Your Obedient Servant

Not the usual Regency fare, this book had an interesting array of characters. The secondary characters had as much importance as the main ones! Laura Adams, abandoned at birth and raised as a farmer's daughter was a hard worker with good sense. When her adoptive mother died and her adoptive father became feeble, Laura was taken in by Lady Danville (a widow). Although Laura performed some minor duties (sewing), Lady Danville sought to give her an education. That stopped when Lord Danville pressed her to work in the parlor and companion his mother. He was not impressed by Laura and had a feeling that she was not as wonderful as his mother made her out to be. His regard was unfairly based on disparaging innuendo and gossip. But many events occur to both raise Lord Danville's estimation of Laura and yet dash her own hopes for bettering herself. Laura who in the years of this book becomes a lovely, yet modest woman is treated with jealousy by some servants and high-born ladies. She also is pursued relentlessly by scoundrels she meets at a neighbor's house. It was truly hard to guess how this would end. There was mystery, death, abduction and redemption all between the pages of this novel. It was a very interesting portrayal of life below stairs which is not fully explored in other books. I found this thoroughly enjoyable reading. I see only one other book written by this author and I will be sure to check it out.