Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue
Series: The Poor Relation, Book 5
By: Marion Chesney / Narrated By: Davina Porter
Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
An adorable heroine, a misguided plot, and plenty of schemes—what could go wrong? HA!
Sir Philip’s Folly wound our favorite, no-longer-impoverished, group in a bit of a bind again, and they need some money, debts collected. Colonel Sandhurst really does come to the rescue when he happens upon the lovely Frederica who is running away from an engagement to the grooooss Lord Bewley, an older blowhard she’s only heard ugly things about (Her father, who ran up a sizable bill at the hotel, has fairly sold her to cover debts). Colonel Sandhurst whisks her away back to the Poor Relation, with a masterful plan: Send a ransom note saying kidnappers want money, or they’ll never see Frederica again. NATurally Frederica simply thinks she’s fallen in with a kindly, if odd (After all, she sees them with a loaded pistol in the dead of night, heading to heaven knows where…) lot.
Lord Bewley, however, has taken over the job of dealing with the kidnappers since he’s the one who’s been covering all Frederica’s family’s debts. Botched kidnapping. And Lord Bewley decides to stay at the Poor Relation since his townhouse is being renovated. Botched Frederica-Hiding.
He’s led to believe that Frederica is working as a chambermaid (Nooo! To try to hide her, again, our gang has set her to work with the temperamental French chefs in the kitchen) and is immediately bedazzled by the buxom and spirited Mary Jones—Chambermaid of Low Birth Extraordinaire. He thinks he’s fallen for Frederica. But why on earth does Frederica talk like she’s a guttersnipe? Why does she keep saying her name is Mary? Doesn’t matter: That blond hair! Those blue eyes! Oh, Frederica!
And so the mayhem continues for this, Colonel Sandhurst to the Rescue, Book 5 of The Poor Relation series…
I really liked both the Hero and heroine in this book, tho’ Captain Manners, betrothed to a pretty but manipulative young woman named Belinda, kinda tried my patience with his dithering and with his endless guilt over being captivated by Frederica whilst belonging in name to another. But he shows some spirit when called to action (We can thank Colonel Sandhurst yet again!). And I liked how the writing bore Belinda out so that we boo and hiss with her every word as the story progresses.
Mr. Jason Davy, the actor from Book 4, is out of work again, so he comes into the story and is a very welcome addition. Certainly Miss Tonks is thrilled with this situation, as she casts glowing eyes from her sheep-like spinster’s face. But she’s a spirited thing as she continues to grow throughout the series. And the cast he joins is written with such wit! Sir Philip doesn’t walk but scuttles out of the office. Our heroine doesn’t weep but sobs dismally into a tiny damp handkerchief. And Lady Fortescue doesn’t smile, but her black eyes crack and snap with girlish delight. Is that AWEsome, or what?
What can I say this late into the series regarding Davina Porter’s narration that I haven’t waxed on about before? The woman is a treasure to the books, each character having his or her own distinct voice, capturing their every gurgle of laughter, their every howl of disgust. But I CAN say this: She is laugh out loud hilarious when a drunken Captain Manners bellows out, sloshed to the sky, “Where’s my beloved…? Old cod-face…” sounding every bit about to flop over into a drunken stupor. Only the tip of the Davina Porter Iceberg!
Book 6 is coming up, and of COURSE I’ll be reviewing it. But that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it. It’s the last book in the series.
And I soooo don’t want these stories to end!!!
Bear with me as I sob dismally into a tiny damp handkerchief.
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