An entertaining romp through Iffley that proves, once again, that the only thing more crowded than a Regency cottage is a Regency closet full of skeletons.
Lord Dere—quite possibly the only gentleman in England with both a title and a pulse of pure gold—takes in his sister-in-law and his cousin’s entire brood. It’s a noble gesture, though moving eight relatives into Iffley Cottage suggests he has a higher tolerance for chaos than most. Among the throng is Adella, the family’s resident martyr, who decides the best way to secure their roof is to set her cap for the bachelor Lord Dere. It’s a practical, if slightly desperate, plan to keep the formidable Mrs. Markham from discovering her sister Jane’s latest lapse in judgment.
The real spanner in the works is the tutor, Mr. Weatherill. He’s spent his life hiding a "Fleet" pedigree—a debtor's prison education that the ton would find far less charming than his Latin. Naturally, while Adella is busy hunting a Peer, she and Weatherill ruin everything by falling in love.
The plot is a delightful game of "hide the scandal" from the neighborhood’s resident shrew, and while there are a few loose ends left fluttering in the breeze, the charm of the characters carries it through. Lord Dere remains the MVP of the piece; if only every heir had such an inconveniently kind benefactor. An excellent read for those who enjoy their romance served with a side of frantic damage control.
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