Frederica

Frederica is one of Heyer's longer novels. It is set after the Napoleonic wars, and is about a family from Herefordshire, the Merrivilles, who have just come to London. Frederica, the eldest of 5 children, visits a distant cousin, the Marquis of Alverstoke, hoping that he will help her gain the entree into Society. Vernon, Lord Alverstoke, is a selfish spoiled man in his late 30s, who has rarely made any efforts to help anyone, in his life. He has 3 sisters. Augusta, Louisa and Elizabeth all are married with children and they tend to pester him. He has had visits from his sister Louisa, and a cousin, Lucretia Dauntry, asking him to give a ball to launch their daughters into society. Vernon generally feels irritated by his sisters and their offspring, so he is not best pleased when he learns about Frederica. She tells him that she knows she is only a very distant relative, but that she would like some help in bringing out her younger sister Charis. However when he meets Charis and Jessamy and Felix, the young Merriville boys, he finds them interesting. Jessamy loves horses and Felix is interested in science.. and Charis is very beautiful. They are more amusing than most of his own family or society friends. Frederica's father was the younger son of a country gentleman, who eloped with a girl with only a modest fortune. He unexpectedly inherited the estate, due to the death of his older brother, and for a time led a quiet life. His wife died after having 5 children, and he went back to his wild ways. Frederica tells Vernon that she and Charis each have a dowry of £5000, and they have now rented out their house. So now they can afford to come to London, as she wants her sister to meet young men and make a good marriage. They live in an isolated country place, where there are few opportunities for Charis to meet a selection of young men. Vernon changes his mind and agrees to take on a protective role for the family and to give a ball to bring Charis out. When Frederica gets a promise from Alverstoke, she worries a little because she guesses that Lady Buxted, who has a daughter of 18, is not going to be happy. Her daughter, Jane is plain, and now, she will have to share her come out with a dazzling beauty like Charis. She herself is 24 and not a great beauty, and has been the mother figure and housekeeper for her family for much of her life.