Miss Kate Malvern has taken a job as a governess after the death of her father has left her close to penniless, but she’s too pretty and too smart, and is quickly back in the home of her nurse, Sarah. Kate has never met any of her parent’s family, as they all disowned Mr. and Mrs. Malvern, when she married down and his parents didn’t approve of the match. But Sarah can’t stand to see Kate in dire straits, and writes to her father’s sister.
Aunt Minerva, aka Lady Broome, shortly arrives and whisks Kate away to her country estate, where she meets Sir Timothy, and her cousin Torquil. Lady Broome is very kind, but Kate can tell that she’s been brought there for a reason. When Torquil’s cousin Phillip Broome arrives, he confirms her suspicions that something is afoot.
I’ll admit, this story didn’t end up quite the way I thought it would. I mean, the love story is obvious, but the denouement once Minerva’s machinations are fully explained was a bit unexpected. There are certain patterns you start to see when you read enough of Heyer’s work, and the ending to this one put it pleasantly outside those patterns.