It has been a very long time since I read a novel set in the Regency that pleased me as much as Lord Frederick’s Return. I am finding it hard to criticise any of it. It was, for me, a delightful read with high quality prose, a wealth of historical detail and leading characters I liked and admired. I’d like to know them again in a future story.

The basic premises is that Lord Frederick Rupert Danlow, aged thirty-eight, has returned from twenty years in India. He has made his fortune and enjoyed his time living there, learning the languages, living happily with the customs, food, music, society, etc. During his time there he had a “bibi”, a Hindu mistress, by whom he had a daughter, Ruperta. Sadly, the girl’s mother died in childbirth and Lord Frederick admits that though he did not marry her, they did love each other and he isn’t really sure why he did not legitimise the situation other than he accepted that the sort of arrangement he had was usual and customary. I am sure that some readers will judge him harshly for this but I do not; I agree with his decision for it was very much the manner and more of the day, time and place. In any event, he decides he will return to England and bring little Ruperta back with him. He waits until she is four years old and able to cope with the six month sea journey back to England. He brings with him her ayahs (native nursemaids) so that she will be with familiar faces.

On their return, he is introduced to the elderly retired Col Ponsonby with a view to receiving advice on returning from Indian to English society for the Colonel spent many years in India and he, too, has a daughter, Susannah, the daughter of his bibi. Susannah is now nearing 30 years old and was once disappointed in love by a fortune hunter prepared to overlook the “unfortunate circumstances of her birth”, e.g. illegitimate and “half-caste”.

The son and brother of a Marquess, Frederick is eager to see his brother and sister-in-law again and a visit is contrived with the usual complications of travel in those times. He and Susannah have fallen in love and he wishes for her to meet his family and be accepted by them ahead of their marriage. Thus they travel to Northumberland and his family seat together with her father and servants, etc.

The story line of this novel is really very simple. A man returns home, meets a suitable woman, his little child adores the woman and the feeling is mutual. The man’s family accept and truly like the woman, they get married and live happily ever after. However, though there are none of the “alarums and excursions” that can infiltrate Regency-set stories, there is a calm, steady pace as the story unfolds. Of course every ointment has flies and there are some here that are handled very well with simplicity and care. There is prejudice – common at the time (and now) – against a mixed race person. There is a murder (a side story but an important one), a trial of Lord Frederick’s younger brother (shocking and surprising), an attempted suicide, nasty relatives who want money and others who are just plain rude and hostile. But the lovers never doubt each other, their love is true and strong and the important family members are their staunch supporters.

I really enjoyed reading this. It’s charming and knowing, well written, discerning in handling difficult issues, it held my attention and the reader meets interesting and very amenable people as well as the nasties. If you are thinking you’d like to read something Regency-set that’s a little different, then this might be for you. The author has done her research and cites her sources, several of which I have read myself. She shows in a very quiet way that love can win out over different if not necessarily ultimately difficult circumstances.

a review by Elaine S