375:, the creation of such cast lists often served as the starting point in plotting her novels. Once she had established a suitably named character, she found it easy to create their individual voices and move the action forward through their lively dialogue and interaction. With that aid, Heyer then went on to speculate on the kind of stock situations in which they would become involved, even before the story line was well established. So, on the basis of the list above, Heyer speculated in her correspondence with Moore, "All these people are naturally going to fall into a number of awkward situations, & I rather think Pelham has a duel with friend Crosby, while I am quite sure that Rule has one with Lethbridge. Lots of gambling. Horatia is a gambler, & I should imagine will get herself into a fairly sticky mess over it. But don't you fret—it will all End Happily.” Certainly Heyer's return to similar stock situations later in her career led to
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Drelincourt on the road and wrests the brooch from him. Though
Drelincourt continues on to the Earl's, Rule is furious at his cousin's insinuation that Horatia and Lethbridge are having an affair. Next day Rule sets off back to London. He encounters Lethbridge at an inn on the way and the two have a swordfight, which Rule wins, wounding his opponent. Meanwhile Pelham, accompanied by Pommeroy and Heron, plan to hold up Lethbridge's carriage disguised as highwaymen but accidentally hold up Rule's carriage instead.
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estate at
Meering, he is disappointed by Horatia's resentful decision to remain in London. But though Horatia fills her days with all her former entertainments, she cannot distract herself from the loneliness she feels in her husband's absence. When she leaves a ball early, Lord Lethbridge arranges to kidnap her to his own house, intending to ruin her and so gain his revenge on Rule. Horatia knocks him out with a poker but in the process she loses a very distinctive brooch from the Earl's heirloom set of jewels.
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an ornamental pool and dresses himself in
Lethbridge's mask and domino. Horatia now returns from repairing a rip in her dress and the two begin the game without her guessing who her new opponent is. Horatia is badly beaten and comes to realise the inappropriateness of her actions. When Rule continues the masquerade by stealing a kiss as he snips off her hair, Horatia rushes out in fury and bumps into Lady Massey, who is at the same ball.
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The next day
Horatia confesses what happened to Rule and promises to end her friendship with Lethbridge. Rule, who has all along been in love with his young wife, now breaks off his relationship with Lady Massey, but without telling Horatia. When the Earl leaves town to see to business on his country
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Horatia goes with Lord
Lethbridge to a masked ball that the Earl had forbidden her from attending. There she attempts to persuade the expert Lethbridge into playing cards with her and he proposes that they play for a lock of her hair. Before the game can start, Rule manages to pitch Lord Robert into
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Later
Horatia meets and befriends Lord Robert Lethbridge, who is secretly seeking revenge on Rule for his role in thwarting Lethbridge's attempt several years earlier to elope with the Earl's sister, Lady Louisa. Rule warns Horatia against continuing her friendship with Lethbridge but, when the Earl
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The wedding takes place and, as tacitly agreed, the Earl continues his association with his mistress, Lady
Caroline Massey. Meanwhile Horatia quickly becomes a popular and fashionable society wife, spending vast amounts on sensational outfits and at gambling on cards.The Earl is also obliged to make
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When, at the age of 35, the wealthy Earl of Rule proposes for the hand of
Elizabeth Winwood, she resigns herself to marrying in order to rescue the fortunes of her family, impoverished by gambling. Her youngest sister, stammering 17-year-old Horatia, takes matters into her own hands, naively meeting
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published in 1934. The novel is set in 1776 and concerns the relationship between
Horatia Winwood and Lord Marcus Drelincourt. It is the first of several Heyer romances where the hero and heroine are married early in the novel, and the plot follows their path to mutual love and understanding. Later
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Horatia asks her brother Pelham and his friend, Mr
Pommeroy, to restore the brooch to her before Rule returns from his estate. However, Rule's jealous cousin, Mr Drelincourt, has already discovered the brooch at Lethbridge's house and has left for Meering to share this news. Lethbridge overtakes
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with the Earl and persuading him to marry her instead, thus leaving Elizabeth free to marry her true love, Edward Heron. Part of the arrangement she proposes to Rule is that it will be a marriage of convenience in which neither will interfere with each other's activities.
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Horatia, learning that Pelham has not recovered her brooch, is miserable and constrained with her husband, who has told her nothing on his return. Receiving an anonymous note saying that her brooch will be restored if she attends
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pavilion at midnight, the anxious Horatia is relieved when it is the Earl who arrives with the brooch. Casting aside their former constraint, they confess their true feelings for each other.
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declines to explain why, Horatia disregards him, resenting her husband's continued association with Lady Caroline and wanting to teach Rule a lesson.
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regular financial donations to support Horatia's debt-ridden brother, Pelham.
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311:. Mother to all the above Winwoods. An invalid of exquisite sensibility.
283:, lady in the best XVIIIth cent. tradition. Sweet & willowy. Age 20
295:. A stammering heroine, of the naive & incorrigible variety. 17
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365:. Best type of villain. Fierce & hot-eyed & sardonic.
317:. Lieutenant of the 10th Foot, invalided home from the
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407:"Georgette-Heyer.com - Heyer Novel Chronology"
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345:. I regret to say, Rule's discarded mistress.
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305:& spendthrift. Provides light relief.
65:Learn how and when to remove this message
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438:"April Lady – familiar, but different"
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572:The Transformation of Philip Jettan
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301:. Brother to above ladies. Young
371:According to Heyer's biographer
339:. Secretary to the Earl of Rule.
271:Marcus Drelincourt, Earl of Rule
168:Print (hardback & paperback)
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780:Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle
273:. Hero of the best type. Very
34:consists almost entirely of a
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16:1934 novel by Georgette Heyer
898:Heinemann (publisher) books
327:. Trenchant sister to Rule.
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309:Maria, Viscountess Winwood
252:Characters in conversation
888:Novels by Georgette Heyer
427:, William Heinemann, 2011
321:. Enamoured of Elizabeth.
256:While she was working on
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363:Robert, Baron Lethbridge
299:Pelham, Viscount Winwood
289:. Improving spinster. 19
80:The Convenient Marriage
636:The Convenient Marriage
411:www.georgette-heyer.com
355:to the Earl of Rule. A
258:The Convenient Marriage
184:The Convenient Marriage
903:British romance novels
343:Caroline, Lady Massey
319:Battle of Bunker Hill
260:, the author sent a "
564:Instead of the Thorn
893:Fiction set in 1776
883:1934 British novels
732:The Quiet Gentleman
700:The Reluctant Widow
505:Simon the Coldheart
436:Jennifer Kloester,
423:Jennifer Kloester,
387:Convenient Marriage
379:'s accusation that
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349:Crosby Drelincourt
331:Sir Humphrey Quain
325:Louisa, Lady Quain
47:real-world context
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652:The Talisman Ring
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262:Dramatis personae
199:examples include
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41:Please help
36:plot summary
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844:Cousin Kate
836:Black Sheep
756:Bath Tangle
628:Devil's Cub
620:Barren Corn
129:Set in
55:August 2024
877:Categories
772:April Lady
513:Beauvallet
393:References
382:April Lady
377:A.S. Byatt
208:April Lady
828:Frederica
740:Cotillion
137:Publisher
716:Arabella
357:Macaroni
189:Georgian
119:Georgian
107:Language
788:Venetia
123:Romance
110:English
863:(1972)
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540:(1975)
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478:Novels
440:(2021)
176:288 pp
97:Author
604:Helen
275:pansy
187:is a
173:Pages
115:Genre
303:rake
205:and
152:1934
132:1776
480:by
389:".
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