9780099474388

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Author of over fifty books, Georgette Heyer is one of the bestknown and best-loved of all historical novelists, making the Regency period her own. Her first novel, The Black Moth, published in 1921, was written at the age of seventeen to amuse her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. Although most famous for her historical novels, she also wrote twelve detective stories. Georgette Heyer died in 1974 at the age of seventy-one. twelve

Regency period her own. Her first novel, The Black Moth, her convalescent brother; her last was My Lord John. Although

Also available by Georgette Heyer

Classic Novels

The Black Moth

These Old Shades

Devil’s Cub

Georgian Classics

Masqueraders

The Convenient Marriage

Faro’s Daughter

Powder and Patch

Classic Heroines

Arabella

Venetia

Frederica

Classic Heroes

Sylvester

The Unknown Ajax

False Colours

The Nonesuch

Classic Adventures

Beauvallet

Royal Escape

An Infamous Army

The Spanish Bride

Mystery and Murder Novels

The Talisman Ring

The Reluctant Widow

The Quiet Gentleman

The Toll-Gate

Cousin Kate

London Novels

Regency Buck

The Grand Sophy

Cotillion

April Lady

Bath Novels

Friday’s Child

Bath Tangle

Black Sheep

Lady of Quality

Regency Travels

The Corinthian

The Foundling

Sprig Muslin

Charity Girl

Medieval Classics

Simon the Coldheart

The Conqueror

My Lord John

Classic Crime Novels

Footsteps in the Dark

Why Shoot a Butler?

The Unfinished Clue

Death in the Stocks

Behold, Here’s Poison

They Found Him Dead

A Blunt Instrument

No Wind of Blame

Envious Casca /

A Christmas Party

Penhallow

Duplicate Death

Detection Unlimited

The Nonesuch

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First published in the UK by William Heinemann 1962

First published by Arrow Books 2005

This edition reissued by Arrow Books 2021 001

Copyright © Georgette Heyer, 1962

Initial lettering copyright © Stephen Raw, 2004

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This is a work of fiction. All characters and descriptions of events are the products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental.

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‘I am the heir.’

neither the most senior of his relations nor the one who bore his name!

Spasms when she had first heard the incredible news. As it was, she had been unable to speak for a full minute; and when she did thing to do. One would have thought—However, none of us had

dooce do you —Oh!’ He broke off, laughing, and said

is it? What ought to be mine is to be squandered on the scaff and ‘You – you—By God, you make me sick!’ Laurence said,

although he would have repudiated with indignation any suggestion that he was not very well able to provide for his

‘Well, of all the abominable injustices –! I didn’t prattle about

horrible squeeze to another; doing the pretty to people I’d as lief

Lindeth, and added: ‘Oh, Mama, you don’t object! Do you, Mama?’

Aveburys’ Dress-party, and—However, if you prefer to go to

His ideas might not coincide with hers; she might resent Julian’s

As he turned away from her, Julian, whose attention had been

a stuffy chaise for—Oh, you’re trying to gammon me, are you?

Laurence –! Upon my word, Waldo, I wonder that you should Waldo, you’re a—you’re a—’

‘Oh, come now, Waldo –’ George protested, adding after a

independence

‘His promise –! Good God, Waldo, you don’t depend on that, to have left his property to you—By the bye, my aunt didn’t like

Mrs Underhill, who knew no more of Sir Waldo than the Rector’s most illiterate parishioner, but understood, from the awe in Miss Chartley’s face, that the news was remarkable, said, in a placid voice: ‘Fancy!’ Miss Charlotte, a bouncing fifteen-

picture, she could change in the twinkling of an eye from an engagingly affectionate child into a positive termagant. Mrs Underhill surrendered her without protest, saying that Mrs Burford little knew what she had undertaken.

the grave, he would be so obliging as to send his niece back to Yorkshire. Not only was she so lost to all sense of propriety as to escape from the house when she was believed to be in bed and asleep, and to attend a masquerade at Vauxhall Gardens,

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