes all along that Damon is trying to drive her away and Damon issues menacing lines but can't help cracking up somewhere in earshot after he walks away. The proud, estranged father, misunderstood family friend, assorted evil and conflicted villains, and assorted strange relations and colorful servants are all bursting with life. A very good read and probably worth 4.5 stars if not 5.