Venetia Part I

Venetia is one of Heyer's later novels and not one of my favourites but it is likable enough for me to re read it at times. It is set in Yorkshire, a couple of years after Waterloo. However the hero is someone I dont find all that sympathetic. The novel starts with Venetia Lanyon and her brother having breakfast. She is the daughter of a baronet. Her family live at Undershaw, a prosperous estate and they are one of the richest of the gentry, in their neighbourhood. Her father, who had died a while earlier, was a recluse. Venetia has 2 brothers. Conway is in the Army, and stationed in France. The younger one is Aubrey who has a damaged hip and is very delicate. Venetia is now 25 and has never been away from her home. She has kept house for her father and looked after Aubrey who is a very clever boy of 17, a classical scholar who dislikes company. Venetia keeps busy with her house and managing the estate for Conway, but she does regret being cloistered at home. Sir Francis, her father, refused to let her go to London or have any visitors. The only people she knows well are her older woman friend, Lady Denny and Sir Francis' godson, Edward Yardley, a local squire. Since his death, she has more freedom, but she has felt obliged to take care of Aubrey and manage the estate until Conway leaves the army. Venetia is a dazzling beauty, and she has found that when she occasionally went to Assemblies in York, she had admirers. Sir Francis' reclusive tendencies meant that none of them were able to visit her at home or pursue a romance. Her mother died when she was a child. That seemed to set off her father's oddities. Venetia believed that her parents were not very happy. She is out walking alone one day. She sometimes walks on the neighbouring estate of Lord Damerel. He inherited Elliston Priory, many years earlier but rarely visited, and is a scandalous rake. He eloped with a married lady when only around 20. He is said to have driven his father to an early grave. He lived abroad and when the lady's husband died, he did not marry her. He has hardly ever visited his home, except once, with some very unrespectable companions and ladies of easy virtue. He is believed to live abroad much of the time. To Venetia's amazement, he suddenly appears in her path and kisses her, thinking her to be a village girl. She tells herself she should be very shocked at such brazen behavour, but in fact she is intrigued by it.

Frederica Part VI

Sir William Knighton, a well known doctor, (and a real life person) arrives to see Felix. Frederica has found a letter from Charis to say that she has left to get married. She manages to go through the doctor's visit, but she is upset that her sister has eloped. It looks like they won't be able to find Charis before she gets to Gretna Green. She has sent for Vernon and he comes around with Lady Elizabeth, and says that it may be a 9 days wonder, and that they can think of some tale why the couple were married privately with only a couple of people present. To their surprise, Charles Trevor then appears, and tells them that Charis and Endymion are not married.. so the worst scandal is avoided. He was passing a church, in the City that morning. He saw Endymion, Harry and Charis going in, so he, suspecting a secret marriage was taking place, followed them. He is a clergyman's son, himself but he decided to wait until the bit in the ceremony about having any objection to a marriage. He gets the service stopped and tells the 3 of them that Frederica might not like them getting married but if they are determined, it would be better to do it with her knowledge. Endymion's mother also objected to the marriage since Charis is relatively poor and her son is heir to a title. The couple, with Charles, go back to Endymion's house, because he had left a letter for his mother. But Endymion loses his temper with his mother and tells her that he loves Charis and he's going to marry her. Charis tries to soothe Mrs Dauntry and she comes round to the marriage. Charles tells Frederica that he thinks she should agree to let them marry, as the couple are in love... Vernon tells her that had Charis not met Endymion, she might have made a better marriage from a material point of view. She is a placid passive girl and would have probably gone along with Frederica's plans. But she did meet young Dauntry and she is in love with him, and he does have a fortune of his own, albeit not a large one. Frederica says that she is not entirely happy, but it seems she must consent or be estranged from her sister. Vernon says that she should agree, and the couple can marry in a few months. But then Elizabeth tells him that it would be best for Frederica to marry first and then Charis can marry. Vernon, exasperated by his sister's interfering, finally steps in and proposes to her, and she tells him that she loves him but she could not leave her younger brothers. He tells her that he wouldn't expect her to give up the younger boys, and that he is more than willing to take them into his home. They will go to school or college and then spend holidays at Alver Park. The two couples have found happiness and Alverstoke has found a role that will take up his energy, and give him more satisfaction than amusing himself.

