Scandal's Daughter

This was one of Margaret Summerville's early Regency novels and like the ones to follow, it is peopled with wonderful realistic characters. Each person (even the villain) is so well portrayed, you can empathize with everyone! Gillian Ashley has come to town to meet her "natural" father. Twenty years earlier, her mother was the center of a huge scandal. Not only did Roland Ashley fight a duel over his wife's infidelity with Hewitt Gambol he also divorced her! Carolyn Ashley, the unfaithful wife, died alone and penniless in Scotland 19 years later after giving birth to a daughter. Gillian, seeking her father, becomes lost in London (I love that she is beating up a footpad when we first see her!). Lord Oliver Bain meets her and brings her to his Cousin Meg's house. Bored with the season, Margaret (Meg) Fairfax decides to give Gillian a season. Gillian does meet her father Sir Hewitt Gambol (an aging rogue plagued with gout) and he accepts her with open loving arms. He thinks it best for Gillian to remain with Meg and though they meet many times when Gillian comes to visit, he realizes any association with him will hurt her chances for an advantageous marriage. This regency does follow the typical round of balls and routs with Gillian being accepted and feted by society and has several beaus. There is a rather nice meeting with Prinny at her first ball which sets the stage for her acceptance into society. But the villains in the shape of Rowland Ashley's current wife and grown daughter are fascinating. They scheme so that Gillian is snubbed because .... (I won't give it away!). Of course because Oliver Bain becomes Gillian's true love, none of the other beaus will suit. You will enjoy the scrapes Gillian drags him into because of her sweet nature towards those less fortunate and also because of her temper!!! She cuts his snobbish nature down to size! Although the acceptance of a "known" illegitimate child and the subsequent "adoption" by Meg Fairfax is a bit unbelievable, on the whole it is a wonderful book with endearing characters. Highly recommend. Summerville books are usually excellent reading that tug at your heartstrings!