Dangerous Lady could have been a great read. The plot is intricate and fascinating, and the hero and heroine are terrific. What’s missing? The romance! The hero and heroine are so busy worrying about politics that they forget they are supposed to be falling in love with each other. Their limited romantic interactions are a disappointment, marring an otherwise fine read.

Lady Letitia Deverill has been raised in France, but she comes to England to serve the young Queen Victoria as a maid of honor. As the sole Tory among Victoria’s court women, Letty is basically persona non grata. But Letty is very headstrong, with a mind of her own. She tries not to let her precarious status bother her. She meets someone the first day at court who smooths her way – Justin, Viscount Raventhorpe. While he often infuriates Letty with his controlling personality, he also takes up her cause with the members of court.

Justin and Letty have another tie. Justin’s uncle left him his vast fortune, with the exception of his London home, which he left to Letty. The bequest is an odd one, since Letty never knew his uncle. The home is inhabited by Justin’s aunts, who are granted tenancy for life. And there is something else odd about the house. It’s actually a maison de tolerance – a haven where unhappily married couples meet their lovers. As the book progresses, Letty’s situation at court becomes more precarious, and the house becomes more of a problem. Letty and Justin must figure out what to do with his house and his aunts as they navigate the treacherous politics at court.

This is a well-researched book, and the attention to detail is meticulous. The reader really gets a feel for the time period. For the most part, the history is very interesting, although there are a few extraneous conversations involving court gossip. The two primary plots – the political situation at court and the problem of the aunts’ house – are both expertly handled. The problem of the house is particularly interesting. Most authors would be tempted to play the situation for laughs, but Scott treats it very seriously, with interesting results.

The characterization is good here too. Letty and Justin are both interesting and enjoyable characters, and they are backed up by a great supporting cast. Letty’s maid Jenifry and Justin’s brother Ned are particularly effective. Also interesting are the villains, who are more sophisticated than the average.

In fact, there is almost nothing wrong with what is in the book. The problem is what’s not there – the romance. There are a few tender scenes, one of which is at the very end, and we do get some indication of Justin’s feelings for Letty, but that’s about it. Both Letty and Justin are much more concerned with the political situation than they are with their feelings for each other. What this book needs is about one hundred more pages, all devoted to the love relationship.

Dangerous Lady is part of a series that includes Dangerous Illusions, Dangerous Games, and Dangerous Angels, but it really stands alone. It’s the first I’ve read in the series, but I’m interested in the others. Some readers will probably enjoy this, as I did, particularly if you like a lot of history and intrigue. Just steel yourself for a disappointment when it comes to the romance.