Our hero: Lord Broderick Sterling Ashbourne, the new Marquess of Leeds is as tragic as Atlas, the titan made to bear the weight of the world for his sins and that of his family. Once a magnificent naval officer, Broderick has become an infamous mercenary and prodigal son due to a secret held for his wayward brother Alan. Broderick, heartsick from loss of Inez, returns to England with little but the love of his life in mind but is soon embroiled in his family’s insanity, yet again.
His heroine: Miss Inez Archer, his childhood friend, who at the tender age of sixteen, in order to save him from heartache, selflessly offered him her hand. Despite her own tragedies, she had never stopped being his champion. Regardless of her poor birth, she was beautiful, independently wealthy, and could have long ago married. Still, she remains a spinster at twenty-seven for love of Broderick.
The Novel: Is based primarily around Rick and Inez’s romantic relationship. The first few chapters introduce and give, in detail, the foundation of the two such as who they are, and where their heart lies. There are secondary story lines but their sole purpose is to add to the lead characters’ interaction so the story remains focused on their development.
Together: Rick and Inez hold passionately. They are faithful to each other and the love they share. They greatly value their families, especially the one they hope to create, and are endearingly romantic without being trite or overly sentimental.
Their story: Leeds opens in London late spring 1820 as the two, recently reunited, ride silently towards a piece of property that Inez only recently discovered among her inheritance. They arrive at the house at Berkeley Square, he distant and reeling from the sad news that landed him in her care while she is watchful and sympathetic.
His heroine: Miss Inez Archer, his childhood friend, who at the tender age of sixteen, in order to save him from heartache, selflessly offered him her hand. Despite her own tragedies, she had never stopped being his champion. Regardless of her poor birth, she was beautiful, independently wealthy, and could have long ago married. Still, she remains a spinster at twenty-seven for love of Broderick.
The Novel: Is based primarily around Rick and Inez’s romantic relationship. The first few chapters introduce and give, in detail, the foundation of the two such as who they are, and where their heart lies. There are secondary story lines but their sole purpose is to add to the lead characters’ interaction so the story remains focused on their development.
Together: Rick and Inez hold passionately. They are faithful to each other and the love they share. They greatly value their families, especially the one they hope to create, and are endearingly romantic without being trite or overly sentimental.
Their story: Leeds opens in London late spring 1820 as the two, recently reunited, ride silently towards a piece of property that Inez only recently discovered among her inheritance. They arrive at the house at Berkeley Square, he distant and reeling from the sad news that landed him in her care while she is watchful and sympathetic.
She calls him to attention and offers him the option of taking her carriage or her company. He chooses the latter and stays with her without hesitation. Soon inside, the grand townhouse, the two fall into easy albeit often contentious conversation about their fathers’ questionable conduct.
This leads to him revealing the cause for his distress. The resurrection of his believed dead, older brother Alan. Before long, their talk of willful relations turns to matters far more personal. Some of it introspective, others confrontational but there could be no denying how intimate everything would be.
All the past hurts and disappointment. Her anger for what she believes to be his rotten treatment. His anger for what he now perceives to be her callous indifference. Then right when they were about to call it a day her Uncle Mitchell, fresh from Vienna happens upon them at the house which, as it turns out, was given to him fifteen years prior by Inez’s father.
Mitchell is suspicious of them being there alone without a chaperone but is not given the full opportunity to inquire why because of their hasty departure. A little while later, the two in the carriage heading for their individual residence in St James Square discuss the possibility of consequences stemming from Mitchell finding them alone together.
Well aware of the precarious position in which they have now found themselves Rick responsibly sets forth an offer of marriage, which is instantly set aside by Inez. Who swears to him she would take care of it long before it got to that and then the two parted company.
Only for her turn up on his steps, a few hours later in a full panic at the prospect of being made to marry him while they were so unsettled. After some initial resistance to her being without a chaperone in his company, the two spend the evening coming to terms with some difficult truths.
Most of it things left unsaid between them and others having to do with him giving her the full breath of what she would have to contend with should she decide to marry him. The most pressing of which was the return of his thieving brother, whom he confesses to have kidnapped with the hope of brokering a deal to save them all from ruin.
So touched is she by this new reviling Broderick who now confides in her all his deepest secret that she agrees to marry him and not only because of his problems either. It was because at the heart of it and despite their time apart there was no one else with whom either would rather be.
Optimistic and half-sorted the two are soon setup on by an opportunistic Mrs Brandon who was using her knowledge of Alan’s return to extort marriage from Rick for her daughter. Rick terrifies the greedy woman and her daughter away only to have his lunatic relations descend with want for Alan’s blood.
Then there was his murderous Uncle Andrew, who felt he was the only rightful heir to the title and wanted not only Alan but also Rick out his way. An awful situation now made worst because of a long held family secret about Alan’s true paternity and the appearance of Alan’s wife and daughters.
Soon the ton was alive with rampant speculation about the validity of Alan’s much exaggerated reappearance or his believed widow with his very young daughters in tow. Once it became apparent that the girls where Alan’s and that the lady’s claim was authenticity the gentlemen from the Committee of Privileges where around asking all kinds of question about Alan’s whereabouts.
In the midst of all this Rick and Inez marry and rediscovers their passion for each other only to have the whole thing threaten when he shuts down from the stress of it all and starts keeping things from her. She remains patient resolving to support him until the matter with Alan is taken care of only just about the time when Rick had Alan on a boat to exile and was busy settling all else they learns that Uncle Andrew murdered Alan.
Alan’s dead comes the knowledge that he had escape to India all those years ago in order to protect their mother’s brother that had been cruelly placed in an asylum to stop him inheriting. Wounded that Alan did not feel he could have trusted him with this Rick shut Inez out further still.
Their marriage now reduced essentially to nothing but sex, secrets and silence forces Inez into action. The leave London for Suffolk, which give them enough time away from the constant bombardment from their outrageous life to reclaim some the easy intimacy they use to share.
Their love renewed and stronger than ever, Rick now the undisputed Marquess Leeds, holds tight to his wife and happy ever after they had so tirelessly fought for.
The end.
Have a great week,
Simone
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