Frederica Part V

Felix becomes feverish and it is several days before he is on the road to recovery. When he is getting better, Alverstoke returns to London. Frederica finds that she misses his help. On her return with her brother, she is worried that his illness may have left a weakness and she feels it would be a good idea to take him away to recover fully. But she gets very little help from Harry or Charis. Charis is weeping over the idea of going away from Endymion. Harry is not willing to put himself out to find them lodgings at the sea side. Still, he gets annoyed when Vernon offers the family hospitality at his own country house, Alver Park, where they could enjoy country air....Her aunt, Seraphina, who had been in their house as chaperone, has moved out because their Aunt Amelia has just lost her husband. Seraphina feels that she should be with her sister, so another member of the family has let her down. Frederica is feeling very tired and fraught. She had become used to having Alverstoke's help, while they were at Monks farm with Felix. She over looks Charis having secret meetings with Endymion because she sympathises with her sister. She realises that she has failed to get Charis married to a rich man, and now she won't be able to afford to bring her to London again for another season. This depresses her, as she loves Charis and wanted the best for her. In the meantime, Charis has been meeting Endymion, secretly but with Harry keeping an eye on them. He urges them to make up their minds and get married, and points out that he is Charis's guardian, and can give permission for her to get married under age.

Frederica Part IV

Lady Elizabeth Kentmere, Vernon's youngest sister, comes to London. She is married to a country gentleman and has been busy for years rearing her family and rarely coming to the city. She wants to find a house for when her eldest daughter comes out, and she is keen to meet the Merriville family who seem to be taking up Vernon's time. She and her sister Augusta chat about Frederica and Charis. Augusta tells her that she believes that Vernon has always been bored and spoiled. Now he has met a young woman who is intelligent and attractive and who can offer him a family that he likes and finds interesting. Harry, the eldest Merriville brother has been sent down from Oxford, because of a prank. So he decides to spend a few weeks in London. He is a good natured sporty young man but not very responsible. He becomes friendly with Endymion Dauntry and encourages Charis's romance. This annoys Frederica. She wants her sister to marry a richer man who can take care of her. Endymion wants to marry Charis, honourably, but he is worried that his cousin will intervene and stop a marriage. Harry tells the couple that they should make their minds up. Charis, who is very sweet natured, feels that she does not want to cause Endymion to lose the comforts and allowance that he has as Alverstoke's heir. Then the family go to Hyde Park to see a balloon ascent, as Felix is very interested in the possiblities of balloon travel. While they are watching the preparations, Felix manages to get into the balloon as it takes off. Alverstoke and Jessamy drive after it. It comes down in the country and Felix is injured during the descent. He also is very cold and develops bronchitis, and has to be nursed at a local farm. Alverstoke and Frederica look after him as he is very ill, but back in London, Harry continues to encourage Charis in her romance with Endymion.

Frederica Part III

Frederica enjoys her socialising, but tells Lord Alverstoke that she has no desire to marry. She just wants to see Charis married. However, she finds that Carlton Buxted, Vernon's nephew, a stuffy young man, is taken with her. Vernon also finds that there is another romance brewing. His secretary, Charles Trevor has become interested in Chloe Dauntry, Alverstoke's cousin, Endymion's sister. She is only 17 but she is an intelligent and charming girl. He decides that he will have to help Charles to get on in politics so that he can marry Chloe. He himself has been having an affair with a society beauty, Mrs Parracombe, but he finds that in spite of himself he is being drawn to Frederica. She seems to be wholly wrapped up in her role as mother figure to the family, and does not take any notice of her suitor, Lord Buxted nor of Vernon, and he wonders if he is in love. He has never cared deeply for any of his mistresses.

Frederica Part II

Vernon leads an idle life, going to parties and engaging in sports, and has never taken much interest in the serious pursuits of his class. He leaves his estate to his bailiff, and takes no interest in politics. He has a secretary, young Charles Trevor. Charles is the son of a clergyman who has a living on one of Vernon's estates, and he wants to go into politics. He is fond of his employer, though he disapproves of his hedonistic lifestyle and his mistresses. He is surprised that Vernon is willing to take on a guardian role for the Merrivilles. He's very surprised to find that his employer is willing to help Felix learn about science. Charles can see that Felix is a nice kid, but Vernon is not usually keen on his own sisters' children, never mind a distant relative. The Merrivilles meet Vernon's family and the ball takes place - Charis being a great social success. Vernon's cousin Endymion is soon smitten with Charis and this causes a stir in the family. She has only a small dowry, and Endymion is handsome but rather stupid. He has a decent income of his own, but he's not rich. Frederica does not like the love affair. She wants her sister to marry well and thinks that although Endymion has expectations, they may not work out. Vernon is still a young man and sure to marry. So Endymion is unlikely to get his estate. Jessamy, the second son, is prone to fits of religiousness. He wants to be a clergyman. He however does get into some trouble when he goes out on a pedestrian curricle, a forerunner of the bicycle and has a crash. He has to seek help from Vernon who is again quite good natured about helping him out. He then lends Jessamy one of his horses so that he can take some exercise and warns him about the dangers of becoming a prig.

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 recently 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 a dazzling beauty. 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, he and his wife were very happy and 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. He promises Frederica he will help her, and introduces her to his sister, Louisa. Frederica 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 beauty like Charis. She herself is 24. She is pretty but not exceptionally so. She has been the mother figure and housekeeper for her family for much of her life.